#207 - The Angel List You 'Pray-sed' For!

Vol.# 207

Angel #1 was my sister picking me up and suggesting that I keep my light coat on for Tokyo trip. I was so glad because it was cold on the 17-hour layover at the airport.

Angel #2 was the lady at the airport who greeted us as we came out of the elevator and immediately directed us to where we should be going to check in. 

Angel #3 was the Air Canada counter check-in representative who changed my seat so that I can have a free row to sleep for the long journey ahead. It turned out that she gave me the aisle in the middle section, and the two seats in between were empty and my seat mate on the 4th was a quiet person who laughed when I said people were praying for good seats! 

Angel #4 was the customer rep in the first Tokyo layover who saw my facial expression after she was explaining about buying the ticket for the bus to the other airport rather than going by train. She came out from behind the kiosk, which had a long line of customers, to walk to the ticket machine to buy the ticket and did all the necessary things on the machine, because I had 10 minutes before catching the bus!

Angel #5 was the guy who helped me at the bus by putting my luggage in, getting the right bus with the correct ticket, telling me exactly which location to get off the bus (north-west end of the airport not south-west end!).

And the list goes on! 

Many people in my life usually say ‘it takes a village to help a Vidya’.Well, God sent many angels along the way to help me on my journey, and it is because YOU all prayed for me and praised God on my behalf for His going before me! 

Oh, I must mention the guy at the phone kiosk here in Phnom Penh who was able to put in the new SIM card with my old phone number! Apparently he was supposed to have left 5 minutes before I got to the kiosk and was gracious in helping me out! And yes, I told him he was an angel (tehwodain Khmer!). He smiled and said thank you.

SO, I did not sleep much on the first leg of the flight, and on the 17-hour layover I did not sleep much in the airport, but on the flight on Nippong airways to Phnom Penh, I slept for 2 hours. I experienced one of the best service I have ever received on an airline! The flight attendants, the food and the graciousness of the people were astounding! I sat next to a mom with an 8-month old baby and the baby was so cute and slept most of the way. I thought, why don’t I be an ‘angel’ for the mom and help her out?  I was being surrounded by so many angels helping me out that I needed now to return the favour. In addition, my driver who has known me since the days of Rescue was there to pick me up and help me carry the luggage up the 30 steps! Poor thing was panting afterwards but was happy with his pay!

So thank you! 

I left Toronto on a Wednesday, January 15th, and got here to Phnom Penh on Friday the 17th. Today is Saturday and I was invited by Annette (former teacher from Rescue and Canadian) who is visiting here for a couple of weeks to join her to meet up with one of our former students from Rescue with his wife and new baby! I jumped at the chance even though I knew that my jet lag might not make me the best conversationalist (Yes, I am blaming the jet lag!).  

I was up at 2:30 to clean the kitchen and unpacked 3/4 of suitcases before falling asleep for a couple of hours!

As always I look forward to hearing what God will say to me in my first service back at my home church here! 

I sign off with a grateful heart to all of you who are ‘dancing’ along with me in His journey.

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#206 - Praise: I Am Always With You

Vol.# 206

As I sit here, I was about to write an SOS email asking for prayer for my journey back to my heart country. With airline ticket changes, I discovered that my second leg of the flight was NOT going to be from the same airport that I land in when I leave Toronto. In fact, the airport from which I would depart to go to Phnom Penh is about one hour and half away from the first airport, and I would have to check out luggage from the first airport, go on a train, and check into another airport with luggage intact! For most of you who know me, you know my sense of direction is not good (let’s face it, I can get lost in a mall!), so to have to travel this route was making me a bit anxious! Then Jesus reminded me that I had not met with Him, so l delayed sending this out. In my reading from Genesis 28:15...”Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you...” 

Yes, this is the GOD I serve, the ONE who knows me and cares for all the details in my life! 

SO this update is not a prayer request but rather a praise update! So, will you praise Him with me?

- Praise: that Ramona L read the ticket which I had bought and noticed the discrepancy in the name and location of the airports!  God gave her ‘eyes to see’!

- Praise: that Ian L was able to take me to the airport to talk to the representative from Air Canada, and we met a rep who had been to both airports who was able to reassure me of what I needed to do, and also let me know the details of the trip there after I land!

- Praise: that earlier in the week when Jose and Lisa took me on a snowy hike near their place, that God would show me as I stepped into Lisa’s footprints, since she was leading the way, that He would always go before me; and Jose, who was bringing up the rear, that HE was also behind covering me! God had also reminded me of this when I was leaving in 2011. Charlene P. had organized a silent retreat in Muskoka, and we had gone hiking. I was not as fast climbing over the rocks as the others, so the person in front of me reached down to pull me up and one of the other girls was pushing me up from behind! God told me then that HE would always go before me and would always be behind me as I follow in His steps! HE has remained faithful in that promise to me! 

-Praise: for email sent from Maurita H. reminding me that God would take care of me as I return!

As my layover is about 17 hours, I cannot wait to see what God is going to do! The adventure continues...I will keep you apprised of my adventures! 

Thank you again for all of your gifts: financial, time, words of encouragement, prayer, and practical gifts (especially my ‘Stines’ which I am wearing now and I am inside the apartment!). 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#205 - Final week in TO!

Vol.# 205

Blessed New Year to all from the cold shores of Georgian Bay!

A wintry walk on the shores of Georgian Bay

I wish to thank everyone for their words of encouragement and love showed to me in so many ways while home. It is with an expectant heart that I return to Cambodia to continue His work! I hope I get to see many of you this Sunday, my last Sunday here as I leave on the 15^{th of}January. 

My heart is overflowing with joy and tears as I leave. Through you I have learnt many things, not only from the Deeper Life Seminar (thank you, Pastor Cheryl for giving me the opportunity to attend, and also Pastor Kathy Klassen for your leadership in setting us free from strongholds so that we can live a life free in Christ!), but also through our talks and prayer time together! 

Thank you for your continued financial and prayer support which enables me to do His work in my heart country of Cambodia!

Praise: FOR ALL OF YOU.

Prayer: Please pray that my journey back would be one free and clear of all hassles, from my departure here, to my long layover and then back into Cambodia! I am already assigned to the info desk 2 days after getting in, and teaching 3 days after getting in!

Prayer: Please pray for a new helper at my house. The former one finished on Dec. 31^st.

Please send me your requests. Sorry if I missed connecting with some of you, but we can still connect via FaceTime, email, phone calls and letters! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#204 - Christmas and Celebrations!

Vol.# 204

Thank you for your prayers for the annual Christmas get-together!

The final count was 45, and we all got to hear the Christmas story told by Bro. Pisit. As I looked around at the faces listening as he spoke, his words coming alive as he had just returned from Israel where he visited the birthplace of Jesus, I was grateful for the gift that Our Lord had given to us: His coming as a babe to die for our sins, to be the bridge to the heart of God!  

It was stressful for 10 days prior, but because of your prayers, I saw the leadership skills of 4 of these young people come to the forefront to provide guidance and help towards celebrating Jesus the Christ! 

“Thank you Bong Srey (older sister) for making us feel as family… 

Very grateful that the Christmas party was not postponed for when I returned in January... 

Thank you for always being there for us, I know you will be there until we die!... 

Thank you for giving us this to look forward to when things get so crazy in our lives!” 

Those were some of the comments said by former students of Rescue. I am grateful I listened to God about having the party. He reminded me about why and for whom we were having the party. I am extremely grateful to a GOD Who speaks and provides guidance even when things seem unclear!

Thank you for prayers for a safe flight and my luggage accompanying me to Toronto rather than staying in Hong Kong like the last time! I think this was the first time I only slept about 20 to 30 minutes in the 18 hours of combined travel time, but amazingly God gave me the best seat mates and I watched movies for the entire time and read and wrote in my journal!

I am writing this from Florida where I am blessed to be spending time with my oldest brother and my niece and nephew, as well as visit with former Trini neighbours and family from Trinidad who now reside here. I am slowly putting aside ‘Cambodia’, my heart country, so that I can be in the ‘moment’ here, and thus set healthy boundaries so that my body and soul would be refreshed for my return! I am enjoying the different kind of warmth here minus the pollution and noise from my heart country.

My students from my ‘closed’ class surprised me with a ‘thank you cake’ and gifts! One wrote a note that started by saying that he hoped I would read the words with expression! This made me laugh since I am always saying to them that you have to read with understanding! He also said he hoped the letter would make water come out of my eyes as I read it! It was wonderful for me to be able to present those students with certificates and words of blessings as I saw them grow in confidence in their English class speaking, pronunciation and expressing of themselves!

I pray I will get a chance to see you all on my return on the 16th December! 

**If you opted out of receiving the email update that has important information regarding your contributions and 2019 tax receipts, please message or email me! 

Thank you for your continued support and for new supporters of His work in Cambodia!

Blessed Christmas to everyone! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#203 - Urgent Prayer Requests: Party and Travel

Vol.# 203

Thank you for always interceding to Our Heavenly Father on behalf of His work here in my heart country of Cambodia! 

Urgent Prayer Requests

Christmas Party:
This Sunday evening is our annual Christmas party for those former students from Rescue. We have never done this at such an early time. Please pray for:
- The Logistics of the party to unfold smoothly. Already one person who was supposed to cook the main dish for the expected 50 guests has said she cannot do it, so tomorrow we have to find an alternative that is not expensive! 
- The Weather: Please pray that it will be cool and windy but not rainy! The location is on the rooftop so we do not want to be eaten by mosquitoes! 
- The Message: The former worship pastor of New Life church, who is now the Director of the Bible Society in Cambodia, will be sharing the Christmas story, the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Please pray for him as he shares, that those present including myself will be reminded of the choice Jesus made to come as a babe in order to die for us! 
- Fun and food: Please pray that the games being organized by former Rescue students for everyone will go smoothly in the implementation, and that laughter will reign.
- God-memories: Please pray that later on the God-memories being built here will linger on for the upcoming year! 

My return trip:
I will be travelling via Hong Kong. 
- Please pray for peace and safety as protests are still ongoing in the city. 
- Please pray for my luggage to go to Toronto with me and NOT stay in Hong Kong like the last time when I did not have my luggage for 4 days! 
- Please pray for sleep and favour with Customs at each stop! 

Thank you all!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya 

#202 - Wedding Season and a Christmas Visit!

Vol.# 202

I waited for the Pass App tuk tuk to take me to work for over 15 minutes, but it was an unusually busy morning and when I finally flagged down a passing one, I was relieved, until I realized we were going to pick up his daughter to take her to school, which was NOT on the way to my work, but rather 10 minutes out of the way! I was so exasperated and, yes, I let it show by muttering that I was late (in Khmer) and that I needed to get to work NOW. However, after we were finally on the way, God made me remember how the tuk tuk driver looked after his little girl, stopped to buy her a lunch for school, and lifted her to sit on his lap while he was driving. I remembered that I was awakened and felt God say ‘do Psalm 23 in your class today, you know how to read it in Khmer and you understand the words’. So God showed me how HE looks after and takes care of us, of me, through the tender actions of this dad. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in need... was the translation I was going to use in my class that morning, and this driver reflected the Lord as Our Shepherd. I decided to focus on Him for the rest of the drive to teach and not fuss over whether I would be late for class. I allowed the words of the Psalmist David to flow over me so that when I got to work, I was able to tell the driver what a good father he was to look after his daughter so well, and I apologized for being so grumpy! Yes, and I gave an extra tip as well!

I am coming out of 3 intense weeks of teaching not only my classes in the morning, but also teacher Pov’s classes in the afternoon as he got married and had his honeymoon. 

TEACHER POV'S WEDDING

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I also am being constantly surprised by God urging me to be somewhere at a certain time, only to find out that I am needed to pray. 

3 days ago I got to the office early, and one of the IT guys came in and stopped to ask if I slept well! I was puzzled thinking I must be looking tired when I realized he was still standing looking at me. So I asked, did you sleep well? To which he said, "No, Bong Srey (older sister)!" So I asked, "Would you like me to pray for you?" He immediately said yes! So I prayed! 

On that same day, I wanted to give someone a gift of a cold drink as a reward for excellent work that he did, but he said, "If you really want to reward me, could you pray for me please? And then he told me his prayer request. 

It is funny how I am becoming ‘Bong Srey’ to more of the younger group in the office! I was told that my attitude is one of serving them rather than being ‘superior’ to them and even though I am older than the other expats (!!!!!!), that I truly want to help and serve! I was taken aback by this observation from my Khmer sister, but I quietly said thank you but at the same time we laughed because I had just used my ‘foreigner status’ to get us something extra at the pizza place! 

We had ordered a meal to go, and it came with a soft drink which they brought in a glass, but as it came with the meal we asked for it ‘to go’, but was told they had no ‘to go’ cups! So I was on my way to empty my water bottle to put the drink in, when I met the manager and I told him how sorry I was that we could not get the drink to go etc. Well, I went to the washroom to pour out the water from my flask, and on my return to the table the manager said, "Oh, we can give you a can of pop, plus we will put ice in a bag for you to take out!" My Khmer friend who was having lunch with me laughed and said, "They only did that because you are a foreigner and said something." A Khmer would not usually say anything! SO, I did use my ‘foreigner’ status for good, and was thanked for it by the recipient of the meal back at the office!

We have another holiday, three days off for the Water Festival. The Tonle Sap river reverses its direction during this time and we have a holiday with boat races and other activities to celebrate this natural phenomenon! At the same time, the leader of the Opposition party who has been in exile had proclaimed he would return to Cambodia at this time even though he and his supporters would be arrested if he did show up. Speculation of what may happen with the noticeable appearance of extra police on the streets have people wondering what may happen in the next few days!

I was invited to a wedding for one of my ex-students from Rescue and it was a long trip into the country area where the wedding took place under Buddhist rites. It was one of the most solemn and least celebratory weddings I have gone to. No one was really happy. My housemate drove and we got there after ten. I went up to sleep in the section they set aside for me with sheets acting as a curtain for privacy. The bed was on wooden pallets. I was humbled that they gave me this space since more than 15 people were sharing one room, sleeping on floor mats! But I was invited (the only foreigner), and I wanted to honor that invite. I sat behind the couple during the ceremony, and found myself getting sprinkled by water from the monks. This was totally unexpected as water was being sprinkled on the couple, but I was getting wet in the process and giggling, and then got hit in the head and face by candy being thrown at the couple! 

The Groom

2 House Moms from Rescue at Wedding

I was praying for this young man who had at one time given his life to Jesus. As I sat for over 20 minutes with the older members of the family and friends, I was being asked in Khmer how old I was, if I was married and where I was from! The lady asking me the questions in Khmer was NOT WHISPERING, but then the monks were chanting using a microphone, and the lady was raising her voice to tell the others at the back the answers to the questions! Love the Khmer experience!

But as I pulled the young man in question aside, I invited him and his bride to the annual Christmas party at the house on December 1^st, and I prayed for him and his bride! I felt sadness tugging at my heart as I looked at his face. He just whispered, “Thank you Holy Spirit sister Mr. Bean for coming!”  (My nickname from former students from Rescue).

Prayer: Please pray as my housemate and I host the Christmas get-together for the former students and wives/girlfriends/boyfriends, that the true message of Christmas would be communicated in a creative way.

Prayer: Please pray for inspiration for gifts for them (about 20 individual gifts and about 6 gift packages for families), that these gifts would be a reminder of the time celebrating His birth whenever they look at them, that they would feel His presence.

Prayer: Please pray for safe travels as I leave here on December 3rd to spend Christmas in Toronto!

Thank you for so many of you who have been faithful in your prayers and financial support this past year. I do hope I get an opportunity to see many of you this time as I am back in Toronto until January 6th! I do so love getting your emails of your life back in Toronto and allowing me to partner with you in prayer!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya  

#201 - A God-ordained encounter and Happy Thanksgiving!

Vol.# 201

As I sat in the tuk tuk, I became not only a ‘back seat’ driver but also a right seat and a left seat driver! The random driver that I got through the tuk tuk App was driving as if he were the only one on the road, and the other drivers had to make way for him! Then, when I got to my destination and I asked him to wait for me, he said yes, but when I came out after finishing my errand, I discovered he had gone! 

Yup, that is part of the life here! 

The guards who were outside directing traffic were giving me reasons why he left, and all I could do was laugh, but then I thought, wait, I not only understood what the guards were saying as they were speaking in Khmer, but also this driver was not safe, so all good! Then I remembered I had not yet paid him, but he still left! However, he was a friend of my usual weekend tuk tuk driver, so I could give him the money and he could pay the guy!

This week this verse from Isaiah 61:1 took on a new meaning for me: ‘...the Lord has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners...” 

I received a text from a former student from Rescue who is now working part-time at New Life Foundation church office. (The Skills Centre where I teach is part of this organization as well as my church here). She was (is) going through a crisis of faith, questioning if Jesus is real or just a religion. She is beginning to doubt who Jesus is because she has been experiencing many hardships occurring at this one season in her life. I met with her early one morning and sat as she cried because she missed the intimacy of the presence of God. There was a darkness surrounding her and she had been imprisoned with these doubts and fears for the past 2 weeks. 

Well, wouldn’t you know it, I was just ‘happening’ to read Faith Under Fire, Reaching for the Invisible Godby Philip Yancey just before I got her text message. I had been feeling I needed to take a couple days of retreat with Him and the whole island was shut down for the Phchum Ben holiday. So, with no lessons to prepare, I ‘chose’ this book from a number of books that my friend Annette had given to me before she left to return to Vancouver. I sat with her and we talked about how she had made a decision just 2 months ago to read the whole Bible following a schedule, how she felt led to do a Bible study back at the orphanage. With a couple of her dorm mates she had travelled back from the city to the orphanage to do the study. She had never really sat down and thought about why she believed that God is real. It was a part of her experience growing up at the orphanage, so she accepted it, but now God was allowing her to go through this season to make her faith her decision to be His follower, her choice to follow Him. She has been in a Christian ‘bubble’ from the orphanage, to a Christian dorm, to working at the church. Now, since she started back at university, seeing others ‘prosper’ when her life has been and is so hard, she is beginning to wonder about Jesus. 

So many visiting preachers come and preach the prosperity gospel to the poor in resources here, and the expectations that God would wipe away all our earthly problems if we only have faith plays havoc with emotions of many. Yes, God can do that, but HE also gives us peace and joy amidst the hardships because we do live in a ‘fallen world’. I know that God has allowed me to be part of not only my younger sister’s life since 2011 but also the other kids from the orphanage who now live here in the city. 

Many of you ‘walked’ with me on my spiritual journey and still continue to do so now, and I want to say thank you for encouraging me, rebuking me when needed and showing me how to be His faithful servant!

Prayer: Please pray that I would listen to Him before I meet with anyone who wants my prayer and help.

Praise: I am thankful that my former students or spiritual kids feel free to come and ask me for prayer.

My microwave, kettle, washing machine, air conditioner plus the keyboard to this IPad on which I do all of my prep (it has the Khmer keyboard) all broke down these past 2 weeks! Yup, there was a flood on the top floor from the washing machine and there was no A/C for about 4 nights, so the mosquitoes were just loving me. However, I want to thank God for my housemate who called the A/C guys. I thought I would have to buy a new one but after they took it away, it cost only $45. So yay!!!! I had to buy a new kettle, I could only jiggle the wires so much and after 2 years it served me well!

Prayer: I am looking for a repairman for the microwave. I have had that for 5 years now, and my washing machine was bought second hand and I had that for 5 years as well! My housemate tried to fix it but I need to get the repairman to come in or I might just have to buy one!

It can be frustrating for all of this to happen at the same time. Added to this, it is the rainy season, very hot, and there are mini floods on the road as I go to work or just go out of my house! Then I thought, things must be happening in the heavenlies, so all good! AND, as I write this I am in tears because the keyboard that has not worked for the past 2 weeks (and yes, it was plugged in to those who will ask) has suddenly begun to work and that is why I can type this update right now! Thank you Father for this glimmer of light in all of the broken things happening this week! 

Pastor Samdy (head pastor at my church) has been doing a series on ‘relationships’ (yes, also at RAC!) and on Sunday he invited 2 couples to give a talk about married life, one couple married for 20 years and another for 13 years. They introduced the subject of ‘love languages’ and how important it is to know this for not only those contemplating marriage or already married but also for other relationships as well. I will be talking about this in my class, so can I ask for prayer and creativity as I introduce this because it is a new way of looking at relationships in this culture. I will be talking to students so I need to be relevant in the way I will be presenting this topic. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share with me! Thank you! 

Prayer: Please pray as I continue to intercede for the pastors here and be one of the marketing reps for the Global Leadership Summit team. I ask for your prayers for my words to be seasoned with His grace, that I would find favor with the secular organizations that we will be approaching to ask to participate for next year’s conference, and most importantly that I would not be a ‘false prophet’ to those He has given me to be a ‘fierce prayer warrior’!

Prayer: Please pray for a new home here as well as a better home for my parents in Toronto!

Please continue to send your prayer requests and snippets of life there! 

A shout out to Samuel Aragones and his bride who by this time you read this would have gotten married! Congrats to Pastor Sam, Colette and Liz!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya