Malaysia in a Nutshell

Following is a glimpse of some of my favorite moments in Malaysia! 

Homeschooling Joash(5), Azamat(6), Kenrick(11) & Judith(12) was a joy and such a blessing! I felt in my element when I got to be their teacher. I was also homeschooled, 1st grade through 12th, by the one and only Kari Eichstadt, also known as my mom. Teaching these kids to add and subtract, multiply and divide, write, spell, science, math, geography, Christian character building and a little P.E. was a great experience! I mainly worked with Azamat and Joash- for those who work with little boys, there is always loads of energy to be had! We had many laughs throughout the month, learning from one another and enjoying our Malaysia experience! 
 

SPELUNKING!!!!! Gua Musang means fox caves, which is a glorious thing because we got to go explore these caves on our day off! We woke up at 6 am and started our trek into a village just over the railroad tracks and explored until we found what we assumed to be the trailhead of our hike! Being our own guides was one of the best parts of this trip for me. We took our time, went at our own pace, and wandered about until 2 in the afternoon. Enjoying the nooks and crannies of the caves that the Lord has made was so amazing! I'm in awe of His creation! 

Squatty potties are the norm in Malaysia. Some restrooms may have European toilets also, but let's just say I preferred the squatty right off the bat… Shocker, I know… When we arrived in Gua Musang we all were in desperate need of restrooms, little did we know it would cost RM$0.30 (USD$0.10) to use the bathroom. So yes, now I can officially say that I have paid money to pee! :p

I am white. I am blonde. I wear pants. I am an American. I get honked at. I get stared at. I get waved at. I smile at the woman in the grocery store who stares at me. A smile soon creeps across her face as she realizes I too am like her. The color of my skin or the clothes I wear doesn't matter. I think smiles are a universal hello! 

We were provided with an opportunity to go to an indigenous families home, pray over them, see their home and lifestyle and meet their family! 

(My Team, Joyful Feet – Left to right Alicia, Kaleena, Libby, Tim, Tyler, Raven, Ryan and our ministry host Kumar)    

    On the side of the KJ Generation, we left our mark on Malaysia. As a team we worked together to paint a mural for the community to see. We painted at any and all hours, when we weren't teaching English that is. In the heat of the day, at 6 am or with our head lamps after the sun went down. It was a blessing to serve in a such a way that I wouldn't have expected, while also a neat picture for all to see who ride, walk and moped on by.

   My family and I have a little joke and say, "It's all about the food!" Well family it's all about PB&J this month! along with donuts from the bakery! We had no way to cook food this month so peanut butter and jelly was a daily staple in my diet. For dinner we liked to go down the street to a little Malay restaurant and try new foods. The soon to be favorite was Nasi Pattaya. Try it at home, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3… Mix rice with corn, peas and any other veggie you would like to add. Throw in some chicken, squid, prawns (shrimp) and bones. Top it with a fried egg and find a red sauce to drizzle on top! BAM! That's NASI PATTAYA!!! Enjoy!! 

    Never did I think I would be using my ability to play tennis on The World Race to teach others. I was blessed with the opportunity to teach Kendrick and Judith, two of the kids we homeschool, how to play tennis! God is so thoughtful, he seeks to bless us abundantly with the desires of our heart!

     There is a first time for everything!
I have always wanted to go golfing, so why not go for the
1st time in Malaysia!!! I learned how to swing at the driving range with Kumar
(our ministry host), his son Kenrick, and my fellow squad mate Tyler Hunt! FORE!!!!!!!!

I was honked at 46 times a day…. :-)…. not necessarily a highlight just a random side note….