Hey friends, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I know it has been awhile but the Wi-Fi situation has been a little difficult, but I’m back! Little update before I get into this blog from last month, I made it to Costa Rica!!!! Yay, I love it here so expect a lot of pictures and more blog from this amazing country!
Looking back at last month is crazy because it felt like it lasted forever at the time but in reality it went by really fast. In the moment it felt like it was never going to come to an end. The days dragged on and on somedays I felt like I was just trying to make it to the end of the day. Just make it to the next day over and over again, day by day. In the end last month flew by, with all the hard days, good days and the in between days.
Something myself and a couple of my teammates were able to look forward to even on the really hard days was something as simple as breakfast. At home I never ate breakfast but in Malaysia it was what kept me well…. sane. I know that sounds a little dramatic or strange but let me tell you about breakfast under the white tent. Every day after our morning devotions I drag my lazy butt out of bed and put on pants that cover my knees. (That I was very over wearing) I would brush my teeth, make a feeble attempt to look decent and make my way down our tile steps to the world that was outside our yellow gate. To the left down the road a little, set up in a parking lot was our beloved breakfast place, the white tent.
When in a small town in the middle of Malaysia it is hard to find many people that speak enough English to communicate anything more than hello, thank you and good bye. For us to find someone who can hold a conversation and build a relationship with was pretty rare. Our first time going to breakfast we were very confused. We didn’t know how to order or what we were supposed to order. Luckily under the white tent works the sweetest girl who is pretty fluent in English and who was willing to help the group of helpless American girls. We went to breakfast under the white tent pretty much every morning and every morning we were greeted with the biggest smile and happy waves from our life saver from that very first morning. Over our month there we were able to build a relationship with her, we all played soccer one night and a couple nights later we all went to dinner and got ice cream. On our very last night in Changloon we went to dinner with our new friend, we laughed and ate curry together. She bought us a cake and invited us back to Malaysia for her wedding next year and when it came time for us to call it a night there were tears shed, leaving her was the only hard part about leaving Malaysia.
What is under the white tent has come to mean a lot to my team, it brought good conversation between our team, yummy food and new friendships. It was a steady thing I could rely on and look forward to on the hard days because no matter what kind of morning I was having I would always end up smiling because of that sweet girl that worked under the white tent.
Our month in Malaysia was really hard but it taught me a lot. I learned to be more patient and to be more gracious with my time and my preferences. I learned that I have a voice and that the things I have to say people want to hear. I learned that I am seen in my strengths and not counted against for my weaknesses. I learned that I am ok being me by myself without any type of title attached. I learned that being myself around my squad was what I needed to feel like I belonged. Most importantly I learned that Gods love is steadfast, everlasting and unwavering.
