Malaysia!!

We’re in Maylasia!! Praise God!

We landed here on Monday evening, after a long travel day. We arrived at the church and were warmly welcomed by the church congregation here. Maylasia is a unique place with three different people groups and three different religions.

As soon as we arrived to the church my heart began to burn. Never before have I been in a place with so many different religion and people groups.  As arrived this wave of expectancy hit me.  Don’t know why, I don’t know how the Lord is going to show up but I know He has so much in store.

Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are the man three religions that can be found in Malaysia. These have always been the “bad” religions in my mind. I think that this label can put a timidness in us as Christian’s. The reality is while yes these people are following false religion, they are not mean or scary people. They are lost and longing and we know a man who can save and fulfill every desire these people have. Just like ministering to anyone else, iv found it’s not as hard as we make it out to be. I’ve been encouraged by the simplicity of bringing up Jesus even in the places that are dark.

It has been so odd being basically the only Christian’s here. Malaysia is a religiously free country but those born here are legally Muslim and it is illegal for them to convert. However if you are not a local Malaya you are free to practice other religions. There is a high population of Chinese and Indian people here. They practice Hinduism and Buddhism. So while there are some Christian’s here they are few and fare between. Meaning that every interaction you have is such an opportunity for the gospel.

Something that has been so encouraging to my heart since being here has been seeing the local church we’re partnering with. We are partnering with an India church here are they are burning with their hearts on Jesus. The pastors and members of the congregation see the brokenness and need for Jesus here. They have allowed the Lord to captivate their hearts in such a way that they burn for the lost around them. They don’t need to be on a trip or across the world for their hearts to zealously burn. They are committed to the name of Jesus being shared and willing to labor and invest so much into this. Am I? A convicting question but a real one. At home, here, wherever. Have I allowed Jesus to captivate me in such a way to wherever I end up, even if it is just staying in Columbia SC am I willing to continually burn and pour everything out for the sake of Jesus.

were in week two here, we have started ministry here and I’m already loving it. Ministry here looks like a variety of things. Monday – Wednesday we teach at a refugee school. Maylasia has a lot of Rohingya refugees, they have come from Burma due to massacres and attacks on them over the last few years. Here these people truly are the least of these. Even being here, they are unable to enroll their children in the schools here, they are unable to get jobs – they are hurting even here. This school for the Rohingyas is ran by PT our pastor here, while he is not teaching to convert these children the cops have been suspicious in the past. Tensions have been high here lately and there have been threats of the school getting shut down. No one really visits the city we are in, so everyone around here is aware of us being here. While we are safe, there is a tension and responsibility we are learning between boldly sharing why we’re here and the gospel. While also carrying the reality of us being attached to this church and school here that is claiming to not be influencing the children attending this school. While we navigate the in and outs here be in prayer over our squad, the school, and the church.

Malaysia is a heavy country, there are masques and temples everywhere.  Idol boxes are on every corner and the spiritual ware fare is heavy. It’s not been blatant, but the enemy has been attacking our rest, our times with the Lord and creeping in with complacency.  Yea be in prayer over this time and place.

I have been incredibly encouraged by the church here – they burn. They have a service at the church every night of the week here, as well as house church, bible study, and ministry among the congregation as well as outreach. I can’t help but think that this is was what the church in Acts was like. As i sat in a house church n enlightened recently, I couldn’t help but think that this church is such a picture of the early church. Gathering together, sharing in revelation of Jesus, the motive being the man Jesus – not some big or flashy thing but a people longing for more of Jesus. Not just in word but in action too. What would our churches look like if we went after Jesus as much as we talked about it?

Im unsure of what the next two months will hold, but I know that every other god is an idol and that Jesus is alive and on the throne. Jesus is after the hearts of those in Malaysia and regardless of the issues that seem prevalent right now, Jesus is above it all.