We have made it to Malaysia!!
For our ministry here we have partnered with a local church.
The culture here is into the night life. They stay up late and sleep late. So in the mornings we either do prayer and intercession or go and hang out/teach at a school for special needs kids.
Intercession-
Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country and it is against the law to directly evangelize. So prayer is a big part of how we bring the Lord into this country and it has also been a cool way to grow our faith and learn to place the salvation of these people in the Lords hands. I want to ask you all at home to be in prayer for this nation too. Pray that their hearts would be softened to who the Lord is and that his presence would be made very evident to them.
Special needs school-
The special needs school has also been a really cool opportunity to be able to love on these people. When we first get there we usually do an activity all together, such as sports, dancing, or gardening. Then we are each placed into a classroom to teach the students. Most of them are non verbal and not very interactive so a lot of the teaching is through singing songs and doing motions, coloring with them, drawing things on the board, and teaching simple math.
House Church-
Then in the late evenings we have several things we are involved in.
We have gone on several house visits. During these times we get to share encouraging words with the families, build relationships with them, and pray over them and their homes. Most people that we have visited are sick or have family members that are sick, so it has been a really cool opportunity to pray over them.
The people here are so kind and generous. Every home we go into, we are offered all kinds of food and drink.
These have been my favorite times, just getting to have a look into the lives of the people, hanging out with them, laughing with them, sharing what God is doing in each of our lives, hearing their wisdom. It has been so sweet. These people really have captured my heart.
Church Services-
We have also been able to be apart of their church services.
The first night we went to the church I got to share a message with the congregation. I got to share a bit of what the Lord taught me in thailand about self love. It was a really humbling experience and opportunity to step out into the boldness that God has been showing me how to live out. Several of us have got the opportunity to do that, plus lead worship and pray over their offering and congregation.
Their services are beautiful. They always start by welcoming us and then the young ladies perform dances with tambourines during worship, then a message, and fellowship.
Pastor Thomas and his family-
We work very closely with the pastor and his wife. Their hearts for this community are so inspiring and they have already taught me so much.
Here are some things I have learned from him and his family so far:
Since it is illegal to directly evangelize, they have learned a lot about the value of building relationships with others and sharing God through how they love people.
Pastor Thomas is less friends with other pastors in the community and focuses more on being friends with monks, Muslims, gangsters, etc.
Something he is passionate about is going out at night and building relationships with the young “gangsters”, as he calls them. He loves just hanging out with them, getting to know them, and being their friend. It’s honestly so beautiful. He reflects Jesus so well in this way. Christ didn’t come down to this earth to sit with the Priests or the Christians. He came to build relationships with the sinners and to show them that he loves them. That’s something that he calls us to do too.
One night at one of the house churches me and some of my teammates had the opportunity to go over to the neighbors house, who were Hindhu, and talk to them. One of the daughters had a fever so I got to pray over her. It was really cool to see the Lord moving in that. Afterwards, we sat and talked to Castura, the pastors wife, and she explained to us just how important it is to build relationships with people and show them that we love them.
I teared up just because of how present God was even just within the wisdom she shared with us.
God is love. So when we simply love others we are sharing God with them. What a simple yet beautiful concept.
We are staying with the pastors mom, Prayma. She is such a god fearing, generous woman. I have been blessed to get to help her cook dinner several nights and talk to her. She shared with me how she is always willing to take people into her home. Heck, she is currently letting 17 college aged girls crash her space for the month. Anytime her sons mention that someone needs a place to stay she always volunteers and she told me this not in a way to elevate herself, she said, but because of how good God is. This is how she loves people.
I admire their whole family so much and hope that I will be able to carry the things they have taught out me back home. So excited to get to know them more.
love,
kenni 🙂
ps still have about $2,000 left to raise before January if you can help in anyway.
