Hello, all the way from Malaysia! We are in Melaka, southern Malaysia and we are in our LAST country on the race.
Our time in Malaysia has been spent doing various different ministry outreach programs. We spent a few days at an elderly care facility. After that we spent some time with the Tamal people (Indian people that relocated to Malaysia), and have now begun working at a Special Needs Facility. My team has grown even closer and has greatly enjoyed getting to spend time together. We live in a home owned by a family at the church we’re partnered with. They live behind the house in their own home. We have our own building all to ourselves. It has a living room, dining room, kitchen and four bedrooms!! It’s a great place and I have absolutely loved cooking dinner for my team almost every night we’ve been here. I love my team, we are so grateful for our last month together.
It’s pretty unbelievable to me that in 18 days I’ll be landing in Albany, and that it will be the end of the race. The last 11 months have been some of the hardest, some of the most educational, the most challenging and stretching, the most growing and the most wonderful months of my life. I’ve been to five continents, danced with so many different tribes and people groups… I’ve cried a lot. I’ve laughed so hard I thought I’d burst, and I’ve made the most amazing friends with some of the girls on my squad.
I don’t know what it’s going to be like, coming home knowing I’m not going back… I don’t know how to cope with the fact that I’m not gonna live with my five new best friends. It’s going to be hard to go from constant community and sisterhood, to sleeping alone in my bedroom. It’s going to be hard to get a “real” job again, it’s going to be hard. All of it.
I love my team. They’re my family. I love our community. I love our friendship. I’m going to miss them, they’re what makes leaving the hardest. I’m excited to be home with my parents and brothers and sister, but when I get home I do have to find a job, work on packing back my parents, who have helped me greatly this year, emotionally and financially. I get to plan a wedding, which is so exciting… but I’m not sure I’m ready for real life to resume just yet. But, whether or not I’m ready for it, it’s happening and I’m going to do my best at whatever it is that I get to do. God’s blessed me with such an amazing year… crazy, challenging, but amazing just the same.
I’m going to need help. I can tell you that now. I’m going to need time, support, grace and hugs, because it’s going to be harder than I ever imagined. Please begin praying for me now. These last three weeks are going to fly by, but I want them to last as long as possible.
Thank you for all your support. This year has been so eye opening to me, I’ve experienced what community really was designed to be like. My squad, my team, but also all of you, who read my blogs and encourage me so much. I’m here because of you. I’m me, because of the influence you’ve had in my life. So thank you. My heart has been so full it might just explode… (I’m warning you now, the next few blogs will probably be quite sentimental and emotional, because this season is drawing to its end and it deserves all the feelings and reminiscing.) God has taught me so much, what unshakable faith really is, what poverty looks like, and what real hope looks like. Because of Jesus, I have family all over the world. Including you all.
He’s pretty great, isn’t He?
