Saturday, January 26, 2013

Another Pespective

As some of the people reading this may know, my parents had the chance to visit me in Sabah about a week ago.  We spent time in KK as well as Tenom.  My mom and I had the idea of letting her share a blog post after the visit.  My parents have a unique point of view.  They've watched this whole process of going to Malaysia unfold and they've been there as I've discerned my path in ministry.  But they also got to see Sabah with a new set of eyes.  I've been here a while and things have become routine for me, but everything was brand new for them.  So, without further ado, here's what my mom had to say about Malaysia.

I really did not know what to expect when I traveled to Malaysia to visit. I had read and
had heard from Rebecca that it was tropical- like South Carolina in late June. I had heard
Rebecca talk about various people she had met and things she had done. But even with all
of that information, I still did not know Malaysia. And even after spending 10 days there,
I still feel like I am only just beginning to get acquainted with Malaysia. However, I feel
better about Rebecca being there, and am proud of what she is doing.

I am Rebecca’s mom, and like most moms, I worry about my children even though they
are adults and perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. That’s just part of being
a mom. So, when Rebecca sent that one-word text back in April 2012: Malaysia, my
“mom-antennas” went up. Malaysia? Why that’s on the other side of the world. That’s
about as far away from home as you can get! However, over the next few weeks, I
realized that not only did Rebecca want to go, but that Rebecca needed to go, and I knew
that I needed to let her go. So, I did, but only because I knew that I would somehow go
there to visit.

First impressions: hot and humid, tropical and colorful, a place of contrasts
As time went by, the people are what impressed me the most and is what will remain
with me. Especially the people of Tenom. The people I met in that congregation there
are very caring and hospitable. They had welcomed Rebecca and welcomed Kevin and
me during our visit there. I know now that I need not worry about Rebecca (Well, okay,
I don’t worry about her as much; remember I am still her mom!). God is watching over
her through the people in Tenom- Auntie Saimi, Helen, Ina, Pastor Lucy and Pastor Wong,
and the list goes on. God is providing for her a wonderful learning experience that will
go with her for the rest of her life. He is at work shaping her and molding her in ways
we may not see right away, but in the years to come. Her path has crossed the paths of
the people of Tenom, and for a little while, they are walking together, learning from each
other.

Yes, Rebecca is on a grand adventure, and I am thankful to have been along for a short
part of the journey. Thanks be to God!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Call to Prayer

It's 5 am and the call to prayer sounds from the mosque across the street.  I jerk awake and it takes a few minutes for my heart to stop feeling like it's going to jump out of my chest.  One of the speakers on the minarets is pointed right in the direction of my house so it sounds like the muezzin might as well be in my room next to my bed.  This goes on for about three minutes as I lay in bed with the covers pulled up over my head.  Usually I can sleep through the morning prayers, but any time I leave Tenom for a few days, coming back means starting over and trying to get used to the call to prayer again.  I roll over and try to doze off again before my alarm clock wakes me.  This morning ritual is another reminder of where I've been living for the past few months.  I'm definitely far away from the Bible Belt of the South in more ways than just distance.

Since moving to Tenom, I've seen signs that I live in a place where there are Muslims, something that was not huge in my life before I came to Malaysia.  In fact, the only time I heard about Islam was either in World Religions class or on the news.  I will not claim to be expert.  Of course, wherever I go, I see women in hijabs.  At certain times during the day, I see people gather at the mosque for prayer.  There are signs in restaurants that declare that the food is halel (ok for Muslims to eat according to dietary guidelines).  There are certain public holidays that are religious holidays for Muslims.  Some businesses display Islamic art.  At first, I would look at these things as signs of how far from home I was, but over time, these feelings have changed.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, many people have welcomed me to Tenom through acts great and small.  These people are from many different backgrounds and include Muslims.  Sometimes this welcome can come from the man who smiles on the street or from the girl in the bakery who asks me how I'm doing.  Sometimes it's the taxi driver who helps me figure out how to get somewhere or it's the man at the library who is oh so patient as I try to explain that I would like to check out a book again (and explains how to ask for this in the future).  In truth, I've received pretty much the same reaction from people around town when they meet me and find out that I am from the US.  Everyone is mainly curious why an American would come to a small town like Tenom.  They wonder why I would even care about a place like Malaysia.  When I share that I teach English and want to learn more about Malaysia, everyone is delighted that I'm interested.  They're even more delighted when I can say this in Bahasa Malayu and that I'm currently learning the local language.

I think that in talking to people from back home, there is a single story of Islam that has come to dominate what many think.  It's the images of the Middle East politics that come through the news every night.  I know that particularly where I lived, this was really all we heard about Islam.  It came off as something harsh and aggressive.  But here, I've experienced something different. I have never received hostility for being a Christian or a foreigner.  I've seen people going about living their daily lives according to their faith.  Isn't that something that Christians strive to do?  Live faith daily?  This realization has made me look at different rituals in a new way.

Though I'm awakened by the call to prayer, I now realize that this is a part of someone practicing their faith daily.  Even though I turn over and try to go back to sleep, people around town are reminded to wake up and pray.  What's so bad about that?  In fact, I think it's a beautiful practice.  Five times a day, people take the time to drop everything and pray.  How often do I remember to do that?  There's certainly plenty that I could pray for.  How would my day be different if I dropped everything and took the time to talk with God?  So maybe I can remember not to be so grumpy when I'm woken yet again at 5 am.  After all, I was able to wake up to a new morning.  Maybe I don't have look at the call to prayer as a reminder of a different culture, but as a reminder to take time with God.  Maybe I won't say the same prayers as a Muslim, but their practice can be a good lesson for me in my life of faith. 

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Let Your Light Shine

So the Christmas celebrations have come to a close and here in Tenom we begin to look at the church programs and the directions they will take in the coming year.  I have to say, being in on this stage of planning is exciting.  I get to know what's happening from the start instead on hopping in halfway through.  I feel more involved.  But as I look back on the Christmas season, there is one particular theme that sticks out that has stayed with me as we've made plans at church.  It's something I can't seem to get out of my head and I keep seeing it pop up everywhere.  It's the experience of seeing how everyone around me contributes their light to the whole.  I guess this whole idea really started to stick with me during Christmas celebrations. 

A few nights after Christmas Eve (in Malaysia we celebrate all during the 12 days of Christmas) I joined some of the church members to go to one of the villages for Christmas dinner and worship.  We were all squeezed into a church that resembled a one-room school house (it could have doubled as the village school for all I know) and we were in the midst of once again celebrating Christ's birth.  In the middle of the sermon, the light in the church flickered out, leaving everyone in pitch black darkness.  Without missing a beat, everyone in the church automatically pulled out whatever light they had on them at the time.  Some had large flashlights to walk from their homes to the church in the dark.  Others just had the small glow of their cell phones.  A few even pulled out lighters and held them high.  The sermon continued and after a few minutes some of the men of the church managed to get the light back on again.  What struck me was how quickly everyone responded with what they had.  Everyone's light, no matter how big or how small helped to brighten the church.  I couldn't help but think what it's like when the power goes out back home in the US.  We completely freeze.  Everything comes to a halt.  But here, everyone came together and we continued on with hearing the good news of Christmas.  No one thought the light they had was too small or not enough compared to their neighbor's.  No one thought that their light was not needed. 

This image got me thinking about how people share their gifts in the church here.  Everyone gives all that they have and no one thinks that their gifts are too small or that someone else can cover for them.  In fact, not only does everyone show genuine appreciation for the gifts that are shared, they make a point of letting people know that what they do is appreciated.  The gifts that everyone has to offer are poured in to make the church prosper.  Recently in the village, one of the church members shared a sermon on 1 Corinthians 12.  Yet again, this theme of spiritual gifts came back to tap me on the shoulder.  As we plan for the new year, I think about what Lutherans often say at Baptism.  "Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).  How will I be using my spiritual gifts in this coming year?  How will those around me pour out their spiritual gifts?  My hope and prayer for this year is that I don't hold back because I doubt myself and the light that I can share.  I also hope and pray to not miss the light that is shining all around me from those people who come together and share whatever they have to offer.