#177 - The Khmer journey in learning and teaching continues

Vol.# 177

Elections are over and there was calm in the city. Many had gone to their hometown to vote, so for once there was no traffic jam in Phnom Penh! As I sit here in my living room listening to the sounds of construction and the businesses nearby, I am grateful for your prayers for my heart country. 

As I mentioned before in my last update, I am teaching an ‘open’ English class, meaning the literacy levels of the students vary from a beginner to intermediate level of understanding. I may have new students who drop in for a class if they are free, so there is a ‘revolving’ door of students. 

However, in the midst of this, I have a core group of 12 students who come regularly to class, so I am able to build relationships with this core group. They come early just to chat because most have to rush off to university classes after, or to the next class located in the church but they need to eat before the next class! 

I spoke of a young girl who works at the information desk in the afternoons but cannot go to English class so I decided to help her after my class at 5. I asked her to pick one verse from her Bible reading that she would have read in Khmer, and I would pick one Bible verse from my daily reading that would have been in English. When we got together, I would read my verse in Khmer from the Khmer Bible on my IPad and she would read her one verse in English. I would then write my verse in Khmer, and she would write hers in English, and then we respectively read it to each other and then tried to explain the verse in the language we are learning! 

I thought she would have forgotten that we had decided to do this since we made the plans before the 3-day break, but she was ready with her verse. It was so cool that she wanted to read at least 4 more verses in English and then discuss what it meant, and how sometimes in Khmer translation, the meaning of the verse is not always the same as in the English Bible! 

Bopha and the Khmer teacher I am helping

I was asked to come in at 12 to meet with another Khmer teacher to act as his ‘resource’ in helping him to understand some of the phrases and content of the comprehension exercises he is preparing for his class. I have said yes to help and he has also been helping me to translate into Khmer some of the grammar instructions. Meanwhile, I am still meeting with my Khmer tutor early in the mornings for about an hour to hour and a half. 

Praise: 
Thank you for praying for tutor #1 (Teacher Keriya) who had surgery. I had spoken to her the day after on the phone and she was recuperating well. I will go to visit her with tutor #2 (Teacher Rady) when she is able to have visitors.
 
Prayer Requests: 
- Please continue to pray for Bopha whom I am helping after my classes, that she would not get discouraged by her lack of time to learn English, but that she would be surprised by how God is opening up her ears and eyes and mind to learn English! (Using Prov. 20:12 to show her that God gives us eyes and ears to hear not only English but His voice.) 


- Please pray for a new place for my parents in Toronto! Still looking for better place for them to live! 

Praise: 
I have had the same tuk tuk driver consecutively 3 times 
to take me from teaching to home, and the conversation is always in Khmer! It is funny because driver is talking away, facing forward, so his voice is lost in the sounds of the traffic and I have to always bend forward to catch what he is saying or asking! But I am glad to have this ‘extra’ time of listening, even though I probably hear and understand 40 percent!


I am looking forward  to seeing you all in person from September 14th! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya