Saving hearts

Malaysia has been one of the most interesting and divers places that I have visited so far. It’s a melting pot for this side of the world. Three different cultures/people groups all stuffed into one little place (an island in my case)…here you can find Chinese, Indians, Nepalese, and Malay cultures. Not only is that three ethnicities but also three different culture norms and religions.

Near where we live you can walk down the street and within a few blocks you can find a mosque, a Hindu temple, an ancient Chinese temple, and if you’re lucky even a Christian church. The sights, sounds, and smells all trying to grab your attention at once. Let’s just say it has been one crazy adventure so far, and it has been amazing.

My team and Zach’s team are staying at the YWAM base, which is right across the street from little India. That has been a real treat…especially since I’ve never had Indian food before this trip haha.

So lets talk about ministry and what it has looked like so far this month…

First we went to the Adventist hospital and have been helping them fundraise for their heart fund. They have over three thousand Malay people on their waiting list to have a surgery. We set our goal to raise at RM25,001 because the minimum cost of a heart surgery at the hospital is RM25,000. We have reached over the halfway mark and are pressing on towards the final goal. One of the best parts about this fundraising is that I get to practice the guitar and help save a kids life all at the same time haha.

But for real. It has been cool being able to make a difference in someone’s life even if we never get to meet that person.

There are a few other places that we have been blessed to serve while here in Pulua Pinang . The Kawan center/shop and St. Nicholas’s School for the blind.

At St. Nicholas we have been helping do some office work and one special day we got to spend a few hours with the kids that go there. We exercised with them, did practical life skills exercises, and had music time together. It’s crazy how much joy these kids have. I can think of tons of people I’ve met alog the way that didn’t carry half as much joy as these disabled and visually handicapped kids. It really me got to thinking about whether or not I was actually counting my blessing s and being joyful in each day or was I sweating the little things too much? Being joyful in all things is something that I have been praying about lately. I feel like I am growing in that area, but that was a good wake-up call from God.

At the Kawan center it was a whole other ministry project, working with the homeless and needy in the area. The center provides breakfast and lunch to about 100 people a week. Besides providing meals for the people they also provide them with a place to shower and nap in a safe environment. It is actually illegal to be homeless here, go figure. The deal is that there are plently of place around the island where they can sleep and get food. It was a good experience to meet these poepleand again see how richly I am blessed. I mean come on now I am traveling the world sharing God’s love with a full belly and a few extra pounds to spare.

 

---

Shew. It’s so hard to believe that I am halfway through this incredible journey. We had a time the other night to reflect on where we started from to where we are now, and whether or not we are satisfied with how we’ve grown or if we need to work harder to reach our hearts desires. Well I’m still stewing on those thoughts but from what I’ve processed so far I know there is a lot more growing that needs to be done. But if there is one thing that I’ve learned on this trip is that it is all done in God’s timing. I’m going to have to take it to God and be patient for His answer and the timing. Please pray with me as I seek more growth from God that within this new year of life that I will chase after God like I have never done before.