I'm Sonya, I promise.

My brother was born first. He was named Christopher Reaves. A legend of a name and not actually inspiration by THE Christopher Reeve but I do think my brother is Superman anyway. When it came time for baby no. 2 the fambam was excited. The high-tech sonogram in Thousand Oaks, Ca said I was going to be a wonderful little baby BOY. My parents picked out the name Jonathan Eli Reaves and the baby shower supplied them with many new baby boy things in preparation for my arrival. With the c-section on April 22, 1983 they got a real big surprise--ME!

My mom says she was ecstatic with the news of a little girl and she had all along been wanting a little girl. She also says that I was a dream come true, something she had always dreamed of having, a little girl. My parents may have talked about girls names, I don't know, but the name I was given is Sonya Faye Reaves. It wasn't by chance that I was given this name either. My name is the Portuguese verb to dream, sonhar. Here's the pronunciation of it in Portuguese. While they lived in Brazil she dreamed of a little girl and boy that one day they would have. When Christopher came along it was the first half of her dream come true and with a little girl the dream was a reality. Hence the Brazilian connection of my name.

I've lived in several countries and the coolest part of my name is that it exists in all the countries languages: French, Spanish, Norwegian, Kiswahili, and now even Cambodian.

I was afraid it might be a hard name to pronounce in Khmer but when I pronounce my name the American way my parents do: (short o sound) Son--ya it comes out sounding like the word promise in Khmer (click there to hear it on google translate)! What a blessing my name is! It helps to create friendships because my name is a familiar sound to them, it's a word they know and understand. Even if it isn't actually helping the locals trust me it is helping me trust that I'm known and in a place God has plans for me in. I was indeed planned for all along, God knew there would be a place for me here in Cambodia, California, Texas and everywhere else I have lived.

I am constantly amazed that God put so many things in place so that I could live and travel abroad doing work for Him. It seems that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. When I introduce myself here I say in Khmer, I am Sonya and I am Cambodian. It knocks down barriers and tosses around laughter instead. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks for being born first Christopher!

Thanks for the great name Mum and Daddy-O!