heading out

In the morning we are heading out to Yangon. I will be off the grid a bit for the next couple weeks. Standby for updates!

We heart KL!

Apparently a popular sentiment!

just a walk around the neighborhood

After some time meeting to prepare for our upcoming two weeks in Myanmar, a couple of us went wandering around the neighborhood, enjoying the sudden appearance of the sun following two days of hot gloom. I love the architecture, and sunshine- even if my shoulders got a bit pink. Tomorrow may require a visit to the drugstore for sunscreen- while we are only in Malaysia one more day on this trip through, Myanmar is likely to leave us sun kissed as well. Our budget is fairly tight, so walking is on the agenda as regular transportation:)

Loving my sun hat-i bought it at a market here yesterday. Seriously, how often can you really go all out and rock a floppy sun hat?

hello, Kuala Lumpur!

We've arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The team is safe and sound- i am safe but not quite sound- please pray for a severe sore throat that may actually be an infection of some kind. Increasingly painful and greatly affecting my ability to swallow (without going to tears, anyhow) , i may have to brave a local doctor to get antibiotics if another day of gargling salt water and taking ibuprofen still finds me declining. Thanks for lifting me up. Happy to be here in the 95ºF+ weather, even though i am exhausted, my throat playing assassin, and the skies have busted out in a full downpour since we finished our dinner. Its a welcome thaw and refreshing change of pace after our last month and a half, as great as thats been. With a hoarse and off pitch voice i rasp a hearty little "hello, KL!" and embrace the transition. And in a minute, my pillow...

Little known fact: i love when colonial and eastern architecture blend and are set in the tropics. Its just so terribly exotic. Definitely a favorite.

the not so exotic back streets...

Readily available kopi susu ice (iced coffee)- a respite from the midday heat- as novel as that heat is at this point:)

departure from the Orient

Tonight will mark my group's departure from Oriental Asia- we will be flying out to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia just after midnight. Our month and a half here at our present locale have been rich in relationship and growth- truly a blessing to serve here, especially with our friends that are serving here for longer durations.

In Malaysia, we will debrief a bit from this segment of the trip, and re-brief for the upcoming couple weeks in Yangon, Myanmar. There will be a lot to prep for: cultural transition, as well as differences in ministry modes, language, food and climate- in fact, the temperature in Southeast Asia is double what it is here!! A couple days to decompress and regroup will be ideal, a chance to prepare the team for these transitions will be very beneficial.

So for now, goodbye to this familiar city in the Orient...and hello to Southeast Asia!

Goodbye, sweaters and scarves and chill- hello, sandals and t-shirts and heat!

a different urban camouflage

With local New Year/Winter Festival observances underway and decorations adorning the city, there is a new way (for even a blonde!) to blend into the scenery. i discovered this new method accidentally during a stroll through our complex with friends yesterday!

Around the city, festive paper lanterns dangle as decoys from shops and trees, while the wearer of the poppy colored beanie moves about undeterred ... :)

a day in a garden

On Saturday we sent out texts to our local friends and acquaintances- we would meet to walk through an (albeit out of season) orchid garden, would they like to join our group? People here seem to love such group outings (I am not so much a big group person myself, but hey- all things to all men, yeah?) and it is an effective way to pursue further friendship with acquaintances made in passing. We had about twenty friends turn up! So the whole pile of us wandered in little sets and clumps around a traditional styled garden for a couple hours. The weather wasn’t lovely, but it was an easily bearable cool, and we had a good time walking and talking and sharing. There was good connections, good conversations, and the event was a success.

It seems to me that we were in a garden in more ways than one: there was the orchid garden, and there was garden of hearts/lives we were given to tend. We walked in an actual garden, with the garden of people the Father has seen fit to plant around us- and our day consisted of cultivating them. Whether in encouragement, in answering questions, in affirmation, in discussion- we were softening ground, planting seeds and building up growth. We were tending the purposes of The Gardener in those we were given. We are always in a garden. A Saturday among the orchids just reminded me of all that the Lord is causing to bloom in His children here, and all He is cultivating in the hearts of those in whom His life has not yet sprung up. What a joy to be with Him in what He is doing!

english fail #98744562

There is a certain humor (not mean spirited, but just amused) in finding unfortunate translations and other failed linguistic renderings around the world. In this country, such occasions for humor abound. Owing to unknown factors, this menu item (some basic little satay or shish kebab) was named so unfortunately as to lose any appeal it may have otherwise generated. Another garden variety english fail; another moment of humor in my day.

More studies

Life here is about the same- in the last couple days it has gotten much colder. Its more like the weather i recall from years past- though i have been abundantly grateful for the unseasonable warmth up till now! My scarves and hats and mittens are now getting ample use.

We continue to run studies and meet with local friends- its really cool to see the way the Father is calling people to Himself, and calling the believers here to step out in their faith to give testimony. Its a privilege to make the gospel known and to be a part of building up the family of God here where, although hearts are hungry, the knowledge of God is suppressed.

One of my students teaching a study over the weekend... a regular event at our apartment.