Friday 11 December 2015

#85 - Language learning, travelling mercies, A/C, and my Christmas tree!

Vol.# 85

Life in Cambodia
I sit between two fans trying to get relief from the heat in my living room/study area. You would think it would be cooler at 6:23 at night, but, alas, no breeze!

I had to close the door due to my good friends, the mosquitoes, which love to come and visit me! Unfortunately, even drenched in repellent, I am still bitten!

I can hear the sounds of dinner being prepared, the pounding of meat so that it can be ready to cook, and the dogs are barking!

Language learning:
Yesterday was a discouraging day in class. We had blanks to fill in with sentences, and then had a listening comprehension class. I understood 10% and was able to do the sentences, but not as fast as half of the class! I also had to make the hour and a bit tuk tuk ride to my bank in the village in Bek Chan close to Rescue! However, I did not have the time to go there, I was rushing from my morning classes to go and return!

Praise:
Even though it was a discouraging day, I want to thank you for your prayers! I am not sure how you prayed but the ‘hard’ day just made me more determined to study!

So on the tuk tuk ride to Bek Chan, I had my headphones on listening to the Khmer vocabulary pronunciation! My tuk tuk driver kept thinking I was talking to him and kept turning around which really was not safe! I had to stop to get a mask for the dust and smells that accelerated as we moved from one area to the other!
Going to class outing
The ride was a reminder of how HE took care of me so many times when I made that journey! I kept thinking, how did I do it for over one year? For two months I journeyed twice a day back and forth from Rescue! I could hear His voice say, I will always give you what you need when you obey me my child!

So, may I encourage you who are maybe having a rough time leading up to Christmas?
Go to Him, lay down your burdens and read His Word. He is just waiting for you to come to Him. 

When I got back home after the over two hour journey, I spent 3 hours writing the words on my wall and listening to more texts and then saying some of the words and sending via WhatsUp App to my two Khmer friends, Channak and Dong, to correct my pronunciation!

Prayer:  My first major test is on the 18th! It is on vocabulary recognition, conversation and answering questions in Khmer. The tests are for two days and you have to sign up for your time. I decided to be the first, so on the 18th my test is at 8:30 in the morning. I covet your prayers not only on that day, but also from now as I study and engage others in conversation! I have my extra tutorial session tomorrow so I will work on my listening skills!

Prayer: I still do not have a dining room table or couch. You have to really double think about how to get things delivered and then up the narrow stairs or by pulley from the street! Pray for wisdom as I still have to make this room ‘more home-like!' I have A/C in my bedroom but I do not want people congregating there. It is my ‘refuge’ in my ‘refuge!’

Many of you have asked to see my Christmas tree so I am sending you a pic! 



It was a lot of fun to see one of the Khmer couples from my church put it up and begin to decorate! It is so much more fun to see others having so much delight in doing something! They themselves cannot afford a tree so my place will become the Christmas drop-in place!

The fans are still circulating hot air so I am trying to negotiate for an A/C for this living/study/eating room! I had to put a strip of rubber at the bottom of the door so the air would not escape, but also to bring down the costs of using the A/C. One of my friends here spent time in sticking the rubber with cement glue. Since the door is made of iron we could not staple or nail the rubber to the door! I want to make sure I keep costs down, so after a month or so I am getting a true idea of the cost of living here!
Before: Gluing the rubber to keep air in

After: Prayerfully will keep air in and costs down!


Prison Fellowship: Acting on excellent advice from one of my prayer supporters, I looked into material already devised by PF from around the world. However they are quite busy this month with the government meetings, so we will meet again next month. I will be sending the Curriculum Director the links of material that can be used!

My tuk tuk driver has been more talkative, and yes, is still is on a mission to get me to school in 10 minutes or under! The traffic is really very bad, so I never know which route he is going to take! However, yesterday we had so many ‘close’ calls, I am very grateful that I pray before we leave my place!

Keep sending me your pics of your festivities! 
I miss hearing the Christmas music and advent leading up to Christmas! I think I miss having a television now. Besides listening to local news, I can usually get CNN or BBC news! I will let you know what I am doing for Christmas! There is talk of hunting down a turkey! 
We will see what happens!

My love to you all! I have to go and put on more repellent and make dinner!

I am singing, “Oh, the weather outside is frightful….“
AH! MY Jesus chose to leave His kingly place to come down for us, for you, for me.

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His dance partner here in Cambodia,
Your servant, Vidya



** (P.S. I am at 90 percent of my monthly support, would you consider becoming one of my dance partners? Please email me!)

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