Month 9 of The World Race brought me to a little island in Malaysia, called Penang. I knew from the start that I'd love this place filled with fun old buildings, relaxing beaches, cheap movie theaters, and delicious street food. What really made me fall in love with Penang was the people. Through our different ministries, we got to meet some amazing people.
We spent some of our time volunteering at a hospital, raising money and awareness for children needing heart surgery. The highlight for sure was getting to wear name badges and snazzy vests! We also had an amazing time helping out at a sports carnival for the blind. On Wednesday nights we went into the streets to hang out with the homeless, prostitutes, and anyone else we ran into along the way. My favorite ministry this month though was at a drop-in center called Kawan, which means "friends" in Malay. At this center, the homeless are able to come and have breakfast and lunch, shower and wash clothes, and take a nap somewhere other than a street sidewalk. The center also leads a Bible study for anyone who wants to join. This was a sweet ministry for me because I had the opportunity to work back in the kitchen, helping to prepare the meals and then serving them. It gave me a little taste for what I want to do when I get home.
Once I return to the states I will be going to culinary school. I have always had a passion for cooking. Food is how I love people. I'm happy when I'm in the kitchen pouring into a delicious meal that I can offer as a gift to someone else. It was back in India on a 42 hour train ride that God gave me a vision to love "the least of these" through food. And so I hope to someday open a restaurant that does exactly that. I want to be able to offer up filet mignon to a homeless person whose last meal was dug out of a dumpster.
And so this has been a sweet and fulfilling opportunity to use my love for cooking to help feed the homeless here in Malaysia. It has been so much fun just being in a kitchen chopping garlic. My first day in the kitchen, I learned how to make chicken feet. The cook told me that if you cook the chicken feet REALLY slowly in a broth, it comes out tender and delicious. I did have a taste of it and while it wasn't all that bad, I think I'll stick to a leg or a thigh over a foot 🙂
This month went by way too quickly for me. I wish I could have spent just a little more time in Penang. I'm thankful for the time that I did get to spend there. I felt more and more blessed with each new person that I met.
