English Week

Wednesday:
Each class took an English quiz
(I have never seen students so excited to take a quiz before)


Thursday:
BINGO and translation/crosswords puzzle for grades 4-6 and 2 afternoon classes
New English songs for grades 1-3


Friday:
Guess the action for grades 4-6
Guess the sound for grades 1-3
Spelling Bee
Awards

spelling bee

 teammates

all students

Number 1 for crossword puzzle!

Murut Wedding

April 12, 2013

 wedding couple with cousins

cousins in traditional dress

family of the newlyweds and friends (Ashley and Nam Dae)

 "gifts" sort of..still learning how to explain this..

food and drink after the wedding

The Excitement Continues

April started with utter chaos and unpredictability.  On the first of April we had visitors from  Korea who put tiles in four classrooms, the library, computer room and two quest rooms.  A new house was also being built next to the school, so the first week in April was a charming melody of saws and hammers.  For the first few days we attempted to have class.  Two classes were held in the chapel and one in the canteen.  We had to reconsider our game plan and decided on a sports day for Thursday.  Students had a blast playing games and it was really fun for me to join them!  On that Friday only a few students came to school to help out everything back where it belonged.

All but one of the visitors went home after week one, but our house and our school has been blessed with a new companion, Nam Dae.  He will be at our school for the next two and a half months.  He speaks Korean and VERY little English but we are able to communicate enough.  He is also learning Malay really quickly.  This has been really fun for me because I now have someone to show around, help translate, or just sympathize with when communication just isn't happening.

Another exciting thing that is happening is that on Friday, April 12, the teachers from my school will be going to a traditional Murut wedding.  My friend Hailley's younger brother is getting married and so Nam Dae will get to see a traditional Malaysian wedding for the first time.  This will be my second time to witness a wedding in Malaysia, but this time I will make sure to bring my camera!

More updates:
 After standing on top of a chair for a good ten minutes I discovered that we have quite the lovely array of mice whose presence graces our kitchen every evening.  Cockroaches, as of lately, love to surprise we when preparing for bed.

I have officially cooked fried bananas on my own

I am learning a little Korean and can count to 5 (haha)-- still working on some Mandarin as well

Stay tuned: English Week at TGSH, April 10-12 

The future

February marked the half way point of my journey.  I am a natural planner so part of me needed to start figuring out what would happen when I went home.

Thus started the applications! I spent a good two-three weeks preparing essays, cover letters and resumes.  I attempted more Skype interviews than I knew was possible on an iPad with wifi service in the middle of no where Sabah, Malaysia.  After three wonderful options presented themselves I started the difficult discernment process with family, friends and God.

February also marked out second retreat to Hong Kong.  The theme was "stillness in the city". The purpose to find peace and serenity within the chaos of our lives.  Now, maybe this isn't ironic, but it seemed to be exactly what was needed at this point in my discernment process.

In the end I decided to take a position at Calvary Luthern Church in Willmar, MN, as a Faith Formatin Coordinator.  I am truly excited to work as a member of this new team and see how God is working in that place and with the people there.  I also know that God is continually equipping us for the plans that he presents, so I am excited to see how my gifts will serve in a new community and how I will fit in this new "family".

On the other side of things, it seems surreal to have plans for what comes next.  Most days future plans are not mentioned because they are bitter sweet.  Wonderful and rich relationships present themselves to me everyday and I want to cherish them all the best that I can for as long as I can.

Easter without Lent

For the first time that I can remember I did not go to any special services for Lent.  Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and the rest of the seemingly "traditional" days of Lent are only held in Catholic Churches in my community.  Most of the people in my community had no idea what I was talking about when I inquired about these days.  At first I was dumbfounded, thinking that all Christians practice these traditions, but I was clearly wrong.  This year I had a traditional Sabah Easter, which was seemingly just another Sunday- for I think that the people I am with treat every day as a precious gift from God.

Maundy Thursday, another unheard of day in the Christian church I am a part of here, brought on discussions for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  I was told that all chuch members fast on Good Friday and then attend church at 3 pm.  When I was first told this I basically shrugged it off; I've never tried fasting before.  Then it was brought up again, and instead of shrugging it off, I asked why. The answer came in quick Malay but I was able to catch 40 days and 40 nights and I realized it was this congregations attempt to try to understand some of the suffering that Jesus went though for us (something I quickly forgot with the other abundance of thoughts present in my mind at the time).

I went to bed self conconcious of an already grumbling tummy, not knowing when, according to these fasting rules, I could eat again.

I woke to a house full of people and children, family members from the Kampung (village) who have come to stay for this Easter weekend.  Immediatly I caught a wiff of chicken with fried noodles frying in the kitchen and I quickly closed the door and covered my head with a pillow.  This was going to be harder than I thought!

I made it through the morning after three cups of green tea and a desire to move upstairs by the time they started cooking lunch.  I spent my late morning/early afternoon cleaning my room, folding and putting away clothes, washing some clothes, showering and basically whatever I could do to keep my mind off of food.

(For those of you who don't know, I used to have to eat every three hours to function properly, and eating is probably my favorite hobby)

I think I actually did pretty well.  After removing myself from temptations I found that my stomach didn't rumble and it was rather okay.
 
In the afternoon I was checking my home congregations facebook page for their lent devotion and ended up chatting with an old friend.  It was at that time that I realized I was going about this fasting thing all wrong.

I decided to do this only because I was told all the people at my church are doing it
I am selfish and often think about how much I love food and so I kept thinking of the food I was missing out on.
It took me this long to figure out these things and than remember of the REAL purpose of fasting

I shook my head at myself at my seemingly elementary mistake.  As children how many times are we are always told by our parents, "Don't just _______ because everyone else is."  This is where God's wonderful grace comes into play.  We may make mistakes over and over again, do things without thinking about why we do them and fall short time and time again, but God forgives.  In fact, God loves us SO MUCH that he sent his only son to perish so that our sins would be forgiven and that we may have eternal life.
This Lent I was especialy thankful for the time to remeber the sacrifice that God made for all people, but also for the challange of being able to explain some of my religious practices.  I am learning to ask myself the question 'why?' a lot this year; maybe this is God's attempt to make me a stronger person.

This might change my plans..

For the last month or so I have been planning a trip for the end of March to Tawau, located in the Eastern Coast of Sabah, to visit a fellow YAGM friend and see some of the most beautiful diving areas and islands in the world.  

Until this happened.

U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Security Message for U.S. Citizens

Violence in Coastal Eastern Sabah (Borneo)

March 8, 2013

March 8, 2013

The U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur advises U.S. Citizens against travel to the coastal area of eastern Sabah (Borneo). This region extends from the town of Kudat, on the north coast, south to the border with Indonesia. Included are the towns of Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna, and Tawau.   On March 7, the Government of Malaysia designated this area as a “Special Security Area.” Several of these towns are the embarkation points for nearby islands frequented by tourists, including the dive sites of Sipadan and Mabul. 

During the period March 1-8, there have been continuing clashes between Malaysian security personnel and an armed group that entered Sabah by sea from the southern Philippines. Military and police operations are ongoing against armed groups. There is the potential for more violent incidents.  

U.S. Citizens currently in the area covered by the “Special Security Area” are encouraged to depart when local authorities indicate that it is safe to do so. You should obey any evacuation or curfew orders announced by Malaysian officials. U.S. Citizens traveling to or residing in other areas of Sabah should exercise caution and remain alert to your surroundings. 

U.S. Citizens are reminded that they should carry their U.S. passport with them at all times when in Malaysia.  

The U.S. Embassy is not aware of specific threats to U.S. citizens in Malaysia at this time. 

_______________
It's always strange to know that conflict like this is happening around you.  The first few days of March  I obsevered people moving about more cautiously.

My language skills are doing quite well, but there are definatly conversations that are not completely comprehended.  With that being said, I just do what I am told and know that people here are looking out for each other.  There are adaptations for every change and currently the state of Sabah is excersing extra caution for it's people.

We have our twice a week fellowship and we continue to pray for our community like normal, but we also add prayers for  Sabah as a whole to the list.  The local night market is a lot less crowded these days but other than that things are seemingly normal.

Now to begin a new journey of planning for other excursions inland!  White water rafting, a train ride  and kayaking may be on the new agenda for the end of March!

Birthday!

5 March 2013

Today is my  birthday!

I went to school and Rev. Peter came to do a sight visit.  I was a little disappointed because Tuesdays are my least favorite days at school, only because I have two classes two times each in the morning.  

But

The classes went really well!  I think all the constant review is really helping!

After the first 4 periods Peter and I sat and talked about life, school and such.  Eventually a rumbling tummy told me it was time to relocate and find food! I asked Kurius if we could eat and he told me to enter class 6.  This should have been my first hint, but I was totally clueless!

I walked into class 6 where all students from class 5 and 6 were waiting to sing "Happy Birthday".  Snacks and  pop was everywhere and Leny even dished up my food for me and lead me to a designated seat.  Hillisia came and gave me a gift from school, which led all the other teachers to come forward and give me a gift, naturally followed by the awkward "shake the hand, receive your 'diploma' and wait for the camera" pose.  One student brought me a present and shook my hand, which some how lead to almost 10 more students coming forward with beautifully wrapped gifts.  

Now, it's not the gifts that were exciting, but the pure joy I saw in the faces of my students as they shared my special day with me.  They truly wanted to make me feel special and to know that they care about me. 

I don't know how many times I am asked if I miss my family.  Here family is the most important thing, so the fact that I am so far away from mine, means that they like to substitute for my family.  Every day my students tell me I am beautiful and funny.  We laugh and joke together and I break up fights when I need to.  We sing and we dance.  We wash dishes and we eat together.   We take care of each other because that is what a family does.  So- the fact that they got to be my family on my birthday made them over the top excited.  

I was blow away by the thought and planning the students and teachers put into making my birthday one I will never forget! I felt truly special and loved.