#317 - Holy Ground and a Testimony of Victory

 Vol.# 317

“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground…’

Exodus 3:5:

This verse came to mind as I sat at my little table to meet with Jesus, with my coffee, and my journal and pen ready next to me, and my Bible open. As I positioned myself to sit, He brought 2 images to my mind. The first one was where the pastors and lay leaders from the countryside/provinces came into the city to our church in Phnom Penh to attend a special conference. As the worship began, these precious sons of Our Father, took off their slippers (no shoes) and knelt down to worship and honor their Heavenly Father, their GOD! The second image of course, is from Exodus when Moses is told by GOD to take off his sandals. God reminded me to take off my socks because where I am sitting as I approached HIM was and is holy ground. As I have been doing this for the past 2 weeks, my mindset and perspective has shifted towards my quiet time with Jesus! I approach this time with Him with anticipation of what HE will show me in His WORD. There is a greater intimacy as I begin to sing the chorus ‘This is holy ground, I am standing on holy ground (I change it to sitting on holy ground), and I just AM or BE in His presence, breathing in as HE covers me and then releases my mind as I surrender my thoughts to HIM to receive from His Word as He converses with me the same as He did with Moses! For me doing this physical action has drawn me more into His Presence and this grounds and centres me for whatever happens for that day! Who am I that He would do this for me, allowing me to hear and to listen to His words, to be able to sit with Him and He whispers back this is why I chose to die on the Cross so that my resurrection opens the door directly to ME for you. You are my daughter! So as I read from Jeremiah 30:2…so do not be afraid, Jacob….do not be dismayed, Israel… I am able to insert my name …so do not be afraid, Vidya, ..do not be dismayed, Vidya! So it has been with an even more joyful anticipation when I meet with Him in the mornings!

I had nearly an hour of conversation with Sister Chakriya on a video call as she prepares with her husband Lokru Darith for the open door of new positions at a different church after not only serving at New Life Foundation for over 18 years but also being part of that church for over 20 years!

Prayer Request: Please pray for the transition for the home team at NLF as roles and responsibilities have changed as Lokru Darith who was the head of the Soul Care/Cell group Ministry and aided by Sister Chakriya in Women’s/Family Ministry have shifted. Pray for quick connections and quick learning of their new roles in their new church!

Praise: Way back I mentioned that Lokru Pisit who is the Director of Cambodia Bible Society as well as an elder for our church and volunteer worship team leader, had been embroiled in a court case (not of his doing) over trade mark infringements etc. over the past 2 years with heavy penalties and even had imprisonment always hovering over him. He was cleared by the courts this past week! I felt that Lokru Pisit was like Paul who went before so many judges, and in this case many of the Buddhist religion who presided over this case had to research and read the evidence laid before them so that many who would NOT have read the Bible had to do so now before making the judgement! HIS WORD cleared him of any wrongdoing! Thank you for so many of you who had prayed!

Lokru Pisit and family celebrating his freedom!

Prayer Request: As I continue to help with editing of the power point slides for worship service/events, please pray that I would be able to edit with His knowledge of the Scriptures and to pick up details that would be left out in the translation from Khmer to English! Thank you!

Prayer Request: As the health of my parents declines, please pray for His wisdom as my siblings and I continue to walk this season with them! 

May His grace be upon you all and may you too experience His intimacy as you meet with Him! 

Love,, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Continuing to Dance with Him, 

Holding on to His Hand, Allowing Him to Guide me,

 Your sister, Vedya 

#316 - Family Visit and Dangkao Staff

 

Vol.# 316

Thank you all for dancing along with me in this new season! 

I have just returned with my parents from visiting my big brother in Florida and I’m glad to be back in cooler temperatures here in Toronto! I just want to share some highlights!

Before we left, we had misplaced a key to the deposit box and had prayed but still could not find it. When we got to the bank, the manager, who is a Christian, asked us to stop and pray again and ask the Lord to show us where the key was. He said these words in front of his staff member who was serving us at the time, adding that it was also going to be expensive to get the box opened with a new key. So we took his advice, and Mom and I held hands and we prayed to the Lord, who showed us from His Word about the lost coin being found, the lost sheep being found, and we prayed using His Word! One minute later, I felt we should look in one place that we had already searched and YES, we found the missing key! Now we had prayed at the beginning but I do believe that our Lord wanted this to be His testimony for that specific bank employee as well as to strengthen our own faith! When we returned and informed the manager that the lost was found, he was beaming and was going to share our story with that employee! Praise God!

We had prayed for help at the airport (US Customs ) and our Lord provided this young man who was at the counter to not only get the wheelchairs for my parents but he also took the luggage to the separate area where you have to check in your luggage as he saw that my parents should not be left unattended! Thank you Lord for that angel.

Thank you for your continued prayers for the health of my parents and my brother. It was good for my parents and I to spend time with him!

Dangkao Staff

“Hello Bong Srey,

Thank you so much for your generous donation toward the DK Team Retreat. Your kindness and support are a great blessing to our team. All of them had a good rest and felt refreshed this time.

We truly appreciate your heart for supporting the DK campus and team, who faithfully serve the church through various ministries, services, and events.

May God richly bless you and your family for your generosity and faithful support.

With gratitude and prayers,

God bless you! ”

The above was sent to me last week. As I have been video calling with different members of our Dangkao team, it became evident that they all needed a break. So Lokru Virak (who heads up this campus) and I were communicating and since I know all of the staff there, I had ONE request for them and that was ‘no kids’ at this retreat time! Lokru Virak understood exactly why I suggested this and was quite relieved that I had put that in writing so that he could share it with the staff and they had a wonderful time! Thank you! Your support has allowed us to sponsor this day and one night out!

Lokru Darith and Sister Chakriya

Another piece of news: Lokru Darith and Sister Chakriya who led me when I was on the soul care/prayer team and who have been members/leaders at New Life Foundation church for over 17 years have found new positions at a different church (the founding member was also a leader at NLF!). Now Lokru Darith will be a senior leader and his wife will be helping with the Family and Women’s ministries there! I am so happy for them but it is a bittersweet time for many at the church who cannot understand why they would not be able to attend NLF as usual on a Sunday! I had to help explain that Sunday is the time to be at the new church building up relationships with the new members by worshipping together! I will be video calling with them later on today!

Praise God for teaching me new things on our last trip to Trinidad with my parents that I was able to implement on the trip to Florida to make things smoother for them with less anxiety for all of us!

Prayer Request: As we are back and settling into a regular routine, this month will be filled with doctors’ appointments for both, please pray that I will be filled with His wisdom on handling things here, grateful for my sister Sita and my brother Vish’s help with it all. I continue to pray for more suitable accommodations for us all!

Please continue to send your requests so I too can go before our Lord with you!

Love,, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Dancing with Him, 

Holding on to His Hand, Allowing Him to Guide me,

 Your sister, Vedya 

#315 - Women's Conference and Baptism!

 Vol.# 315

Thank you for praying for the Women’s Leadership Conference in Phnom Penh that I had requested prayer for in my last update. This is how Sister Navy, wife of our senior pastor summarized it … “The conference was so good...all the  women are so blessed from this past one full day and half..Thanks for your prayers for all women. God is moving...lots of them have received and been touched by God's presence..’ 

The following pictures were sent by Sister Navy to show that ALL women, no matter the age or social standing came to the conference. As always in the Khmer tradition, it started with an ice breaker game where there is action and always ends in prayer. 

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE

HOSTING COMMITTEE

SISTER NAVY WITH OTHER BUSINESS WOMEN LEADERS

Please pray that the euphoria which always happens during and right after a conference such as this would extend into discipleship in the form of small group cell gatherings and attending church! 

Please pray for relationships that were seeded to grow and blossom for His kingdom!  

As of last week, I was in video calls as the debrief began of the process of hosting such an event. What could we do better as a hosting group? The timing of the events. Did we pray enough and communicate what should be happening during the event? Which part of the group felt they were carrying the heavier burden of hosting the event and therefore was too stressed to ‘be in the moment’ and enjoy spending time with those in attendance? Usually the post debrief is not a popular part of the process of hosting but we are trying to become better each time by learning what we could DO better each time! This is something I have learnt from the events we have hosted at RAC in the past where I have been privileged to be part of the hosting team where we had to sit down and discuss the challenges and triumphs of each event and I am grateful to the heads of those former teams headed by Pastor Sam, Bro. Jerry and Sister Maggie , and Sister Christine to name just a few under whom I have learnt so much!

Dangkao: This past week I have been blessed to video call with the heads of the Skills Training Center, Oun Srey Lin and her husband Oun PanHa, and to find out that a few of the students have decided to take that next step in their journey of faith to be baptized! This relationship with our Lord began in a humble classroom where English as a Second Language and Computer Skills were being taught and overflowed into invitations to youth events, to a cell group at Sreylin and PanHa’s home for discipleship and then to attending church! My heart overflowed to see the following pictures sent to me:

BAPTISMS WITH OUN LIN AND LOKRU VIRAK, PASTOR AT DANGKAO, AND THEN PANHA WITH LOKRU VIRAK!

TAKEN AT A RIVER SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE BAPTISM FACILITY AT DANGKAO

Please pray that these students would be empowered to follow through in their journey with our Lord Jesus Christ!

Thank you for your continued prayers for not only those back in Cambodia but also for my family here in Toronto. We have not yet found a more suitable place but I do know that our Lord is paving the way for that new home! Thank you for your prayers for the health of my mom and dad and for my big brother in Florida.

Please continue to send in your own requests and snippets of your life so I can go to the Father’s feet on your behalf as well! May you know and feel His intimate Presence in your life. May you know in your soul that your Heavenly Father cares for you NOW, whatever circumstance that may be, and that His Word is for you NOW. So please open up the Bible and ask God to reveal Himself to you and HE will surprise you and do more than you ask as HE has been faithful to me each morning as I sit with Him and we read and journal together! 

Keep on dancing my sisters and brothers!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#314 - Wedding, Trinidad and Women's Conference!

 

Vol.# 314

As I write this, there is a women’s conference happening at my church in Phnom Penh spearheaded by our women’s team from New Life Fellowship Church. I am so proud that our senior pastor’s wife is helping to emcee this event over the next 2 days, the ONLY Khmer woman leader amongst the expats who have flown in for the event! We have been praying for the past 2 weeks that those who come, whether young or old, single/married/divorced, widowed, from different economic backgrounds, that ALL will feel and sense His Presence, knowing that each person is valued and loved by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that each woman/girl has a purpose uniquely crafted by our Father by the gifts given to each of them! I am quite excited that we are able to sponsor this event for the Khmer women whether churched or not!

Last week I was able to accompany my parents to Trinidad and Tobago as they went to acknowledge the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Evangelical Churches of the West Indies! My parents were instrumental in the planting of 2 base churches in Arima and Arouca and in helping to support and train leaders for offshoots of the main churches! It was especially good for my parents to meet with Pastor Driskell, who came with his family as one of the main missionaries way back 75 years ago! I am grateful to our Lord for His grace in my parents being able to connect not only with those they have mentored and helped at the church but also with Dad’s employee from his time as owner of a sawmill ! His mentee came with his daughter to visit and then later our neighbours from over 50 years ago came to see them!

MOM AND DAD AT 75TH ANNIVERSARY ECWI GALA

DAD AND BRO. DRISKELL, ONE OF THE MAIN MISSIONARIES WHO MINISTERED IN  TRINIDAD MANY YEARS AGO

OLD FRIENDS FROM ARIMA

OLD FRIENDS FROM ARIMA

DAD'S FORMER EMPLOYEE AT HIS SAWMILL CAME WITH HIS DAUGHTER TO VISIT

OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOURS FROM SO LONG AGO; PARENTS DECEASED BUT DAUGHTERS VISITED!

We are glad for His mercies and grace over my parents’ health after 7 days back in Trinidad and for the many who were able to come and visit my parents! 

But also it was an exciting weekend BEFORE we left, as my nephew Daniel and my niece-in-law and love Cynthia got married at Nathan and Sarah’s place in Waterloo! So lots of excitement for the past 3 weeks!

DANIEL & CYNTHIA TIE THE KNOT JULY 18, 2026!

Thank you as you continue to journey with me. I ask for continued prayer for my Mom especially as we navigate how to care and pray with her. I continue to pray that our Lord would rejuvenate her mind with His Spirit and that she would be filled with His peace! 

I am grateful for your prayers as I continue to work with my teams back in Phnom Penh. As most of you already know, social media is not my forte, but funnily enough, my sleep pattern is on Cambodian time so I am able to video call and speak with my teams there! This week I am connecting with 2 teams at Dangkao location, the heads of the Skill Training Center and the head of the HR team at Dangkao location. I am about to edit the power point slides for Sunday’s sermon (the English wording), and then to pray with the leaders of the Soul Care Team at Steang Mean Chay location (main church campus). Hopefully I will send pics of us reconnecting on the next update! 

Keep on Dancing with our Jesus. May I encourage you to ‘live in the moment’ with your loved ones and to keep on reading His Word that is alive and always relevant to whatever you may be experiencing at this time!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya

#313 - A Timely Word (Proverbs 15:23)

 

Vol.# 313

I sit here at my desk at my parents’ place and am marvelling at how the Lord orchestrates events and I think of Proverbs 15:23.(NIV) ‘…a person finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!” 

I just felt that I needed to do laundry and quickly gathered up the clothes and went downstairs to the basement only to find out that 4 of the machines were out of order. One resident told me to come back in 30 minutes because I would get his machines that would then be free! So with that initial contact made, I returned later to find one other person waiting. As soon as his 2 machines were free, he invited me to put the clothes in, but I noticed the other resident looking anxious. So I said,’why don’t you use it? Then the story came out. She had just taken her son to the hospital from school, and she was waiting for the call from them. All she was told was that it had to do with his heart, and she started to cry. I quickly told her to please use the machine, and then approached her and put my hand on her arm and bowed my head and prayed for her son, 2 politically incorrect things to do but felt in my spirit to do that. She thanked me and then went upstairs as I waited for other machines to become available. A minute later, another resident came down and I was able to get 2 washing machines immediately and did not have to wait! When I returned later to put the clothes into the dryer, there were no available washing machines or dryers. I noticed the same lady with whom I prayed was in the room sitting at the table waiting for the dryers to finish. She came and thanked me for the prayer and kindness and my mind went back to the verse from Proverbs! I told her I had prayed some more for her son and for his healing. She said she just needed to tell someone and I was there at the right time with the right words! I gave that glory to Jesus Christ! Can I encourage you who maybe are reading this to ask God to open your eyes and ears to the ‘mundane’ things we may do, where you and I can be His hands and feet by sharing a word or doing a deed? You don’t have to be in a different country to be a missionary. Where you are is your own mission field!

Two days later I had an urge to call one of my dear spiritual sister leaders in Phnom Penh, and was so happy to be able to talk to Nekru  Chakriya, her husband was one of my leaders in the soul care group, and she along with her husband lead the Family and Marriage Ministries. Currently she is volunteering, so we had a ‘catch up’ call, praying with and for each other but rejoicing as she was just about to message me to ask for prayer and I called her! Nekru Chakriya was my sitting partner at church and she was saying she missed my ‘agonized’ expressions when I listened to the incorrect English translations by the interpreter on a Sunday morning! I thank God for her investment in young families but we also prayed for her next steps as she needs a paying job to help her  family.

One day after that, I was talking to Lin and PanHa from the Dangkao project, excited about a new collaboration in designing lessons for the English programmes. They were excited to receive an invitation to buy a gospel card game designed by the Cambodian Bible Society as a way to teach the youth about key events/people in the Bible. As we discussed how to creatively use this in discipleship and small group settings, I asked why we couldn’t use the same in the English classes? One of games is “Who Am I?” So that can be used for younger kids, with simple 

language: I am Vidya. I am a girl. I am a daughter etc.  We started to get excited because  the cards were already in Khmer language, so then only the English would be needed to be written down for a fun way for certain concepts to be introduced for the beginner student and modified  for intermediate/ advanced students. I sponsored 3 different sets of these cards to be bought and urged Oun PanHa to use this also when he goes with one of our Senior Pastors to teach the Bible in the provinces (home/cell churches). I can’t wait to hear how they will put their own stamp on this and creatively use these simple cards in not only Scriptural education but also in English Literacy classes.

Lastly I was able to help sponsor our team for the Worship Conference for youth leaders from all over Cambodia that was held at our main campus. These young leaders were taught about songwriting and all aspects of leading worship (practical aspects of the setting up of musical instruments, recording etc., and most came in from the provinces for the 2 day event! Praise God for His provision and the insight by our leaders to have this conference for the next generation!

 

Thank you all for your continued prayers for my parents and family! I am honoured as my parents celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary giving all glory to God. I am thankful to be here on site with them as my siblings celebrated them!   

75 YEARS AGO!

NOW - JUNE 26, 2026 --75TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

We have not yet found more suitable accommodations but waiting on His timing and best place for us all! Please keep sending your prayer requests! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya