The past few days have been AMAZING. Yesterday we went to
this school for refugee kids and taught English. I thought- well let’s just say
it wasn’t positive (I don’t even like English, and don’t consider myself a
teacher) but anywho we got there and it was super sweet. We taught a class of
8-16 year olds beginning English. We taught for about 3 hours, and had the
class all to ourselves, which we got kinda thrown into, but I think by month 9
most World Racers are used to that J
So we taught phrases, played games, sang songs, took a field trip to the
bathroom (where I discovered that all the American bathroom words I had taught
them were a bit pointless- there was only a squatty and a bucket of water…) Can
I just say the kids were SO CUTE! They are refugees from Burma, which I am sad
to say I had no idea what was going on there and had to ask what they were in
refuge from. Turns out there’s all sorts of bad stuff going on back at their
homes, and because they are Christian they were persecuted and had to leave the
country. Now they are stuck in Malaysia on a waiting list, waiting for a
country like the US to accept them.
Ok so I
loved my class of older kids, but I have to admit I snuck into the class of 4
year olds during my lunch hour. I couldn’t help it. When I walked by the cutest
little boy smiled at me, squinted his eyes, and in the cutest little Asian
accent said “good morning!” And that was it, he had my heart. I went in and sat
criss-cross-apple-sauce and it wasn’t 2 minutes before he was across the room
and in my lap. He was such a trouble maker (turns out I have a special place in
my heart for mean little boys) and would not listen and yelled and giggled and
turned and smiled at me every 30 seconds. It was perfect. I didn’t really help,
I think us talking was actually more distracting, but hey I was speaking
English with him and I think that’s better than doing your ABC’s. But while I was sitting there with all their
cute little faces looking at me I had a thought that maybe I would like to be a
teacher. Just a thought.
And
today!!! Well the day started out with breakfast, then we watched a traditional
dance called the Tiger Dance. These guys got in a giant dragon costume and
danced in the shop next door- apparently to give it prosperity or good luck or
something. After that we went to a jewelry making ministry down the street.
They teach women on the streets to make jewelry and pay them a small income,
and teach them about Jesus and feed them lunch while they’re at it! It’s a pretty
sweet set-up. I learned something today- im no good at earring making, but I
love babysitting! One lady brought her 3 week old baby- I swear she looked like
a cabbage patch, or maybe a gremlin… Anyways she was precious and she slept on
me for a long time. That’s ministry too right?
Tonight
was pretty sweet as well. We go on Tuesday nights “prayer walking” and just
asking God what He wants us to do and where He wants us to go, within a certain
area of the city. We went to this coffee shop by times square (yes they have a
times square here, and no its nothing like ours. They have twin towers too…)
apparently this coffee shop is located near an area of town where a lot of
prostitution goes on, and a lot of the ladies hang out there. So we went there,
to the eye of the storm so to speak, and prayed it up. Right as we starting
praying this little boy about 7 years old came up and just stood at our table.
It was so odd, he didn’t ask for money or anything he just stood there with
this sad look on his face. We didn’t really know what to do with him, we asked
a few questions, then tried to pray for him and he left. Then we were going to
split up, and Niely had a lady she had seen begging for money with a little
baby she wanted to go talk to. So they went and came back shortly talking about
this lady. Apparently she had 2 little ones, no husband, and no money. So she
begged. We went to do our pre-arranged prayer walk, but it seemed God had a
different plan for us. As we went to leave we passed the same woman, standing
with guess who? The sad little boy from our table. We tried to talk to her
again, but she didn’t speak English, but somehow a girl who could translate for
us showed up. Turns out the little boy is her son! Crazy right? Well they were
hungry so we went on a mission to buy them groceries. We went, came back, they
weren’t there, we wandered looking for them, stopped and prayed, went back then
finally spotted our translator and the little boy. We asked them where the Mom
was and they both didn’t know, sort of weird but it didn’t slow us down much.
Finally we found her and the baby around the corner in the shadows with a
little blue plastic cup in front of her with a little change. I hope the food
will help open the door in her heart to Jesus. I hope that all those
“coincidences” will be used for Gods glory, and that little boy will grow up to
be a mighty man of God and change Malaysia.
You
know what I was thinking? God said he would send His spirit to dwell IN US. So
it’s a bit silly to pray for God to come, when he’s already been hanging out.
Its strange to think of Gods spirit living inside of me. I sometimes with that
I could see him, or hug him… but I know He knows best. And that all the
strength I need is inside of me.
I learned something today. When secrets are confessed and
brought into the light they really do have no power! The scripture is so true!
(duh right?) There were a couple things that I was keeping secret that the
devil was trying to use against me. Although I had asked forgiveness for I was
too ashamed of them to tell anyone and had actually never told anyone. I was
holding onto that shame, and was creating a foothold for the devil. I had
thoughts like “if they knew this about you what would they think?!” and “are
you really going to go pray for these people when you still have this…” But the
time never seemed right, I always thought of an excuse, and have held onto that
sin. But today I gave it to God. I did what he said and confessed, and now it’s
in the light and has no more power! And can I just say- it feels great!!!
Something else happened today. A man pooped on our sidewalk.
I mean ive seen people lean up against the building on the street and pee, but
POO??? Ok I guess that’s not normal either, but seriously. He pooped on our
porch. Such is my life.
