Sleeping on a train for 11 hours isn't so bad when you are physically exhausted after traveling for 3 days! Riding next to my teammate Alicia on our home stretch to Gua Musang, our mission site for the month, we both were sound asleep just shortly after the train left the station. We woke up to eat some jackfruit and Chex Mix for a little dinner/midnight snack, and later watched the sun rise and the world come to life upon arriving in Gua Musang around six am. We enjoyed the gorgeous scenery as the train rushed by large rock/mountain structures, lots of green, lush rainforest-looking areas and even little stores and homes! Excitement ran through our team as we couldn't believe we were finally on The World Race, about to see the town, meet the people we were going to teach, and live in our new home for the month of September!
Living these past three weeks of my life in Malaysia has been an experience I will never forget.
My team and I have been living in a hostel while serving at KJ Generation, a block from our home. KJG is an English resource center for the locals, who are mostly Malay, Chinese, and Indian. Here we teach English in creative ways to help children and adults have a better vocabulary, spelling and English conversation. I love being here teaching. They absorb everything like a sponge! To the kids I am known as and called teacher (but said like "teecha"). It is a joy to see them learn, understand and seek approval & affirmation! In our classes, we engage them in a vocabulary workbooks, reading books and combining English with games so they will be having fun and learning….Multitasking! 🙂 My favorite game to play with them is one I made up. This is how it works: The children face me and the dry erase board, I start to draw an object and the first person to guess it has to come up and write it, in English on the board. Before long we have a GIANT masterpiece! Listening to them giggle at my artwork and squeal to be the first to answer is music to my ears!
Gua Musang is a beautiful area of Kelantan, Malaysia. The view out our front door is gorgeous! There are giant rock mountain like free standing hills, rainforest and cars that drive on the wrong side of the road! 🙂 The majority of Malaysians are Muslim and Hindu and because of the area we are in, we are NOT allowed to vocally tell others about Jesus. So along with serving at KJ we must be bright lights for Christ. My mom always told me growing up that actions speak louder than words, and in this month of my life, that is something we are always reminded of. *Shout out to you mother dearest!*
YOU KNOW YOU'RE A MISSIONARY WHEN:
your teammate walks into your bedroom and
your teammate walks into your bedroom and
asks, "Who put on perfume? It smells so good in here!" and you crack up laughing and tell them it
was OFF! Good 'ole Malaria keep away spray!
Hugs from the Future!
