Chinese New Year – Malaysia

The bus journey from KL traveling north-west to Sitiawan took nearly as long as the flight from Perth.  I was picked up by my good friend Dr Wong whom I have known since 1986 when I first left Australia to minister overseas. I was working with the local pastor from Sitiawan, planting a church in Ayer Tawer where Dr Wong and her husband lived. We were offered the use of a vacant home to start a small church which was just down the road from the home I was looking after for a family who were overseas at the time.  This fellowship was later taken over by the daughter of one of our members who returned to the area after her marriage.

It has been taking me awhile to adapt to the humidity here.  It’s not that it’s very hot with an average of 28 degrees but the humidity is very draining. I’ve had to have three showers a day!

Before leaving Australia I had been given a Global SIM from the travel insurance.  This SIM has enabled me to ring home at a reasonable price as it uses local carriers.  I had thought because it was using local carriers that internal calls would be at local price but I was horribly mistaken.  I called my mother on the Monday after my arrival to reassure her I was safe and well.  That was a 2 min call for $1.59 and a local 2 mins call was the same!  Just don’t try to call me on the Global SIM as it goes via the UK!  I wonder if I rang my friends in the UK whether it would be a local call?  I now have a local Malaysia SIM so that I can contact long lost friends without spending a fortune.

In my BC days (before coming to Christ) I travelled around Asia from 1980- 82, staying with locals and experiencing their way of life.  When I was with friends in Seremban near KL, there was an Indian man, Paul, standing outside his veterinary clinic. He asked me where I was from which started up a conversation and a long lasting friendship.  He used to talk to me about the things of God and my need to accept Jesus as having sacrificed His life that I might have fellowship with the One who had created me.  The One who wanted me to know His love for me and His plan for my life.  I was at the time blinded to the truth by my own ideas and opinions.  I was a free thinker, a new age hippy who didn’t believe in that kind of stuff.  Little did I know that God had His hand upon my life anyway and was drawing me to Himself through all the experiences I encountered along the way.  He was slowly peeling off the layers of unbelief, revealing Himself through people like Paul and others I met in my travels.  I had no idea I would later return to Malaysia to minister to His people.

I caught up with Paul again in 1986 but then lost contact.  No emails or facebook in those days!  In the days leading up to this trip, I found Paul on facebook.  I left him a message but these days facebook has lost its attraction and many of its followers, including Paul it seems, are not bothering with it any more.  Paul had not been on since 2012!  Still I was hopeful to reconnect.  Now that I am in Malaysia I googled his name and found he was president of the Veterinary Association of Malaysia!  Wow!  God has certainly promoted him!   I calling VAM and was told there was no one there of that name.  Hmmm that was a bit strange! My friend Dr Wong rang and spoke to them in Malay, maybe I had pronounced his name wrong.  She added that he was the president of the organisation.  No, she was told no one here by that name.  Dr Wong then phoned several of her friends in Seremban, one of whom called around to make inquiries before ringing back to confirm my name as his first call to Paul. He hadn’t explained properly and gave a different name instead of mine.  The second call he got it right and Paul immediately knew who I was.  I was given Pauls number and called him.  He was delighted to make contact again, I told him I was coming to KL on the 26^th as I was leaving for Cambodia and would love to catch up before I left, at the airport.

To cut a long story short I changed my bus booking to the 25^th instead of 26^th (there were no earlier seats due to the Chinese New Year) so that I could stay with Paul and his family before flying out.  The Lord had reconnected us once more.

One thing I really enjoy about Asia is the food stalls and the variety of foods to tantalize your tastebuds.  Malaysia has some amazing culinary delights from all the three main cultures, Chinese, Indian and Malay.  We not only went out frequently for our dinner but also sometimes for breakfast.  Mind you breakfast was often between 10-11am!  I just love the variety of convenient food here.

The 19^th of Feb was Chinese New Year.  On Wednesday the 18^th the Chua boys and their families arrived, the following day Bee Sim and her family arrived. We had fifteen people to feed.  Maria, their Filipino helper, prepared an amazing spread of food over the two days. I too was hard at work helping with the preparations.

Here’s something funny.  All the preparations and organising before I left and I forgot to pack the rest of my undies and bras.  Fortunately I have 4 pairs of undies and two bras so I can wash and wear them.  It also means I have less to carry around with me 😉 Because it is so hot and I sleep in the air conditioning I wash my clothes after my night shower and they are dry by the morning.  I have two wash-and-wear dresses and two that need ironing so guess which ones I’m wearing every day?  You guessed it!  So if you see me in the same dresses in all the photos that’s the reason.

Pictures:
1. Dr Wong & me, night market    2. Leon, Dr Wong’s son in law buying bananas   3. Micky, Dr Wong’s driver enjoying makan (food)   4. Chinese New Year gathering     5. My hosts Dr Chua & Dr Wong

Prayer & Praise Points: 

Praise the Lord I have had a wonderful time so far catching up with the Chua family and for their kind hospitality, joining in as part of the family for Chinese New Year.

Praise the Lord for His leading and guidance and for the doors that have opened for me to reunite with old friends (more about this in the next update)

Please keep bringing my Mum’s health to the Lord, that He may continue to keep her in good health and that the growth on her face is benign.  I praise the Lord for watching over her while I’m away and for all my new found church friends who have offered to visit her.

Please pray for a safe journey with the least problems and easy departure and arrival as fly out of Malaysia and into Cambodia.

Please continue to pray for opportunities to serve and share the Lord’s love during my travels and as I visit friends here in Asia.

I’m also believing the Lord will open doors in Cambodia were I can lend a hand and use my talents.

Pray for Josh who I will be staying with in Cambodia, that he will be strengthened and led of the Lord as he goes about his work there.

Please pray for the Lord to keep me in good health and that none of these disease will come upon me.

Thank you all my mighty prayer warriors.  I would not be going out without your prayer covering,