#217 - Gratitude in Pictures!

Vol.# 217

I love the early mornings here. Life has not yet come alive on the street below, the air is still cool, the birds are singing, the cocks are crowing. The muffled sounds of the same 5 people walking every morning for exercise tells me that I am on time here for my morning date with Jesus. Around me the sky, though dark, is just beginning to come alive with the sun filtering in through slowly. 

My Morning View

The construction sounds in the nearby building has not yet begun. I noticed that the workmen there begin at 6:30, so it is true bliss for that one and half hours from 5 till then! I thought in the midst of this God-ordained season of partial lockdown and total lockdown all over the world, I would talk about those things I am truly grateful for through pictures!

I am using pictures because I am thinking of Ravi Zacharias who is now in heaven with His Saviour and who has used the power of words to simply express whom the Lord Jesus Christ is. I am aware of many who have written about the impact of his life on their walk with Jesus. For me, it was through his books that I learnt how to explain and communicate about my faith, his way of answering those deep questions in love and with respect, never in an antagonistic or condescending manner. May I encourage you to read our own Shyamala Krishnan’s words about her brother Ravi in her blog, shyamalapgz.wordpress.com.

Bro. Ravi you taught us much, you imparted much wisdom, and my prayers go out to not only his wife and grownup children, but also to his siblings and their families as well! As my own sister Sita remarked on one of her postings, we all need to carry on his legacy of talking about our faith, through whichever media we are gifted in, art, music, spoken or rhythmic word etc. As part of my thank you to Jesus, I now will use pictures!


- I am so thankful for my IPad! 

Ah, I can feel the disappointment from some of you thinking, “Really Vidya, how materialistic!’  Ah, but for the IPad, I would not have seen the kindness and creativity of others! I am not sure if you can see the crack at the bottom of the IPad on the photo shown, but a couple of weeks before l returned to Toronto on my last visit, the magnetic ‘ting’ which held the screen to the keyboard pad was no longer holding the IPad together, and it fell out of the case and cracked! It was frustrating trying to use it, as I would have to prop it up and make sure that the IPAD itself was secure before using it. Well, Ian and Ramona L. saw this, and Ian, being the MacGyver that he is, promptly put double-sided tape to keep the IPAD in place, and put a screen saver on the part of the screen that was cracked so that it was safeguarded and would not crack anymore! On my return here to Phnom Penh, anytime I used this, many Khmer would comment on the creativity and the low cost of repairing the cracked glass, which by the way is Jesus showing His love to me, because the location of the cracks are at the bottom of the screen, so I can still see clearly to do my work on this! 

After 3 months back in the extremely hot conditions here, the double-sided tape began to lose its effect and the top part of the apparatus that holds the IPAD in place began to break off! This is where others here came in to help. When Teacher Pov saw how difficult it was becoming to work on this, he immediately said he had special tape, but we had to get rid of the old one which ironically was so glued to the back of the IPAD but not strong enough to keep it stuck to the key board holder. He was trying to peel it off when Sister Chhoung Sary came in, saw what we were trying to do, and immediately went and got a rag and just took the IPAD and gently began to try to remove the tape! 

Pastoral Team with Sister Sary on Far Right

Two Maintenance Workers From Church

Sister Sary is one of the two maintenance workers here at the church, the hardest hit economically by the pandemic since now we only use a part of the building (school area and church sanctuary are not being used). There is no school for her children who are usually fed 2 meals at the school, so now she has to prepare three meals for them on a reduced salary. She is one of those who received a blessing package of groceries from YOU, since you all contribute to me financially being here. For thirty minutes she slowly and methodically and carefully removed the sticky backing. Then Pov took me down to the market area and someone else there put a protective plastic on the back of the IPAD for only $2.50 before we repasted the double sided tape. The seller and the customers there were commenting on the creativity of the screen saver and asking about the costs of the keyboard (each of the three customers hazarding the costs of it!). Then we went to another seller in the market who sold phones and accessories and he took a look at the broken part of the keyboard holder and proceeded to glue it so that my IPAD would stand in place when I was using it. He worked on it for 5 -10 minutes, then gave it back to us. When I asked how much the cost was, he said, “No charge!” I am overwhelmed by the generosity of all who gave their time and efforts over this tool. So humbling to me! God provided the help I needed here through others that I am so thankful for! 

- I thank God that I have the space to wash and hang my clothes and sheets! I know that many like my parents are closeted in an apartment with no such ‘luxury’! 

Hanging Clothes

- My role has been changing here from teaching in front of the class to helping in the background doing the prep and voice-overs on the educational videos. I am helping with the prep but my Khmer teachers are the faces on the video teaching and being creative with different forms of social media to reach out to the students.It has been exciting to see my fellow Khmer teachers rise up and use social media to communicate the English lessons. Since there is no immediate interaction with the students in the classroom, the hours spent in trying to construct sentences that would accurately but simply reflect the meaning of the words has been challenging and gratifying!

Recording English Lessons

My Co-Teachers

After Almost 2 hours of Prep!

- I get to meet with other ministry leaders now. Pastoral care ministry has grown and since we are now looking after those in immediate financial need, I get to see the generosity of others. I get to help transcribe the blessing experiences of the Khmer recipients for the English speaking ex-pat donors, and I am blessed to get to know those in charge with whom I ordinarily would not have spent so much time!

First Dinner Out

First Staff Prayer Meeting After 2 ½ Months!

- I am humbled to be reminded that my ‘presence’ is sometimes all that is needed here to encourage others! I was told that my energy and cheerfulness always brings a smile! In actuality after being in self-isolation I am SO READY to be in contact with ANYONE that it is easy to radiate such joy! LOL!

- I am thankful for YOU all for your calling in on FT to surprise me. Thank you Meech in Colorado, and to Ian and Ramona who came up with the idea of us watching a TV series together on FT! For the past three Saturday mornings I got to watch with them, coffee and popcorn handy in Phnom Penh as they watched it in Toronto, and yes, on my IPAD!!!!!

- I thank God for the deepening of relationships. Since I cannot go out to meet with many, I can do one on one or invite one or two to my house and spend quality time with them.

- Thankful for Chloe whose picture I will not show since she is only one year old, but her parents Lauren and David have been my online life lines here and to see this little one grow, though social distancing, has made me smile and laugh with her purity and innocence. Thankful to Mel who is in Singapore and cannot return but whose insights and love for her Khmer family here is awe inspiring through her ministry BRAVE!

- Grateful to my own family, Mom and Dad with whom I get to WhatsApp and to my siblings who keep me laughing during this time when I am on my own!

Just before I sign off, I had been having trouble her with the Wi-Fi, as in NO Wi-Fi. The company tech and I were becoming fast friends, since I have been calling every morning for the past 4 days! After the third visit by a technician (each one being sprayed with sanitizer on arrival here much to their surprise!), which happened to be on a Sunday, I decided to watch the worship service on my IPAD (yes!) using the hotspot off my 4G, and figured if the technician was going to stay long as the others, I would play the worship service loudly so that he could hear it as well and go to church with me! So I did! THE WORD was being presented in rhythmic form as well as SPOKEN, and as role-modeled by my parents when we had workers come to our house in Trinidad, this tech was given refreshment as he sat and worked on the Wi-Fi!

Wi-Fi Guys Listening To Sermon

God has a purpose for you this season. Reach out to one person by phone, or email or text. Your presence in their life is precious! 

Thank you for your continuing support and dancing with me here in my heart country! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#216 - Adjusting to life amid Covid-19 in Cambodia

Vol.# 216

Okay, I am prepared! 

I have all the necessary things I need and here I go! 

Am I preparing for a trip? No! To cook? No!

I am preparing to take a ...shower! It is SO HOT here that the water turns from cool to BOILING HOT within a matter of 2-3 minutes. Thus, if I am going to wash my hair, I have to carefully lay out the route from one shower in one room to another, in the hope that I can lather up under one shower before sprinting to the other one to wash off the shampoo! Well, it gets my heart pumping, but does nothing to cool me down since it is a sprint! And I NEVER run! 

But that is life here. The water tank on the rooftop gets pretty heated up, so you learn never to take a shower in the midday. Early in the morning and late at night are your best options. As I ponder the different ways I have to adjust to the hottest month and season of the year, I look at the ways I have had to adjust to COVID 19.
I still get up early to meet with Jesus, but instead of 5:30a.m., I now have to do it at 5:00a.m. since the day gets hotter earlier and I like the coolness of the morning as I watch the sun begin to rise. I still have to ‘get dressed’ and be ready for impromptu video calls from my Khmer co-teachers and the head of the school. It is not usually a set time and I have learnt to be prepared, because for the first few times I would answer, and they, being at the office and not self isolating, would be prepped whereas I was not. Invariably one of them would take a picture to post on the staff link of us talking and yes, that pic of me was never flattering!

As of yesterday, we have had no new COVID infections for the past 15 days from the random testing, no deaths and 70 percent recovery rate. These statistics are given by the Cambodian government, whereas Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, the surrounding countries near Cambodia, have had higher rates of infection and deaths. However, large gatherings are still banned. No school or church. Weddings and funerals are still happening but on a smaller scale. Flights to and from Cambodia are restricted and in some cases not allowed, but it is business as usual on the streets and in the malls. The big difference is that when you go to a bank, your temperature is taken, and in some malls, especially if you are a foreigner, your temperature is taken and hand sanitizer is sprayed on your hands. There is no community distancing here except in most groceries, there are signs on the floor where you should stand to wait at the cashiers. I have been at the office for three days a week since the protocols of temperature taking and hand sanitizing has been put in place. It has been good to be with everyone, taping lessons and being creative together in reaching out to our students. 

TEMPERATURE TESTING WHEN I GO IN AND YES, I ALSO ASKED FOR TESTING WHEN LEAVING MUCH TO THE SURPRISE OF THE RECEPTIONIST!

Praise and Pray: 

It is a simple task. I put my sheets and other laundry in the washing machine. When it is finished, I hang them up to dry. I am grateful. In Toronto, I think of my parents who have not stepped out of their apartment for over a month now. They do not have an ensuite washing machine and dryer, and cannot go down to the basement there to wash bigger items and put them in the dryer, because they are at high risk. My mom has to wash smaller items and put them to dry in the apartment, but the bigger things like sheets and towels they cannot do. My sister, bless her heart, goes to pick up those things and then takes it back for them. I take this task for granted and I pray for those of you who do not have access to laundry facilities and many other things for His grace and creative ways to get the simple things done.

Prayer Request: 

In this season the expectation that is often mentioned is that we become more like ‘Mary’ who sat at Jesus’ feet, listening and praying, versus ‘Martha’ who was all activity and getting things done. As I look at those around me and at myself, I pray that I do not become a Martha to be like a Mary! What does that mean? Perhaps that I am trying to fit in this allotted time to pray, to study the Word, to do a spiritual activity so I can show others and also reassure myself that I am using this allotted season to stay at Jesus’ feet! 

Praise: 

Many of you had prayed for creativity in how to reach out to others in this time of need. In my conversations with the leaders at the church, they have identified those in dire need, as well as the ‘sellers’ of certain goods within the congregation, and have linked buying those staple items from these sellers, who would not have business because of the closing of many shops, so that we can then give those items to those who have been identified as in need! A win-win situation!

BAGS OF 20 KILO RICE, OIL, INSTANT NOODLES, SUGAR, SOYA SAUCE AND FISH SAUCE BEING ASSEMBLED. WE DID 23 SETS YESTERDAY!

HONOURED TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER 1 FOOD PACKAGE TO TWO MEMBERS IN THE MARKET. JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE ONE ON THE RIGHT THEN GAVE FROM HER PACKAGE TO OTHERS!

THIS PRECIOUS ONE STOPPED COMING TO CHURCH AND HAD JUST SOLD HER PHONE TO GET MONEY FOR FOOD WHEN A CHURCH LEADER FELT GOD SAYING TO GIVE HER ONE OF THE BLESSING BASKETS. SHE CRIED AND SAID, "GOD IS ON TIME!"

ONE OF THE OLDEST AND POOREST MEMBERS CAME INTO THE OFFICE TO OFFER HER TITHE. SHE WANTED TO BLESS OTHERS. BROUGHT TEARS AND SMILES AT THE SAME TIME.

I have never been this much ‘churched’! Before COVID 19 I went to church twice on a Sunday, one to serve at, and the second to join! Now I go to church 4 times online! We encourage our students to join and just be there for online prayer requests. So at 8am, 10am, 3pm and 5:30pm, I am at church! 

Prayer for Nova Scotia:

My heart went out to Nova Scotians as I read about the killing spree. I pray for all of those grieving and in pain over lost ones. I pray for His grace and mercy for those directly affected. 

You are not forgotten. Thank you all for your continued prayer and financial support in the midst of this difficult season. Please continue to send your prayer requests and stories of your lives as we dance together for Jesus! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya