My heart is torn. We only have 1 full day left in Penang and I can’t come close to imagining leaving this amazing place. Most of our goodbyes have been said and many many tears have been shed. Before coming to Malaysia the only home that I knew of was in New Mexico. In a very very short 3 months Penang Malaysia has become my home and the people here my family. It’s not something I can fully describe to you in words. It has to be something that you experience for yourself and I hope you do some day.
There are many reasons as to why I have fallen head over heals for Penang and there are even more reasons as to why my heart aches at the thought of leaving. These are also reasons why you should come visit Penang, Malaysia!
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Community
The people that me and my team have encountered are fantastic! I have never felt so loved by people that I have only known for 3 months.
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The Church – we have attended a newer, young generational, unique, cool and hipster local church here. This church right away welcomed us into their family, inviting us to dinner, to parties, to speak to their congregation, and they prayed over us today as we prepare to leave Malaysia. They do outreach to the people here, wanting to share all of Jesus Christ with them. They’re always so interested and are great listeners. They have loved my team the exact way that Jesus has. They have inspired and challenged me to take this back home to apply to my life and relationships. Thank you to everyone who took the time to pore into my team. It did not go unnoticed and I appreciate it so much!!
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PenHOP – as I described above, PenHOP is just as incredible! this has been one of our regular ministries but it turned out to be so much more. The people at PenHOP are so passionate about our Lord. They strive to see revival in Malaysia and around the world. They set an atmosphere of praise and worship and are the greatest examples I’ve seen of how to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I can’t fully explain PenHOP because it is just far too remarkable. I can say that God is doing some awe-inspiring things through them and he smiles down on them, joyful because of all they do for him. I have such a huge place in my heart for PenHOP and the people who attend it.
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Individuals – along with the bigger communities, there have been many individual people who have reached out to us, people we met at church, PenHOP and through other ministries. People who have genuinely wanted to spend time with us, taking us to lunch/dinner/supper/coffee, night markets, malls, hikes, the beach, laser tag, inviting us to game nights, slumber parties, and drives around town. I have met some of the most wise and knowledgeable people who love with their whole heart and live a life fully devoted to Christ. They have been so encouraging and inspiring to me.
2. Art, Coffee, Culture and Food
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With all of the Street art, Cute stores and Museums make Penang a very beautiful, fun, adventurous and unique place to be.
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Every single coffee shop is amazing but there can only be one favorite: Mugshot. Since arriving to Penang we chose this coffee shop, making our goal to become their “regulars”. We have been able to build relationships with the workers and have become some of their biggest fans.
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The food here is the best! I’m going to miss it so much! Penang is the street food capital of the world. It’s cheap and delicious. I have 2 favorite food stalls and a few different of my personal restaurants.
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Won Ton Mei – The owners are only the cutest older couple ever! They make the best noodles in town and just the other day the old man finally talked to me! He said “bye”!!! This is a huge break through. I’m so proud of him.
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Char Koy Teow – the first week of living here this guy, in his broken English asked me my name and what we were doing here. Since then he has yet to forget my name and always asks about the school and students I’m teaching. What a great guy with a great talent for cooking.
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Kapitan (Indian food restaurant) – fried rice (no spice, no fish-balls or fish cakes) or cheese naan. Our friend King rowsh will always make it perfectly. Today he told me that I looked like a beautiful princess. He’s the best!
3. A few more personal favorites, fun memories and highlights about my time in Penang:
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Bus Rides, The Airport, Blueberry Cream’o Tarts, Cold Showers, Chinese New Year, Alone time, White Coffee, Banana Roti, Tesco and Cold Storage, Mall adventures, #MafaandKiddy, Taxi Drivers, Monkeys, Liqued Nitrogen popcorn and coconut ice cream, PenHOP 7th year ANNIVERSARY!!, Christmas and New Years, team dance parties, bean-bag chair Star Wars premier, Worship on the roof-top, Laser Tag, Midnight ice cream and beach hangs, fire works at 3am, Teaching English, beautiful sunrises, Henna, Lets Dance, many many many laughs, hospital visits and adventures, Chess, letters and postcards, laundromat visits, ministry, rain, and of course my team.
Along with all of the good memories, Malaysia brought a lot of struggles, trials, uncomfortability, and hardships. God tested my patience in many ways and taught me about giving and receiving grace. I got a really bad allergic reaction on my face and God used that to continue to show me my worth and his love for me, helping to view myself through His eyes. I went through spiritual attacks where I had a hard time praying and focusing for days. I went through sicknesses, hurt feelings, homesickness, loneliness, and many other emotions. All of this happened for a reason and I have been able to see God’s goodness, Grace, love and mercy through it all and have been able to grow in Him.
Malaysia brought a lot of ups and downs, tests and trials and good days and hard days. This was a season of growth, of praising God, of fasting, of tests and of trusting God. This small blog isn’t able to do my experience in Malaysia justice. Like I said, It has to be something that you experience for yourself and I hope you do some day.
This is an end to my time in Malaysia. I’m leaving a huge chunk of my heart here, but I know that I’ll be back real real soon.
On another note, we only have 3 months left (91 days…) and we are about to go to Africa for our parent vision trip!
Africa, watch out! Gap C is coming for you!!
