#308 - Evangelistic Conference with Franklin Graham and Taya in Siem Reap

 Vol.# 308

As temperatures continue to soar here in Phnom Penh, hitting the late 80s (F), I know it is getting colder and colder in Toronto! I have seen pics of the snow piling high at Pearson International Airport and on the main highways. I pray for safety as you all travel and yes, as you are shovelling the snow in your own driveways! But from here it looks beautiful in pics!

It has been a whirlwind of activities here with Franklin Graham Ministries in connection with Samaritan’s Purse NGO coming in to have 2 evangelistic meetings in Siem Reap province, with a prayer breakfast meeting first in Phnom Penh! I was part of the prep team working in the VIP room preparing for Franklin Graham and his team (pic with all of us in green tshirts). 

On the day before the breakfast event, we had to order in a fridge and sofa set and then prepare the snacks for the following day. It was amazing to see so many of the local pastors and lay leaders from all over Cambodia coming in to pray for the land and to have fellowship together! Even though Franklin Graham came in only to speak and pray with us for 15 minutes in Phnom Penh, it was the Cambodian worship leaders who led us into prayer and praising God, NOT JUST from New LIfe Fellowship, but also the Methodists, Presbyterians, and Evangelical churches to name a few, joined and in unity sought our LORD on behalf of Cambodia. My senior leader Pastor Samdy acted as the translator when the English native speakers shared on stage. It was so powerful with His presence in the room, some just had to take off their shoes because that venue turned into His Holy ground as we sought our Lord and prayed for peace and safety for the kingdom of Cambodia.

ART PROJECT BY KHMER ARTISTS ON SITE DEPICTING WAR WITH THAILAND

Then the following day, it was time to travel to Siem Reap for the 2 nights of evangelistic crusades with Taya (from Hillsong), one of the headlining musicians for the event. Over 27,000 people came to hear the gospel with the focus on John 14:6. When I spoke to a couple of the organizers at the funeral of one of the founding fathers of the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia, I was told that over 900 people of different ages came forward to receive Christ as their Saviour on the Saturday night and on Sunday over 1000 came! What impressed me was the organization of it all, with many Khmer volunteers taking the personal info of each person and then giving them options of churches they could attend on  the following Sunday! I stood back and was amazed and in tears when I saw so many leave their seats to walk up to the stage! I was honored to be a VIP guest because of my connections with Pastor Pisit and his wife Seiha. Pastor Pisit is the Director at the Bible Society in Cambodia, and one the elders at my church New Life Foundation whilst being a songwriter and worship leader! He was one of the 2 MC’s at the event and so I had access to the VIP rooms. Usually I am part of the team preparing the rooms and now I was IN the room! 

But as the sun set in the background to the outdoor arena that was the old airport in Siem Reap, I was so grateful that I got to be a part of this worship experience here in Cambodia. I have memories of being back in Trinidad listening to Billy Graham on the radio in my hometown of Arima, the first time I ever heard Billy Graham with George Beverly Shea singing ‘Just As I Am’ to the invitation to come and meet our Saviour! The invitational song is different now with his son Franklin Graham, and even though it was sung by the accompanying American band, the words were in Khmer on the screen and the band members themselves sang the chorus in Khmer! Please pray that all of those who went up will go to a local church to be discipled.

Then 2 days after, as I mentioned above, God called Rev. Heng to be with Him. It was a shock to all of us, so with heavy hearts we went to support his family. As we sang Amazing Grace in Khmer, his wife and kids and grandkids came up to the front and we put out our hands to pray for them as they mourn yet rejoice in the fact that Rev. Heng is with His Heavenly Father, and the fact that they will see him in heaven one day!

Thank you all for your continued prayers for me here. I was reminded in Exodus 17 and 18 of Joshua being on the frontlines in the battle. However, he could only be in the battle due to Moses as his main intercessory prayer warrior with Aaron and Hur holding up his arms so that he, Joshua, could continue to win the war! How can I be your Aaron/Hur as you, like Joshua, are in the everyday battle of life but you still continue to be my intercessory prayer warriors (Moses!) for my dance here in Cambodia? 

Thank you. May you feel His refreshing outpouring Spirit as you persevere each minute, each hour, each day for Our Lord!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#307 - Christmas in Thailand and New Years in Cambodia!

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 

#306 - A Devastating Fire

 Vol.# 306

In the past 2 weeks, we have been very busy at the new Dangkao location. 

A man who lives in that community had an argument with his wife and deliberately set their house on fire. This fire spread to 11 other houses and displaced 11 families. What was our response as His hands and feet on the ground to this terrible disaster?

AERIAL VIEW OF FIRE: 11 FAMILIES AFFECTED

AFFECTED FAMILIES RECEIVING PACKAGED RESOURCES WITH TENT, BEDDING, FOOD ETC.

 

OUR DANGKAO TEAM

As the pictures show, the main team began collecting bedding and tents that could be used as temporary shelter as well as food and clothing. Along with the students from New Life School in Dangkao, who came in to pack the supplies, and those who were able, together began to donate money to their own community. .50 cents to one dollar was the average donation from these students. When I saw the donations, I thought of the poor widow in Mark 12: 41-44 who gave all that she could give. Tears came to my eyes as well as joy for these students who gave what they had. Those who could not give came in to give of themselves by separating items, packing, and then cleaning the courtyard area. They set up the chairs to receive representatives from the 11 affected families and the village chief coming in to talk and to thank New Life Church Dangkao for their support of the community! 

On Monday I got a phone call from Oun Lin who is the principal of the Skills Training Centre at Dangkao, asking me if I would like to join them to go and pray for the uncle of the man who had set the fire, as he was burnt badly and in the hospital. Unfortunately, the aunt, his wife, was an invalid and even though the husband who was presently in the hospital had tried to rescue her, she had not survived. I went to the school in Dangkao to meet Oun Lin, and then we went to meet the village chief who was going with us to the hospital to visit the victim. Along the way, Donnie, who runs the Healing Home here in Phnom Penh and who had heard of the victim joined us as he had connections with a hospital here that specializes in burn victims. He was willing to transfer the man to this hospital as the hospital he was at did not have medical experience in dealing with burn victims. However, when we got to the hospital, we were told that the man had already passed away and was in the morgue! We visited the morgue and found him in a room with no windows and no air conditioning. It was not a cold room! He had died the day before but no one had informed the village chief. One of the young teachers who had accompanied us asked why would God allow us to go when the man had already died? I said GOD knew that he had passed but maybe God wanted to show the community and the village chief that we were willing to help, to go and pray, and yes, to pay for the ambulance expenses etc. 

However, as I write this, I am quite aware of the devastating fire that took the lives of so many in Hong Kong, and  seeing first hand our own community displaced and experiencing such havoc in their lives, I pray along with so many of you for those in Hong Kong. 

Prayer Request: Please pray for us to have wisdom as we continue to walk along with those affected by the fire, and with the local government officials in Dangkao. We are very grateful for the organization that has opted to fund 100 percent of any expenses needed for that community! 

At our church, we have already begun decorating and setting up for our Christmas services. Our theme this year is the Prince of Peace. Each week unfolds a new part of this theme. It is amazing to watch when people step into the church lobby on a Sunday and see how their faces light up. Then the picture taking begins! I had asked a few people if they had started to decorate their own places in honor of the birth of Jesus, and they all said, Oh no, Bong Srey (older sister), it is too expensive, that is why we enjoy and appreciate it when the church does this every year! It gives them an opportunity to invite friends and family to come and see the decorations and take pictures. The decor is being used as an evangelistic tool! I can attest to this as I work at the welcome/info desk and I see so many new people come and then stay for the service. The lights and decor also draw those from the mall next to the church to drop by to see the decorations and Christmas trees! 

Prayer Request: Please pray that many will come to know the Prince of Peace and to experience His peace this season. With the downturn in the economy, even those at the church have had to cut back on working hours and salary. Please pray that we will truly reflect His peace. Please pray for continued creativity as we want to share the story of the birth of the Prince of Peace to many, and that many who go to shop at the mall will be drawn to visit the church and remain to hear the music and the preaching of His love! Thank you! 

Prayer Request: December 21st is the main Christmas Sunday service. Please pray that all of us who will be working for the 3 services that we remain in good health and reflect His joy! 

I pray for many of you who are undergoing unexpected difficulties that you will sense His Presence and experience the sweet stillness of rest from the Prince of Peace! Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#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