Ok, so here’s the situation. I was really bad at blogging while in Malaysia (AKA – I didn’t blog at all). There are so many stories that I want to tell you, but I’m really struggling to get them down on paper. And, I don’t want to get even more behind… so, I’m just going to skip ahead to the present, and I will try my best (but no guarantees) to go back at some point and tell you a little bit more about Malaysia.
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Update: We have made it to our ministry site in Thailand! We are just outside Hat Yai, which is in the South – just above Malaysia. We have an incredible ministry host. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. For the majority of the month, we will be helping to teach English. Classes do not start until this coming Tuesday though, so for the first couple of days we had other projects.
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On one of the first days we were here, we went to meet up with a group from Thailand Campus Crusade for Christ. There is a large university very close to where we are staying, and throughout the month we will be helping them with random evangelism in the afternoons after teaching. The purpose of this first meeting was to get to know the group and follow them for the afternoon to have a better understanding of what we will be doing. I was under the impression that that meant that we would just be watching. I was very wrong.
I was paired up with two women, one who is on staff and one who is in her second year of interning with the organization. They explained to me a little bit more about random evangelism and what that means to them. Pretty much, they walk around campus looking for people to talk with, hopefully introducing them to the Gospel and inviting them to small groups, church, etc. As soon as we sat down with the first girl, I was told to share my testimony. If you know me at all, you know that I am extremely shy and don’t like to be put on the spot. If I had the opportunity to chat with you at all about this trip, you also know that one of the things I wanted to grow in this year was my confidence in being able to share my faith with others. Well, God was giving me the opportunity.
I was definitely waaaayyy out of my comfort zone. And after our first conversation, I knew I had a lot to grow in. As the day went on, though, I became more and more comfortable. We shared the Gospel with some people who had never heard it before. I was able to tell people that God loves them, so much so that He sent His son to die on the cross for them. I made new friends, some of whom I am now friends with on Facebook so we will be able to stay in touch. It was a really, really good day.
God knows me so well that He knew just how much to push me to help me to grow, rather than shut down. God taught me the impact that simply sharing our story can have on other people’s lives. God showed me that He can help break down language barriers. God showed me once again, just how much He loves me – and He showed me that through a situation that pushed me out of my comfort zone. So, don’t be afraid to step out of what you know. Don’t be afraid to push past what you think you are capable of. God is there to support you along the way.
I can now genuinely say that I am excited for the opportunities I have to continue growing in this area throughout the rest of the month. I’m excited for the relationships I will be able to build and the testimony that I am able to share. Yes, if I think too much about it I still get nervous. But, God has showed me that I won’t be alone, and sharing His story is what is most important. Thank you all so much for the continued prayers as I make my way through this crazy adventure called the World Race.
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P.S. Today or tomorrow marks the half way point! Can you believe that???? I sure can’t!
