(Click on the images for a larger view.)

Here’s my Khmer teacher Heng.

Heng is teaching me to read the Khmer language. I think he’s done a great job so far! He works for a Christian NGO which is graciously allowing me to come in throughout the week to study with Heng. He is teaching me out of books which his church uses to teach illiterate Cambodians.

I am also studying from a different course book on my own. This other book focuses on speaking the language. Being able to read does make studying from this book a lot easier.

Not being able to speak the local language is, of course, a huge barrier. I’m praying that as I continue to study, God will help me to remember what I’ve learned, and help me to use it in my day to day life. It is an exciting challenge to learn a new language.

Each Sunday, in our church, we read through a section of the Bible. While we do teach from the Bible each Sunday we also just read from the Bible to hear it, and not to study/teach it. These days we are reading through 1 Samuel. Each week a different person takes a turn at reading in front of everybody (in Khmer of course). My goal is to take a turn at the reading. I don’t want to just read the words, but I also want to know the meaning of the words I read as well.

Here are some photos of Poipet…

Our baby boy arrives in about one month! Please pray for Makara’a health, and the baby’s health too. Please pray that I am not emotionally scarred from watching Makara give birth. (Do I have to be in the room?)