#6 - It Finally Happened!

Well finally it had to happen! But before I say what ...

INVISIBLE ROLE
Isn't God awesome? (rhetorical!) 

Last week HE confirmed and affirmed my visible role here as a teacher. 

This week He affirmed my invisible role as intercessory prayer warrior! 

It began with the service at church entitled Pray Bold, Persevere in Prayer and then my Lord gave me ways to pray bold and also to persevere these past 2 weeks!

'R' AND THE FLOWER-BUG
One kid in my grade 6 class (Ramona Loberg's class has adopted this class), "R", could and would not look at me and this made teaching pronunciation to him difficult since I could not see his mouth and he could not see my mouth when I was sounding out the words. 
I prayed and then asked my TA Khmer assistant to pray with me and then he translated to "R" that the teacher said many kids have survived looking at her face, so he will live if he looks at me! 
He may have bad dreams but he will live! 
He was startled when Poeune said that, (so was Poeune since he was translating 'cold' and he himself looked at me and tried not to laugh!) looked up, and there was a glimmer of a smile, and then he looked back down! 
But he kept looking up. 
We had prayed for "R" because of his situation: father is in jail, no mother, and his motivation is quite low to be in class. 

Well, guess who was first to come to class 9 (10 mins. before class mind you!) 

Yup... "R"!

 Came and shouted , "hello Teacher!" 

(For some strange reason everyone shouts here! Yes, some of you are thinking, "...and Vids, don't you speak loudly?" But I digress!)

He asked how I was, I said in Khmer that I was so hot, and he gave me a 'cool gum' to cool down! 

Do prayers work? Yes. 

Specific prayers? Yes! 

Thank you, thank you for your prayers.
  

He brought me a flower at last class! (I put it in my hair, and promptly forgot about it till next class when I felt something in my hair, thought it was a bug and crushed it, much to the puzzlement of class!)

Then one day last week, I noticed a lady hovering outside my early class in the afternoon, so I told her she could come in. She came in and stayed at the back of the class. It was the Grade 2 Khmer teacher for the Khmer school. The children go to Khmer school starting at 7 in the morning till 10:30 or so. Then they go to English class. I thought hmm... let us see where that connection goes! 

I was surprised since she did not go to the other classes! I saw her 2 days ago and she smiled and we hugged and I told her to come to my class. 

I would like to go to her class as well. (Communication is minimum, she speaks little English and I so far speak little Khmer!)

CHARLENE(:
Charlene Pollock came with her team to visit us at Place of Rescue. We got a chance to pray over Marie Ens, the pastor on site, and some of the babies and their grannies as well. Love the timing of the visit where we focused on prayer again. 

It was so good to see Char, spend time with her, be encouraged by her and to have lots of laughter as well!

Cannot wait to see any of you when you come!

Then wouldn't you know it, when I slept one night (up to 3 hours) the alarm went off on my phone at 5 and I felt like turning it off but 2 things came to my mind: you: some of you have pledged to pray with and for me ; and the kids  here get up at 5 and do devotions with their house parent. I asked them if that was hard to be up but that is normal for them so knowing that, how could I sleep in? 

Plus the mosquitoes wanted me up! 

TEACHING, DISCIPLINE AND BINGO
For my new class at 7 at night, I was praying over them and God gave me this from Luke 24:45: ..then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scripture... I substituted English for Scripture and have been claiming that verse for them. 

I had sent out their names to you and this Tuesday we are doing our first major test, the results of which go toward the public school (Khmer) and towards the assessment of keeping them here at this grade or moving them forward.

The unity between the other English teachers and myself grew stronger this week. I am learning a lot from Jeremy and Stacy ( a couple here, J is a teacher by profession, Stacy is a nurse but is here as a teacher) and Halina, my house mate! 
We all have challenges keeping discipline, our prayer is to spend time teaching rather than class management.


Those of you who know me know that I set discipline from the start, in those years at the Drop In Centre, working with youth at risk and Alliance Men (Ha! Just thought I would throw that in!) have come in handy! 
My Khmer assistants tell them the rules and the consequences which I have created and I do follow up on any disobedience immediately!

I was doing a bingo game in the biggest class I have, (20 kids at the height of the heat midday sun!) the purpose of which was, I would call out a word and they would find the word on the bingo card and mark on it 1, 2, 3 etc. to match the pronunciation of the word I was saying. 
I had just cautioned them NOT to speak, not to look at each other's paper etc. etc. when I remembered I forgot to tell them to write their name on the top of the page!

So I said "please write" ....I looked at one kid, ML, and I could see him trying to find the words please etc. on the paper, not finding it, and trying not to look at someone else's paper! That cracked me up because they were all trying to find my verbal instructions on the paper! You had to be there to see their faces. 
I could not stop laughing (and yes, snorting!). Then they gave me the look of 'teacher teacher'! 
Who says you can't have fun at the expense of the kids (in a good way of course!).

 THE BIG WORD(;

OH yeah, what was I alluding to when I said at the top of this, finally it had to happen?

I am not only learning Khmer at 9 to 10  on Tues. Wed and Frid. in the morning (NEED BIG TIME PRAYER FOR MY MIND AND MY TONGUE TO BE COORDINATED), I am also teaching English from 10 to 11 to Channak, who is Marie's chief assistant!

So there we are doing grammar and reading and we come across THE WORD, no not His Word but the word ....
"ask"!
Present and past tense!
I know some of you know what is coming up. 
He looked puzzled when I pronounced the word and asked if that was the English way of saying it! 
He is accustomed to American pronunciation! He said it sounded different! 
"Axed"???????????

I had to wait until my house mate came and requested (notice I did not say 'ask'!) her to pronounce the word!


Speaking of which, she asked me yesterday,"Vidya, how come when I speak to the tuk tuk drivers or other Khmer speaking persons, they do not understand, but when you speak to them with your Trini accent they seem to understand?!" 

I cracked up! 

I silently looked up and pointed heavenward!

Yes I was silent ...but only for a second! 
Ha! 

I said I have an army of people praying for me, HE has allowed me to find favor, it is nothing that I am doing! 

So for those of you who have specifically prayed for communication for me, be encouraged by this!

RED HELMET AND RED-FACED WITH SINGING(: 

I had to go to receive my bank card and the only way was to go on the back of a scooter. 

But Marie has wisely cautioned us to wear a helmet to go in, so I went with Baht Kim (one of the members of Place of Rescue committee), male. 

I had to figure out how to hold on to the scooter and not him, (first time I did hold on to his shoulders!) cultural sensitivity et al...anyway, we went to the market and for 8 US dollars I got my own scooter helmet! 
AND yes, it is a deep red! 

Unfortunately the pride I had wearing it fell when I got to the bank and could not get it off! 

Baht Kim had to help me much to the amusement of the guys who look after helmets and scooters! 

But I got to sing and pray on the back of the scooter on way back to POR! 

Baht Kim thought I was talking to him. 

He could see my mouth moving but then he realized, oh she was singing!

PRAYER
I have been asked to pray by two of the staff here for their families, and have been bold to say what I have been praying for this land of Cambodia and for POR! 

It has somehow connected with them.

**I ask for prayer for wisdom as I plan classes and that He would continue to go before me in building relationships not only with staff, but with students, house moms etc.

Celebrated Marie finishing work on one of her books, a collection of true stories of some of the people here. 

POR is their refuge here as well as being in His arms.

John 4: 50.."the man took Jesus at His Word and departed.." 

This struck me, how often have I neglected to believe that what He has promised to me will be done! 

I encourage you to persevere, be bold and talk to Him, claim His promises to you.

You have not been forgotten! 

His Word comes alive because we serve a GOD who is alive!

A PICTURE:
I will leave you with a picture: 

I had to find a new place to meet with Him at POR: right outside my living quarters is a swing. 

I go there with my iPod worship music, my Bible, my journal. 

This week as I was praising Him, I just felt Our Saviour come and sit with me and then this breeze came in and we swung together! 

HE knew I needed to feel His presence even though HE is always there, but He wanted to give me an extra hug because He knew I would need it! 

The heat was fierce this week!

Then I put on His music and yeah, we danced together! 

Love 

Sister V

~As I write this I am aware of our brother Marcel going to be with the Lord.  I cried and rejoiced at the same time. I know He is at His feet being cradled and loved by His Heavenly Father. But he will be missed. 

Marcel, thank you for all the times you came and talked and laughed with me. I thank God I got to know you better when you volunteered at Neighbourhood Connections. Your smile and gentleness will be missed. To Helene, Marc, Michelle and Mel: my love and prayers.~