#311 - Arrived With Travel Mercies!

 Vol.#311

Thank you for your prayers as I travelled yesterday.

There was a delay of one hour in Phnom Penh and I was a bit anxious as my layover was 2 and 1/2 hours and I was praying that the hour did NOT turn into 2 hours! My senior pastor and his wife, one elder and his family, plus other leaders came to see me off and prayed over me at the airport, sending me off again as their ambassador for the work there in Phnom Penh! I am very grateful that they waited with me.

ENJOYING A LAUGH WITH LOKRU SAMDY AND NAVY, MY PASTORS, AND AN ELDER LOKRU PISIT (IN YELLOW) WHILE HIS SON SLEPS!

I had favor at the Korean Airlines counter. Usually your carry-on plus handbag should be 10 kg max. Mine was 12 kg, but the main rep there allowed me to keep my carry-on instead of checking it in. I was so glad as there was a delay, so I was able to access my hoodie and IPad to keep me company during the time at the airport!I had 25 minutes to clear customs at Seoul and then go to the other end of the airport for the second gate/plane for Toronto! I had an image of Elijah running ahead of Ahab’s chariot as the rain came down (1 Kings 18: 41-46), the ‘miracle run’, as only the LORD could have helped me run all that way so quickly just as they were announcing for passengers to line up to board the plane to Toronto! The run helped me to settle in for the long 12- hour flight after the 6 hours before! I nodded off, off and on, but not really sleeping on the flight. I was so happy that the flight was smooth with no turbulence! Thank you all for His answer to your prayers on my behalf!

It is cool here for me, but in Phnom Penh it was 46 Celsius and just getting hotter, so I am enjoying the cooler temperatures!

Prayer Request: Please pray for a quick adjustment to the new time zone. Sometimes the effects of jet lag can linger for a few days!

Prayer Request: Please pray for that new place for my parents and myself. I am praying for the location that He will choose for us!

Thank you all! 

Even with the time change, I was able to help with editing the sermon for this weekend. Back in Phnom Penh, they are celebrating Khmer New Year with ‘songkrans’ which are New Year’s parties/celebrations with one worship service instead of 3, combining them as many will go to the countryside/hometowns to celebrate with family and friends. However, the celebrations will be more subdued as dictated by the government, remembering the ‘war’ that is still ongoing with Thailand, and those that we have lost, and those that have been displaced by the border war. 

Again, see you when I see you, my fellow dancers!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

 

#310 - Part 2 - Wedding and Prayer Blessings

 Vol. 310 - Part 2

FRUIT CEREMONY AT 1ST WEDDING WEARING TRADITIONAL KHMER OUTFIT

SAME WEDDING BUT EVENING CEREMONY WITH PARENTS OF THE BRIDE. THE FATHER IS AN ELDER FROM MY CHURCH HERE.

WITH JERI AT HIS SALON. HIS BIRTHDAY ALSO.

THE BAKERY GAVE ME THE 1ST CKAE FREE (LOOKS LIKE ME??) AND THE 2ND CAKE IS FOR JERI.

AT LOKRU PISIT'S HOME. WE ALSO SHARE THE SAME BIRTHDAY.

DANGKAO TEAM HAD AN APPRECIATION TIME AND PRAYER BLESSING FOR ME.

AT MAIN CAMPUS BEING PRAYED FOR BY LEADERS AND BEING SENT OUT AS THEIR MISSIONARY.

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#310 - SORTING AND GIVING AS I LEAVE

Vol.#310 - Part 1

Happy Resurrection Day / Blessed Easter to all!

It is a new season and I am so grateful for these past few weeks where I got to witness His Spirit amongst my community here! I had 2 weddings to attend in the space of a week, and then 2 blessings-prayers events were created for me by the 2 campuses that I am blessed to serve with, and then the sorting and re-gifting of many of my things to those in my community! So in the pics below I can show you a bit of what has transpired. There are too many pics to show now, but I can show you all of them on site in Toronto!

SHARING MY STUFF - FINDING THEM NEW HOMES WITH CHURCH MEMBERS AND HOUSE CLAEANER

MORE THINGS TO BE GIVEN - NEW HOMES FOR THEM TO BE APPRECIATED

MY CORE GROUP WHO WERE VITAL ON MY LAST DAY AT THE APARTMENT. AT THEIR TWO HOMES SOME OF MY THINGS WILL BE STORED FOR THE TIME WHEN HE LEADS ME BACK. SO GRATEFUL FOR THESE PRAYING FRIENDS. (DAVID, THE HUSBAND OF LAUREN IN STRIPED T-SHIRT WAS AT HOME WITH THEIR KIDS BUT ALSO PART OF THIS SENDING GROUP).

Prayer of thanksgiving: I had asked for a good farewell between my landlady and her family and HE went beyond that for me. When I went down to say goodbye, they all came and she said she was going to miss me and my prayers. Her daughter-in-law asked if whenever I returned I could come back to stay with them! I told them unfortunately that the 32 steps were becoming a challenge for me and she offered to switch apartments with me as she lived below me! I thanked them and we will stay connected via Telegram social media!

Prayer of  thanksgiving: God gave me His opportunities to speak and pray with those I needed to. There were some surprising encounters from those who said I had an effect on them (hopefully a positive one!). I cannot express my gratitude enough to Chetra and Julia and David and Lauren for being there on the last day to help in transporting the stored items at their houses. Lauren helped me to weigh my suitcases to ensure they were not over the limit. I was anxious about this but she brought her scale and all is well at least for 2 suitcases. I am living out of the 3rd suitcase for the next day or so, so hopefully it is not over the limit!

Prayer requests: I leave Cambodia at 11:30 at night on the 7th. Please pray for favour with customs and that I am able to relax and maybe sleep on the plane. I have one stopover in Seoul and then the longer leg of flight to Toronto. Please pray that I would be a good seat mate and a good witness for Our Lord as well as for good seat mates! I am travelling back with 3 suitcases and a carry on so I am praying for the logistics of carrying them all!

Thank you all! 

It has been a flurry of activity. I am glad I was able to be here and serve on Easter Sunday with my  favorite worship team led by Lokru Pisit (my brother with the same birthday!) leading the worship that morning!

This evening I will be having dinner with Lokru Samdy and his wife Navy as they are my senior pastors at NLF church. We are finalizing the ways we will keep connected as I continue to partner with them from afar. A new and exciting opportunity has come up to also partner with our first church plant to mentor the head teacher at their Skill Teaching Center via video! They are starting afresh at a new location so I am excited to be part of organizing and helping to mentor the young team there as well as the team at Dangkao!  More on that later!

Prayer Requests: Please pray for the transition back and for more suitable accommodation for my parents and myself in Toronto. 

Thank you for your prayers and as they say here. ‘See you when I see you!’ 

Much love and a big thank you as the dance continues…!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya