After four months in the community, our neighbors, whose names translate directly from the Khmer language as Wood and Fresh, invited us for dinner. Wood, the husband, and Fresh, the wife, are a middle-aged couple with three boys. The two younger boys visit us often, asking questions and trying to help where they can. The older boy works in the family business. They manufacture and sell hand-carved wooden furniture.

We just arrived home when Wood signaled us to come over and eat with them. It was an engrossing meal consisting of four different bowls, including one with rice. We have learned that when you invite people over for a meal and do not offer them rice, they will be offended.

We asked about the small bowl that looked like some kind of chilly sauce. Our neighbor called his older boy to translate the name of the dish for us, and he was thrilled to inform us that the dish was a delicacy called frog. Deon immediately knew how to say, “I do not like to eat frog,” in Khmer. Praise God for the gift of tongues at the right moment!

Fresh came over for short visits twice after our frog encounter. She walked in and sat at our table as we were eating some sweet corn. We ate together and had a delightful discussion in a mixture of broken Khmer and English, accompanied by hand signs and our Cambodian version of charades. They are very accepting and greet us every time they see us. We share avocados and bread, and I am looking forward to a deep friendship with them. Please pray that God will give us special moments together. Pray also, that they will meet the Prince of Peace in our home as we present Him to them.

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