Vedya's Tings!: #236 - Special Prayer Request and Thank You!

Vol.# 236

Special Prayer Request:

I have my second COVID-19 test on the 15^th, and prayerfully it is negative. The request is that my results will come back quickly so that I can leave either in the morning or early afternoon to go home on the 16th! Some of my friends who had been in quarantine only got permission to leave late in the evenings! During the day it is easier to get help to carry my suitcases up the 33 steps!

Thank you! I am overwhelmed by all of your birthday greetings, messages, ecards, ZOOM calls, and FT calls! I got to see my parents on WhatsApp to hear my mom singing Happy Birthday, video calls and emails from my siblings, and then from my RAC family and friends! I think the most precious time is when I was up at 4 and my coffee time with Jesus seemed to be extra special, with His words of affirmation on my purpose in this new season serving Him here in my heart country! I then remembered when Sham prayed over me before I left and she specifically said she wanted me to feel His love flow over me, His unconditional love, and that is what I felt from everyone! My friends, David and Lauren and their kid Chloe came to sing Happy Birthday from across the street. Julia and Chetra came with a banner singing Happy Birthday, which I think was what signaled the hotel staff that it was my birthday! I got a knock on my door and there were 3 of the staff with a cake. They said they knew I was not with my family so they wanted to make sure I was happy!

(FYI, I did not eat the whole cake! I cut a slice for myself and then gave the rest back to the staff to enjoy.)

Again, the blessing that Sham had prayed came back to me!

David, Lauren and Chloe Singing Happy Birthday!

Julia and Chitra with Birthday Banner

Hotel Staff with Cake

This morning I thought I would take my IPad down with me when I went to have my temperature check and ask the girls there to help me with my Khmer reading! So with Psalm 23 on the screen, I began reading it and the main receptionist was helping me with the pronunciation and I prayed that the words that I had trouble pronouncing would be the words that would remain in her heart about Jesus! Those words were peaceand restful (still waters) and Shepherd! I had another conversation with Pina, one of the hostesses, she was asking me how the hotel service was and I said good but I thought they needed to be stricter on those not obeying the quarantine rules! I said that most of Khmer cannot afford medical insurance/hospital fees, and when we break the rules of our quarantine, it is the most selfish thing we can do, because we are putting our Khmer people at risk! Those who are in quarantine can afford that risk because usually they have access to medical insurance, especially as we had our FIRST KHMER COVID-19 death two days ago. After my venting half in Khmer and half in English, she just smiled (at least I think so, because we are both wearing masks!), and she said, Bong Srey, I agree with you! Yes, most of you know I would speak up if I saw that ‘injustice!

I think what broke the ice with the front desk staff was when I went down yesterday. I stood in front of the temperature camera and it said my temp was 25.1C! I looked at the nurse and then at the girl next to me, and she said, ‘Let us do that again”. Again we did and it said 25.1! I assured them that I was alive and well and the nurse said, “Wait, did you just take a shower?” I said yes, so she said to let us take the forehead temp with the hand held thermometer and it said 36.5! I said to them, “I told you I was alive!” We all started to laugh, and of course they said that has never happened before! (Some of you are thinking, but yes, then there is Vidya!!)

I will share what the Lord has impressed upon me on another update, but for now I want to leave with you the song He gave me and which I was dancing to for most of the morning!