Hello people. I have just landed in Kuala Lumpur for a weekend debrief before traveling to… INDIA! This month in Malaysia, I have been staying and serving in Georgetown, Penang. I apologize for not posting much since being here. This has been a weird month, to say the least.
Penang is an island off the coast of West Malaysia. It is a cultural hub. A mix of native Malays, South Indian migrants, and Chinese settlers set in a British colonial atmosphere. This mix creates a beautiful diversity and a great opportunity to meet many people. I was excited to live by the beach again. It is advised that people do not swim, due to deadly jellyfish. I may have taken a dip anyways… but only once. I live right by the ocean and frequently visit the fruit stall down the alley and take my mango by the rocks to sit and watch the boats go by. I had the opportunity to lead a group hike in Penang National Park where we camped overnight on a bioluminecent beach and got to watch baby turtles being released into the sea. The beach was so secluded, apart from evil monkeys, and God provided such an abundantly beautiful weekend. The ocean reminds me of God’s vastness and reminds me that there is so much left to discover about his character. I am closer to the equator here, but the breeze is nice and keeps me cool. We can see the shoreline from the prayer room where we do most of our ministry.
The food here is yummy, but to be honest, nothing beats Thai food. Truthfully, the transition from Thailand was more difficult than I expected. I felt at home in Chiang Mai and I was in love with the Thai culture. I am at peace with this loss because it is only temporary. God has confirmed I will return to Thailand again, so I am giving thanks to him for the time I spent there. The first week or two of Malaysia, I was internally sad and even a bit angry about the change. I was not appreciative of ministry or the culture.
Ministry here is definitely unconventional. Prayer and intercession makes up a majority of our time. To say it respectfully, this has been challenging. My view of ministry was so limited to seeking the physical fruit of my labor, rather than its spiritual impact. God has been teaching me to rest and has been opening my eyes for people groups all over the world through prayer. We often sit in the prayer room for extended hours. Lots of ministry is self created and relationship built. Like I said, this was tough for me. I felt useless and guilty for not doing “enough”. It was only through God that I realized that the work a laborer does is just as powerful for the kingdom as an interceder. This month, I got to dive into what intercession looks like and have come to understand that God does not call us to uniformity. Some followers of Christ are preachers and some are artists or missionaries or an infinite number of any other calling. Being a prayer warrior deserves a place in God’s workforce.
The hours in the prayer room became less painful and I started to realize that silence and solitude are so important in order to hear God’s voice. You cannot have a dialogue if all you ever do is talk and forget to listen. Soaking in God’s word and worship for longer periods of time takes attentiveness. This month, when I gave God space to speak to me, He revealed so much to me relating to his goodness and forgiveness. I would call it a breakthrough. Once I was giving my all to God and this new idea of ministry, my perspective on Malaysia shifted so drastically. Thankfully, I started to enjoy the culture more and wanted to serve all the time. I experienced the kindness of families and the generosity of friends.
My mind was so expanded by the friendships I made here. I saw true agape love and my heart was softened toward so many people groups. It got so good that saying goodbye has been so hard. I tried to spend some intentional time with each of the friends I have made, but it never feels like enough. I have to remind myself to be content planting seeds that I may never see develop into growth. I am so thankful for Malaysia and the way it has forced me to humble myself and ask how Jesus would see this nation.
It is already December and I have two days left before India. One third of my race is already completed! That is too crazy; time is flying by! I am approaching my final fundraising deadline shortly and I would love to ask for bold prayers to be fully funded by the end of this month. If you feel led to donate financially you can do so through this site. I am so honored to have the opportunity to serve the nations and it is so encouraging that there are so many people who have loved me through this process. I love you all!
See you in India!!
