This month was a little different. Our objective was to find the unsung heroes of Malaysia.
Usually, when we come to a country, we already have a ministry set for us: orphanage, church, school, something. This month my team and I sought out established ministries in Malaysia that can use the help of a World Race team in the future.
Networking
What does this look like? Emails, phone calls, meetings, friends-of-friends, village visits, and trying strange fruits.
Some of the friends we met along the way
People
This month is special because we get to see what God is doing all over Malaysia (versus being at just one ministry, like most months). And behind each ministry is a person with a story of how God broke into their lives and changed them and called them to make a difference. Here are some of them:
Five Star Hotel-er with Five Star Heart
A Harvard business school grad and former executive, Dr. Peggy rubs elbows with the influential and powerful. When she started following Christ she was hesitant to leave her 5 star hotel life, but is thankful she did. She started an NGO to feed and educate marginalized children in the villages of Malaysia. Setting out, her goal was to provide for 300 children/year; in less than 8 years she has already provided for 44,000 children, not only in Malaysia but around the world.
The Connector
Steven was one of our connectors. He is the national director for the Asia Beacon, a magazine which shares stories of God at work in Malaysia. He was the link between us and a lot of the people we found.
Spreading Love Through Chicken Chop
Sonny is a humble man with a huge heart. He started a café in KL to spread love to customers and employees alike, to support native Orang Asli farmers with fair crop prices, and to feed the hungry. He runs one-and-one promotions where a meal goes to someone in need from the surrounding community. And this isn’t soup-kitchen leftovers – this is award-winning, delicious, fresh, locally-sourced food. Four of his dishes have been named “best in KL.”
Sonny and his wife at their cafe
The Boiler Room
Prayer is powerful. Christine started the Boiler Room several years ago as a place for 24/7 prayer. It is a critical key for many Christians in Malaysia who face persecution for their faith that doesn’t align with the political majority. She shared stories of healing and favor from prayers started in the Boiler Room.
A Faith Worth Dying For
Whatever your faith is in, how strong is that faith? Leeson is a pastor in a native village that is hostile to Christianity. To be a Christian (or to be white, which is assumed to be Christian) would guarantee police raids of your house and close monitoring. It may even mean death. But Leeson is working to make a better translation of the Bible in his native language, as well as to provide for his small community.
The Race to the Villages
Pastor Puhang has been a pastor in his rural village of 800 people since 1993. His mission is to share the Gospel with the native Orang Asli people before the ruling political party gets to them (The political powers sometimes dupe people into becoming Muslim [usually by offering money and taking advantage of their illiteracy to obtain their signature on documents they don’t understand] so they can boost census statistics and remain the majority in power. Being Muslim is one of the criterions used to classify a person as Malay in the Malaysian constitution, and business opportunities and political power is divvied based on census statistics, so it behooves the Malay political parties to continually increase these statistics. Once the ID card lists you as Muslim it is nearly impossible to change, regardless of your actual beliefs.). He works a construction job to support himself and has a laugh that invites you into his joy.
Presenting the World Race at Pastor Puhang’s church
Generous Love
One thing I learned from Malaysia was hospitality and generous love. I felt so welcomed by so many people. Our friends here took us out to Malay food, to Indian food, to Chinese food, to the biggest rock climbing wall in Asia, to incredible waterfalls and grueling hikes. And we started this month knowing not a single soul in KL – incredible.
Friends
Crazy Love
Canmy is one of our friends from church. She became a widow after only three short years of marriage. And I had no idea she was a widow until she told me because she overflows with joy and laughter and silly happiness. When her husband died of a stroke, she knew only God could heal her of the grief and sadness from losing her soulmate. At first she couldn’t even pray to God because she was so angry, but in time a wise old lady at her church told her to be real with God, even if it meant shouting at him. He can take it. And that began 8 months of intense prayer, during which time she learned how much God cared for her, even about her small passions and needs, and showed how her husband’s death was ultimately used for good.
Cam, Canmy, and I at waterfall
Friend from Pakistan — Malaysia is a very diverse country, with the three largest ethnic groups being Malay, Chinese, and Indian
Roti tissue – it’s sort of like a crispy pancake with sugar and condensed milk on it, and it’s HUGE!
Gideon connected us with a lot of people at church
No schedule meant more time to hang out with people I normally pass by
**Note some names have been changed to protect identities
We leave Malaysia tonight and are heading to Ecuador for debrief and our final continent of ministry. We have a lay-over in NYC on the way to South America, and depending on what the snowstorm does I may get to see some friends and family for a few hours!
