#312 - First Month Back In Canada

 Vol.# 312

Thank you to so many who have continued to be with me on this journey! 

I cannot believe it’s been over a month since I have been here and the adjustment to life here still goes on! My parents and I have not yet found suitable accommodations, but I do know the location has to be in Scarborough and not far from where we are, as it is a familiar route for Mom and Dad when going for walks, close to the amenities, and familiar faces at Shoppers Drug Mart, their bank and various doctors!

Prayer Request: Please pray for favour and wisdom as to the ‘how’ to find that place that will be a new home for us.

I have continued to connect with the Dangkao project in Phnom Penh through video calls and text messaging. Praise God that we are getting into a time rhythm that is viable for 2 different time zones. Early morning for me and evening for my counterparts which suits us both. We are currently working on a written partnership contract that can be used for any future partners, not only for the Dangkao project, but also for any future partnerships with New Life Foundation Church. I have had the honor to be part of the staff meetings and I am able to connect and pray with the very young staff at Dangkao, whilst praying with some of the leaders at the main campus, especially my senior pastor and his wife, Sister Navy.

I want to thank the Evergreens for graciously hosting me last Wednesday and allowing me to share an update on the current projects back in Cambodia and also the status on life here. I am so grateful that so many of those present were some of the precious ‘Carriers of the Faith’ who not only lived and are living out what it is to be His Servants NOW, but they are also DEPOSITING into so many like myself their prayers, advice, and financial support. As I stood looking out at them, I thought that I may not be the blood legacy of these precious servants of the Lord, but I am undeniably their spiritual legacy, and I was overwhelmed by their graciousness and love towards me!

VIDEO CALL WITH OUN LIN AND OUN PANHA DISCUSSING DANGKAO AND PRAYING OVER UPCOMING EVENTS

PRAISE: Oun PanHa, the young man in the photo with his wife, was going to be sharing for the first time about the Bible with a much older audience in the countryside and he was nervous. I got a chance to chat, we exchanged ideas and then prayed together. Oun PanHa is much more accustomed to teaching Computer literacy at Dangkao to a younger set of students. In the village he was sharing with older men and usually within the Khmer tradition, it is most often the elder teaching the youth.

PRAISE: As I adjust to this new medium of Video calls and text messaging, those back in Phnom Penh have been sending me their prayer requests and asking for times to connect and we have been able to do that as I am still wide awake at 2 in the morning! Just one hour ago, one of the leaders, Lokru Sophy, who  is finishing his term at NLF church as an elder, texted his prayer for my parents and myself! He is one of the recipients of the coffee ministry on a Sunday morning that is still ongoing there. He will preach his last sermon as an elder this coming Sunday, and I have the privilege of just editing the English part of his sermon for the Power Point slides for worship service.

Prayer Request: As I alluded to above, I covet your prayers as we continue to seek more suitable accommodations. 

Thank you for your prayers for my parents, so much appreciated! I thank God for this season with them on site as I give care alongside my siblings. 

Please continue to send your life updates and prayer requests as we dance together with Jesus being our leader and guide! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#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 

#309 - Change is in the Air!

 Vol. #309

Good morning from a sweltering Phnom Penh! 

As most of you know who have been dancing with me (in your own rhythmic style) on this journey in my heart country of Cambodia, the health of my parents has been deteriorating. My mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, my dad just turned 99 YOUNG with all of the normal health challenges that accompany reaching this age, and my brother in Florida has his own health challenges as well. SO after much prayer with both advisors in Toronto and Cambodia, I have decided to return to Toronto for as long as I am needed there, waiting on His timing to return to my heart country of Cambodia! I will be there to provide support as my parents’ caregiver (alongside my siblings), but I will be on site living with them to aid in any way that I can!

I will continue to give you regular updates as usual as my ministry in Cambodia will continue by regular ZOOM calls to support leaders in the following ways:

- Provide counsel and prayer support to leaders at New Life Foundation and New Life church.

- Provide teaching support and mentoring for the Skills Centre at Dangkao, our newest campus affiliated with NLF.

- I will continue to edit the English version for the sermons/events: editing school curriculum and putting my ‘stamp’ on how to teach certain lessons through phonetics by showing them how to pronounce certain English words by using the sounds from the Khmer alphabet! I have found this is so useful for the younger students who have NOT been exposed to English sounds as their older counterparts who have access to social media so their ears are more attuned to the pronunciation in English!

- Team members can still send me their prayer requests via social media! We have been doing that even on days off and it has worked well. This has been a learning curve for me since I am NOT literate on using social media!

For the last 20 years God began putting into my heart His plan for me to serve in Cambodia. It started with a meeting at Lisa Cheong’s house in Scarborough where we prayed for the land of Cambodia, and then 2 years after praying for this land, I made my first entry into my now heart country of Cambodia! The love for my Khmer brothers and sisters and my desire to continue to help in the development of this country, focusing on New Life Foundation and its 2 campuses has only intensified over the years! I do believe the best is yet to come especially as we are building a bigger and better main campus at Dangkao using education as the main tool to bring many to Christ! I am thankful that HE is leading each step and I wait upon Him for the timing of my return to my heart  country that He has chosen for me!

THANK YOU ALL for continuing to be part of His ministry with your prayer, emotional and financial support! There is a Khmer saying here ‘see you when I see you’, so April 8th is my return date to Toronto.

Prayer requests:

- Please pray for a more suitable place for my parents and myself.

- I would have had to move from my current place here in Cambodia as the 32 steps walking up and down with heavy bags was not viable anymore. I have had to give up this place. Please pray that I will have prayer time with the landlady and her husband. They have usually welcomed my prayers during times of illness.

- Please pray for the logistics of the move, however temporary!

MORE TO COME!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#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