#230 - Praying to be F.A.T.!

Vol.# 230

As I listened to Pastor Candace and Worship Leader Ramona give their final interviews with Pastor T.J., I was drawn by the themes that they spoke about as their lessons learnt from their time at Rexdale Alliance Church, my home church in Toronto. It made me begin to think over the lessons I have learnt and am still learning from the past year as I borrowed their themes of life lessons and reflected on how God has been working on me “From The Inside Out”, a sanctification process to become more like Him, to be a servant leader here in Phnom Penh amongst those He has brought to me. I thought about how He has moved me beyond my comfort zone and how He has surprised me with new opportunities to serve Him! 

Before COVID-19, when the Skills Teaching Centre was opened to provide free education for those who could never afford an education, I was basically a facilitator, a teacher and a co-teacher and mentor. During COVID-19 when the Skills Teaching Centre was closed, and teaching went online, I had to learn new skills on teaching online, on preparing curriculum to be presented on a new medium. Previously, my relationships were centred on those I worked with at the Centre. In this unexpected season I now have to work with the staff in the office, with the church planting team, and with the pastoral and prayer team as we mobilized to look after the community, not only in the city, but also in our satellite sites as well. God surprised me with these new relationships as I was drawn into not only a discipleship role but also as a partner in delivering and praying over blessing packages which we delivered to over 200 families within the city, and to even more families in the countryside. I was humbled by the dedication of the staff and was introduced to other organizations who liaisoned to help Cambodians all over the country! There was severe flooding and the aftermath of that with dengue fever and other illnesses. I was humbled to be a small part of different teams who lent a helping hand at such a time as this!

BLESSING PACKAGES STILL BEING SENT OUT: THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ME THAT WE CAN TOGETHER BE A BLESSING TO MANY!

As I think of the new year ahead, I am reminded of Ned Graham’s words as he spoke at his father’s funeral, the noted evangelist Billy Graham. He said that he wished everyone would follow his father’s example to be F.A.T.: faithful, available and teachable! 

I pray that I would remain faithful to His words, to speak and not compromise His truth, but to do so in grace and love. I pray to be available to step out of my comfort zone to follow where He leads, and to have a teachable spirit, to have a hunger to know more about Him so that I can be His servant leader in my heart country of Cambodia! 

I pray and thank God for all of you who have helped me in my different roles dancing with Him in Cambodia! I never want to become nonchalant of the awe of serving Him and experiencing His Presence! 

A Blessed New Year to all! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#229 - Caring for parents and Cambodia

 Vol.# 229

 

Thank you to everyone for all your help with calls, food, and prayers throughout my quarantine time at the duplex! 

While in quarantine my dad was admitted to the hospital for 5 days. It was not COVID-19, but with pneumonia at the YOUNG age of 93 they wanted to take precautions as he also has a pacemaker. Thank you for your prayers, for BECAUSE of your prayers and advice, we were able to get transitional care for him at home!

 
I have joined my siblings in the care of my parents. They have done and continue to do an amazing job of taking care of my parents in this season of COVID-19. We now have a nurse, occupational therapist, and a physiotherapist coming in about 3 times a week. The first day I was back here from quarantine, my brother Vish had arranged for home care and they were all coming every day so we were quite busy here!

 
Cambodia is now going through their first wave of COVID-19. The first community transmission occurred last week, so malls, some banks, schools and churches are once more closed. The government is urging everyone to stay within their ‘bubble’ to stop the transmission. Whilst Canada and rest of the world were concerned with the health effects of COVID-19, Cambodia was more concerned with the economic effects with businesses closing and tourism down. With the onset of the rainy season, we were more concerned with the floods and the mosquito borne diseases from this! However, now they are hit with a double whammy of getting food to those who desperately need it combined with diseases. We are concerned that legitimate businesses are closed down whilst illicit businesses are on the rise!

 

KHMER LEADERS PRAYING ON BEHALF OF CAMBODIA

Praise God:

 

I praise God for my community back in Phnom Penh who are helping me with keeping my house safe. Thank you especially to my former housemate Channak who was able to get workmen to go into the house to repair my fridge. It had broken down and unfortunately was stocked with food for those who were going in to use my place as their refuge! He was instrumental in talking to my landlord and negotiating for repairs to be made etc. I thank God I was able to pass on the spiritual authority of my place to those who would be using it as their retreat/refuge centre.

 
Praise God:

 

Even though I am here, my former students from Refuge are sending prayer requests to their “Holy Spirit Sister, Mr. Bean” (that would be ME) for protection from COVID-19. 

MY CHRISTMAS TREE AT NEW HOME OF FORMER RESCUE STUDENTS

Prayer Requests:

 

- Would you please pray with me and the leaders of the churches in Cambodia for my heart country against COVID-19, but at the same time pray at this time we would have a hunger to know Jesus the Christ more intimately!

 
- Please pray that as I am on site here at home with my parents, for wisdom as we meet with health workers to ask the right questions to get the best help for them.

Finally, I want to say thank you to all of you in the medical profession. My Dad has received wonderful help from the hospital, and again I want to thank Dr. Gamble and Dr. Stel for their continued medical care of my parents and myself! Dr. Gamble, you are truly a doctor/shepherd for us all! We have been blessed by the quality of care my Dad has received which has released some of the stress off my Mom.

I am looking forward after this busy season to connecting with you all! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya