#132 - RAC community meets my Cambodian community!

Vol. #132

How blessed I was to have not one group, but two groups from Canada visit on the same weekend! 

The first group was of course from RAC, and I got to meet Pastor Wade for the first time, and reconnected with Dennis and Marcia Bergman, Mr. Muir, Tony de Almeida and Paul Stringer! PLUS, Betty George flew in earlier from the States, so I got special one-on-one time with her! 

It was short and sweet as I had the group over to my place so that they could meet my community here. 
They got to meet Channak, and Tony and Paul got to lift weights on Channak's exercise bench. They also met my students who came over earlier to prep the BBQ food and help set up the rooftop area. 

Vidya and 7 chairs in a tuk tuk

They also met one of my G2K teachers, Meng, who came with the purpose of not only to meet the group, but also to take a look at the rooftop area to see if it would be appropriate for a once-a-month worship time for students from G2K and teachers alike. 
And in case you were wondering, he said it was awesome! 

So I will keep you all updated on when we will be holding that worship time. One of the couples from my church was also able to come, Krong and Liep; he is the pastor of missions; planting churches. He had just come from the province and was very tired, but they still came up! 
I had also invited the couple who owned the coffee business in front of G2K, and they were able to connect with Pastor Wade and share their stories. The landlady and her husband came up, but had to go back to be with her Mom, but I am glad they at least came up.

RAC Prayer team

Channak's parents and siblings were also there as we all ate, and then had the opportunity to not only pray over the RAC group Khmer style, but to have the RAC group pray over us all! 

My brothers from RAC are also representatives from the Alliance Men and I had asked my students if we could sing the first song I taught them back in 2011, and one which God gave me when I first started to work at Rescue! Can you guess the name? 
Yes ...10,000 Reasons! 

Praise God:   
One of my students came up to me before the dinner began and said, "Cher (he is the one who calls me Sir!), I hope you do not mind," but one of his friends was feeling very lonely so he invited him to come over to dinner. I said that is why God has given us this place! I am humbled that he felt comfortable enough to invite this student over to God's place. 

Praise God: 
As we sang 10,000 Reasons on the rooftop, I looked up and saw this stranger come up to the rooftop and I wondered, "Who is this man?" He was an expat and the only expats present were those from RAC. Apparently he heard us singing, and was walking about trying to find the 'church', and met one of the students who was coming later to eat with us. So he came up the stairs with the student. He lived across the way from us and works with YWAM and wanted to come and join us! Channak gave him his card and he spoke a bit with the guys from RAC. I see God using this place as His meeting place! 

Valentine's Day: 
As many of you may have already seen the link that Lisa Cheong posted on her FB: https://www.facebook.com/safecitiesforwomencambodia/videos/1848216512123085/
For many Khmer women and girls, Valentine's Day is one where they are more vulnerable to be raped or coerced into doing something with their boyfriends! The government posted warnings, and famous female Khmer personalities produced a short video to say that forcing anyone to do anything against their will was unacceptable! 
Knowing this, I thought of my 'girls' at the salon. They so want to be that special Valentine. So I wondered how I could get them to watch this little video made by these celebrities. I know they would listen to these women, so I went to get my hair done on Valentine's Day. I bought them a cake and I showed them the video! 

Valentines Day at the hair salon

It was a good conversation starter, and I discovered who had a boyfriend, and I was able to ask if the boyfriend treated them with respect (Yes, I conversed in Khmer! ). 
But I thank God that in the morning I was able to say Happy Valentine's to my Jesus, and I am humbled by His unconditional love for me! 
Oh, when I went to the bakery to get the cake, I got a free rose, so I prayed and asked God to whom I should give it. I gave it to the young girl who works at the coffee cart in front of my school, and who is seeking the truth about God. She gave me the biggest hug. It was her first rose she had ever received! 

Finally: 

My Dad and I in Tobago

On the 18th of February, my Dad turns 90! 
I will miss celebrating his 90th birthday in person, but of course, I will call to talk to him. I just want to say that I am grateful to my earthly dad for teaching me grace and discernment; when not to speak, and when to speak! 
My 'Popsicle' as I call him (never 'Dad' but 'Popsicle'!) has a quiet sense of humour, (yeah, I know the quiet part was NOT passed down to me!) and when I am at home, he gets up early in the morning and makes coffee for me, because he knows I have my coffee time with Jesus; even before he makes coffee for himself! 
I love to watch cricket with him (Yes, the game), and love the fact that he would eat anything I cook no matter what it tastes like! 
And yes, believe it or not, we can sit in silence together comfortably without feeling the need to speak! 
Thank you, Popsicle, for your legacy of being a pastor back in Trinidad and Tobago and for being my earthly father! 

SO if anyone of you wants to call my Dad for his birthday since I am not there, please do!

I am hoping he gets 90 calls ! LOL! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya 

#131 - Transitions

Vol. #131

As I sit on the rooftop, the sun is about to rise; the steam from my coffee is also rising, and my heart beats with anticipation to be with my Saviour, to hear what HE will say to me through His Word.

But somehow my fingers accidentally hit the wrong button on my computer and Passion 2017 pops up with Francis Chan sharing a message, and his first 3 minutes brings me to my knees where he reminds us of the wonderful amazing honour we have in meeting with Jesus Christ. As he kneels before God, so do I, as I am humbled by the fact that GOD has made it possible for me to come into His presence, to join with Him in prayer!

Then I look up to see the sunrise, and the clouds parting, and visibility becomes clearer from my rooftop; so it is when I meet with Him, and open His Word, and we read together. Very cool and sweet! 

I get my drumbeat for the day from my time spent with Him, and I am again very grateful to have access, to not only His heart, but to so many resources via the internet to feed my soul!

~~~~~

The transition to part-time study has not been easy.

I had built into my life a schedule for full-time study: go to school in the morning, which suited my learning time; and then study in the afternoon going into the evenings. Now my study time is in the afternoon when I feel sleepy, and then by the time I get home after 4, I have to switch my focus to do homework.

But it is usually so hot you want to take a nap! Full-time studies meant coming straight home and then diving into my work. I loved my mornings when I would get into school, talk with the owners of the coffee cart (yes, in Khmer), and then chat with my other mates. Now the routine and people are different.

My former classmates have already left school by the time I arrive and everyone else is off on lunch break. The receptionist and three teachers told me yesterday, “Bong, (term used to refer to older people) it is so QUIET in the mornings here! We miss your coming in and your singing with Teacher Meng on lunchtimes!” (Yes, Pastor Alan, someone actually misses my singing, LOL!)

~~~~~

BUT, as you all have prayed for me, God has been showing me new things:

 - My helper who comes in three times a week: I get to pray with her and practise some Khmer; I am learning patience because now that I am at home when she is here, I observe that she is not doing things the way I asked her to, so I am teaching her afresh about time management, and just looking and seeing what needs to be done (prioritizing).

- New routine, new friends to be had; new atmosphere to create! I go to the small restaurant right across from school to meet with former classmates so we can still get a chance to connect, plus I am getting to know the Khmer family who owns the home restaurant. For two dollars you get a full meal, and I love it that when I walk there I am greeted with, “Hello Bong Srey!” (Older sister!) The usual patrons also look up and smile their greetings as well! I look forward to see what God will do with these encounters!

- Lesson content: we are studying social problems in Khmer society. So I am learning the Khmer words for drug addiction, prostitution, gambling, domestic violence, human trafficking, discrimination and injustice, and I think how in God's timing He is bringing me back to the reason why He has me here to be part of His plan.

~~~~~~~

I got a chance to ask former students from my last place of work here, Place of Rescue (orphanage) what the main problem was in society from their viewpoint, and how would they fix it if they were political leaders. 

This happened at the half time at recent football game (impromptu invite last week; a very famous player No.11 from the Cambodian team was signed to Japan, so it was his last game!). So for the very handsome price of ONE dollar, I got to go to the game and do my Khmer homework at same time!

~~~~~

I cannot wait to see the RAC team this weekend when they return to the city, and also to meet up with the Ratanak International team who also will be coming in from Canada!

~~~~~

Prayer requests:

- Prison Fellowship still has had no agreement with the government over the issue of a fee to have an escort to go with us to the Correctional Centre and the prison centre. As I had written before, previously they never had to pay this fee, so we are now waiting on the outcome from that.

- Pray that I would speak with more confidence; that my ears would grow accustomed to differentiate the sounds.

- To be able to get a couch/sofa bed for living room here.

~~~~~

Praise God:

- My tuk tuk drivers all want to learn English. My regular one from the neighbourhood goes to class on weekends to learn English, and he pays 10 dollars per hour and a half. So I do pray in English before we go anywhere, BUT this means I cannot practise my Khmer. I told him that my church here gives free English classes in the mornings, but that is when he is working the tuk tuk and at nighttime he is a security guard for a NGO.

- I am a volunteer at the info desk at my church here. I had a meeting last week where the mission/and value statement was laid out and 10 of us shared a bit of our lives. It was all in Khmer and I understood 40 percent! Yes, I am praising HIM for that! I am the only foreigner, but I shared with the leader how I approach my volunteer time: to pray with my co-leaders; and then give up our space at the desk to Him as our church time; for God to give me His eyes to connect with at least one person as I am at the desk for 3 hours or so (you have to be at desk for the entire time even when service is on). So guess what? He asked me to be the leader for the expats at the info desk! I laughed because I am the only expat there! But he wants me to recruit members from church who are expats. The idea is to have one expat at the info desk at each of the 3 services. All of my info co-leaders want to practise their English but I have been bringing in Khmer work. So I have fun doing Khmer and English with them! But I get also to reconnect with former students who are now at New Life (my church) dorm and are doing internship/volunteer work at church!

  

- Thank God for having Channak here at the house; he gets things done with the landlord/landlady: getting invoices done and translated into Khmer. The students can now come over and work out on the rooftop. Pray for relationships with them to grow deeper!

~~~~~

I went to another wedding last weekend. One of the coffee sellers got married here in the city and I was the only student from the school to be invited. Very honoured!

Thank you all for keeping me in the loop with events in your lives! I am always grateful that you let me in and send me pictures and prayer requests!


Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya 

#130 - Oma Speelman

Thank you all for praying about my meeting with Prison Fellowship on 17th. 

I sent a message to confirm my meeting and visit at the Correctional Centre 1 and Prison Location 2 (2 different places). However, when I spoke with Pisey, who is the Human Resources Coordinator, we got the approval to go, but the Prison officials said that Prison Fellowship had to pay for the officer who would go along with us. This had never happened before, so we postponed the meeting until they could talk and clarify that situation. However, as I spoke with Pisey, I said that God is in control and HE allows things to happen in His timing, and we had a blessed conversation on the phone! 
So I will keep you updated on this. 

One of the things all of us who are international workers face is that we miss celebrations of life, birthdays and marriages! 
And today I feel that keenly as I would miss being part of the celebration of life for Oma Speelman! 
Funny I called her Oma as well! 
I met Oma through her daughter Christine, and what I never got to personally thank her for was that she accepted this Trini woman totally, in her home! It was at a time when most people at church would be saying, "I do not understand what you are saying Vidya, could you speak slowly or get a translator (LOL)?"  
So when Christine first suggested that we go to her home, (and it was a home because of Oma, not a house) for dinner (my first asparagus dinner and the beginning of my love for asparagus!), I was a bit apprehensive at first but Oma was there, asking me questions, and treating me as one of her own, giving me my own tray with my cloth napkin. We sat in the living room, on the chairs or on the floor (informal and inviting) and I learnt of her love for reading, for mystery novels. She had a really good curry recipe which she gave to me, but what I really liked was the way she and Chris would talk about the goings on about the day and the process of Christine's floral decorations! 
When I heard of her going home to be with her Lord and Saviour, I got the image of the last time I saw her at the house before she moved into the other home, that image of her standing at the window waving goodbye to us as we drove off! 
Chris said she always did that, but in this picture I had in my mind, she was standing there waving goodbye but with a big smile because she was going into the arms of her Jesus. Bitter sweet! 
Thank you Oma for your acceptance of this 'stranger' into your home, and yes, now you are literally dancing with Jesus! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia,

Your sister, Vidya 

#129 - My new-home-in-progress and a soccer game!

As I sit on the rooftop looking at the sun rise, I am very grateful to Him Who has provided a part of this house that is a home in the making!  

I am grateful that Channak has moved into the upper floor and is the one who does the wiring etc.! 
When I have to ask the landlady to have something fixed, he does the negotiations, which is usually a long conversation starting with, "Oh, we cannot do it"/"Oh, no money to do what you ask" (from the landlady), to a compromise suggestion from Channak to her, and then there is an agreement! 

I have to learn to not speak, or just not be there when there is a negotiation! 
Channak had to go to buy bedding, and asked that I not be present because as a foreigner the price would be raised if I were with him! 
Reality here! 

Prayer: 
The landlady and her family are happy to have Channak here living on the top, but the people who were supposed to move into the lower floor have bowed out (was supposed to be a computer business).
I told her that I would pray to Jesus the Christ for good tenants! 
Can you join me in this prayer so that she and her family can see His hand at work? 

I started school day before yesterday as part-time. This is a new routine for me. Now the relationships are different, because all of my former classmates go in the morning full-time. However, the new students that I met are great, and I just got a message yesterday that the wife of my former classmate Marc will be joining me in this class, and she is relieved to be with me in class! 
But it was fun going in earlier just to reconnect with everyone from former modules, and have them say, "We miss your humour and presence in class! 

Prayer: 
I am meeting with the Director to discuss how my tutor and I will be planning my work studies. Please pray for wisdom on having a plan which would accurately help in my weaker areas of language learning! 

Praise God! Because of my new schedule, I can live stream Solemn Assembly! Yay! Praise God! 

I went to a football (soccer) match finals at my former workplace, Place of Rescue, and yes, it was so much fun to shout and celebrate as they were number 2 in the league! Here are some pics:

I have to run now to get ready to live stream! 
Thank you for live streaming this for us! 
Blessings!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 
Your Sister Vedya

#128 - Moving Day!

Vol. #128 

The signing of the official lease! 

I had to have 3 photos, a copy of my passport and visa, and of course, the lease that I had to not only sign, but also to put my fingerprint! 

I never had to do that when I moved into my former place, but with the head of the village of Sangkat here as witness, it was very formal. But what struck me from the very beginning was the fact that I had to put my fingerprint! 

I am reading from Genesis 1 about His creation story, and I am moved by the fact that again it is how HE designed me; every cell and unique fingerprint is what was needed to put on the lease. 

HE designed and it came into being! 

HE spoke and it was so! 

The past 2 weeks have been a reflection of this. I was asked how I would like the kitchen to be designed and I always had a desire to have hot water in the kitchen, and they put it in for me! 

I wanted to have a mosquito screen door put in for my bedroom and today they will put it in! 

I am also going to ask for a screen door to be put in the living room area as well. 

Thank you for your prayers and waiting with me in anticipation for this new home. Things are still being worked on and probably will be so for the next week or so.

My moving in pictures!

Praise: 
I return to school on the 9th, so I thank God for His timing of this move. I can settle in here and then dive back into school.

Prayer Request: 
The last exam was difficult for me, and I do not really know why because when I look at it now, I wonder why I did not know this. I know that I was sick that day, and felt unsettled since I did not know where I would be moving to but still...! 
So I did well in first part of the exam, but not good in the last 3 parts. I met with Louise, the school director who is amazing, and we decided that for me to benefit the most from this level, that I should go part-time, and have a tutor who would work with Louise on the curriculum-part on my weaker areas, so that I can target those areas specifically. 
This would be for 3 months, and then I would go back full-time into Level 7. 
At first I was discouraged by the results, and then relieved, because I knew I was not at the same level as my future classmates, and that would stress me out if I was in same class with them, knowing that I would be the only one keeping back the pace at which they would be learning. 
BUT or pontae as it is said in Khmer, this is what God has done!

As some of you may have known, the plans were to work with Prison Fellowship Cambodia but I could not volunteer with them because I was full-time at school. The government of Cambodia has stated in their polices that anyone volunteering has to put in a minimum of 2 full days. 
Well, now that I am part-time I can do that! 
So I met with Director Sirivuth on the 28th, and on the 17th of January I will be going with Pisey, the women human resources liaison, to two centres out of the city: the first is Correctional 1 with youth from 16 to 20; the next is a different prison location with older inmates. 
I will be teaching vocational English to Khmer. 

Prayer Request: 
Please pray that on this seeking visit that God would show me which location is where I will be needed by Him; that I would feel His excitement and passion once I step onto the property. 

Thank you all for your continued partnership with prayers, finances and words of encouragement! 
Please continue to send your stories and requests so that I too can have the joy of going to our Father on your behalf! I cannot wait to see what HE will do in 2017! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 
Your Sister Vedya

#127 - Christmas greetings and a new place for a new year!

Vol. #127

As I sit here wrapping tiny Christmas presents for my students, who will be coming over on Christmas Day after church to celebrate His birth, I am playing all of the old Christmas songs and praising Him! 
Why?

Last year at this time I was in the ICU at the hospital, the beginning of a very long month at the hospital! 

Now, here I am stronger and more grateful for Jesus the Christ Who decided to make the longest journey from His kingdom to earth; a journey not only in distance, but oh to a different status! 
From GOD the great I AM to a vulnerable babe and all that includes!

Reflecting on my journey here, from Trinidad and Tobago to Canada and now Cambodia, having to adjust to different cultural cues and now learning a whole new language, I get a tiny sample of what MY GOD did and I am more in AWE and humbled by HIM! 
He chose to undergo all the stages of human life here (He really could have just snapped His fingers and become a grown up man but He went through the stages of being human!) 
So when we pray to Him, we know we are praying to a GOD who understands every emotion we go through! 
What a foundation to begin a relationship!

YES, I FOUND A PLACE! 
Well actually, Channak found it on his ride around the area. Two real estate agents who were also looking were not able to find a place, but came so close each time! 
One of my prayer mentors had specifically prayed that God would design a place for me that was reminiscent of how He had provided for a renovated home for her, and yes, He has gone before and answered your prayers! 
Channak had seen it over a month ago, but the asking price was too much, and the design was a bit strange. Then last week the landlord called him, not once, but 3 times, and said, "Bring the foreigner over and we can discuss changes to the house!" 
Well, when I got there it was just empty rooms, so I asked where the kitchen was. They said they were waiting to see how I wanted it so then they would build it! 
So we talked about the countertop (concrete here and tiled on top) and where the sink would be.

Channak had to go on a retreat, so when I got the call to come back to talk with the owner who is Khmer, I thought, "Well, I will take pics with me and lots of prayer!" 
The builder, who is Khmer and speaks no English, was the one who suggested extra lights in the kitchen! He said, "I think you would need a light to go over the stove, so when you cook at night time it would be better for you."

Then I asked for a water heater to be put in the kitchen. They were puzzled, and asked, "You mean you want a water heater for the bathroom?" (All of the rooms have a tiny bathroom: a toilet and shower head attached to each.) 
But I wanted one in the kitchen so I can have hot water to wash the dishes etc.! 
I will send pics later after I move in.

Signing of lease under mango tree

One picture sticks out in my mind. As I sat under the mango tree with the landlord, signing the downpayment receipt, each of us did it with thumbprint! Channak had the ink ready and had written everything in Khmer and we put our prints on it.

Prayer request: 
Please pray that all of the changes to be done will be done by move-in date at the end of this month. I was told by landlord, "Well just in case not all will be finished when you move in, it will be finished within 2 days of your moving-in date!" I shook my head and said no, because I know 2 days means more like 2 weeks! So I told them that I would pray to Jesus the Christ that it will be all done and they would be surprised! So before leaving, I asked my friend Julia who had come with me if we could pray! So with the landlady there, I bowed and dedicated it all to God.

I was blessed to be invited to one of my Khmer teacher's wedding last weekend! It was such a God-honouring wedding and the best I have been to! Teacher Meng and his beautiful wife Sroh wanted to reflect God's love to their parents, so at the ceremony in the morning, they first bowed down before Meng's parents, and then washed the feet of Meng's father and mother as a symbol of gratitude to the parents for what they sacrificed in raising them up. It is a symbol of honor of how they will continue as a unit to honor and serve their parents in a God-ordained way and they also wanted to show how Christ came to earth to serve! 

Morning ceremony with classmate, Leigha

Then each prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing over both sets of parents! Well, we were all in tears as this was so unexpected, and it was the first time I had seen the bride and groom wash the feet of the parents of both parties!

Evening ceremony with classmates: Formal dress

Evening ceremony with classmate

Evening ceremony with classmates

Then later in evening ceremony, Meng sang a song to his bride. With 53 expats attending the ceremony at night, all of us from G2K school, it was beautiful to see the unity and love amidst all of us! 
Yes, I danced!

I think of all of you with snow falling, reconnecting with your families, and celebrating His birth, and I want to say thank you for continuing to partner with Him and consequently with me as we do His will here in Cambodia! 
Blessed Christmas! 

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, 
Submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 
Your sister, Vidya

#126 - Speaking boldly!

Vol. #126 

This morning we had a guest speaker at church who continued to preach on a series titled "Whole and Bold". 
He spoke on the importance of our words because our God is a speaking God. HE spoke and creation came into being (Genesis 1), and He speaks to us through His Word. 
The importance of speaking words of blessing to each other and to ourselves is based on what God says in His Word. 
He then asked us to think about how our words can block His blessings, not only to ourselves, but also to others as well.

That got me thinking, so I invited 3 of my former students to go out for lunch at Khmer eating place right across from my school. 

DINNER WITH MY STUDENTS (TUK TUK DRIVER AT BACK!)

As we ate and talked, they helped me with my pronunciation of some Khmer words, and I asked each of them to think about a word that someone had spoken to them that was NOT a blessing. 
Then each of us shared one thing; then we used what God said in His Word to cancel out the negative words spoken over each of us. 
For example, someone said to me, "You are old, you will not be able to learn Khmer", so I countered that with, "In Christ I can do all things: in His strength and might"! 
I cannot divulge what each student shared, but I was able to affirm His plan in their lives. 
Then I said, "Now think of the person who said the negative words over you, and ask God to forgive them, and pray a blessing over them". 
When I told the students the words of non-blessing about someone saying I could not learn because I was old, I had to be 'real' so that they would be open to share with me. 

Please do not feel sorry for me because I do know He has me here, and I am so blessed to be part of His plan for my heart country. 
I am older so I know not to allow such words to marinate in my mind but to immediately give it to Him. 
When I spoke to my students they were still feeling the impact of the negative words spoken over them over the past few years! 

Prayer request: 
I specifically chose this eating place because I not only want to give the Khmer family our business, but I also want to be able to ask them, "How can I pray for you today?" 
They know me because most of us at the school, including the teachers, would have at least one meal there (at $2.50 not a bad deal!). Pray for boldness for me please! 

I was very surprised when the visiting pastor made an altar call at the end of the service, and the leader of the prayer team came up to me and asked me to go to the front to pray with the other leaders for anyone who wanted prayer. I told her that I could only pray with confidence in English.
She said that she knew but please, still come! 
I felt unsure but my former students who were standing next to me said, "Cher, you need to go"! 
So I went and prayed with one Khmer girl in English. 

Thank you for sending me your prayer requests and allowing me to be part of your team as we pray together. 
Thank you for your words of blessing! 

I am listening to Jonathan Nelson's I Believe (Island Medley) as I write this so please excuse me as I have to get up to dance and sing the words I Believe!

Love, His Warrior and Disciple, submitting to be His Dance partner here in Cambodia, 

Your sister, Vidya