Testimonials: my grandmother, a new business and a dream about a bicycle
I met Pastor Kieu Sophal last month when she brought a young man (Chamrong) from her congregation into Phnom Penh to get his ears checked as part of the hospital access training that Irene has been conducting. My friend Treasa was visiting at the time and we all got to chatting and Pastor Sophal wanted us to come to visit her village.
Sophal graduated from the Bible School in July and is just starting her first appointment. I tease Irene that we make a great visitation pair because all of the ladies love her and ask her for advice and all of the teenagers flock to me. Sophal has a young church and so she was excited to have us visit, emphasizing that I should give a testimonial. Treasa had left by the time we made arrangements, so it was just me and Irene.
Giving testimonials in not a big part of my tradition, in fact I’m not sure I have ever done it before, so I only have a vague sense of what was being requested. The scripture lesson for the day was from Proverbs about learning wisdom from our parents. (Proverbs is the most popular book of the Bible in Cambodia by my experience.) In the end I told a story about doing bible study with my grandma and some wisdom I learned from her that has been an encouragement to me. I think it was a hit with the old ladies.
Chamrong (the young man I met with Pastor Sophal at the hospital) did most of the translation for me. I got to hear other testimonials too, like one about starting a new business. Another young man went on and on with his testimonial and the translator was just quiet. I was listening hard trying to follow, and was excited because I thought there was a bit where he was talking about riding a bicycle. I was very pleased with my understanding. But, in the end it was a story about a dream, and Chamrong said he didn’t even follow it well enough to translate more than that. So much for my comprehension.
Sophal graduated from the Bible School in July and is just starting her first appointment. I tease Irene that we make a great visitation pair because all of the ladies love her and ask her for advice and all of the teenagers flock to me. Sophal has a young church and so she was excited to have us visit, emphasizing that I should give a testimonial. Treasa had left by the time we made arrangements, so it was just me and Irene.
Giving testimonials in not a big part of my tradition, in fact I’m not sure I have ever done it before, so I only have a vague sense of what was being requested. The scripture lesson for the day was from Proverbs about learning wisdom from our parents. (Proverbs is the most popular book of the Bible in Cambodia by my experience.) In the end I told a story about doing bible study with my grandma and some wisdom I learned from her that has been an encouragement to me. I think it was a hit with the old ladies.
Chamrong (the young man I met with Pastor Sophal at the hospital) did most of the translation for me. I got to hear other testimonials too, like one about starting a new business. Another young man went on and on with his testimonial and the translator was just quiet. I was listening hard trying to follow, and was excited because I thought there was a bit where he was talking about riding a bicycle. I was very pleased with my understanding. But, in the end it was a story about a dream, and Chamrong said he didn’t even follow it well enough to translate more than that. So much for my comprehension.
Comments
Greetins from Mill Valley. I, too, have learned much from your grandmother. It is so wonderful she is a part of our lives.
Linda Nelson