I spent this month volunteering at a Christian hospital. The morning consisted of visiting patients, hearing their stories and offering prayer. Through this ministry I met Ruth and her family. I got to share joy with new mothers. I prayed for new born babies (so awesome to bless them at such a young age, might be the only prayer they received for a while). I got to make some children smile by singing songs to them and got to cry by the bed of the sick.
I spent all week eating vegetarian meals for lunch (hospital is vegetarian only) and actually really liked it. They have this weird “vegetarian” meat that taste like chicken and I appreciated it a lot.
In the afternoons we spend our time fundraising for the development department. The hospital is non-profit, so they raise money to provide poor families with free heart surgeries and other medical attention (this could not apply to Ruth since she was not Malay). Fundraising was definitely a stretch, but God really taught me how to serve Him obediently even when I dislike what I am doing. We basically walked around the hospital asking people for money and also had the guitar going in different areas.
I want to encourage you all (NEW LIFERS!) who are currently fundraising, GOD PROVIDES! We raised $2,000 in ONE week! (that’s more than what you need for Honduras) so keep pushing through it and know that He will greatly bless you for your obedience and sacrifice.
Wednesday evenings we gathered together to go walk the streets and pray. As Michael’s last blog stated, we apparently are not staying in the “nice” part of town (I had no idea until this week). We are surrounded by prostitutes, homeless, drug addicts, etc…. , people who desperately need Jesus’ love. So that’s what we did. We walked the streets attempting to build friendships and also praying for people (silently a lot of times). The two main hindering issues for me were that we are prohibited by law to speak to any Malay Muslim about Jesus, and I do not speak Malay or Chinese. Many times I would simply walk the street praying that God would be praised through out the streets. That He would protect those who live or work there and that He would be known there.
A few other things I learned/did while in Malaysia
Weirdest thing I ate this month: Mutton Stomach and Mutton Head Curry
We are staying in the part of town called “little India” so I ate A LOT of Indian food. I cannot wait to actually go to India and eat some more curry and naan.
We had breakfast at home, lunch at the hospital, and had a budget of $2 for dinner.
We ate mostly at food vendors/stalls on the streets. So so good.
I also indulged in fresh made fruit juice for $0.50 given to me in a baggy with a straw for “take away”. Oh, and carry out food also comes in a baggy.
We went to the Buddhist snake temple where we got to handle snakes and have many encounters with venomous vipers!
We went to Penang hill, took a train up (good choice) and decided to hike down (awful choice physically). Ended up walking in the dark and had to hitch hike down the hill and to the bus stop.
For some reason going to the mall always sounds like a lot of fun although we have no money to shop.
The sewage is open so you will randomly walk into areas of foul odor.
I would say 90% of cats do not have full tails, I am actually amazed when I find one that does.
Mullet is the most famous hairstyle for men, sometimes it turns into a long rat tail.
There are rats running the streets at night.
Pizza is really out of my dinner budget.
Kawan : Friend Makan: Food Ayan: Chicken
I’ve never walked so much in my life.
PENHOP is awesome.
I love my team, so blessed by them.
The weather here is hot and rain, everyday.
I long for a large bowl of cereal with “normal” milk.
Spent about 7 hours exploring in the rain forest yesterday. My legs no longer work
God is always good, just trust that.
I have actually become a fan of squatty potties. Don’t judge
I miss paper towels.
Ate some delicious mini banana pancakes for $0.25
There are geckos EVERYWHERE
Where to next???
Saturday (Friday night for you) 5 hour bus ride back to KL. Spend the night at a hostel.
Next day take another bus ride to SINGAPORE! Few hours there then off the Darwin, Australia we go.
ALSO. CHECK OUT MY FACEBOOK FOR PICTURES!!!
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