Those of you who receive our updates know that our main prayer request for last month was for the Lord to provide a part-time helper for our family. Let me share with you how the Lord has answered our request. We found a lady who was interested in being our helper. But the night before she was to start, I received a call saying that she would not be coming because he husband did not want her working for Christians. However that same evening the Lord provided two leads on other ladies looking for work. I figured it would be another week before we had a helper.

That next Tuesday morning my tutor brought her older sister to meet us. We were not expecting the visit but we agreed on a two-week trial starting the next day. Yayyi, “grandmother” (as we now call her) said she was too lazy to go home and wanted to stay and work: “nevermind about the money.” I was so flustered! I was about to start my 2-hour language class and was not prepared to have someone helping that morning. The first few days were hard for me. It was difficult for me to watch someone else clean my house. I kept wanting to get up and help.

Yayyi is the answer to our/your prayers for a helper for us. She’s a Christian lady who is in her 50’s. This is perfect for Josh, since it’s not awkward for her to be cleaning upstairs while he’s studying or for her to spend time correcting his pronunciation. (She likes to make sure we pronounce things correctly.)

Our helper is an excellent worker. She comes to our home 8-12 Monday -Friday. Actually she usually shows up around 7:30 or before. Her 17-year-old son goes to school near our home and she always rides with him. Yayyi is also a very good cook. She’s careful about washing all the vegetables from the market – always soaks them in salt water. She really wants  to know what we like and what we don’t like. She made it very clear that she doesn’t want us to pretend to like her food just to be polite!

Yayyi only speaks a little English so the added Khmer exposure has been good for all of us. I’ve had some very interesting conversations with her…with her little English and my little Khmer. Once she wanted to know why I don’t wear pink lipstick. I don’t have the skills or vocabulary to say, “it’s too hot to wear lipstick at home and I don’t even like how pink lipstick looks.” So instead I said literally “I don’t like pink lipstick. My husband doesn’t like pink lipstick.” Oh and I didn’t know how to say pink lipstick so I just used hand motions.  I’m looking forward to the day my language skills are at a point for me to have real conversations with Yayyi.

Yayyi is also very persistent in speaking Khmer to our kids and having them repeat words. We are grateful for the language exposure for our kids.

We thank God for sending Yayyi to us and pray she can be with our family during our two years in Phnom Phen. Thank you for praying with us.