I pull vines as he chops them free. Then we drag out a dead tree into a burn pile. “I like your mind,� he says, “it is always happy up there!�
We are serving on a farm this month. Tony, our contact, is a “retiredâ€� pastor – or more accurately, a pastor wearing several hats. A couple of years ago, God led him into “tent makingâ€� as he calls it – having a business as ministry and making a profit to support other ministries. A vegetable farm is his business and the Bangladesh farm laborers are our “ministry.â€�
The men we work with are terrific. Truly, they are incredible men. They work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. This is their choice; they are sending their money home to their families in Bangladesh. 900RM = $20,000 in Bangladesh.
Manik (think Monique but with a “man� instead of “mon�) is our overseer on the field. He is married and has twin girls waiting for him in Bangladesh. Through broken English we’ve pieced together some of his story. He has been here in Malaysia for either two or three years and has another two years before he returns home. All the men on the farm are from Bangladesh and are Muslim.
They are cheerful workers. We sing and laugh continuously. Day 1 Manik gave me my new name: Gin-joy. (I think r’s are difficult to pronounce.) Day 2 Manik told us he was going to miss us. We were shocked that our presence had already made an impact.
Manik and a few of the men can speak decent English but we can’t rely on our words for any solid communication. Please pray for Manik and the men, that they would have a vision from God and know His incredible love for them. He could be the tipping point for the farm, his family and country – bringing hope and changing lives.
Check out a quick video below for a glimpse of our farm work.
Our first two days on the farm we cleared “Malaysian jungle� from a mountainside. Then we started cutting bamboo for posts. Our biggest threats: leeches, mosquitoes, bamboo fibers, and heat. By the end of the workday we have blood spots all over our clothing, evidence of the little life suckers. But we’re seriously having a bloody blast in the bamboo! The mountains are echoing with our laughter.
