The very first day in Penang a few teammates and I ran into each other at a coffee shop after exploring and learning about the city. We had visited an Islamic Mosque and were discussing the things we saw and learned and compared Christianity to Islam. This girl named QE that worked there kept walking by and smiling at us and would make small talk with us. She asked us what we were doing and we said we were discussing religions (keep in mind we cannot evangelize to Muslims). We asked her what she believed and she said she had just became a Christian and we were so pumped!! Her family practices Taoism and she has to hide her bible and the fact that she goes to church from her parents. She told us how hard it is but that she has peace because of Jesus Christ. It was such a cool introduction to the country! Since then we have met up with her for lunch and are going to breakfast with her one last time before we leave.
Zibby and I were walking to lunch one day and passed QE in the street and had a little conversation with her. Then a week later we were on the bus on the way back from the beach (30 minutes away from where we met her) and she was just sitting at the bus stop. I banged on the window and waved and we exchanged the biggest smiles.
A few teammates and I were walking around and looking at little shops and we met a Spaniard who was traveling around Asia and I talked to him for a while. A couple days later I was walking down the street on the other side of town and saw him and waved and chatted for a bit!
We have been working at a homeless shelter a lot this month and have met many people who consistently go there for food. There is this one English guy who always dresses up like Jack Sparrow and I’ve seen him all throughout town and have been able to smile and wave at him every time.
A few friends and I headed to a big field near us to play frisbee and ended up playing soccer with a bunch of Malaysian men. A few nights later we walked a good bit away to do some street evangelism and to meet more locals and we ran into 3 guys who had played soccer with us that night. We recognized each other and were able to get to know each other a little more!
There’s a restaurant across the street from our hostel called Mustafas and pretty much the same people work there every time we go. A few people and I took a ferry onto the mainland to go to a festival one night and we saw him at the station in the midst of many many people!
There’s a 7/11 right down the street from us that I go to probably way too often. It’s usually either Basu or Juaita working there and I have gotten to see them almost everyday. I’ve ran into them both just walking down the street and have been able to wave and greet them with their name which was reciprocated with big smiles.
Asia is pretty crowded in general, but we are staying in a place called Little India which encompasses an Indian stereotype; people EVERYWHERE. The city is big and flooded with people from all kinds of different ethnic backgrounds and the fact that I get to run into people I’ve connected with so often is just mind-blowing to me! Georgetown is a fairly big city filled with many people and yet running into people I know makes it feel like a sweet small town.
We are wrapping up our time in Penang and Malaysia and I can honestly say that I have loved it drastically more than I expected to. Going into the race I was the least excited for Malaysia, and while I have only been to half the countries I am going to, I wouldn’t be surprised if Malaysia is the only one I return to. I can honestly see myself living there one day. Who knows if the Lord will call me here, but I sure will not be upset if this is where I end up.
