Guest Post: Update on Life in Malaysia

When my team left our ministry site over a week early, I really wondered what God was thinking.

 

We had been brought to Malaysia to work at a children’s home, and then, in the matter of a few minutes, our ministry was taken away from us. The relationships we had built with these girls were cut short as we packed up our bags and left, probably never to see their precious faces again. I had fallen in love with little Teresa’s sad smile and Dancika’s powerful leadership and Reetha’s quirky personality and Mary’s broken heart and Elaine’s confused spirit and Monika’s loving countenance. We had grown to become a family of 19 girls this month; then it was all destroyed.

 

Through the confusion, hearts were discouraged and changes took place. Josi decided to leave the World Race to head back home. So, with one of our family members gone, Rooted Freedom and the squad leaders, moved into a hostel in the middle of downtown Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur, preparing to start over.

 

It didn’t make sense and it wasn’t fair.

 

We had spent a month pouring our hearts and lives into this ministry. I learned how to teach three beautiful Sri Lankan refugee girls English. I learned about their strengths and weaknesses in school. I learned how to be a teacher and a student in the classroom. Josi had loved her class so fully and learned about her gift in teaching that she never knew she had. Ashley and Jess completed every task given to them in the office; whether they were given computer work or making photo collages for the homes, they did their job to the full. The boys were working out in the heat, digging up soil and planting trees. My team poured themselves into their ministry. It was fun, it was challenging, and it was exhausting.

 

And now, here we are, in Kuala Lumpur. So, even though we’re still questioning God and asking why, I can see Him moving. 

 

We are here for a reason. We have a purpose in Chinatown for this week. The man who owns the hostel watches us and smiles. He has given the squad leaders free food and asked them questions. After praying with my team this morning, he exclaimed, “Bravo! It’s been ten years! Ten years since I’ve seen this!” None of us were quite sure what he meant, but we were happy to shine light in his hostel.

 

I think what I’ve learned most through all of this is that we are always an example. People who are searching for something more are always looking to the people they come in contact with. As Christians, we need to shine that light; we need to be Jesus to them. I still don’t understand everything completely that has taken place in the last few days, but I have decided that rather than to ponder on it and waste my time playing out different scenarios, that I need to trust God through all of it. He is sovereign. He is good. He is in control. This is right where I’m supposed to be.