Made it safely to Malaysia! This month the men and women ministries are separate. The Shabach girls are teaming up with the ladies from X-stream and The Liberators. For now we’re in Port Klang, tho I’m pretty sure we’re packing up and moving in a week. Today we’re doing a handful of seemingly random ministry events. This morning we were called to an hour of prayer for a church congregation. Next, we visited an elderly women’s home…followed by a prayer walk through “Little India”. In just a few hours we’ll be making a house visit for dinner.
We were instructed to pair off for our prayer walk this afternoon; My partner was Tara. Beautiful, brave, faithful friend and woman of God. We were dropped off in a parking lot, so she and I walked down the street and turned a corner. The first thing we saw was a three-story mosque; its ellogance and size were a perfect match. A man was exiting as we approached it. I asked if you had to be Muslim to enter. “No” he said, “But you have to be properly clothed.” Tara and I didn’t pack our hijabs on the world race. Guess we’re praying over this place from the outside steps. Okay, God. I’m still here.
The man stayed to talk with us. He permitted us to ask questions. LOTS of questions (Im talking about an insane amount). Since it’s illegal to evangelize here, we took advantage of his high tolerance. We’d ask him a question about Muslim belief, and then respond with our answer to our own question. He never asked, but he never silenced us either. We talked to him for an hour and a half. To be honest, parts of the conversation were stressful–like a debate. Others were frustrating because this man had been taught incorrect Christian beliefs, and all-too-willingly tied those beliefs to Tara and myself. The conversation had its highs and its lowes. As we said our goodbyes and headed back to the parking lot, I was confident that the man had at least now heard the truth. It’s my prayer that someday that man allows God to move that truth from his mind into his heart where it belongs.
I want to share with you a few pieces of our conversation from today. I want to give you a glimpse of my mission field. I’m not proud of some of the things I share. But i’m being open and honest. I’ve made mistakes and i’m learning daily how to walk and talk like Jesus–mainly by trial and error! Anyway….here are the two main things that are circulating in my mind at the moment. Today I wasn’t really a woman of grace. Thank God for HIS grace and second chances.
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Man: Heaven cannot come to earth. That is impossible. Earth is not magnificent. And neither was Jesus once He came here.
Leslie: Yes. Yes it can. I flew all the way from America to physically hand you a piece of the Kingdom of God. Do you want it?
Man: NO.
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Tara: Can Alllah come to you if you need him? Is he here with you right now?
Man: No. He cannot come here.
Man: He cannot.
Leslie: Why worship a God who cannot come to you when you need him? Why serve a God with limits?
Man: Oh, very clever. I see what you’re doing.
Leslie: The question was sincere. Why would anyone serve a God who cannot save them?
Man: Your Holy Book is altered. You do not understand.
A few moments after that…we had to leave. Time was up. That’s how the World Race opperates. Just when you figure out how to count to ten in the native language, find the grocery store without getting lost, and remember people by their first names and not what they wear for four days in a row…you pack up and move on.
Father,
I trust you. I trust that these seeds that we’re planting will see the rain they desperately thirst for. Send the rain, God. Open the floodgates of Heaven, and pour down on Malaysia!
Amen.
