I was already having a bad day feeling the effects of what it means to be a woman. I wasn’t a happy camper. Don’t get me wrong I was very excited about going into a jungle. I live for adventure and moments out of the ordinary. Mentally I was all in, physically not so much. Before our two-hour journey to the jungle, our ministry contact had mentioned that there would be no restrooms where we were going and that if we needed to use a restroom he would stop.
Thirty minutes had passed by and the Pastor began to describe the village community we were entering. I then knew he forgot to stop and I had missed my last bathroom opportunity. Gah, 6 hours plus with no bathroom would have potentially been a disaster. I had to do something.
"Excuse me did we already pass the restroom?" I asked.
The Pastor brows furrowed as he began to turn the car around. Within minutes I found out why the Pastor wasn’t so happy. He wasn't mad at me, more so that he forgot to stop at the last rest break. In Malaysia it’s pretty much against the law to share the gospel with Malays. Muslims are very territorial so they try to prevent the gospel from being shared even in remote regions. Most people in remote villages are agnostics, meaning they worship spirits and such. They don’t necessary identify with a religion. As a result, the government provides incentives to these people to convert to Islam. Authorities assume most foreigners entering remote areas are missionaries. The Pastor was wary of turning back around in case we were spotted by the police and escorted out. In the past, he has been chased out by authorities. Of course, my bathroom emergency would be the one that lands us in jail, I thought. Sigh.
After the little restroom escapade and no sign of authorities, I breathe a sign of relief only to be embraced by a bumpy ride up the mountains. It was quite the terrain. The only thing I can describe it as is a roller coaster ride through dirt road with sharp turns and dangerous cliffs. I sat sandwiched in the back of the truck between Seth and James. Random thought: I don’t know what it is about men's biology but somehow they are heat producing beings. Rocking back and forth I finally searched for my seat belt and quickly fastened it on (I haven’t had many modes of transportation on the race where a seatbelt was available, so I forgot to put it on, don’t pass judgment.) I looked out the window and was completely captivated by the beauty that surrounded me. Glorious mountains completely decorated with beautiful palm trees. Large logs lay on the side of the path. Logging is a big thing here in Malaysia. At some point our contact mentioned that it’s not rare to find tigers, bears, and elephants. Unfortunately the only thing I ran into that night were little pesky mosquitos.
Hours later we finally arrived at our destination. The pastor and his wife every other week made the trip to the jungle to have church service. The men we came to fellowship with were plantation workers from Indonesia. They were on contract for a year or two and most took the job because it was one of the few options that would enable them to make an income to support their families. For a few minutes, we had the chance to chat with the men prior to service, they were really nice but what struck me the most were the way then men worshipped; completely inhibited. They probably had a long day working really hard. But these 15+ men showed up. They showed up because they knew who they came to meet. Not the Americans or the Pastor but to meet their awesome creator. The creator of the universe. The best artist whose craftsmanship is beyond belief. Some of these men trekked 30+ minutes to do church. Their dedication to Christ is unparalleled. It really made me question my devotion.
The night made me reflect on my attitude earlier towards the trip. Let’s just say I was a bit disappointed in myself. It doesn’t matter how I’m feeling, it’s never a bad time spend time with Lord and fellow believers. God is so deserving of my praise even if I’m having a rough day. I have to learn to chose joy. At least, pray for it. God tells us to by joyful in all circumstances. Yes, it’s really hard sometimes, but we have to fight for it. I had such an awesome night fellowshipping with those men. Seth and I got to share our testimonies and James gave an amazing word completely through the Holy Spirit. We prayed on each of the men by laying hands on them and the Holy Spirit showed up big! You could just feel it in the atmosphere. Certainly one of the most memorable experience I’ve had on the race!
P.S. Icing on the cake for the night was when I met my afro twins!
I thought about writing a blog describing what we did in Malaysia but Megan already did that for me. Yay! So to read more about our ministry check out her blog here!
Find Malaysia photos here: Travel with Tayo – Facebook Page
With Love,
