#287 - Answers to Prayer Requests!

Vol.# 287

Thank you ALL for your messages via social media (email, WhatsApp, FB) and your phone calls to wish me Happy Birthday! I am overwhelmed that so many would take the time and I am honored and truly blessed by all of you! 

I took many pics and tried to put them in order to give you a sense of my trip to the village! It was a lovely trip in an air-conditioned van about 4 hours to the village. However, when we got there it was very hot and dusty BUT the Lord gave us a breeze to cool down the temperatures! Some of you asked if it was a team that was going to the village, and the team was Oun Muylen who is leading this project on behalf of BRAVE and myself! 

SCHOOL IN CHHOUK VILLAGE, KAMPOT

 

COWS BY A WELL BUILT BY BRAVE NEXT TO GROWING GARDEN

SNACK SHOP TO THE RIGHT

As soon as we got there, I just had time to drink some coconut water straight from the coconut (durian fruit and coconut are the specialties of Kampot along with pepper and sea food) brought by the pastor, Lokru Bine Ra and his wife! It was truly SWEET and refreshing! I immediately was taken to the outside classroom where a Khmer class was about to start and I met with Lokru Khek Saun, who had retired from public school teaching and was now teaching a couple of hours each day at the school in Chhouk Village church, The Good News Church. He was still excited to teach his students and it was a joy to watch it happening as the chickens and cows were making sounds in the background! 

KHMER LANGUAGE CLASS TAUGHT OUTSIDE

LOKRU KHEK SAUN, RETIRED PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AFTER 30 YEARS, NOW WORKING 2 HRS/DAY

After about 10 minutes I switched to the English language classes. Lokru Puth Cheara taught this one for Grades 1-3/4. This time I got to participate and was invited to jump in and help out. I wanted to observe first but since time was short and we were there for only 2 days, I jumped in! I observed the JK/SK class and thought that the idea of using TV trays, computer-type trays was brilliant as they suited the little ones. They were easy to fold up and put away as the room is a multi- functional one. It is a church and a classroom and a meeting room all in one!

GRADES 1-3 WITH LOKRU PUTH CHEARA

TEACHER CHEA SOKHOM WITH JK/SK STUDENTS

JK/SK USING SLATE AND CHALK AND COMPUTER/TV TRAYS AS DESKS!

PLAYING GAME

SOME STUDENTS PLAYING IN FRONT OF CLASS DURING BREAK

COMBINED CLASS PHOTO

Teacher Chea Sokhom is the daughter-in-law of the pastor and is a mother herself and she loves teaching this age group. Then immediately when this class was finished, we had a short break for lunch and then Oun Muylen asked if I would share a word of encouragement to the older members of the church (aka the non-students). It was about 4 in the afternoon now, and your prayers of strength and listening to the Holy Spirit in order to know what to say was answered! Thank you!

I GOT A CHANCE TO SPEAK AND PRAY OVER THE CONGREGANTS

THE CONGREGANTS SURPRISED ME AND FORMED A CIRCLE TO PRAY BIRTHDAY BLESSING OVER ME!

SOME MEMBERS AT PASTOR'S HOUSE. LOKRU BINE RA IS THE PASTOR (STRIPED SHIRT) AND HIS WIFE SISTER CHEN THAN IS IN GREEN.

I told them how they were my answer to prayer and my birthday gift from Jesus and then they surprised me by asking me to join in their circle as they simultaneously prayed birthday blessings over me! Oun Muylen captured this on video but I could not send it via this update but took a still photo from it to show you! When I return in July hopefully, I can show it to you face to face! By now, sweat is pouring down my face and back, but oh so happy after meeting these beautiful souls! Truly, they are rich in His Spirit though lacking in physical resources there. They are one community joined together to spread His Word in their part of the world! I am thankful to Oun Muylen for inviting me to see the work there and for BRAVE reaching out to build the well for clean water and helping to establish the church and school to build a better life for those in Chhouk Village, Kampot!

 

OUN MUYLEN SURPRISED ME BACK AT THE HOTEL WHERE SHE HAD ARRANGED WITH THE STAFF TO PUT BIRTHDAY FLOWERS /BALLOONS

Prayer requests:

- Please pray for the pastor’s wife, Sister Chen Tha who has been sick with stomach ailments and her mental health has been affected. They both returned with us to go to the hospital in Phnom Penh. Please pray for the correct diagnosis and treatment for her. They have to go into the city at least twice a month for hospital visits.

- Please pray for the JK/SK and Grades 1-3/4 English teachers. They have the desire to teach and the love for the students, and I prayed that the observations made would be put into practice. We discussed class setup from arrangement of desks and blackboard to praying over the desks and student list before class begins; praying for His creativity to teach the lessons; class management and discipline necessary in order for education to be done.

 
- There was a young woman, who is in the picture with the church members, wearing a white shirt and holding a baby. She is 18 years old and got married at 16, which is normal in the village and has 2 kids. She says she was quite sick with the second and she considers him to be a miracle child and feels so blessed. My prayer request for her is that she would be able to get formal education to become a teacher. She has the potential and I can see the gifting in her as she looked after the kids in the class and is getting the informal experience now to be a teacher!

 
- Please pray for spiritual growth for all, to read His Word and to study and apply His teachings to everyday life.

 

Thank you for going on this trip with me! I have so many more pictures, so in the next update I will send more! Thank you! 

  

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya  

#286 - Prayer Requests for my Birthday

 Vol.# 286

A funny thing happened on the way to making plans for my birthday on March 13th! 

 

Backstory first: 

Last year I had a conversation with Oun Muylen who works for BRAVE. I have talked about Oun Muylen before. She was the first female Khmer Director of Prison Fellowship Cambodia before going to work for my friend Mel’s NGO BRAVE ministry. They did various outreaches to the villages and prisons, bringing education and health care while preaching the gospel, tending to the physical and practical needs as well as the spiritual part of the body. Oun Muylen had asked me advice on classroom structure and on class management as well as teaching methods in communicating the lesson objectives. She had asked if I would be willing to come with her to the village to observe and lend my support. 

 

Fast forward to a couple of days ago: 

I was praying and thought randomly that for my birthday I would like to use the skills He has gifted me and which I hopefully have honed and amplified through education and experience! I thought back to the request to help in the province, and then a half hour later, I received a message from Oun Muylen asking if I was still available to help, and yes, on the 13th and 14th of March! She did not know it was my birthday and what I had asked of God in my heart, but He DID! 

So, can you please join me in prayer:

- Pray for safety as we travel to Kampot, about 4 hours in total.

- Pray for protection against the extreme heat, as it is hitting in the high 90’s now.

- Pray for favour as I meet with teachers and students, for His eyes to see and His ears to hear what He would have me do.

- Pray for a listening heart as I would be praying with Khmer leaders there.

 
- Pray for a bonding time not only with Oun Muylen but also with those He would give me to have those one-on-one conversations.

- Pray for creativity as we plan time with students, teaching through games and yes, actual teaching time!

 
- Pray for His Holy Spirit to be over us as a team, that I would truly be His servant and encourager to those I would encounter!

Thank you very much! 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#285 - Salon Ministry, Global Leadership Network, Divine Encounters and a New Sofa!

 Vol. #285

As I sit here at a beginning of a very hot day, listening to the birds chirping and the traffic on the streets, I look back to a busy 3 weeks with a grateful heart to our Lord! Let me begin to share what He has been doing, not only through me, BUT also through YOU, as YOU are my sending team and dance partners here in my heart country of Cambodia!

 
Many of you know that I have been going to the same salon for the past 8 years, building heart connections towards Jesus Christ. Over the past few months, about 5 of my co-workers became pregnant and I thought, hmmm, what will be the best way to celebrate such blessings of the next generation of His children, yet at the same time being His light for those who have yet to acknowledge Jesus as their Saviour? I have been inviting the staff at the salon to come to church and have spoken to them of the many events we have had over the years, but the fact is that they are at work all of the time! The salon is open 7 days a week, and even during the holidays they are still open to accommodate those who are not working! As I prayed, I got the idea of bringing the church to the salon! Why not? I invited those who were pregnant, along with their spouses, who also just happened to be church leaders, to go to the salon. I watched their interactions with the staff, the laughter and the shared stories about ‘Bong Srey Vidya’ (!), and saw the building of another kind of ‘church’, one in which there were no physical walls, but where walls of misconception of what Christian church people are like begin to change in the eyes of the salon employees and their boss Jheri. All of those who were my guests there are Khmer brothers and sisters! Lokru Samdy and Sister Navy also went but I do not have their pics to show you. Two of the guests said they would go back on their own next time because the service given by the staff there was so good! 

SALON MINISTRY

Global Leadership February 16th Cambodia: 

I was helping Pastor Leah, the Country Director for GLN Cambodia, and her able assistant and right hand, Sister Kimlang, in being their ‘runner’ on that day, doing whatever needed to be done, so that things would go smoothly for those who came to learn more about leading more effectively and compassionately with Jesus the Christ as our mentor leader. This time we had pastors and lay leaders from the provinces also linking in to watch as well, with the English-speaking presenters being translated into Khmer. We gave out the curriculum that was presented both in English and Khmer and in total had about 125 attendees in Phnom Penh with 20 volunteers and about 85 watching from the provinces! We were happy to see that 77 of those who attended in PP were women! That number has grown over the years that we have been doing GLN here in Cambodia! 

 

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT: CAN YOU FIND ME?

On that morning after being there for about an hour, I felt an urge to go the main office of the International Church Assembly (ICA) that was hosting the event to say hello to their pastor, Pastor Ann who I probably meet once or twice in a year! When I entered the office, she looked up and said, I was just praying and asking God to send someone in to pray with me and there you are! Will you pray with me over this issue?  And as I knelt and prayed with this humble amazing woman of God I was in tears because only OUR LORD could orchestrate such a timely meeting! One hour later, I had to go to the office again and there was Bro. Matt sitting and chatting! Matt is a fellow Canadian who is married to a Khmer and leads the Recovery from Addictions Ministry which has an office at ICA. As I walked in Pastor Ann said, “There is Vidya she can pray for you!” Matt and I know each other well so I thought he was kidding around, but then quickly realized they were being serious. Matt was restarting the Ministry for the new year and that day was a retreat for his leaders to come in and be refreshed! So again I knelt and we all prayed together! At the end of the day, I thought, Jesus, did you bring me in today so I can see Your hand and Your glory in the way You put people and events together? His Holy Spirit again blew me away!

 
Yes, my brothers and sisters, the hammocks on the rooftop are no longer the seating option (and the floor) for those visiting! In December, Bro. Chetra and his wife Julia talked about a member of their congregation who was starting his own business in wood making, building furniture. That conversation led to the sofa seating you see in the pictures! It came with storage, and yes, also with wheels so it can be moved easily to clean! I marvel at His timing for me to get this so that Bro. Borey (who is the carpenter and builder) not only would get some business and be encouraged but also that his neighbours, who are a couple of women, would also be part of this micro business. They sewed and made the seat cushions! I still have to get cushions for the back and foot type stools, but how exciting it is! Bro. Borey’s wife is a schoolteacher and they have 2 children but they need to have additional income to support their family. Borey has started to teach Bible classes to the men in their growing church. And to think this started with Julia witnessing to Borey as he is also a tuk tuk driver so many years ago. She invited him and his wife to her church! Then Julia married Chetra and Chetra has become his mentor as well as his pastor!

NEW SOFA

 

FIRST GUESTS TO USE SOFA

BOARD GAME

And now back to the cafe at church. Again I was sitting there last Wednesday and one of the youth came to sit by me and I asked him how he was doing which led into a conversation about life, then praying together!  I never know whom God will bring to that small cafe table when He urges me to just go and sit there at a certain time!

 
Prayer: On the 30th and 31st of March we are celebrating our 30th anniversary of New Life Church at one of the biggest malls here in Phnom Penh, Aeon Mall 3. Please pray for the logistics and for the team from our church that is planning this. Already weariness is setting in. My prayer is for them to experience the preparation as an act of worship to Him as God has sustained our church in spite of the leadership changes over the past years! I am helping with setting up the VIP room for the expat and regional/local leaders who have been here from the beginning establishing His church in Cambodia. Please pray as I try to create a fun question sheet to send out to the leaders so that we can better serve them (what foods they like, allergies etc.) They have never sent out such questionnaires before but we want to do our best to acknowledge and honor them by creating the best VIP environment for the foreigner and local leaders! Thank you!

 
Please continue to send me your prayer requests and stories/pics of your life as WE do this dance of life in Him together! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

 

#284 - A New Year's word and divine encounters!

Vol.# 284 

Belated Happy New Year! 

We had one week off from work, so I was able to rest a bit, but soon after coming back to work, I was hit with the same sickness as some of the staff in the office. I was able to go back out to work last Friday and we were back in full swing as I went to one church service on Sunday and served in the evening service here.

LOKRU SAMDY DELIVERING FRESH FRUIT

KHMER CREATIVITY: USING A CRUTCH TO PICK MANGOES!

As I sat with the Lord, the countdown began and the fireworks were bursting around me. For some strange reason, all of my neighbours must have invested in big fireworks because there was a lot of booming sounds and smell of smoke from the big crackers!. Most people went down to the riverside, the main place for the big fireworks display. I was invited by Lokru Samdy and his wife to join them, but I wanted to be in a place where I could go on my knees, thanking God for His mercies from 2023 and then asking Him about His mission for me for 2024. 

And this is what He said to me: Continue to shepherd my sheep, Vidya, with 2 staffs, Favor and Union (I was reading from Zechariah). I will give you favor with My Presence when you spend time with me; I will give you insight when you read my Word so that you can share with others; I will give you favor with those I will bring across your path; and I will give you favor to know how to pray for others. You will help to breach paths of miscommunication to bring My unity amongst others here. You are still the intercessory warrior on behalf of Me, yet you will walk in the shoes of peace wherever you go! In this culture ‘favor’ is often interpreted as finances as opposed to His wisdom and His insight! I am humbled by this because of what happened on Friday when I returned to work.

 
As I sat at the same table in the cafe area, (I wanted the fresh air and not the air-conditioning since I still have a lingering cough), I had the first of three God-ordained meetings. 

The first one was with a sister who used to work with 5Ps group of which I am a part of at the office (the Soul care, youth and children ministry group), and she felt led to come in to pray with someone and that someone was me! 

The second meeting was with Oun Chetra. He is leaving us at the end of this month to start a business. I heard his reason. He knows that in the last couple of years our church has been going through a tough financial time and he was thinking of how he could help with the sustainability of our church. With his experience in Human Resources and Administration, he knows all about the workings of the church. God had not only put into his heart but also into his wife’s heart the thought of stepping out of the church environment to go into business so that he can contribute to his church and become a partner alongside to help in financial sustainability for New Life church! I got a chance to listen, to thank him for the many ways in which he helped me in his former role, and to tell him how much I appreciated his dry sense of humor and his professionalism. I also reassured him that even though he is no longer staff, he is still a member of our church family. Actually God had laid both his name and his wife’s name on my heart to put in my prayer journal at the beginning of the year. I was not aware that he would be leaving us!

 

The third encounter was from a youth. He came by to say he missed seeing me the past week at church and wanted to know how I was doing. He told me of his plans to go to Ohio to study. He had already received two scholarships and was waiting to hear from the university about the possibility of two further scholarships so that he could have a full scholarship to be able to afford the tuition and accommodation. He has been faithfully serving with the University students and the Welcome team here, and his parents also serve as volunteers at the church. 

As I left that morning the word ‘favor’ came back to me. God showed me His favor with those encounters, HE not only allowed me to be there at the right time, but He drew them to the table and then gave me a listening ear to hear the heart stories! It was humbling to immediately see what He had revealed to me earlier on in this month!

 
I was also surprised to meet up with a former high school classmate from way back when I went to St. Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain. Maria had written to say that she would be travelling through here with family and I was thankful we were able to spend a couple of hours together, not having seen her in over 30-plus years! Let me tell you there was a lot of laughter and reminiscing going on from back in those days!

 

As I wrap up this update, I have to say to many who do not believe, that the Bible is His living Word to us today, His instructions on how to live out His values and purpose. Well, here is what happened two weeks ago. I had offered to sponsor all those who were working in the three services on Christmas Eve coffee, tea and snacks for the day. I had given a budget to the church cafe owner and was told that we had gone over the said budget. So as I was getting my tithe for the new year, I was saying to the Lord that since we went over the budget and the money given was for a church event, I was reasoning that I would give a lesser amount and count in the ‘over-expense’ from Christmas Eve. So, with that settled in my mind, I went to do my reading and the first thing I read from Malachi 3:10 was this…Bring the FULL tithe into the storehouse…! Seriously, I cannot make this up, I looked up and put down my pen and immediately transferred the full amount of my tithe to the church! Yes, the Bible and Jesus are alive and relevant! 

I pray that this year is one in which you can walk/dance into knowing that the Lord is holding your hand, that He will not let you go. He is your Rock and your Shield. I give you Psalm 18:16-36. Thank you all for your continuing dance with me in my heart country. Please continue to send in your stories and prayer requests! 

 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#283 - Christmas Colours!

 Vol.# 283

As I sit on my rooftop this early morning, the breeze is cool, the birds are chirping and neither the sounds of the traffic nor the sounds of construction have yet begun. So it is with a grateful heart as I listened to my Christmas hymns in the background, that I write this final update for the Year 2023!

 
At the beginning of December, the call went out from the Creative team here at New Life Fellowship church for people to wear certain colours to herald in the season! The first Sunday was red, the second Sunday we wore green, and last Sunday was white/gold. This Christmas Eve, it will be any combinations of the above colours! It is amazing how many people in the congregation joined in the festive spirit and it was a bit overwhelming to sit at the far corner of the church just before the doors open to see a mass of people, all ages, wearing the specific colours for that Sunday, come walking into the church!

GREEN SUNDAY

PHOTOBOMBING LOKRU PISIT AND HIS WIFE ON WHITE SUNDAY!

 

It has been an unusually tough year all around the world, economically and financially, and within our own church salaries were decreased by ten percent. Many NGOs closed due to current economic situation, so that many within our own congregation had lost their jobs and are facing an unknown season. Yet here they all were getting into the community spirit to celebrate the greatest gift of Hope that is Jesus Our Christ! By the way, can either of you guess which colour I loved the best and which colour I will be wearing on this Christmas Eve?

YOUNG GIRLS CAME FROM MALL ASKING FOR FOOD

Last Sunday I was asked if I could stay to pray over the 60 students who were graduating from the first level from School of Ministry, a course that is given to teach many about the Bible, and setting up their discipline of reading and studying the Word. Along with the School of Ministry was the Life Guidelines (LG) class that introduces the new believers to baptism, cell group discipleship groups, and teaches how to practically introduce their new beliefs into a lifestyle that glorifies our Lord Jesus Christ. As I sat and listened teary-eyed to 2 testimonies given in Khmer  (understood 70 percent), and watched how many had chosen to take these courses on a Sunday morning and afternoon at the church, giving up their time to attend, I was thankful for the freedom we still have here in Cambodia to practise our Christian beliefs!

PRAYING OVER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY AND LG GRADS

Last Sunday Lokru (male teacher name in Khmer) Pisit, who is not only the head of Bible Society in Cambodia, but also an elder from our church and a worship leader on one of the teams, preached on the birth of Jesus and the 3 wise men. He played a short video at the end depicting the shepherds in the field looking up into the sky, seeing the bright star, and also the 3 wise men following the bright star. God brought certain questions to my mind: Which star do I follow? Is it Jesus or an earthly role model? The star was shining so brightly that I wondered, AM I a star for others leading them to Him, and what is making my star not shine so brightly? What is coming between me and my God? What do I need to do to make sure that the STAR, which is Jesus Christ for me, stays shining? Reading His Word, prayer, accountability to my spiritual leaders… Who is your STAR? What are you doing, my fellow dance partners, to ensure that the Star is not tarnished but shines ever so brightly for others to follow?

 
Thank you again for coming along with me on 2023! I look forward to dancing into 2024 with you being led by Jesus the Christ! 
For those who have lost loved ones this year, the Star may not be shining so brightly amidst the bitter sweetness of your loss, so I pray for His peace and gentleness to be over you like a warm blanket. 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya 

#282 - Divine Appointments and Sticks!

Vol.# 282

Here I sit watching the fireworks from the rooftop of a hotel. It is the celebration for the Water Festival, and I am having a bit of a rest from the construction and heavy traffic from around my area! I am taking the time to ‘breathe’ and spend time in prayer in the midst of a busy time here.

 

We have moved our office space from the upstairs part of the church building to the lower floor. They are trying to minimize operating costs by occupying a smaller space for each ministry as utilities and air conditioning cost more in a larger space. So my group ‘Soul care’ with Youth Ministries, and Worship Team (part of the 5Ps) are all in the same shared space whilst other ministries are in other self-contained rooms. 

 

It was because of this move that when I was seated in the cafe waiting for the maintenance to put my cubicle in place, God put together 4 divine appointments. The first was with Oun Pisey, who works in the Finance Department, and also sings on the Worship Team. She came downstairs to buy an iced tea, and when she saw me, she came to sit with me. I got an opportunity to hear what has been happening in her life and then to pray with her.

 

This was then followed by Oun Sombath who was coming in to see Media personnel that is now located in the downstairs area. He saw me and came to talk and told me of his upcoming driving test and English test interview for possible admission to a South Korean-run university right here in Phnom Penh that specializes in the Arts. If he is successful in the latter, he can then apply for a scholarship to further his studies in Music. Again it was another opportunity to pray and also for him to practise his English with me! Since that day, he did pass his driving test and his interview was postponed until after the Water Festival holiday.

 

Still while there, I was sitting with Sister Meychen who is part of my team. She is in charge of teaching Bible courses and baptism and discipleship classes for those who have accepted Jesus and are new Christians. She also teaches one course in speaking English. She is a beautiful and gracious Khmer sister who is about to have her second child in late February. She offered to go with me to buy gifts for a baby shower for another sister in Christ here, and during our buying time we were able to have a conversation on life and His amazing grace over our lives.

 

Finally, Oun Sam, who volunteers and rarely comes in during the day, came in as the University students were having a special last day party for the year. I call him ‘Communion Sam’ to differentiate from Youth Leader Sam. Sam and I had to prepare communion for over 100 youth last year, hence the nickname! I had not seen him since my return, and he just came in and knelt down and put his head my shoulder (he is way taller than I am) and just stayed like that for a moment! I prayed a birthday blessing over him, and yes, I bought him his coffee as a treat! Oun Sam’s mom is a member of the Women’s Leadership team and also a single mom who has brought up her son to be kind and generous with a soft spirit! What a bonus to pray with and over him! 

 

As I look back on that Friday, I had thought that I did not have to come in that morning as they are still putting in the finishing touches to our office space, but felt led to go on in and I am very thankful that I did! It brought back memories of when I was the Coordinator of the Drop-In Centre at RAC and I had to change from being in the big room, where all the kids congregated, to upstairs at the entrance where they came in. I thought that I would be missing out on all of the action, but God in His grace made that space the ‘liming space’ for those who were coming in. They stopped and listened to my stating the rules of the Drop-In (I am sure not really listening, but more anxious to get in to play games and connect with their friends,) but then it became that space where they stopped to share something about their lives. I usually asked permission to pray with and for them, and it became the spot to be before going in where my Bro. Joe was supervising them downstairs!

Sometimes we think that God has us in a minor role but when we surrender that position to Him, He surprises us on how to use that for His glory! 

Then two days ago I attended an all-day seminar led by a Dutch evangelist who has been a partner with New Life Fellowship church for many years. The main focus of this seminar was to gather all of the church plants from the provinces in one room, and have a discussion on revising mission and vision plans for each of the churches. It was humbling to sit and see all of the leaders, men and women alike, discuss and then stand up and reveal on big sheets of paper what they envisioned for their church for the present time and upcoming years. As the representatives from each province stood up to declare their vision, the rest of us, comprised of the main campus and the other provinces, surrounded them and clapped and prayed over them. 

 

At the final session there were bamboo sticks on each table (I thought at first it was sugar cane and actually bit into one of them!). The speaker talked about the importance of Moses and his staff/stick, and how God used Moses’ obedience and a stick to accomplish His work and then asked each of us about what we each had to lay down in order to pick up His staff to do His work. We got a chance to individually write on a chosen bamboo stick (representing our staff) what we felt God was saying to us personally (after a period of silence and reflection), and then when we were ready, we put our sticks at the foot of the Cross, surrendering that particular dream/desire/vision. If that was not moving enough, suddenly one group picked up a larger and longer stick and put it on their shoulders lengthways. Then they began to slowly walk in unison to place that at the foot of the Cross! That necessitated team work with the same pace and rhythm, each one having had to put down the Moses’ staff they had individually envisioned and carried, to pick up the group staff, and then also trusting God with that particular vision, surrendering it to Christ for His timing and His way of accomplishing that vision! 

 

I am still debriefing in my mind all that God has said and will have individual conversations with those who attended it this week. What a blessing that seminar was, and also to see those expat organizations speak in Khmer to lead and bless those who attended.

I thank God for you who have been dancing with me at different rhythms and pace over the past years, and I am so grateful for your sacrifice of resources and time as you pray for and with me! Please keep sending your requests, as we are dancing together with Jesus as our Dance Leader and Partner in life! 

 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya  

#281- Flight, Champion Martial Arts Fighter, and Arrival!

 Vol.# 281

Thank you to all who prayed for me as I left on the 31st.

 

Both flights were smooth. God gave me the gift of having an empty seat between myself and my window seatmate, and another plus, she only got up once in the near 14-hour flight to go to the washroom! Boarding was also smooth and there was someone there to help me put my carry-on in the overhead compartment. 

The second flight was FULL and as we were slightly delayed in Toronto, by the time I cleared Customs again in Seoul, and walked that long walk to the boarding gate, I had about 25 minutes to chill. I met an older Khmer couple who now resides in the USA and we had fun just chatting. The boarding flight next to us was so loud that we thought that they were calling our flight to line up, and I went to line up thinking ‘hmmm this flight is not so full’, only to be told by the Korean Air attendant that we were not boarding as yet! LOL! 

 

On the second flight, I was amused when some older Khmer men were asking for selfies with my seat companion and his wife. When it happened a third time and the guy was so gracious in taking the photos, I turned to him and apologized and said, “I am sorry, but you seem to be known by everyone here, but I do not know who you are”! It turns out that he is a famous martial arts fighter coming in for a special event on Nov.5th and would be meeting with the Cambodian P.M. today! His name is Dave Leduc, he is from Montreal but has been travelling with his young family for his sports profession. Apparently he and his wife also won The Amazing Race Canada three years ago! 

We chatted a bit and it turns out that they just found out that day that they are having a baby boy (already have one son) and they were discussing baby names! They asked me what my name was and thought that Vidya was an original name with its meaning (wisdom, education…Hindi origin…vida means life in Spanish). They wanted to know if it is a boy or girl’s name. And in India it could be both! Then later on they both said, we got a name, and it was a brand name starting with As… and they were thinking of how to shorten the name into a nickname. I, of course, pointed out the obvious, that little kids playing in the playground would shorten the name to a not-so-nice word. (You all can figure it out as I have given you the beginning of the name!). Both Dave and his wife were laughing and thanked me for pointing out how the nickname might NOT be good for the kid! I blessed his wife with a healthy safe pregnancy and a no-injury tournament for Dave, as he will be fighting later on in the week.

 
So I got in, walked straight on to Customs, as I already had my visa. I was waiting on my luggage thinking that it might take a long time since we came in when it was raining, but I only waited for 10 minutes, and as I was struggling to get my suitcases off the baggage carousel, this Khmer woman came to help me take them off and put them on the trolley! I was met by Lokru Samdy and his wife Navy, and Bro. Krong and his wife, Liep. He is the head of church planting team ministry. Waiting for me at the house were Julia and her husband Chetra who were there to help me bring the suitcases up the 32 steps! Julia had the A/C on for me, and had milk, bread etc. in the fridge and yes, Ferrero chocolate with a welcome note. They said a prayer of blessing and covering over me!

I want to thank God for His gems for me. For my last Sunday at RAC, I had prayed and asked God for a blessing sign from Him, and guess what? HE GAVE IT TO ME! I had prayed and asked God for 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord O My Soul) to be sung and it was the last song sung! The previous week one of the seniors just randomly came up to me and said, ‘Vidya anytime I hear that song, I think of you but we have not sang it for a long time at church!’ I was so moved that I had to go down to the altar to praise our Jesus who would do this for me. HE KNOWS your heart and I just want to encourage my faithful dance partners, to seek Him and yes, to share with HIM each detail of your life, no matter how small you think it is! 

The other gem was that I was having brunch with my friend N, and as we talked, she said, ‘Vidya you are like an influencer’, (like the Tik Tok ones, not influenza, spreading bad germs!) in your setting’. Ramona, who had prayed over me on the phone, also mentioned the word ‘influence’ as being part of my mission here. Also when Pastor T.J. spoke on Eccl. 9.and 10 he talked about influence and seeking wisdom! I am overwhelmed of how God just drops these affirmations of mission and clarification of His plan for me in the last week. Even this morning as I woke early (I got in around 12:30, but fell asleep around 1:30 and woke up at 3) to have my coffee with Jesus, I read from Heb.3 these words, ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul…’ and I smiled thinking of my sending song so many years ago. The chapter talked about the greatness of God and I began to thank Him for the many things He had done for my parents while I was in Toronto, and I began to thank Him to start my day! As usual I cannot wait to hear the message on Sunday, as God always weaves a theme in His mission statement for me in my last week in Toronto and my first week back here!

 
Please continue to send me snippets of your life and your prayer requests. I am really humbled that you allow me to go to Our Father on your behalf! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 

Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vedya