#127 - Christmas greetings and a new place for a new year!

Vol. #127

As I sit here wrapping tiny Christmas presents for my students, who will be coming over on Christmas Day after church to celebrate His birth, I am playing all of the old Christmas songs and praising Him! 
Why?

Last year at this time I was in the ICU at the hospital, the beginning of a very long month at the hospital! 

Now, here I am stronger and more grateful for Jesus the Christ Who decided to make the longest journey from His kingdom to earth; a journey not only in distance, but oh to a different status! 
From GOD the great I AM to a vulnerable babe and all that includes!

Reflecting on my journey here, from Trinidad and Tobago to Canada and now Cambodia, having to adjust to different cultural cues and now learning a whole new language, I get a tiny sample of what MY GOD did and I am more in AWE and humbled by HIM! 
He chose to undergo all the stages of human life here (He really could have just snapped His fingers and become a grown up man but He went through the stages of being human!) 
So when we pray to Him, we know we are praying to a GOD who understands every emotion we go through! 
What a foundation to begin a relationship!

YES, I FOUND A PLACE! 
Well actually, Channak found it on his ride around the area. Two real estate agents who were also looking were not able to find a place, but came so close each time! 
One of my prayer mentors had specifically prayed that God would design a place for me that was reminiscent of how He had provided for a renovated home for her, and yes, He has gone before and answered your prayers! 
Channak had seen it over a month ago, but the asking price was too much, and the design was a bit strange. Then last week the landlord called him, not once, but 3 times, and said, "Bring the foreigner over and we can discuss changes to the house!" 
Well, when I got there it was just empty rooms, so I asked where the kitchen was. They said they were waiting to see how I wanted it so then they would build it! 
So we talked about the countertop (concrete here and tiled on top) and where the sink would be.

Channak had to go on a retreat, so when I got the call to come back to talk with the owner who is Khmer, I thought, "Well, I will take pics with me and lots of prayer!" 
The builder, who is Khmer and speaks no English, was the one who suggested extra lights in the kitchen! He said, "I think you would need a light to go over the stove, so when you cook at night time it would be better for you."

Then I asked for a water heater to be put in the kitchen. They were puzzled, and asked, "You mean you want a water heater for the bathroom?" (All of the rooms have a tiny bathroom: a toilet and shower head attached to each.) 
But I wanted one in the kitchen so I can have hot water to wash the dishes etc.! 
I will send pics later after I move in.

Signing of lease under mango tree

One picture sticks out in my mind. As I sat under the mango tree with the landlord, signing the downpayment receipt, each of us did it with thumbprint! Channak had the ink ready and had written everything in Khmer and we put our prints on it.

Prayer request: 
Please pray that all of the changes to be done will be done by move-in date at the end of this month. I was told by landlord, "Well just in case not all will be finished when you move in, it will be finished within 2 days of your moving-in date!" I shook my head and said no, because I know 2 days means more like 2 weeks! So I told them that I would pray to Jesus the Christ that it will be all done and they would be surprised! So before leaving, I asked my friend Julia who had come with me if we could pray! So with the landlady there, I bowed and dedicated it all to God.

I was blessed to be invited to one of my Khmer teacher's wedding last weekend! It was such a God-honouring wedding and the best I have been to! Teacher Meng and his beautiful wife Sroh wanted to reflect God's love to their parents, so at the ceremony in the morning, they first bowed down before Meng's parents, and then washed the feet of Meng's father and mother as a symbol of gratitude to the parents for what they sacrificed in raising them up. It is a symbol of honor of how they will continue as a unit to honor and serve their parents in a God-ordained way and they also wanted to show how Christ came to earth to serve! 

Morning ceremony with classmate, Leigha

Then each prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing over both sets of parents! Well, we were all in tears as this was so unexpected, and it was the first time I had seen the bride and groom wash the feet of the parents of both parties!

Evening ceremony with classmates: Formal dress

Evening ceremony with classmate

Evening ceremony with classmates

Then later in evening ceremony, Meng sang a song to his bride. With 53 expats attending the ceremony at night, all of us from G2K school, it was beautiful to see the unity and love amidst all of us! 
Yes, I danced!

I think of all of you with snow falling, reconnecting with your families, and celebrating His birth, and I want to say thank you for continuing to partner with Him and consequently with me as we do His will here in Cambodia! 
Blessed Christmas! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 
Your sister, Vidya

#126 - Speaking boldly!

Vol. #126 

This morning we had a guest speaker at church who continued to preach on a series titled "Whole and Bold". 
He spoke on the importance of our words because our God is a speaking God. HE spoke and creation came into being (Genesis 1), and He speaks to us through His Word. 
The importance of speaking words of blessing to each other and to ourselves is based on what God says in His Word. 
He then asked us to think about how our words can block His blessings, not only to ourselves, but also to others as well.

That got me thinking, so I invited 3 of my former students to go out for lunch at Khmer eating place right across from my school. 

DINNER WITH MY STUDENTS (TUK TUK DRIVER AT BACK!)

As we ate and talked, they helped me with my pronunciation of some Khmer words, and I asked each of them to think about a word that someone had spoken to them that was NOT a blessing. 
Then each of us shared one thing; then we used what God said in His Word to cancel out the negative words spoken over each of us. 
For example, someone said to me, "You are old, you will not be able to learn Khmer", so I countered that with, "In Christ I can do all things: in His strength and might"! 
I cannot divulge what each student shared, but I was able to affirm His plan in their lives. 
Then I said, "Now think of the person who said the negative words over you, and ask God to forgive them, and pray a blessing over them". 
When I told the students the words of non-blessing about someone saying I could not learn because I was old, I had to be 'real' so that they would be open to share with me. 

Please do not feel sorry for me because I do know He has me here, and I am so blessed to be part of His plan for my heart country. 
I am older so I know not to allow such words to marinate in my mind but to immediately give it to Him. 
When I spoke to my students they were still feeling the impact of the negative words spoken over them over the past few years! 

Prayer request: 
I specifically chose this eating place because I not only want to give the Khmer family our business, but I also want to be able to ask them, "How can I pray for you today?" 
They know me because most of us at the school, including the teachers, would have at least one meal there (at $2.50 not a bad deal!). Pray for boldness for me please! 

I was very surprised when the visiting pastor made an altar call at the end of the service, and the leader of the prayer team came up to me and asked me to go to the front to pray with the other leaders for anyone who wanted prayer. I told her that I could only pray with confidence in English.
She said that she knew but please, still come! 
I felt unsure but my former students who were standing next to me said, "Cher, you need to go"! 
So I went and prayed with one Khmer girl in English. 

Thank you for sending me your prayer requests and allowing me to be part of your team as we pray together. 
Thank you for your words of blessing! 

I am listening to Jonathan Nelson's I Believe (Island Medley) as I write this so please excuse me as I have to get up to dance and sing the words I Believe!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#125 - Flashback of faith

Thank you for your prayers over finding a tutor!


We met today for the first time for an hour and a half, and I discovered that she goes to my church here. Her rates are good and yes, she is Khmer! We will be meeting twice a week, so I will keep you all updated!


I had a flashback to the days when I was part of the Drop-In Centre crew! The kids would come downstairs (back to the old days when we had the parking lot out front and the half basketball court upstairs), and it was there we would first meet!
But the circumstances changed a year later when the numbers of kids grew, and after much prayer, I decided it was better for me to be upstairs at the door when the kids first came in, to greet them and look at them in the eyes. If it was someone new, I would just let them know the rules of behaviour at the Drop-In centre.
It was different being upstairs away from the kids, and I had prayed, "Lord please turn that spot into a place where I could have meaningful contact with the kids!"
After the first week, we discovered that the kids were actually staying upstairs not just to play ball, but also just to sit and chat!
I called it the "Liming Spot" (you Trinis already know this means hang out!). The kids would share what was going on in their lives, ask for prayers etc.
The reason I am sharing this deja-vu picture?
 
I had to volunteer at the info desk at my church here and no one comes during the hour and half of service, and it can be uneventful to say the least!
But I prayed that my corner spot would be His, and settled in for a very hot uneventful time!
Yes, Oh Vidya of little faith!


One student whom I taught from Rescue came by to say hi and next thing I knew, he is not only helping me with my Khmer vocabulary, but sharing how his faith has changed over the past 2 years! And he was one of the 'shy' ones!


Then another came by and started to share how his faith has changed from being very superficial to a deeper relationship with God! Then their friends from the dorm in which they are staying came across to be introduced and we all just chatted!
No I did not keep them from the church service; they were also volunteering and had to wait until the service was over!
And yes, we spoke in English, a credit to them since they are Khmer! I saw them again when I went to the evening service that night and was blessed to see that now they came to get their souls fed!


The above was one praise item!


Prayer Request:
When I went to the church service I did not wear any headphones to hear the English translation, and I really wish I could tell you I understood a lot, but in reality I understood roughly ten percent of it all!
But I will keep persevering!


Thank you all for sending your prayer requests and stories! I have been taking them and you to His throne daily!


Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 
  Your sister, Vidya

#124 - Important Donor Information

Hello everyone!
  
Thank you for your prayers in forming a Khmer community here. Just 2 days ago I was invited to a small get-together for those of us who volunteer at the info desk at church. In fact, I saw the invitation but I did not know I was included since I had only volunteered twice. But I got the official invitation and despite my nervousness, I said yes and went! 

Yes, even I can be shy since I was the only non-Khmer speaker there! Yup, the only expat!  
We met at the church and then went off on a 25-minute ride on moto to eat, and afterwards we just hung out at the riverside.

DINNER WITH VOLUNTEERS

They were all so much younger, and half of them were a bit shy. I did approach the girls and I introduced myself and we exchanged small greetings. I thank God that I did go, and that I was able to speak in half-Khmer and half-English to those sitting around me. 
The first thing my co-volunteers said was that they wanted to practise their English so could we speak in English!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Important note for my donors: 

The Great Commission is moving to a larger location so the mailing address has been changed: 

The Great Commission Foundation P.O Box 14006 Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 0B4

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Prayer request: 
God is forming His community here for me, so I need to wait with expectation and joy! For me, a community is where I can go deep with others as well as just chill and hang out! 

My Khmer language is not that advanced, so making that transition with my Khmer brothers and sisters here has been slow. So can you pray that I would be dedicated to learning this amazing new language in creative ways! I am meeting with a possible tutor on Monday, so please pray for wisdom for me to discern if we would make a good match in learning Khmer. 

Praise: 
Even though I have not yet found my new home, I will continue to praise Him for my new home! 

Praise: 
For the relationships between my tuk tuk drivers and myself. I have one regular driver who takes me to and from school. He knows not to start the tuk tuk until I pray over our journey. I pray for his family and for work for him during the day. 
I have 2 other semi-regular drivers who I have known since my days at Rescue. I call them when Mr. Ra, my regular one, cannot make it! I thank God they can tell me how I can pray for them each time I meet with them! 
And yes, they want to practise their English so I speak in Khmer and they respond in English! As a result there are often puzzled looks and laughter when I have to go to a new location! 

Well, it is Sunday morning and I just found out yesterday that I am on today to volunteer at church. 
So I will go to serve this morning and go to church this evening! Activity abounds in the streets below as everyone from the adults to kids to the dogs are up and about and are talking in loud voices (yes, the dogs too!)! 

I love this particular time when I am having coffee with Jesus, listening to His voice as we read His Word together, listening to some music (I am listening to Christmas songs). Then I enter prayer time over your prayer requests and my day ahead!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya

#123 - Enjoying Community!

We stood in a circle, and as one we raised our voices in prayer and gratitude to our Lord God. 
Tears flowed down as we prayed together Khmer style, in German, in Portuguese, in Khmer and in English. 

I thought of Pastor Chris' message on prayer and it is really an intimate communication between our God and ourselves! I looked around when we were finished at the different generations praising Him without being shy, expats and Khmer all together, and I thought to myself, "Girl you are experiencing a bit of heaven here, cultures bending the knee to the One true God!"
So what led up this moment?  

It is another holiday here. Water Festival. 
We had no school for 5 working days and the single people I knew from my school and my other circles had made plans to go away. (The city would be so crowded since people were coming into the city to race their traditional boats in a boat race). Since I am still looking for a new place, I knew that I had to stay here and do what I felt HE was directing me to do: spend quality time with Him in prayer and worship! 
Don't you love it when sermons you hear just 'happens' to guide you in that season? 
Pastor Jesse's sermon from my church here was prompting us to be bold in our faith, but we also had to walk the walk if we want others to hear what we are saying. 
Then Pastor Wade and Pastor Chris showed us how to be authentic through messages on Our Lord's Prayer, and the importance of prayer, not only individually, but as a corporate body! (Legacy of both Pastor Sunder and Sham Krishnan.)

So there I was up in the morning, actually feeling a bit lonely, and also overwhelmed by my Khmer homework. (Even though I had no school, I knew I had to keep up the discipline of studying in the mornings to keep up with other students in class!) 
Then I got 2 messages! 
One was from former classmates inviting me over to their home for dinner, but ironically, I could not go at that time. The other was from the couple in whose home we had prayed! It was Wyn and Nis who owns the coffee business at my school and I have gotten to know them and their team! They had been trying to connect with me for 2 days prior but we kept missing each other's calls! 

So there I went (3 of us on a moto, with me holding on to the cake!) to their new house! WE had to drive over the speed bumps, and yes, LOL, when we did, my head would bop forward and hit Dina with my helmet, and she in turn would hit Chang! 
So with laughter abounding we got there!

At Wyn & Nis Making Shish kebobs

Praise: 
Thank you for praying for a community for me. I know I have to be patient and wise. I know I had to follow His Spirit and wait on Him, and until then, spend quality time with Him! 

The day before, I got to go with Channak and Johnny to the Night Market here, and as always, I love being on the moto feeling the breeze! Thanks bros! 

Praise: 
Annette, who used to teach at Rescue with me, and who is serving our God here teaching in another school in the city, has her son and his family visiting from Vancouver! I had the pleasure of going with her and her son to Rescue to visit!

Man! I forgot how long and how hot it is to go there! But I was so happy to meet up with Trakuen, who took us around and then went out with us for late lunch! 
As I was passing by one of the houses, one of the house moms came to get me to come to her house to pray over her daughter who was visiting with her fiancé! So half in Khmer and in English I prayed with them! 

Then Annette and I got to pray over Traukean and her heart of service before we left! I felt as if I have come full circle after my visit! 

At Rescue with Annette and her son, and Traukean and Samnang, one of the teachers there (choreographer of the dances)

Praise: 
Oh, when I went to meet my friends at the cafe business to go to their house, I met another couple from my church there who came to grab coffee, and Krong was able to help me with a couple of the Khmer words which were confusing me! Yay! 
God knew and brought me community and help from unexpected sources! But I needed to spend time with Him first! 

Thank you all for your continued prayers for me for my new home. Can we praise Him for that place even though I have not physically seen it? In faith together!! 

Please continue to keep sending me your prayer requests and stories so together we can storm the heavens! 

Okay, it is so hot now, I'm going to pour water over my head! 

Dancing with Him,

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting

to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya

#122 - Cambodian blues, or is it?

Vol. #122

Cambodia won their last football game in the AFC championships to go into the semis, and in celebration, since I could not go to see the game, I thought I would wear my Cambodian football shirt in honor of their win! 
So I was proudly displaying and telling people why I was wearing it the next day.

Just imagine my chagrin when one of my classmates came and said that HE had to take a picture with me! So when we took the picture and I got a chance to look at it, I realized I WAS NOT wearing my Khmer football shirt, but rather the Brazilian football shirt! 
My classmate is Brazilian, so he got very excited when he saw me wearing it!  Now I also realized why the Khmer receptionist looked at me funny when I said, "Hey, I am celebrating our win last night by wearing the team shirt!"
I thought I got the strange look because of my pronunciation but ...(the colours are quite similar: the blues!)

Now that you feel better about your day :), I just want to say how humbled I am when I receive prayers and words of encouragement from you all. 
One of my mentors sent me Psalm 89:13-37, and this line, "I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD forever with my mouth" came to my mind as I was singing my heart out (with my mask over my mouth and nose to keep me from inhaling the smoke and dust), a new Khmer worship song! My tuk tuk driver just ignores me now as I sing out loudly! 
But I am grateful to a God Who has allowed and is allowing me to be part of His plan here.

Praise: 
At church two Sundays ago, one of my former students came up to me and told me that she had just graduated from university, and was working, and she thanked me for teaching her way back at Rescue, but also for always encouraging her! I was taken aback because I had not seen her for such a long time, but she came up and gave me the tightest hug ever and I admit we were both teary eyed! I got a chance to pray with her as well and we exchanged phone numbers!

Praise: 
I was put on the roster to volunteer at my church here. Last Sunday was my first, and yes, I went to the wrong end of the table and was at the wrong spot! My phone rang (the volunteering is outside, not in the church, so it is okay to have phone on!), and it was the coordinator asking where I was! And I got there very early as well, but yeah, so I had to go to the correct spot! 
I learnt that I had to be at the desk outside for the whole service so I never got a chance to actually go into the service! But now that I know, I will adjust my schedule! 
But it is HOT because it is not in the A/C interior! 
I praised God for my two co-volunteers who were helping me with my pronunciation etc. I got to know the first one when I was at the wrong place, and then the other co-worker, who spoke English quite well, shared his testimony (in English! All of the volunteers were Khmer!) and I am so honoured to hear their stories!

Praise: 
I was invited to the wedding of a daughter of one of the Directors from Rescue last Saturday, and I was delighted to reconnect with the house moms who were there dressed in their finery, and also some of the other people I got to know while I was there! 
And yes, I got to dance! I forgot to take pics to send to you! But I was honoured and delighted to have been invited!  
My neighbour next door runs a hair shop. I went to get my hair styled (it is short) and the woman who is super nice wanted to make me up and had her things ready, but I said no thanks. I still had to get ready so after I got dressed and the tuk tuk came to pick me up, all of the neighbours (about 8 of them!) were outside to check out to see if I had put on enough makeup! LOL! (She charged one dollar for the hair!) 
So they were pleased with the results! I just laughed!

Prayer request: 
For the Khmer community: I have been waiting to move before signing up to join a small group. I want to know the area where I will be living to sign up! Please pray for the right one!

Praise God: 
HE has been giving me different songs as I have my coffee time with Him in the morning. Visible reality looks like getting a house in the right environment with my price range may not be possible, but HE has been telling me to stand strong and to trust in His timing and place. I pray for those of you who are also having to wait upon Him that you would do it with a song in your heart! 
HE is after all ABBA FATHER AND GOD!

Please keep sending your stories and requests!

Dancing with Him,

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya

#121 - Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day!

Vol. #121

As I write this, tomorrow will be our Canadian Thanksgiving. So, Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian family! 

I am so blessed to be able to call Canada one of my homes. But as I write this, I am watching Cambodia play Sri Lanka in soccer. It is called International Friendly and I am shouting for Cambodia because we are ahead 2- 0! And even as I write this, I realized I said 'we'! 
If I had known a game was on and playing at our own stadium here, I would have gone to see it.

But I digress (no surprise to many of you reading this). It has been raining steadily from early evening into the wee hours of the morning here for the past week. So I am trying to get things done before it starts to rain, although I do love being out in the rain. The traffic is almost at a standstill when out in the tuk tuk. I know it is no fun for those on motos. The roads flood quickly, and before you know it you are knee deep in not too clean water in some places here.

I want to thank Pastor Wade for urging us to meditate on the Lord's Prayer and I have to tell you I cannot seem to go beyond the first line: Our Father, my Father, who art in heaven; my perspective is that this means that HE reigns and is in control, Hallowed be Your Name! 
Is there any other Name that is sweeter than Jesus? 
That is why a long time ago I made a covenant between God and myself to not watch or read anything that used His Name in vain. And I just had that put to the test while I was watching a movie, and, yup, they used His Name in vain, so  I had to switch channels, which was not easy to do since it was a really good movie! 

For many Khmer friends here whom I have talked to about the meaning of father, even though they respect and love their earthly father, they are not particularly close to them. They cannot have in-depth conversations with their fathers. I noted it is the same with many in our Western culture as well. 
I thank God for my earthly father, and even more, Jesus the Christ, Who wants to have an intimate relationship with us, Who is always there when we go to Him, waiting to hear us and yes, respond through His Word.
So I am very thankful that He would want to use me in His dance here in Cambodia, leading me and allowing me to be part of His plan.

I am thankful to you, my Trini blood family, my Trini family, and my Canadian family (yes, all of you!) for being my dance partners here in this land, sacrificing your time and finances to allow me to be here.  
I pray that you will have an amazing Canadian Thanksgiving (eat turkey for me please!) 
I will be telling all of my Canadian peeps here at school tomorrow Happy Canada Day and I already have my Canada hat ready to wear! 
It was a choice between my Blue Jays hat (Yes, I was able to see the last game played by them and have been rejoicing with you all!) and Canada hat, but Canada won out!

Praise: I continue to have fun learning Khmer, building up relationships with others within the school.

Prayer Requests: 
- I still need deep Khmer relationships. My listening ear still needs a lot of work as I try to decipher when someone speaks to me very fast in Khmer. I enjoy sitting down and trying to read in Khmer but listening and responding is my weakness.

- I have not been able to find another place yet so I value your prayers in not only finding that home, but also in the logistics of moving. I will have to not only move furniture but I also have to remove my A/C units from here, my dish cupboard that is attached to the wall, and the Wi-Fi etc. 

Please continue to send your requests. 
I enjoy hearing your stories and am honoured when you ask me to pray with you! 

HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING DAY!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya