#305 - Revised Roles

 Vol.# 305

Thank you all for your prayers as I am re-adjusting to a new schedule and yes, back to the humid conditions here in Phnom Penh!

It has been a very full 2 weeks and as I had noted in my last update. I looked to see what God was saying to me from my exit sermon in Toronto to my entrance sermon in Phnom Penh! The theme at my last sermon was on prayer preached by Pastor Cheryl, but curiously enough I was also asked by Pastor Solange to visit herSunday school class of Grade 7 upwards. Thus interacting with youth was part of the exit theme.

The teaching on my re-entry sermon was allowing God to use His primary gifts to serve where He has put me; my primary gifts being prayer and teaching. So after re-submitting to the spiritual leadership at New Life Church, and in the conversations with the senior leaders, these are areas where help is needed: spiritual guidance through prayer for specific leaders, and being part of the Weekend Service Events team where 90 percent of the team are in their early 20s to the oldest in their early 30s! The members of the interpretation group are part of this team and translate on site as the sermon is being preached in Khmer to English for our non-Khmer congregants via an App /earphones. This group consists of youth who are 19 years to 25 years old. I help to coach them in pronunciation, pacing/rhythm of their words, practical advice on reading the Bible and getting to know the particular Scripture that is being used on that day so that they could be more effective in communicating what the preacher is sharing in his messages.

So on Sunday, I am full on for the three services, joining one and serving at two with the rest of the church staff! Here is a pic of some of the staff I am serving with as we started to decorate for Christmas last Saturday!

At the new location where I was teaching, I will be going on to sit in on the evening classes this week to look at the areas of challenges for the teachers and then preparing to coach and work with the teachers at a later date, preferably on Sunday afternoon as it is a paid working day for all involved. I am excited to see what HE has been doing from last semester. I was just told that we have our first set of students from the English classes that have made a decision to follow Christ and are being discipled through the head of the Skills Training Centre there! Alpha has been introduced into the cell group curriculum and it has been exciting to see the content being translated into the Khmer language.

The past 2 Sundays I have gone to pray for one of our primary staff who got into an accident. As I walked into the hospital, we were met with another member whose uncle was sick, and we felt we should go to pray for him. This was overwhelming as we stepped into the large room, with about 15 hospital beds fully occupied, with some patients laying on the floor, and some of the relatives who came to lend aid to their family members also sleeping on the floor. As everyone looked on, we prayed for this uncle, but could not stop and pray for any more people. So, CAN you pray that those in the room would continue to feel His Presence and smell His fragrance as we represented Our Loving Saviour? Our own member had insurance, so he was able to be in a room with three beds and air conditioning! The first room had no privacy, no A/C, just fans.

Yesterday I went to pray for the young son of one of our elders who had contracted dengue at a different clinic. It seems that Sundays are literally for visiting the sick and praying for them. I request prayer for discernment as I go to visit and listen to pray for those in need.

Lastly I would like to CELEBRATE my sister Sita’s birthday! It is a milestone age and I just want to say how much I admire her creativity in her writings and art! Her passion to learn more about Him through her Bible studies and yes, her sense of humor! Thank you Seets for all the driving and time you sacrifice when I am back, for your love for us, your family, for Mike and Nate and Sarah and the granddaughters, and for the newly engaged Daniel and Cynthia. It is through you that we are re-connecting with so many from our past back in Trinidad! Thank you. I pray that your birthday is filled with some good Trini food and music. I love you and thank you for being the one who edits my updates and has been from the first update to now, sending them out for me! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Still dancing with my Jesus, 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#304 - Travelling Mercies

 Vol.# 304

I just wanted to give you a quick update on your prayers for my travels.

- Our Lord did more than I expected, starting with a very humble Uber driver who

was surprised that I gave him a big tip. I felt that the Lord prompted me to do this.

After this young man got my 2 suitcases out of the car, he waited to put them in the

trolley and made sure I was set to enter the airport doors!

- Favour with the counter attendants at Korean Air. She was the nicest lady ever,

who said, ‘you know you can use the boarding pass that you downloaded on your

App. You do not need the paper boarding pass’, because she saw that I was a bit

confused at only getting the receipts for my suitcases at the counter, and not the

usual 2 boarding passes for the 2 flights!

- I thank God for my bro Vish who helped me to pack my suitcases, it was ON

WEIGHT!!!

- And YES, many of you prayed that I would get great seat mates and asked that I

would be a blessing to others on the flights. Well, the flight was FULL, but I had the

ONLY row with 2 empty seats so I could stretch out to sleep! Never ever has the

flight to Seoul from Toronto had ANY EMPTY seats, and yet here I was in the only

row with 2 empty seats, window, middle, and my usual aisle seat that I requested!

Thank you for your prayers for His favour over me!

- HOWEVER, three quarters into the flight, the head flight attendant came to ask if

another passenger could come and sit because she had a broken arm and could

not sit comfortably where she was assigned! Okay, truthfully, this is where the

struggle began because I was thinking NO!!! I was in luxury even though I was in

economy, and I heard His voice say, ‘well Vidya, I thought you wanted to be a

blessing to others! Isn’t that what you asked for in your prayers? Or are you having

a spirit of entitlement instead of gratitude that for such a time as this you had the

space to relax at the beginning of this journey? I confessed to Him about my

‘attitude’ and asked Him if I could help this woman with a broken arm.

- And YES again. In the second flight, as everyone boarded on the smaller plane, I

sat on the side with 2 seats and it was a small space, and as more people came on,

and walked past me, and the pilot announced for us to get ready to depart, I still

could NOT believe that here again I had no one sitting next to me!

- AND when I got to the new big airport in Phnom Penh, the couple who came to

pick me up waited patiently for me as we were late in getting out of Seoul, about an

hour and a half later than expected. But I got the help with carrying my suitcases up the stairs!

I am humbled by His goodness and I thank all of you. I just wanted to let you know

of your answers to my travels back!

Love, 

His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya

#303 - Returning to my heart country: Prayer requests

 

Vol.# 303

As my departure date from Toronto looms closer and I leave on Monday October 20th back to my heart country, I thank you all for giving me the space and time to spend with my parents these past months. I have been blessed to have had all of the medical tests necessary to give me a clean bill of health to return to serve our Lord and also given advice on how to sustain my physical and spiritual health back in Phnom Penh! 

I had the honour of spending time with my siblings and even going for one week to Florida to spend time with my big brother! This Sunday will be my last one and I will be at my church, Rexdale Alliance Church, and I am always excited to hear what the Lord will speak into my heart as I exit and how the message I hear corresponds to my re-entry message back at my church New Life Fellowship! HE never fails in linking up both sermons from across the ocean but written in His Spirit for me!

As I leave may I ask for prayers for :

-My parents: for the extra needed help. May God choose the medical workers who can truly help Mom and Dad.

-As I travel, for His mercies. The plane is always filled to capacity, so I pray that He allows me to have comfort and feel His peace in the seat assigned to me.

-That I may be a blessing as well as blessed by my seat mates. 

-Safety on flight. There was quite a lot of turbulence on the last flight back to Toronto! So I pray that this may not be a disturbance but a rocking to sleep for me, since I usually find it difficult to sleep on these long flights.

Thank you to my parents and my siblings for everything while back here in Toronto. It is always bittersweet to leave! Thank you to my friends (you know who you are!) for your words of encouragement and time spent! Thank you to Missions Leadership Team for your time in listening and praying with me, and of course, always thanks to Ian and Ramona for their guidance and help as I return! 

I was blessed to be here to celebrate the life of Betty Kerr as she is now in heaven and I got to meet so many from years ago at the service. Betty, you will be missed but your legacy endures in so many ways through your example of prayer, graciousness and speaking in love! I was also blessed to be here for Jennie Leslie’s celebration of life service. Jennie (besides my mom) was one of the top five women from whom I learnt in my early years at RAC. When Jennie prayed you knew she knew her Saviour, not knew of him, but she had an intimate relationship with Jesus and the love of His Word. Her written words continue to inspire me even now! 

Prayerfully I will be able to see some of you at church on Sunday. I know that when I came in most of you were on holidays. Thank you all for your continued sacrifices of finances, time spent in prayer and responding to me! I do not take any of this for granted. 

May Our Lord continue to pour His presence over you. May you never forget how much you are loved by Him and that you are never alone, HE is with you!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#302 - Reaching Out to War Affected Areas

Vol. #302

SENIOR PASTORS AND WIVES SEEING ME OFF AT AIRPORT

The first leg of the plane journey was uneventful except that I had asked that I might be a blessing to my seat mate (and vice versa!). I sat next to an older Khmer woman who was going to Florida to meet with her younger sister and she was travelling alone with little understanding of English. I realized this when the fight attendant came to ask what she wanted to eat and she did not respond. I looked at her and as she was wearing a mask, I could not understand when she replied. However, when a man who was sitting behind spoke in Khmer and she understood, I was able to help her and spoke a bit with her. Prayerfully I was able to help her a bit. I told her how brave she was to travel all alone to go and when I mentioned the Khmer word for ‘church’, she did say in English, ‘they are good, they help’…I had to say goodbye to her in Seoul, but I prayed with her in Jesus’ Name for her safe travel to Florida.

There was little turbulence in the second leg of my travels and somehow the flight did not seem as long as it was 13 hours. Again as I entered the terminal at Pearson, the line I was in was not long and I was in and out in less than 10 minutes! By the time I got to the carousel, my 2 suitcases were together and just about to go around! Usually one suitcase comes first and I have to wait for the second one. My sister, Sita, was there waiting for me, and then I was at home with Mom and Dad.

This week is medical appointments. Please pray that I am able to get all the tests done in timely fashion, so that I can focus on spending time with Mom and Dad and not on different tests to be done! But oh, it is HOT here! Thank you for your prayers! 

 

Prayer Request: Please pray for my heart country of Cambodia as thousands have been displaced at the border of Thailand-Cambodia. The following pictures depict what is happening and the response of the churches to the crisis. Our senior pastor and his wife are going to the areas most affected carrying much needed supplies. Three of our churches in the affected region have already been asked to move due to the dangerous situation. 

GATHERING SUPPLIES FOR WAR AFFECTED AREAS WITH SENIOR PASTOR SAMDY AND OTHER LEADERS

Thank you for your prayers for this peace loving country who has already been through the worst of times during the Pol-Pot regime from 1975-1979. 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya  

#301 - Prayer Requests for Travel

Vol. #301

Over the past 2 months we have been so busy preparing for the National Day of Prayer that coincides with our Canada Day, July 1st, where over 3000 participants came from all regions within Cambodia to pray for the land of Cambodia! Each church had a particular role to play and because we have such a strong leader in Ms.Thavin, who is only in her early 20s, and who co-ordinates our own serving team/welcoming team here at our church, we led the welcoming/usher/offering team at the 2 services at Koh Pich Theatre where the prayer assembly was held. A representative from the Government came and opened the ceremony and all of the prominent leaders within the Christian community, from all different worship styles, joined in as we prayed for His kingdom in the Kingdom of Kampuchea (Cambodia).

SERVING AT NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR CAMBODIA

This brought back memories of our own events that I was blessed to be a part of under the leadership of Jerry and Maggie Ages together with Pastor Sam Aragones; and the garage sales under the leadership of Bert and Joanne (with Pastor Sam as head leader!) I was glad to be part of the team and not leading such a big event here! What a blessing to see all of these Khmer leaders leading us on how to pray specifically for Cambodia and to end it with a joyful dance in front of the altar, Khmer style! I thought of David dancing for our Lord as he led the worshippers as the Ark was returned!

FINAL DAY WITH ADVANCED ENGLISH CLASS

LAST LUNCH MEAL AT NEW LOCATION, DANGKEO WITH SOME STAFF

LAST STAFF LUNCH AT MAIN CAMPUS STEANG MEAN CHAY

As the semester came to an end, I finished my classes a week early as my departure date for Toronto was so close and I had many little meetings to attend. 

IMPORTANT PRAYER REQUESTS: 
I leave here near midnight on July 22nd, please pray for:

- Relief from my sinus, that my ears will not hurt and that there will be no coughing, as the air in the plane can be stuffy.
- For a good flight with no air turbulence! Last time we had the most air turbulence I have experienced in a long time.
- That I would be able to sleep/rest.
- That either I would have space around me to sleep, or as before, my Lord would make that seat my refuge.
- That I would be a good seatmate as well as have good seatmates around me.
- For favour at customs.

 
Thank you so much.

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

 

#300 - New Worship Video and It's Raining!

 Vol.# 300

The rain is falling heavily. There is even the sound of thunder and all of the other classes have been cancelled at the Skill Training Centre here at the new campus location of Dangkao. Yet I have decided to keep the class open even if there is only one student. As I wait I hear the sound of someone running up the stairs. It is one of the older students (in his early 30’s), who has ridden through the rain on his moto, his pants still rolled up to avoid the flooding on the streets, barefooted as his shoes were wet and he took them off. His clothes are slightly wet because his raincoat could not keep all of the rain out. He comes in, looks around and says, ‘Where is everyone? Don’t we have class?’ Yes, I replied, and at that moment another student appears, but she is a staff member from our new location and just walked up the stairs from her office.  Thus began I think, one of the best lessons that I have ever taught. I had to quickly change the set lesson (that lesson would be taught when everyone would be present so there would be no repetition of content), and the three of us enjoyed the new impromptu lesson with the sound of the rain as our backdrop. Our lesson contained vocabulary such as thunder, lightning, flood etc.! I thought, ‘Thank you, Jesus, for giving me the hindsight to stay to teach even if all of the other classes had been cancelled, and thank you for the honor of being here to teach someone who has the hunger to learn so that the heavy rain was not a deterrent!’ Then I prayed, ‘Lord, help me to be more like this student, to have this hunger to go after YOU, to want to learn more about you from Your Word and to always give of my best as YOU gave your best, Your life, for me.’

SOME STUDENTS FROM 530 CLASS

In my last update, I mentioned 6 students that my parents had sponsored to go to Bible camp. In a follow up, these same 6 students have now formed the first ever Skill Training Center cell group from Dangkeo! They meet at the home of the head of the STC, and they are now being discipled.

FIRST CELL GROUP OF THOSE 6 STUDENTS 

Prayer Request: Would you pray that this enthusiasm to meet will not dissipate but will grow stronger? Thank you!

 
I received a call from the new interim Worship Leader at the main campus of Steang Mean Chay asking if I would like to buy a t-shirt/hoodie to help support the official launching of a new song/video written by the outgoing worship leader. Some of the proceeds will go to the building fund and back into buying equipment etc. for the worship band. I said yes and was invited to preview the video with our weekend 
debrief team. As I sat and listened, knowing that this song was written by a Khmer so that other Khmer, not only in Cambodia but also elsewhere, can have access to this worship song, brought me to tears. The images that accompanied the song meant something to us, to me, as it came from when we worshipped on Sundays. So I knew the people and I was there to experience His spirit flowing in us and bringing us to a place where all our earthly concerns were forgotten and we focused on HIM, our Lord Jesus Christ! The song has also been translated into English, and when we sing it in church, both languages are on the power point slides. As yet, however, in the official launching on YouTube, there are no English subtitles. The name of the song is Yahweh, by Life Band Cambodia (you can Google it!).  It has been an honor to support this young group by providing much needed snacks/coffee/tea, and more importantly, the time where I can listen and pray over and with them. They produced this video in a little room here at the church spending many hours poring over each note. I pray His anointing over this song as it goes out to YOU on YOUTUBE!

https://youtu.be/Uekwa2OmFH4?si=F4dMs8c447O0tivu

 

Prayer Request: As we have now entered the rainy season, can you pray for the safety of the students as they come to class, praying in faith that it would not rain heavily from 3-7:30 in the evenings? Here all still go out and travel when it is raining lightly because it is part of life, but with heavy rains come flooding due to poor drainage and then heavy traffic. A 10-minute moto ride can turn into a 30-minute ride with the traffic congestion!

 
Thank you for your continued prayers for my parents. I appreciate your messages and prayers on their behalf. Thank you for your prayers as we move forward with our building plans for a permanent church location!

 

Please continue to send in your prayer requests as we dance together led by Our Lord Who always keeps me in step with His steps, my rhythm in tune with His rhythm. May you continue to feel His intimate presence over you today. May you know that you are of value. Your purpose may change with the seasons, but you do have a purpose, please continue to seek His guidance! 

 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#299 - A Visitor, New Location and Prayer and Fasting!

Vol. #299

A Belated He is Risen Easter to all of you! 

The weather has gone from hot to extremely hot here with humidity and pollution being at an extreme level! My apologies for a long delayed update as we have had holidays for the Khmer New Year where everyone goes back to their hometown and the city is fairly quiet. Here is a pic of our formal Khmer New year pic with my co-teachers at the new location!

SO BLESSED to have our own Dorlisa from Rexdale Alliance Church come to visit on our Easter weekend! And, yes, the week she came was the beginning of the hottest month here in Cambodia! So happy that Dorlisa came to church and met my community here as well as at the new location at Dangkeo (DK) where I am teaching English classes.

But at church we are on the MOVE…. LITERALLY!! 
7 years ago we were gifted with a piece of land to build our new church and with COVID intervening, together with key partnerships falling away due to their own economic constraints, we could not start building. We, however, did have plans drawn up and talks with the ministry within the government on permits and any other legal steps we had to take to begin the building process done, and NOW is the time to begin!

We put on our construction vests/helmets as a physical symbol of moving into the construction phase. At the information desk with my 2 team members, we greeted people and were able to talk about why we were wearing the vests and to invite them to the next major step, which is fasting and praying for OUR new building! Pastor Samdy has been preaching on the book of Nehemiah to get us ready spiritually as we seek HIM at each step, because to us, it looks so IMPOSSIBLE to raise such BIG amounts of money. Please pray to receive favor from the landlord we are renting our current location from as they have raised the rent and we have downsized the space we have rented, giving up one floor so that we can save on the rental costs!

Fasting and Praying over Key Leaders

Spiritual preparation: We put aside one day for corporate fasting and prayer and it was amazing to do this on a corporate level as opposed to individual fasting and prayer. I believe this was the first corporate staff meeting that we have had in many years! We got to sit down and share and pray over each other! At the end of a very long day the pastoral leader in my group asked us to read of how Jesus fed so many with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes, the young boy offering all that he had, and when God takes that into His hands, the miracle of multiplication of resources! Well I was so hungry at this point, I looked at the leader and said, Really? Of all the parables in the Bible you chose the one with the food? In all honesty I said to him, This is the FIRST TIME I am thinking… hmmm… I wonder how they cooked the fish? Roasted over the coals? Was the bread still fresh? Seriously, those were my thoughts at the very end of the fast! Sounds unspiritual? My leader laughed and said, your brain does think differently, Vidya! BUT this was the first time many fasted.

 

My observation: Fasting means giving up something that we have a struggle to give up, a true sacrifice. Many Khmer know what it is to go without food, and yes, we were following the Biblical teaching of fasting over food. As I discussed with the leaders afterwards, giving up on social media/use of the phone may be the FAST we all need to do?

I was able to take about 11 key women leaders over the space of 3 days to get their hair washed and nails done at one of the local places at the mall where our church is located. We got to build relationships with the owner and ladies who work there. They know of our church and now they know our church by the conversations we began with them. Thank you to Dad and Mom for sponsoring this. These ladies have worked so hard and they got a chance to be pampered physically, and I got an opportunity to listen to their hearts and to pray with them! 

 

PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for a persistent cough that I have had due to the high pollution/pollen/dust. The pollution is at the highest in our region and this has triggered my asthma! 

PRAISE: As we are working harder to raise needed finances, more of the key leaders are open to seeking HIM on a more intimate level, and I am honored to be the recipient of confidences that I can take to the LORD! 

PRAISE: My landlady came up with a workman to fix the 2 washrooms at my place and as we waited she shared how sick her husband was and how much weight he had lost. I was able to get a pastor from my church to pray in Khmer for him on the phone as he was in the hospital. This is the first time she has asked for prayer. Just yesterday I saw the husband. He was released from hospital and is recovering now at home. I told her I am praying in the Name of Jesus for him. They are strong Buddhists and I am grateful for this opportunity to pray for him.

 
Thank you for your ongoing sacrifice and steadfast love as you pray and dance with me in my heart country of Cambodia! Please continue to send in your prayer requests as we do life together! 

Dancing with Him as HE LEADS.

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#298 - Funerals and Classes!

Vol. #298 

Good morning to my fellow dancers/prayer warriors on this journey with and in Him. 

I previously sat down a few times in the past week to write this update, but then life intervened in the form of 3 unexpected funerals in the past 10 days! It started with Sister Hosana, who even in her wheel chair, lived life fully for and unto Him. She was a counsellor with the Addictions Ministry helping many to choose Jesus and life in Him by her own harrowing testimony. She was a member of our church and always came to the second service.  Then followed Uncle Lye, who with his wife were begging on the streets but Sister Sophea, wife of the Head of the Healing Home, started to build a relationship with them, offering medical services from the Home but also bringing them to church. They both became Christians and had been attending church for the past year and a half.  Sister Hosana and Uncle Lye both went into our Heavenly Father’s arms within 24 hours of each other. Lastly Sreymom, with whom I served at Global Leadership Summit Cambodia, also a member of our church and cell group leader/intercessory prayer warrior, also went to be with Her Saviour within 48 hours of them! So it has been a bittersweet time since they are not physically present with us yet we know they are rejoicing with Abba Father and we will see them in heaven!

At the funeral service of Sreymom, I met Pastor Theng Porly who is one of our provincial pastors from the countryside. 

I had mentioned him before in one of my updates but I never got the chance to get a pic of him but there he was ministering to us at the pagoda in Phnom Penh. Pastor Porly saw the need of having a Christian burial service for our Christian brothers and sisters. However, the only cremation services offered are located in the Buddhist worship sites, the pagodas! So on his own, he would conduct the service there, with his own speakers and microphones, so that not only the family and friends would hear of the gospel and the hope of heaven but those in the surrounding areas! He was met with opposition, but in spite of this, he knew what God had put in his heart and persevered. One recipient of his legacy is his nephew Pheakdey, who is now part of the church planting team at New Life Foundation and a translator for visiting teams to the provinces! Pheakdey recounted that it was his uncle who led most of his family to Christ. I had to go up to talk with him to thank him for his example of faith and passion for Our Lord. I also felt led to contribute to his ‘gas money’ for travelling to other provinces where he was called upon to give comfort to the family within the Buddhist temples. He is now mentoring other young men in this ministry! (I thought of my Mom and Dad who started churches and mentored so many in Trinidad usually without any compensation but choosing to invest into His kingdom).

Praise: We began our English classes at Dangkao New Life Foundation. My first class begins at 3:30 to 4:30. 

As I sat and prayed over this class not yet knowing the personalities of each individual, only knowing the test scores which showed very basic knowledge of English, the alphabet sounds and maybe some visual recognition of some of the letters, I began to pray over the empty class the words from Mark 7:34-35 where Jesus prayed over the deaf/mute man…”Be opened… his ears were opened, his tongue was released and he spoke plainly…! I started to touch each desk and prayed this and proclaimed it over each empty desk. Sreylin heads up the program and is my co-teacher for this class. As the Khmer language has to be spoken 95 percent of the time to clearly explain English grammar, she saw the change in the students that day, and began to cry at the end of the class because of the big changes that she saw from the previous day when she taught the same class on her own! She got to see the answer to that prayer in person as seen in the picture with me with that particular student in front of the board. He was speaking clearly and understanding the letters pointed out to him! 

This student is not supposed to be in class since he is under the age of 15 (13), but his mom came and pleaded to Sreylin on his behalf to come to class since in the public school they were going to ask him to leave because of a learning disability. So Sreylin accepted him into the program and in our class that has fewer students than in the 5:30 class that teaches the same curriculum. In our class he gets the attention needed and is not as intimidated by other students.

Prayer: Please pray for Lin and myself as we teach, that we would always prepare the class spiritually as well as physically for them, asking Him how to be creative in our teaching so that the students can really learn.

Prayer: Please pray for the advanced class as we have 11 enrolled. It is a closed class, meaning that no more will be accepted. The students have to attend the class and participate, do the assignments and at the end of the semester they will receive a certificate. Please pray that I would be able to identify the specific learning needs and adapt the curriculum accordingly to meet these needs as fluency in speaking English and comprehension differs widely in this class. This class is at 5:30 to 6:30 in the evenings on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Praise: We moved the advanced class from the first location showed in this pic where I am sitting. It was a small space we had hurriedly created for this specific class. However, the lighting and the heat plus the noise of the traffic and the proximity of another English class being taught at the same time, made it difficult to teach. Now we were able to move to a better space within the building where the air flowed a bit better with the fans and the space is better for movement for the students and myself!

You never know whom you might meet! 

I was at a bookstore looking for exercise books with lines so I can teach penmanship to my beginner class, when this young woman came up to me and said ‘…you may not remember me but...’. I looked up and said immediately, ‘Rescue, the orphanage!’’ She smiled and said, ‘I know your last name and it is Ramcharan’! She used to write her name Esther with my surname as her name since she never knew her surname when she was my student over 8 years ago! 

I looked at this young woman and I remember the prayer I had prayed over her using the attributes of leadership and servanthood from Esther from the Bible who came to know her true purpose to deliver her people the Jews. I asked her about her life and her friend who was with her said that Esther was independent, and feisty and a leader with a strong belief in Jesus! I thanked Esther for being bold to come up to say hello. I told her that on my first mission trip to Cambodia, we were asked to give a Biblical name to our team partner on the trip, and the Biblical name given to me back in 2011 was ‘Esther’! I was beaming as I left the bookstore knowing it was a God-encounter as I had decided at the last minute to make a quick stop to look for this material!

Lastly, here is a pic of my team at Dangkao! A young team, the tall male person is the one leading the team there, Lokru Virak (his wife is not in the pic.).  We are all under the leadership of Lokru Samdy and Navy who head up New Life Foundation Church.

Prayer Request: Please pray for unity and transparency within our team, as we want to be a strong foundation. At our first devotional meeting where the pic was taken, all the young women shared struggles that no one in leadership were aware of and as we cried and prayed together, I asked the Lord to remind me to check in on them individually as my role there is not only coaching /teaching but prayer partner and advisor to this new team!

Thank you so much for your continued support on behalf of His kingdom! Please continue to share your requests and stories as we dance together in His rhythm and holding onto His hands, as He guides us! 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya