Vol.# 269
As I sit here on the rooftop early in the morning, the sun is beginning to rise. I noticed how brilliant and bright it is with the intensity of colours in the halo of the sun, and then that intensity begins to fade and then becomes a steady yellowish colour, no more of the hues of orange / reddish colours. I prayed that my faith and walk with God as I re-enter life here would be more like the steady yellow of the sun as it shines throughout the day, and not like the short-lived brilliant hues of the sun when it first comes through the clouds. It is in the day-to-day moments or grind of life here where I want my faith in Him to be like the intensity of the sun. I want my passion for Jesus to be reflected in what I do and with those I meet.
Now saying this, I ‘hit the ground running’ as I returned back to my heart country here:
Oun Thavin was also one of my former students from Rescue Orphanage and she is charge of Events/ Worship Coordinator at NLF. This was the next day after I re-entered Cambodia!
Prayer Request: her studies will be in English. Pray that God will give her discerning spirit to understand what is being taught. Pray that I would be an effective helper to her from here in PP.
Here I am back on the Information Desk with the head of my group, Oun Pisey. She was one of my former students when I taught at Rescue Orphanage! She was in Grade 2 back then! Together as a team we are trying to connect with the other ministries (Welcome Ministry, Cell group, Prayer, Translation, Media and IT Ministries) that specifically work on a Sunday morning so the services flow smoothly. We had a few glitches to work out that morning, so please pray for:
Prayer Request: Please pray for better communication between these ministries, for His creativity on how to problem solve without the ‘blame factor’ on why there is a problem occurring, but as a group to work in unity together for His glory.
This is the Interpretation/Translation team that I was asked to speak to, to encourage as well as to point out areas of weaknesses where we need to improve on the English translation of the messages. Together with Oun Pisey (NOT THE SAME PISEY, but the young leader who is in charge of the Youth Ministry also leads this ministry), we spoke on preparation and praying over the sermon before translation and as our Senior Pastor was also present, to remind the pastors to give in their notes during the week and NOT 10 minutes before the sermon so that the translators who are young on this team will be better prepared to deliver what God is saying to the pastors to us, for our souls to be restored and refreshed!
Prayer Request: This ministry has been under revision. There are many critics who are frankly correct in their assessments of the delivery of the English translations but I need to know how to give helpful critique in order to increase morale. Can you pray for a better understanding of the Word of God, for a hunger for those who are translating to read His Word, for if you do not know the content of the Bible then you are just transmitting information and not sharing the Word of God on Sundays. I reminded each translator that for that hour they themselves are the ‘preachers’ to the English speaking guest at church, it is their voice in the ears of the listeners so they need to know and understand what they are speaking about, and that they should ask an English speaking native on how to pronounce some of the words! I told them even first language English speakers have problems with some of the names of places and people in the Old Testament, so to be brave and ask!
On my first Saturday back, here I am already at a wedding for 2 of our office staff! See if you can find me in the photo!
My brother had gifted my parents a couple of watches but as they already had watches given by my other brother from before, I brought them back here and gave them to the Head of Church Planting Ministry who prayed and gave them to 2 deserving people, a provincial pastor and wife in the countryside. They were so happy to receive them and quite proud to show them to their community there! Thanks Bro. Vish!
Here is a pic of Lokru Krong (head of Church Planting Ministry) and his wife Liep on my rooftop a few days after returning back here, reconnecting time.
I often talk about the importance of community here. I have shown some pics of my Khmer community, and now I can show you my ex-pat community! Before I came back, my friends David and Lauren (who I met back at Khmer language school) restocked my fridge and Chloe, their daughter, drew me a welcome home painting for Valentine’s Day (we celebrated the day before when we were all free!). I was invited to their house for a scones/whipped cream and jam teatime! So glad to have them as part of my confidantes and prayer partners here in Phnom Penh! Doing life with them here has been and is reassuring and safe, filled with laughter and joy!
The above are clips of life as I returned. There are many reconnecting meetings on one to one basis to be done. Please continue to send your prayer requests as well as snippets of your life stories as well so we can do life together, and yes, “Dance with Jesus!”
Love, His Warrior and Disciple,
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,
Your sister, Vedya
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