Vol.#307
Thank you all for the Christmas greetings.
I waited to open the RAC Missions Christmas email so that I could read it on the 25th even though I received it days before. It was like opening a special gift on Christmas Day!
This Christmas was different as my nephew Darren and his wife, my niece-in-law/love, Tuean, and their 2 kids, Jesse and Becky moved back to Thailand after being in England for the past 10 years, and they invited me to spend Christmas with them! After wrapping up our own Christmas services on the 21st at New Life Fellowship church, I left for Thailand on the 22nd. As some of you already know there has been a battle on the border of Thailand and Cambodia, the land border being shut down and fighting has been ongoing, although, as of today, a tentative truce has been declared. However, tensions are still high and one of the results has been that the Thai restaurants and shops have closed down in Phnom Penh, and the boycotting of Thai products being sold in the stores here have begun. We had heard of stories of people going from Cambodia to Thailand not being treated nicely at the Bangkok Customs. However, I had my immigration QR code done with the necessary info, and with the blessings of the senior pastors here, I flew out on Air Cambodia and had no problems at Customs on arrival there and on departure! On the one hour flight they even gave us a sandwich and water!
I had a blessed time with my nephew and family and a great surprise when my sister and my brother-in-law flew in from England to surprise us all for Christmas! Tuean knew of course and had gone to pick them up at the airport but the rest of us did not know! It was a beautiful chaotic time with all of us at the house cooking and watching old movies and driving up to the beach for a couple of days.
Then I flew back to Phnom Penh on the 31st so that I could be here for the countdown and the start of the New Year 2026! I have enclosed a pic of the students from the Dangkeo location spending the New Year at Oun PanHa and Oun Sreyleak’s house. They head up the Skills Training Centre at the new location in Dangkao. For Christmas these students were gifted with Bibles, and after getting permission from their parents, they were allowed to go to their house, where for the first time, they opened up and studied the Bible! Oun Sreyleak said they did not even know how to read it so they had fun games introducing the books of the Bible, by calling out the page number and having them find it, then looking at the name of the Book and then chapter of the Bible! My role is to aid Oun Sreyleak and Oun PanHa by giving advice and resources to enable them to help the students. This is the first cell group of students from the new location and it is exciting to see the growth!
However, as we continue as a church to help the evacuees from the affected war areas, we continue to meet and pray in different churches as we believe our victory is in God and not in weapons but in the power of prayer! So my first meeting coming back here, even before going to church on Sunday, was at a prayer meeting on Saturday.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray along with us as we continue to help those affected, the evacuees/refugees of war, for timing and ways to give the provisions/resources.
- Pray for wisdom as I speak with those with whom I come into contact about the war and God’s sovereignty over this situation: the landlord, the tuk tuk drivers, and the sellers in the store who do not yet know of Jesus the Christ but are willing to listen as they know the church here has been active in going to the affected areas to help their fellow Khmer citizens!
Thank YOU to all of you who are continuing to dance with me into 2026 for your sacrifice of time and resources. I pray for His intimate Presence to be on you and around you in ALL circumstances. Thank you for your perseverance and I pray that you know that HE is with you at all times. Happy New Year 2026!
Love, His Warrior and Disciple,
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,
Your sister, Vedya
