Vol.# 176
As I walk into the darkened church, I can just make out the outline of a woman standing next to the tithe box, and I observed how she was about to give her tithe. She clasped her hands and prayed with head bowed; then she raised her head upwards as if to God before inserting the envelope into the slot.
I was truly moved by her actions. I thought, what reverence she possesses. She really and truly is presenting her offering to the LORD. It was an act of worship and release to Him Who gave it to her in the first place.
This encounter was a timely reminder to me as I was about to do the same but with a totally different attitude! I had given myself 2 minutes to run in and do my duty of giving my tithe before I had to rush out again to another errand. I have become so cavalier in my giving back to Jesus, and this encounter made me pause to think.
Am I giving with the right attitude of mind and spirit?
I think that my Khmer brothers and sisters here have so much to teach me when it comes to totally surrendering all that I have, albeit resources,time or relationships to Jesus the Christ!
Last week I had to have another talk with my Khmer helper about cleaning properly. I had this talk with my Khmer tutor alongside me. Keo, my helper, took it to heart and decided to take apart the fan to clean it because it was dirty! Well, she was so vigorous in the cleaning that a vital part of the fan, a very small circular ‘thing’ broke! Without this piece she could not put back the moving parts of the fan that makes up the fan! I just looked at her when she said, Bong Srey (older sister), sorry!
It was VERY VERY hot last week, to say the least, and I thought most places may not sell this piece apart from buying a whole new fan. So with a heavy heart, 3 days ago as my tuk tuk driver came to meet me, I showed him the broken piece and told him that I was going to pray that I would be able to find this piece. So he bowed his head with me as I prayed. Well, wouldn’t you know it, just 2 minutes down the road, at the side of someone's house where the garbage is usually kept for pick up, there was this missing piece! My driver stopped and went to pick it up to show me, and I could not believe it!
It was just there!
Well, we looked at each other and I started to laugh and say, "Well now, we have to give thanks to God!"
OH VIDYA of little faith!
God allowed me to call this particular driver that morning (usually I would use an app on my phone to get my rides because it is cheaper this way), so that I could share with him my prayer, and then for him to spot this piece lying on the side of the road!
I hope this encourages you, because it just reminded me of His promise to always take care of me even in the smallest of things!
So sweet that He would do that, not only for me, but for my driver and also Keo, my helper! (I told her the story about praying and God showing us the missing piece and it was free! LOL!)
I would like to send pictures of my class to you, but I first have to get permission, so in my next update I will just send pictures, no words!
I love my class. I decided to be 'strict' because there were too many in the class. It went from 20 to 33, so I had a game plan. I laid down rules that the Khmer interpreted as being too strict, and now I am back to the manageable 22 students! The class is an open class, meaning I have students with different comprehension levels of English, so it can be difficult teaching a lesson with such a varied standard of understanding.
'Strict' to my Khmer students means that they have to come to class on time. Pov, the head of the English programme, and I had a different understanding of ‘grace’ time to go to class; I was thinking 5 minutes and he was thinking 15 minutes! Phones are not to be used; they are not 'best friends' in class, meaning they cannot ‘help’ each other by giving each other the answer etc.. I had to explain why I thought it was important (then I would not know how to help the student etc.); no talking while I was teaching; and then when we spoke it would be in English!
I figured some of the students were not really serious about being in class, so I wanted to see who would come to class. So now I have a core group! One student came to ask permission to be late since she leaves work at 4 and the class starts at 4 and I gave her permission because she came to ask me permission. I do use Khmer to explain grammar and certain words which has more than one meaning in English. For example, we were talking about the phrase ‘breaking a promise’, so I had to explain the difference between breaking a glass, heartbreaking etc..
But the thing I love is what happens on my way to teaching the class. I meet with a Khmer teacher that I wrote about in my previous updates, just to listen and explain phrases in his English lesson. I like the impromptu chats with other Khmer staff who are teaching English, and how just talking with them gives me ideas on how to explain English grammar within the Khmer experience! Prepping my lessons is becoming more and more like an act of worship as HE gives the creativity in ideas and how to teach the class.
Praise:
Thank you for praying for me to be more creative in the class; to find the balance of being ‘strict’ yet welcoming; the delicate balance of being a teacher and educator.
Prayer Requests:
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| My tutor is the same as Matt's when he came 16 years ago! |
- Elections is on July 29th. Please pray for peace and order before the elections and afterwards.
Thank you all!
Please keep sending your stories and your prayer requests as it is an honor for you to include me in going to God on your behalf!
Love, His Warrior and Disciple,
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,
Your sister, Vidya 