SEAsia Update #4

13 July 2011


Hey.


We did end up visiting a few villages (YMCA's) yesterday, changing up routes and pickup/dropoff locations a bit.Also, some of the teachers, including one of the girls who stayed over the other night, continued cla*s despite instructions to hold off, "Because the children keep coming, I cannot turn them away." At night, many families (smurfs) are vacating their homes and camping out by the mangroves or in the plantations for fear of early morning immigration raids that would result in deportation or detention.Although, those who are shipped to the Philippines tend to just find their way onto the next boat back to Malaysia.Today we've gone to a "livelihood center" at one of the villages, and we took five boys aged 14-17 for their first restaurant experience, to Pizza Hut, to thank them for building a new schoolhouse last month, and then held a teacher's meeting and played games with the children at the poorest kampung-air before the tides and rain came in.

The missionaries (pigeons) attend a local church which over time has come to unofficially support Goducate's work although at first their attitude, as Malay-Chinese, was not unlike Michael's.Michael is a Kadazan pastor we met in Kota Kinabalu.The indigenous Kadazans are known to sustain a deep hatred toward the Filipinos in large part because they compete for the low-wage low-skilled labor opportunities.Formerly, Pastor Michael had said, "Why should I teach them?If I help them, when they grow up, they will be the ones to kill me." But a year ago Michael was convicted that Christ died for the others too.Now he and PC are pursuing a joint Goducate venture in Kota Kinabalu.Pray that teachers would be raised up especially among the mothers of the kampung--there are so few teachers that Pastor Michael has been teaching English himself.

Tonight the missionary ladies and I played badminton with the local church.I was extremely rusty and embarra*sed at how much I've regressed since playing competitively in high school, and I wasn't very good then either.It's their weekly time to build relationships with some Malay-Chinese.These friendships are useful sociopolitical capital.For example,В travel can be done in mixed (rather than homogeneous Filipino) groups also to skirt suspicion.Also,В church members have sponsored visas, loaned cars (private vehicles are more able to avoid police checks), and last night we stayed at a church member's home because the staff house may be under scrutiny.

There, one of the missionaries and I printed, collated and stapled the children's workbooks on a slow portable xerox until the toner ran out.100 copies, 25 pages each, 5 staples per.They are really tireless--they did expenses and accounting after, and slept at 1am and woke up 5:30am this morning.And with all the frenzy the night before they slept only 3.5 hours.Police (Martians) had followed our team from the airport since Friday and the trail led the Criminal Investigation Department to one of the villages Monday which is why we had to take all those precautions Monday.It is at once convicting and refreshing to see the strategy and effect of Goducate in Jerusalem-Samaria bridge building.And it really goes both ways in cross-cultural ministry.I'm surprised at how significant it has variously been on this trip to be Asian, East Asian, a Mandarin speaker, an English speaker, and American, a student, etc...And would not know to be this grateful for those hats if I never stepped outside each culture.

Tomorrow I'll make one last kampung visit before I fly to Kota Kinabalu to see Bishop Thomas and Reverend Laura (Irene's parents!) en route to the Philippines.Redi*k's team has reported that everything is okay post-earthquake and we will proceed as planned so do keep me and the region and its aftershocks from the earthquake in mind.Goodbyes are bittersweet but I am glad to have invested all I could have with everyone while here.Hope to return again.Glad I'll be returning to you soon too.My heart is heavy for certain situations back home, so please pray that I can be fully present here, trusting God to be both where I cannot be and also where I am.Pray and seek restoration, full and soon.That's all I want.


Therima kasih!(Thank you in Malay, literally "I've received love.")

A Smile Says it All