Hey everyone! I know it’s been quite a while since I’ve written a blog (since training camp actually), but I am alive, I promise!! I am currently in my second country meaning I’m 30% done with the race! But today I am going to recap all of Malaysia so bare with me, as this blog may be a long one. But let me tell you about Malaysia!
Where we stayed!
Upon our arrival we were greeted by our host, PT (Pastor Thomas). PT owns a church where the small percent of Christians in this town attend. He was kind enough to allow us to stay in the sanctuary of his Church, and we were blessed with having AC allowing us to escape the heat and humidity of outside. It was so cold in there I slept with my sleeping bag and two extra blankets! Every Friday was Church, the services were in Tamil, a language that a wide majority of Malaysians speak, but some also speak Malay, Chinese, Myanmar, and a few others. I was brought to tears by the way this church worships the Lord. Everyone in the room is lifting their arms and praising the Lord with everything they have, and a group of young girls even perform a dance using Tambourines in the front of the sanctuary. It is very different from the worship I am used to, but seeing how different this culture worships the Lord really reminded me that people on the other side of the world are worshiping Him, and the entire purpose of life is to bring glory and praise to our wonderful creator. God really opened my eyes during the first service, and I realized how big this world really is, but our God is still the same across all nations! The people at this church are so kind! Always greeting you by saying,”Praise the Lord”, and a warm smile. The kids very quickly cling to you and are so interested to see Americans in their church. It is truly beautiful how kind the community in Malaysia is.
Our Ministry!
Prior to leaving the states, we knew we needed to intercede for the people of Malaysia, and prepare ourselves to enter a culture so different from what we’re used to in America. Our host PT currently runs a school inside the church Monday- Wednesday that teaches Rohingya refugees English, and sets them up to one day leave the country of Malaysia to study and hear about Christ. These kids came from the country of Myanmar, but due to the genocide Myanmar is currently facing, were forced to flee their homes and come to Malaysia. Because it is illegal for a Muslim to convert in Malaysia, we were unable to directly share the gospel with them, so we ministered to them through our actions, loving them and being a friend to them just as Jesus is to us. We each were given the opportunity to individually work with our own student, and I will never forget the first day we were introduced to these kids. Some were excited, some were scared, not knowing whether or not they could trust us. The students were given the option to choose their teacher, and my boy immediately walked over to me and chose me. He was so excited to have a teacher, he even gave me a bracelet (which I will never be taking off by the way). He knew very little English (and he was very shy) so it was very difficult to communicate with him, but as the days went by, he really started to warm up to me, and he also learned some basic conversational English, so I was able to communicate with him after a few weeks. My student has taught me so much, and I truly believe the Lord knew I needed him just as much as he may have needed me (we even have the same birthday!). These students really have so little, but they give so willingly and are so eager just to be at school with us. They always shared their food and drinks with us, and even came to school some mornings with gifts, drawings, or letters. They are just so sweet and loving. Even though they don’t have much, their willingness to give is very heartwarming and inspiring. I have really come to the realization that nothing I own is mine, it is all the Fathers. I have learned to not hold onto things so tightly, but instead to share all that I have with a giving heart, whether it be with my teammates, my students, or my hosts. Our other 2 days of ministry we were welcomed into different members of the communities homes, they welcomed us with food and drinks, and we were able to host a church service inside of their homes. We all stepped into boldness with public speaking and conversations with people we may have never met, and we trusted the Holy Spirit to guide our words as we shared a message and worship. Some of us were even given the opportunity to speak at Church! It was so cool to be able to share a piece of my heart with the people of Malaysia, and to see how the Lord is working in their lives.
The Lord truly knew what He was doing by having Malaysia being our first country. Gap M became much more unified, especially after all 34 of us slept in the same small space, sleeping pad to sleeping pad, and shared 3 showers and one sink. Although it may have been an uncomfortable experience for many of us, we learned to be ok with being uncomfortable, and also to be ok with the unknown as the rest of our ministry was mostly spontaneous. Our host would usually ask us to do a skit or a dance for a church service or an event with very little notice. It taught us to be prepared for anything, and to always have a sermon in our back pocket in case we were asked to speak. I’m very grateful for my time in Malaysia, all the people I met and the bonds that were formed, and for everything that the Lord taught me.
Adventures!
Most of our adventure days consisted of exploring the city that we were staying in. We explored coffee shops, restaurants, and malls. It was so cool to try different foods and experience the culture of Malaysia. Our host also brought us along to many fun events. We went to a wedding and we were even in a music video!
Prayer Requests.
Please pray for all of our students, that the Lord would reveal himself to them, and that our time with them may have planted a seed. Pray that He would provide for them as many of them are struggling to afford to go to school, as well as clothing and other necessities. Pray for their futures, God is with them all. Also pray for comfort and healing as many of these families have gone through so much! Here’s a link to learn more about what is happening in Myanmar: https://www.unrefugees.org/news/rohingya-refugee-crisis-explained/
Please pray for our ministry host PT and his church. Pray for the people that attended the church. Pray that PT will continue to listen to what God is asking of Him. Pray for the school he is running, that the Lord will provide them with more teachers who will show the students love, and pray for more funds for the teachers salaries.
Please pray for the people of Malaysia. Pray that Christ would just reveal His truth to them! Pray for changed lives. Pray that more people will share the gospel with them! Pray that the man in white will appear to them in dreams and visions! It is so important to intercede for all the lost souls in other nations!
Lastly, pray for me! Pray that I will be provided for. I’m still only 50% funded and have a long way left to go. I need to be fully funded by January and I know the Lord will provide. Pray that people will hear the work I’m doing and feel inspired to support me and the work I am doing. If you feel called to support me here’s my link: https://adventuresinmissions.servicereef.com/events/adventures-in-missions-3/2024-world-race-gap-year-24g0903/participants/gabrielle-dibella
Thank you all so much for reading! I love you all
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