Our first day of doing ministry on Langkawi started by just walking along the streets around 11 am. Turns out in Malaysia hardly anything opens until about 3 pm. So we happened to wander into a mall.
As we ran into some friends and talking for a bit I noticed this girl at a counter for tourist attractions—her name is Aina, and was immediately drawn to her. I felt God calling me to Aina…so I walked right up and started a conversation. We ended up chatting for hours about hobbies, God and life. Sometimes the conversation would lull but then we would just stare into each other’s eyes, admiring the other one’s beauty and soul.
Aina is one of those girls with the sweetest eyes you have ever seen and one of the purest of hearts. I knew I was meant to talk with her our first day on the island and now we are friends forever and ever! We watched the sunset together while having dinner on the beach and it was a moment that I will always cherish and hold close to my heart. I told her on the first day we met that I had a dream that I was pregnant and wanted to go to this island near Langkawi called Pregnant Maiden Island and she got me (and Abby and Lauren) dream catchers! So intentional. She LOVES to travel, I am praying one day she will be able to travel across the whole world, to see crazy new adventurous places and people. She really sees so much beauty in others, I have been praying that she sees that in herself. On our last day, we made a last minute trip to the mall to see Aina, say goodbye one last time. We hugged, cried and didn’t want to let go. She gave me a necklace for my birthday that was hers, and told me to never take it off…so now I will always have a piece of her physically with me and in my heart!
Miela is a girl who walks with a lot of confidence and a bold spirit. When she walks into a room you can’t miss her and I think I could hear her sweet laugh from a mile away. She has big brown beautiful full eyes that are warm and loving. We would have dance parties (mainly me just dancing and being silly and the girls laughing at me) and it was so fun to make Miela laugh. We had lunch together on the last day and I prayed over her life and that she would grow in her faith with God. We said goodbye for now and we hugged so tightly because I didn’t want to let her go.
Hani is a strong independent fierce but sweet girl, and I am so glad God has crossed our paths together. When I first met her she said her name is Hani, but her friends called her Hani Bee, or Hani Lemon because she is so sweet. We spent a lot of time at the booth taking selfies, making snapchat videos and laughing. I am praying specifically for Hani, that her boyfriend would really love and appreciate her. When we said goodbye it was one of those moments where I kept looking back and waving, and then we saw her again and yelled ‘goodbye!’ until we were out of sight from one another.
You can join me in praying for each of these girls—for their success in life, that it would not be rooted on money or tangible or earthly things but that they would find happiness and success through God. And if a man comes into their life that would want to be their husband, he would treat her like a queen, appreciate her, and care for her needs as she would care for his. That they would encounter more people who are kind and encouraging to them. I really loved and felt so connected to these girls, and it was totally 100% God.
I know the Lord put me on this island to meet these girls, and it was really amazing to watch that friendship grow. I have realized how I really enjoy mixing and talking with different people, no matter their religion, race or age.
