Everyday life in Malaysia.

We are a family that works - even on vacation.  The boys have chores every day and they wanted to serve their aunt and uncle by washing their cars.  Dennis is teaching them the fine details of car washing (did you know he used to a professional detailer?) so it was good to have more practice!  They did a wonderful job and the cars are sparkling.

After the cars were clean we went to lunch ~ DUMPLINGS!  I was a little nervous about my boys appreciating Taiwanese food but I was glad to be proven wrong.  They slurped the soup and noodles, inhaled the dumplings, and wolfed down the sweet and sour chicken and pork.  The only thing they did not care for was the fried rice.  The food was delicious.  (my favorite was the green beans)  We had a lovely time and rolled, I mean walked out, with full bellies and a new experience to remember.  (FYI - there is a Din Tai Fung in Los Angeles!)

Slurping noodles is not considered rude in Asia.  They believe the noodles represent long life and if you cut them or chew them you are shortening your life span.  Micah and Josiah might live forever!

Luke and Caleb show off their chopstick skills.

It was a great day!

Too much to process.

I feel like I have been in a fog since our plane touched down at the airport.  It started as fatigue but now it is something else.  I am absolutely overwhelmed by all that I am seeing, hearing, and learning about this culture - and the people - of Malaysia.  It is everything and nothing that I expected it to be.  My brother lives in the city so it is almost like living in New York or LA.  Sky rises, building upon building, neon lights, Coach and Gucci stores, Mercedes and BMW's rolling through the streets, western clothing, Starbuck's, Pizza Hut, Nike shoes, Hershey kisses. Other than being one of a very few Caucasian people, it is like being at home. 

The striking contrast, of course, is the people.  The Malaysian people are made up of three races ~ Chinese, Malay, and Indian.  Everyone has dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes.  There are many expats and tourist woven into the crowds, all of whom are easy to spot, and cause me to wonder … who are they?  Are they visiting?  Do they work here?  Are they missionaries?  Where did they come from? Do they know the Lord?  And I think that is what has been weighing on me most.

Do these Malaysian people love God?  Do they even know who He is?  Do they know He loves them?  Loves them so much that He sent a Son to die for them?  Do.they.know. 

Going to the temple on our first day here really affected me. I have read about idol worship all my life.  Scripture alone contains dozens of references and it was a constant grief for Paul as he had to compete with the gods when sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I love the story of Elijah when he prays down fire from heaven on a soaking wet altar to prove to the worshipers of Baal that their god has no power and His God has ALL power.  "Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!”  

I Kings 18 

Being here has given me a deeper appreciation for missionaries and their love for a specific people and culture.  God burdens their hearts and they are obedient to GO and preach the Gospel - even in dark countries where religion is not something you do on Sunday - it is who you ARE.  Deeply ingrained and rooted into every action, word, thought, and deed for generations.  It is very hard to break such tradition and lifestyle.

The one thought that keeps running through my mind, and I have no idea how to find the answer this side of heaven, is - how in the WORLD did we all descend from Noah??  Blonde, black, short, tall, light eyes, curly hair ... all from one gene pool.  It seems impossible.  Mind boggling.  And yet - I stand in one spot here in Malaysia for 12 minutes and see such diversity that I can't help but think of Noah.  And Adam.  The Lord is amazing.  His creation of the human body and the genetic code ... no human will ever be able to fully comprehend its complexities.

I think the thing I find most appealing is the fact that smiles and laughter transcend all cultural, linguistic and social barriers.  Even when I cannot understand a word someone is saying, I smile, they smile back, they giggle, I laugh ... and we all know we are happy with one another.  There is no need for words or explanations.  Joy, sadness, frustration, anticipation, excitement, disappoint - they are all human emotions created by God, and race does not matter.  I smile at everyone here.  Some ignore me.  Some scowl at me.  Some smile back.  Some bow.  But either way, they know I am showing kindness without a word being spoken.

And God did that!  Tower of Babel yes.  But facial expressions, hugs, and laughter ~ we all received those same gifts.  And they are to be used.

The fog is starting to lift, but I pray it will never do so completely because I want to remember.  I want to pray for the people.  That their eyes will be opened.  That the light of Jesus Christ will be seen, understood, accepted and embraced.  America may not be as it once was.  It is no longer a country that fears or follows God.  But we are free to worship.  We are free. 

Lord, keep working in my heart.  Keep showing me Your people, Your creation, Your design, and Your diversity.  I need to see.  I need to know.  I need to remember.  And thank You, for not making everyone look, live, eat, celebrate, or speak the same.  You made a fascinating world and I am privileged to be a part of it.

D's Birthday ~ Malaysian style.

Dennis is 44!

When we arrived Steven and CC said, "We are going to take you out for a steak dinner for your birthday.  It is one of THE BEST steaks you will ever eat!"

Dennis was thrilled and counted the days until he could sink his teeth into a juicy piece of meat.

The big day arrived, I asked what was appropriate dining attire, and Steven looked at me and laughed.  "You can go in your sweaty clothes and you will be just fine."  Hmmm.

Let's take a walk through our evening out for a steak dinner together, shall we?

Our parking stall.

 The entrance.  This called a Hawker Stall.  Several different vendors peddle their wares under one corrugated tin roof.

The view from our table.

The ambiance and decor.

The ceiling ~ and air conditioning.
 

And finally ~ the MEAT!  A 22 ounce steak ... dripping with juices and a person does not even need teeth to chew it.  It was that tender. It was served on a cast iron plate shaped like a cow that was so hot the meat continued to cook while sitting on it!  Steamed vegetables and steak fries on the side, salad, and a soft, fluffy white roll.  Dennis enjoyed every bite and I think he might have licked his fingers at the end!

The whole meal - 10 steak dinners, one chicken dinner, and one fish dinner, drinks all around - 120 U.S. dollars. Crazy!

Happy Birthday, Dennis!  We love you!

Oh, yes!  While you are eating you can have your car washed. Right outside of the restaurant.  So to get the full effect of the adventure, imagine eating a steak dinner at the end of the car wash line at your local car wash.  In the parking lot. It's like you were here with us!

Adventure number 3 ~ Bird Aviary

Today's outing was to thew world's largest bird aviary.  I am usually disappointed with aviary's because we never see any birds or at best we see a crow - woohoo!  But this one?  It was filled with exotic birds and hundreds of them at that!  The colors and varieties were fun to see and each time I looked at the details of a bird I was reminded of how creative a designer God is.  He did not have to make so many kinds ... He could have made 3 million parrots and called it a day.  It must have been a joy for Him to create each one.  It was certainly a joy to look at them!

Our group got separated due to the slow walking habits of a toddler so Isaiah and I were on our own without the family.  Hence, no photos of anyone else!  So I took a picture of ANOTHER family who got to enjoy holding many of the exotic creatures.  Just imagine the faces of my people in there.  HA!

 

I was mesmerized by this waterfall.  It looks like a tropical oasis.

You get to walk behind the waterfall and I thought this would  be a neat shot.  I was not disappointed!

When we finally found each other again we went to watch a bird show and the little people were thrilled to see their "tricks."  We were sticky and hot and starting to feel dizzy from dehydration by the time it was over and made our way for the exit.  All of a sudden we noticed that Dennis and Ellie were not with us.  I turned around and found the two of them surrounded by people with cameras flashing.  They were all taking pictures of Ellie!!!!  It started with a Syrian woman asking Dennis if she could hold her and take a photo and Dennis said, "Sure.  If she will go to you."  Ellie was NOT having it since she was tired and famished, so Dennis told the lady to step over and take a picture together.  When he looked up there was a crowd of middle eastern people taking photos of the white-headed child.  I wish I could have captured it on film.  It was hilarious.  Dennis was laughing and smiling and working on international relations.  Quite a memory.

Everyday Life in Malaysia.

 I have to keep the littles quiet in the morning since they wake up at 5 am and the rest of the house is still fast asleep.  What better than Bible Songs to entertain and fill their little minds with God's Word?

 

The view from their 18th floor apartment. The entire north side of their apartment is glass so the view is stunning.

The lift we take every time we need to go somewhhere.  Though I am planning to do a couple of stair runs to see if I can better my time!

The grandkids "Skyping" with their grandparents.  Modern technology ....

Adventure Number 2 ~ Pewter Factory.

Today we had the privilege of visiting a pewter factory.  The word "factory" threw me off as I was expecting dirt and darkness and depressing smells.  Imagine my surprise when we drove up to find this gorgeous building waiting for us!  The Royal Selangor Visitor Centre is not like any factory I have ever known!  It is actually a museum/showroom/cafe and we enjoyed each moment we were there.  Our tour guide was incredibly enthusiastic and seemed thrilled to be leading us through the halls.  She described how they find/collect pewter, process it, and then create incredible pieces for people to enjoy.  I fell in love with a tea set.  But the price tag was $700 U.S dollars, so in the shop it still sits!

After walking through the museum and watching the women handcraft several items, we went into the "School of Hard Knocks"  (isn't that punny?) and were able to make our own pewter bowls!  It was so much fun.  We were handed what looked like a CD, pounded our names into it and then used a mallet to shape the bowl using block molds.  You can imagine how much the boys enjoyed banging hammers on something without getting in trouble!  It was a wonderful way to spend the morning.

We were greeted by a Malaysian women who handed us pewter cups filled with 100 Plus - a drink that is pretty much lime aid.  I secretly hoped we could keep the cups .

The factory floor.  There are about 300 factory workers, all with a specific skill.  Some jobs take 30 seconds and some take almost an hour.  Every piece is hand-crafted from beginning to the end.

Our finished products - four pewter bowls to take home to America!  They even gave us certificates ~ so much fun and a unique learning experience for sure.  School for the day - Check!

Though my tea set had to stay, I was a lucky woman walkingout of the pewter showroom with a beautiful neckalce ~ a gift from my groom.  I absolutely love it!  Thank you, D - you are way too good to me!

I know, I know.  We do noteven  eat at McDonald's at home, but we only had about 20 minutes and eight starving children.  The food looked and tasted EXACTLY the same, but man alive - was the restaurant much more appealing than at home!  No plastic red and yellow seats here ... swanky it was !