After 38 hours of traveling and two trains, M Squad made it to Padang Besar, Malaysia on December 1st. That same day my team took two taxis to Cheglun, Kedar Malaysia which was a 45 minute drive. I have to say that it was extremely weird to be back in an actual car that went the fastest I’ve gone since leaving the States (about 60 mph).
Where we are staying is very nice. My team is staying in the school building and, once school is over, have the entire place to ourselves. It is a two story house and very homey. We all share a room upstairs and get to use the main floor for team time and just relaxation on our off time.
Our ministry host family is incredible! This is the first time we have had an actual family host us and so being able to not only pour into them, but have them pour into us as well has been very encouraging. It is also nice to have a family to celebrate Christmas with. Pastor Thomas and his wife Shamna are Indian-Malays who moved to Cheglun about 5 years ago to start this ministry. They have three wonderful children: Zach (14), Misha (12), and Felisha (7). Already it has been a huge blessing to be able to build relationships with each of them.
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Ministry this month is very busy! Sunday through Thursday mornings from 8 to 12, we help teach English to about 15 children ranging in age between 2 years old and 9 years old. These children are so precious and cute and all of them are international children of students at the University.
This month we will also be helping to set up and prepare for a children’s program that will be held on December 17th. This program will be run by another ministry team from Panang, but we have the blessing and opportunity to come along side them. We will also get to go door to door caroling where we will sing songs in English, Tmil and Malay. With caroling we will have the opportunity to share the Gospel with people we otherwise wouldn’t be able to. We also will be doing a Christmas event at the local mall on the 23rd. Amongst singing songs and doing narrations, we will also be performing the Life House skit (if you haven’t seen it or heard of it, please go Youtube it), and Rebekah will be teaching the children a dance to perform. On the 24th is their Christmas Eve program at their church and there again, my team will perform the Life House skit.
As you can see, we have a busy month ahead of us. So far it has been not only busy, but uplifting, encouraging and fun. Amongst practicing for these upcoming events and preparing for classes each day, we are also getting to go to their church every Thursday night. But what has been a huge blessing, especially to myself, is the session Pastor Thomas does for us on Tuesday nights. This session is just for my team and during the session he takes the opportunity to pour into us spiritually and help us grow.
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My days look a bit different than my teammates days. Every morning from 8-10 I help with teaching English to the children at the kindergarten, but at 10 I leave to go to the church. Here I have the opportunity to teach Zach and Misha piano, and Misha and Felisha the violin. This has already been such a fun experience, but it has also been a growing one. I never thought I’d ever be a piano teacher, and definitely not a violin teacher, but here I am! These children are so musically inclined and are picking up what I am teaching so quickly. They also are a fun group to teach.
Amongst teaching music to them, I am also being pushed in my musical abilities in playing piano for worship on Tuesday nights and may potentially be playing the piano for the mall event as well.
Something I haven’t shared with many people is my musical ability. I love playing piano and in my last years taking lessons, I started learning how to write my own music and all of the theory and technicalities that come with it. But last month my squad decided to do a talent show at the end of the month. This talent show wasn’t a typical church or social talent show, it was to be Spirit led – meaning that what we share should be personal and a vulnerable moment.
Well, my vulnerable moment was working alongside my squad mate Hannah to write a song about spiritual warfare. At the talent show, we sang the chorus and the bridge because we haven’t settled on a melody for the verses as of yet.
I’m sharing this because both last month and this month God has been using music to grow me and I am thankful for that. I am thankful to be able to awaken an old love for music and to also gain a new love for it as well.
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Prayer Requests:
- Please be praying for Pastor Thomas and his family. That God would bless them not only in their ministry, but during this season as well. Pray that we will be able to pour into them well and be an encouragement to them.
- Please be praying for all of the events that we will be doing this month. Pray for focus and for strength for my team, but also please pray that what is said will not fall on deaf ears.
- Please be praying for my team to continue growing and learning. To seek God’s will and be able to discern it well.
Till Next Time,
Kara Faber
