#261 - Camping and Prayer Request!

 Vol. #261

Good morning from a very humid Phnom Penh!

I have some urgent prayer requests. 

I was invited on a camping trip on August 19-20th to accompany the leaders of the cell groups from my church, New Life Foundation Cambodia, as well as the leaders of the Soul Care team, a part of the 5P’s team at the church. It is an honor to be asked to go with them since it is the first time they are doing this kind of outing with the cell leaders and I am the only foreigner (one other, but he has been married to a Khmer and living here for a while, so most think of him as Khmer now as he is fluent in the language!). Did I mention this is a CAMPING trip?

Prayer Request: 

- Please pray for safety on the trip up. We have about 45 of us going and it has been raining heavily each day. Praying that it does not rain during the day so we can truly enjoy the outdoors.

Prayer Request:

- Please pray for meaningful connections, for God-inspired conversations or silence, as He would ordain! 

Prayer Request:

- As said above, this is camping. I am a bit claustrophobic, so the idea of being zipped up in a tent is NOT very exciting and already I have been having anxious moments thinking about it. They are the same feelings I experience before I board a plane and have to be in an enclosed space for 13 hours or so without an open window and space to walk! 

Prayer Request:

- Please pray that this time would truly be a connecting of hearts and minds even though there is a language barrier, but that His Spirit would be the bonding connector! 

Prayer Request:

- Please pray that there will be no injuries for anyone, and that we all will be in great health! 

Thank you so much! 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#260 - Retreat Highlights!

Vol.# 260

It has been a while but I wanted to thank you for praying for our staff retreat, the first we have had in over 2 years. Three buses and 3 cars, and six hours later we were finally at the hotel! We got there safely and I am sending a couple of pics for you to see. We were divided into groups and we competed in different games and events. One of the challenges we did was to look at a group of pictures and to try to mimic their poses. 

And, guess what?

My team won that challenge and the pictures of us on the beach are our prize-winning photos! Let me tell you, it was not as easy as it looks to stand up on someone’s back that is greased with suntan lotion and then hold on to get the right pose and pic! Our team got knapsacks as our first place prizes!

 
I had asked for prayer as another ex-pat and I were asked to help organize the prayer part of the retreat. As we both prayed we came up with the idea of everyone writing down on cards anything that would block them from fully participating in worshipping our Lord. We made a cross with the help of LED lights, and with baskets at the bottom, we had people place their burdens. We had certain Bible verses printed in Khmer and in English surrounding the cross and candles lit along the way. We then stuck the cards on the cross, symbolically giving Jesus our burdens, and after prayer time, Brittani (the other expat) and I turned the cards over to the blank side, so that no one could see what was written (all confidential, no signatures) so that all could see that when they took their burdens to the Cross, to Jesus, HE took them, so that the written burdens on the cards were no longer visible, a symbol of all going to Jesus.  It was our first time leading this with the worship team and we were blessed that it helped many to enter His Presence more fully after surrendering their earthly worries to our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Another surprise was that Lokru Samdy, who is the head of our church, came and asked if I would share what I did to draw near to Jesus, for 5 minutes on the morning of the last day of the church. Even though I was not prepared to speak to over one hundred people who sat in a huge circle facing me, I just spoke with my translator about spending time with God, reading His Word and I showed them by using His Word in a practical way how I approached my time with Him. This sharing time was totally unexpected but I am glad I was able to share about my love for His Word and for His Voice!

 
When I returned to the office, the ‘sharing’ continued but in the form of my Canadian sweatshirt! The air conditioner can be so cold at times, especially where I sit, that I have had to leave a sweatshirt that has become now communal in that anyone who is cold will go and put it on! So I prayed that anyone who puts it on would feel His Presence and comfort wrapped around them and that His love would just embrace them for however long they are wearing it! It is so much fun to see that the younger ones feel so comfortable to come and ask to borrow or to just borrow it if I am not there! 

One of my blessed times is when I get to spend time with 2 younger Oun Sreys (younger sisters) who were my students when I was at Rescue and are now interning at the church with a young man who is now running the cafe at the church.  We all met for breakfast, my treat for them, and just spent time laughing and eating, building up our relationships. I am so proud of these two young ladies as they are also not only a part of the Information Desk/Welcome Committee of which I am a volunteer member, but also the Co-Leaders of the Team!

The last pic I took was from my balcony and I just loved how in the midst of the darkness of the clouds the moonlight was coming through. I just had to capture it as for me, it represented when things look bleak to us, God is in the midst and His light will always shine through, that the breakthrough will come in the form of His light! Grateful that I was able to sit and spent time with Him as I gazed up at the sky!

Lastly, I had a bad allergy/cold and I got a call to go down to the gate of my place, and there on the gate were apples and oranges from my Sisters Liep and Seyha! They had come over on their motos to bring the fruit for me. I thank God for this gift of caring!

 

 

Can I ask your prayers for:

- wisdom and discernment as I meet with 3 leaders for prayer as well as to listen and be a bridge for them and one other leader!

 
- upcoming domestic missions to the countryside where we have church plants: to choose wisely which ones to participate in to give spiritual and practical support.

 

Thank you for all your prayers and continued sacrificial giving! 

 
Please continue to send in your stories and prayer requests as we dance together for His glory and honour!

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#259 - A Pictorial Update of Ministry

 Vol.# 259

 

Good morning from a quiet office!

 

I came in early to get this update done and all I can hear is the singing of my Khmer sister who is cleaning the floors in the office, praising God! What a wonderful way to begin my day here! I thought I would send pics and write a bit about them as my way of updating you on life here. 

A pictorial update! 

The past few weeks have been quite busy in my role in ‘regional care’, which simply means looking after the pastoral care of the leaders from the different ministries. I was asked to join the Finance team for lunch and pray for them on my Sabbath day, which was a Monday. I usually do not break my routine on that day, but felt strongly in my spirit that I should honor that request as I was asked by them to come in when the office was at its quietest. Since most teams work on Sunday, they are usually off on Mondays. The head of the Finance Team is Oun Wichika (the only male on that team) and the Office Manager/Accountant is Jenny. The rest of the team comprise of the bookkeepers and cashiers. Five of the girls working on this particular team are from Rescue Orphanage (not all were present when I took the pic!), and were my former students. SO it was a pleasure to sit and pray and hear about their dreams!

 

Last week we got the news of the unexpected death of MaSakhon, who was one of the Directors /Founders of Rescue Orphanage. She was battling cancer. I had the opportunity to go to the funeral that was in the Buddhist tradition, and met with many former students from Rescue! As in the Khmer tradition, the boys sat at one table and the girls at another, wearing white and black. When I arrived, it was a ‘down time’, and they were about to serve an early lunch. At funerals, breakfast, lunch and dinner meals are served, depending on how long the funeral/wake time lasts. Thus it can be expensive for the bereaved family, so giving a donation when you go is expected and needed by the guests. MaSakhon, even though I did not speak any Khmer and she only spoke a little English, was always kind and helpful in my early years working at the orphanage.

As I am writing this, I was asked by one of the staff if I have the time to come and pray and get an update about her life!! A godly interruption by Oun Roma! I listened and then prayed with her, excited to see how God has been opening up new opportunities for her to learn about her giftings in video production and directing/editing videos! She has ingrained in her His DNA of excellence in her work ethic and she in turn invests this trait into the next generation!

 

Last week Wednesday one of the groups I am assigned to is called the 5Ps and we had an off site workshop meeting, where we analyzed the last 6 months of our work and then talked about the short term and long term goals for the upcoming year. It was a LONG day for me since it was all in Khmer, but a fruitful one, as each section heard in entirety what each one has been doing and then we got to pray with and over each other. We discussed the weaknesses and strengths and then the opportunities God was giving to us within the respective ministries of Prayer and Soul Care of Cell Leaders, Worship Service, Events (women’s ministry day, men’s retreat, next generation retreat etc.), Youth and Children’s Ministries.

 

Last pic is of Oun Ouddom, one of the teachers from the Skill Training Centre, and the head of the Centre, Oun Pheareak, both of whom I am helping in different ways in teaching and the administration of the Center.

 

Prayer Requests: 

Please pray for teachers who can teach English, not necessarily ex-pat but can be Khmer who can teach it as well. 

As we provide a free service for those who cannot afford to go to school, we are praying for financial aid for the Skills Teaching Centre.

Praise: 

Many of the students have been coming to the Youth Events and some of them said yes to Jesus the Christ!

 
Prayer Requests: 

Pray for His wisdom as I plan individual / small group time, especially as we will have our first staff retreat in 2 years on an outside location on the 23rd to 25th of this month. I am helping to plan a morning worship devotion time on the 24^th, and on the last evening we will have an open time of sharing, prayer and communion.

 
Thank you all for your sacrifice of time and finances and your prayers for me and His work here. Please continue to send your stories and YOUR prayer requests as well! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#258 - GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT CAMBODIA and Mini Retreat

 Vol.# 258

Thank you all for your prayers. 

The Global Leadership Summit Cambodia seminar in Siem Reap went well. The IT/Media Head of GLS, Bro. Chris, came in from the Philippines, and went up a couple of days earlier to train the young media staff there on how to run the seminar online. Then I went up with Lokru Mara and his wife Leah who are the Country Directors of GLS Cambodia, accompanied by GLS Director of GLS Asia, Bro. Raymond W and our own event coordinator Sister Kimlang. 

You prayed that I would not be carsick and I was not on the 6-hour trip up! We just had time to drop our bags off at the hotel and went directly to the site which was the compound of International Christian Fellowship (ICF): 6 acres of land which has been transformed into a water park and a training facility with a school that provides free education and free food for all of the students there. ICF also provides free clean cold water for the surrounding area. It is amazing to see what they have accomplished up there! The GLS seminar was for their staff, the Khmer and foreigners also. There will always be glitches when running an online seminar for the first time, and the seminar was held in one of those huge corrugated steel containers that had been converted into a meeting/worship place! This can get quite hot even though they had 4 of the hugest fans I have ever seen in my life there. So the IT/Media staff did an incredible job with the sound system and clarity of pictures for the onscreen teaching seminars! 

Feedback on the content: 

Everyone was excited and said the leadership content was very good, and that having different speakers from all walks of life represented a balanced view of leadership at high, intermediate and low levels of influence! HOWEVER, if you did not have a high level of literacy in English, some of the content was difficult to understand even though we had subtitles at the bottom of the screen. The curriculum books that we handed out were both in Khmer and English. The MC was their own Khmer youth leader who did a fantastic job with icebreaker games in the morning and after lunch when all of us were sleepy!

 We came back after another 6 hours of driving from 6:30 pm to midnight since one of the leaders had an early morning flight out from Phnom Penh. We are still debriefing but happy that other organizations like YWAM and World Vision want to collaborate with us to bring GLS to different provinces in Cambodia. The leaders out in the countryside are hungry for this while the interest is not as high for those in the city who have access to many programs and leadership seminars. 

Praise: 

On the trip up I got to hear from Lokru Mara, an elder and pastor from New Life Church, on how a couple of church plants were started. One started from a woman who had a family member who was very sick. She went to Lokru Mara asking for prayers of healing and the member was healed! From that tiny seed and also Lokru Mara going up once a week to encourage and have Bible studies there arose the planting of a church! After hearing so many of his stories, a decision was made for Sister Kimlang to transcribe those stories into a book! Sister Leah felt God was telling her to write a book some years ago but she kept saying about what? Then in the car in over 10 minutes, all of it came to fruition with the main players together! I love seeing how God puts His people together for His purpose in His timing! 

AT CHURCH PLANT TOUL SAN KAYE

Prayer retreat: 

After finally getting a hotel that would accept 3 adults in one room, the time set aside went well. My 2 Khmer leaders do not have air conditioning and TV at their respective homes, so we adjusted our times to talk and pray according to each of their needs. One slept in until 9, whilst the other one was up early so we could talk and pray. It was a 'heavy' time that first night listening to the ways they felt unsupported by their leaders and the burden of carrying the ministry on their shoulders. One of them was actually going to quit! I did not know the extent of the brokenness because it was hidden so well by both, but I thank God for all of you who pray that I would be led by His Spirit and that I would listen to His heart. Due to your prayers I knew that something was not right, so the decision was made to have this retreat! And I got the blessing of their respective leaders for these 2 to have an extra day off as well! 

Prayer Request: 

Please pray that I would know how to help and give counsel and not break the confidences of these women to the leaders affected. Changes have to be made but I need to know not only what words to speak and when within the Khmer context but also to balance grace with truth for all involved!

 Prayer Request: 

Pray against the backlash of envy that these 2 and I went on this mini retreat. I have been hearing “Bong Srey Vidya has blessed them, I wonder when we will also be blessed!” I pray that people will celebrate each other's blessings and not be resentful or jealous. 

Prayer Request: 

Please continue to pray for Mum and Dad. Mum has to have gall stones (gall bladder) removed so we are waiting for a surgery date. She was and has been in so much pain that we are praying for a surgery date sooner rather than later! Dad is continuing to take new medication and vitamins by the doctors for his own health. Thank you for praying for them both! 

Prayer Request:

Please pray that those I encounter here would WANT to take up the Bible to read, to hear His voice, and not view the Bible as some historical document that does not have anything to do with life now. I am trying to encourage many to download the yearly Bible reading schedule and to set apart that special time to meet with Him!

Thank you so much for your sacrifice of time and financial resources. Please send in your prayer requests and tell me about your life as we all do life together!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

 

#257 - Khmer New Year and Resurrection Day Celebrations!

 Vol.# 257

Blessed Belated Resurrection Day to all of you or as we say in the western world, Happy Easter! 

I love the way the Christian Khmer uses this term to celebrate the most important event for the believer in Jesus Christ! Here in Cambodia, Khmer New Year overlapped with Resurrection Day. For the past 2 years, due to the pandemic, the government had cancelled festivities and had a lockdown in effect where no one could leave the city to go to their hometowns/countryside for the week-long holiday, but this year all of the restrictions were lifted, so most people left the city to go there to celebrate with family and friends. Before the official date of the holiday, we at the church had our own celebrations with traditional games and dance! I thought it was significant that my church here took the unusual step of celebrating the Khmer New Year in a big way right outside the church so that the sellers and customers in the adjoining mall could see and even be participants! It is customary for the pagodas to be the central place of celebrations for the Khmer New Year. Many would flood the Buddhist temples and their courtyards to pay respect to the priests there, and to enjoy the vibrant celebrations and local food. Those who are skeptical of Christianity, with the idea that becoming a Christian means losing their culture and traditions, were pleasantly surprised to see us wearing the traditional clothing, and playing the games along with Khmer New Year decorations at the church. 

During the Passion Week, I was at home and was able to spend time with Him, and on Resurrection Sunday morning at church, God allowed me to ponder through these questions: 

1) What have I crucified in my life for You My Lord? 

2) In what ways or areas do I show that You, Jesus, are resurrected in my life? 

3) In what ways am I helping to ‘roll away the stone’ for others? 

These questions have allowed me to focus more fully on Him and have centred me more on being intentional for His glory.

Praise: Oun Pisey, is the Youth Leader for the Next Generation. She is the only Christian in her family. Her mom got very sick, and was brought into the city and taken to the hospital. Her joints were so swollen and painful that she could not walk. We were able to access a clinic here where the disabled themselves build wheel chairs specially for the user! Oun Pisey’s mom did not want to be measured for the wheelchair, and was feeling very depressed. However, after I connected with the clinic and the head of our 5P group at the church, we were able to get her a wheel chair! She thought that it would be too expensive and that is why she had refused to even entertain the notion of getting a wheelchair! This is what your sacrificial donation to my support has resulted in, not only a wheelchair, but also Pisey’s mom has said for the first time, thank you to your Jesus for this! Thank you to the church for this precious gift! I SAY thank you to all of you once more for your support of me here in my heart country!

Prayer Request: Please pray for healing of her mom’s legs and the continued opening of her heart to Jesus. Please pray for the rest of the family to come to know Our Saviour!

 
Praise: I was finally able to celebrate with Oun Lin and her fiancé PaNHa who became engaged while I was in Canada. Oun Lin and I worked on editing of the info booklet for the church last year and her fiancé is Oun Pisey’s right hand in leading the Next Generation. I was able to talk and be the ‘Bong Srey’ in listening to their hearts for Him and for the future!

 
Prayer Request: On April 27th to 30^th, there is taping of the new worship songs. Please pray for good health for the singers, for their voices; that their families will be also remain healthy. We have seen in the past when we have produced new worship songs that those involved usually feel a significant backlash, so I am praying for His wall of protection to be around them. Pray for the leader Oun Roma who is producing and leading the group on her own for the first time!

 
Prayer Request: Please pray that I would know how to be their support. I have blocked off those days to be at the church to pray and to be of assistance. The taping of the songs is between 10-12 am.

 
Prayer Request: On May 3rd to May 7^th, I will be travelling to Siem Reap with representatives from Global Leadership Summit Asia. It is a 6-hour car journey. Pray for safety on the road, and no car sickness for me! Please pray as we meet with leaders from Singapore and Malaysia as well as local leaders, that there will be a spirit of unity and joy! 

Prayer Request: Please pray for my mom and dad for their physical health. Pray for wise counsel from doctors as they go to different appointments.

Thank you for joining in with me. For the past 3 days I have been on the rooftop literally dancing and praising Him for all that He is doing. Please continue to send in your requests and life stories! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#256 - Role Changes, Mangoes and Hair Influencer!

Vol. #256

Good morning from my rooftop!

I walked into a spectacular sunrise painting by our Lord Jesus Christ. I just sat and sipped my coffee and watched as the colours unfolded and became brighter and brighter! I just breathed in as His Presence surrounded me.

On Sunday I was able to reconnect with ManLy, one of my former students from Rescue, who had to stay in the province (countryside) during COVID-19. However, we had our Bible study together online as he also serves on the Info Desk Ministry. ManLy bloomed during this time. He became bolder in sharing his views and was the one in charge of the icebreaker games at the beginning of our sessions. So I had not seen him in over a year and a half! As things are back to normal here in the city, with school and church reopening, he is now back and staying at the dorm. The other person in the pic is Oun Theavy, who is another former student from Rescue and is the main receptionist at the office here at New Life Foundation church. Oun Theavy was in charge of all of us at the Info Desk Ministry, setting up the schedule and the Bible study content during COVID-19! I do miss our times together but I believe God used that time to build us up as a stronger team as our relationship deepened studying the Word together.

Prayer Request: Please pray for a job for ManLy in the city and that he would not lose that hunger for the Word!

 
Praise: Three days ago, as I stood by my window looking out at my landlady’s yard, I found myself coveting the mangoes! So I said a quick prayer, Lord, I just want some mangoes to eat! Well, the next day, what shows up at my doorstep? Yup, MANGOES! And so much that I was able to share with Savy, the tuk tuk driver’s wife!

On Sunday we had our local Christian Khmer station come to the church and put up a booth. They have been broadcasting Christian content for over 20 years. The head of the station is one of the elders, Lokru Makara, from our church. As we talked about the impact of radio out in the far countryside, we had visions of many listening to the Word either through sermons, guest speakers or music, and we prayed for His Word to be spread even further to the most isolated places in the Kingdom of Cambodia! I had a flashback to my childhood sitting by the radio in my home in Trinidad and Tobago listening to Billy Graham services!

 
Praise: We have the freedom to speak about God here. There is no censorship and I pray that this continues to be so!

 
One of the role changes here for me is that now I am mentoring a couple of the younger teachers at the Skill Training Centre that has recently reopened. I personally am not teaching a class. I am training the young teachers and the only times that I am in the classroom are to show the teacher how to use different methodologies and techniques. I get to pray with them and then discuss the various ways the curriculum can be communicated to the students. We all got together to eat and listen to Oun Pheareak speak of his vision and the mission for the students: leading them into a relationship with Jesus while teaching them English, Computer Skills, Life Skills, Thai, Chinese and Korean (some Khmer are leaving to go to South Korea for jobs) to get jobs which will help their families sustain a better life! It is exciting to watch this ministry as it reopens and takes off! The Director of Operations, Lokru Virak, asked me to mentor Oun Pheareak also as he is new to the leadership of the education ministry here. Thankfully, Oun Pheareak had asked if I could help as well!

 
Prayer Request: Please pray for His wisdom and discernment as I look at Khmer culture and help to train the next generation of leaders within the Khmer context!

 
And lastly, apparently I have started a trend here, one that my Mom might not approve of! Last week at the office we had 6 people change their hair colour to go with mine! It was funny because everyone kept saying, Ooh, you are now like Bong Vidya!

 
Thank you to those who have been sending in your prayer requests and sharing about your life with me. I am honoured to be able to take your prayer requests to the feet of Jesus! Please keep sharing your lives with me!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya