Monday.
Someone hit the “fast-forward” button on life.
When we arrived in Kuala Lumpur on the 11th, our first debriefing gave us a taste of the mixture/mosaic/melting pot that makes up Malaysian culture. Malays, Chinese, and Indians mingle, yet maintain their unique customs, foods, and manners.
In Ipoh, several more cultures are added to the mix. Our ministry is varied, constant, busy, and scattered–I feel like one of those cartoon clowns juggling a dozen plates at once.
Leading worship for a youth group.
Sharing our testimonies at a few different churches.
Playing ultimate frisbee & soccer with an amazing sports ministry.
Cleaning and painting the ministry’s base house where we live.
Teaching English to three different groups, all different ages and nationalities.
In the Philippines, my language journal was simple. (Tagalog. Lots of Tagalog.) If I wanted to effectively communicate with each of the groups we have met here in the city of Ipoh, I’d have to learn 6 new languages. It’s hard to organize my thoughts into a narrative; aside from the sheer diversity of the people we’ve met and what we’ve been doing, the most significant things that I’ve learned are at the core of what can’t be published here.
We’re here as Ms, but we can’t talk about the m. If we make friends with a M or a M, it’s illegal to say certain things, especially about the M people. Malaysia, you make my mental capacity seem minimal.
Yet once again, God has me in a place that is making sense of things I didn’t understand before. For my New Hope family: remember the couple who came this summer and shared stories with us over pizza after church? Most of my new friends are from the place where they work. When I heard those stories 4 months ago, I didn’t know why it intrigued me so much. But I wanted to learn. Now that I’m here, I see how God was preparing my heart. Their church service Sunday night humbled me so deeply.
These people live in a fear I have never known. Their worries are heavier than anything I’ve ever carried. What can they possibly learn from me? But I was asked to share my story. I didn’t have anything to say.
Do you know how seldom I have nothing to say?
So I told them what I just told you: months ago, God brought their country to my attention, and I had no idea why. Now, I’m here with them, sharing life. And at least on a logistical level, I know what they face. I hoped, with that small connection, that they would feel that God sees them, that He loves them… that maybe he pulled me out of my beautiful Kansas just to tell them so.
Maybe.
-Katie
