Let me introduce you to this year's mission team: both the Armentrouts and I were 'repeats' from last year but added a fellow Canadian (Johnny Wong) and fellow Coloradans (the Dewey family) this year. It was great having them along cause they added their own flavor to our trip! The young Dewey boys integrated well with the Malaysian kids and helped keep us 'older kids' on the team entertained with tickle fights, travel games and lots of inquisitive questions. Pictured from left to right: Jim Armentrout (Trout), Marco Dewey, Johnny Wong, Jacob Dewey, yours truly, Sandy Armentrout, Aaron and Rachel Dewey; Grant Dewey was taking the picture.
Either it was hotter this year than last or I just didn't find many breezes: our days in the jungle were scorchers. Hot temperatures and sweat-soaked shirts aside, it was absolutely wonderful visiting seven churches in some of the remotest and poorest regions of the jungle. Our first day was especially exciting because the local village waited for us to join them in celebrating the opening of a new church in Kalabakan.
The people of the village patiently awaited our arrival and were prepared for the celebrations to start as soon as we exited our vehicles. We stepped out to the sounds of three men playing typical Malaysian music with gongs and the rest of the villagers lined up to direct us into the church building. It was evident they worked long and hard to get their church building ready for this opening. A picture storyboard of the construction was posted outside the front door – so many people contributed, often slugging away with hand tools since electricity is not available in the village and generators are expensive!
This year, compared to last, we spent time doing crafts and games with the children of these churches. I must say these kids are so incredibly well-behaved and attentive! Amazingly we didn't have to 'entertain them' or exercise 'crowd control' even when some kids were waiting for others to finish their crafts.
And boy can these kids sing! They must follow the example of the adults in the church services who raise their voices with fervor, sincerity and assurance. It is something you really need to experience firsthand. When you hear the stories how so many of the villagers' lives were radically changed because of their new found freedom in Christ and how they literally risked their lives to become Christians (often fleeing homes and attempts on their lives), it is no wonder they sing their praises with passion!
We typically got together with the kids outside the church building, usually nearby in someone’s home or an outdoor pavilion. The Malays prefer we take off our shoes while in church (including sanctuary) but we always took off our shoes when entering someone's home. Hence the wisdom in wearing slip-on sandals because you are constantly putting on and taking off footwear.Our last day we had a bit of a challenge when we realized we didn't have electricity in the outdoor pavilion for our evening session! Good thing someone found candles so the kids could do their crafts by candlelight. Of course, I just about blinded the poor kids with my flash when I took this picture but it sure is nice to have the memory =)
From an architectural perspective, it still strikes me how windows are always open and often without glass; no real reason to have windows since the temperature is always warm (never below 27C all year). Also interesting are their rooms limited of furnishings so the family and guests can occupy the floor –- typical of most Asian cultures. Quite a contrast to the extra-insulated windows and walls containing furniture-filled rooms in our dwellings back in North America.
The generosity of these people is truly humbling. The efforts taken to hunt and prepare a main dish (usually wild boar, venison, crocodile, ostrich, shrimp) along with local fruit (such as jack, langtan, papaya) and a number of other vegetable dishes (rice rolled in banana leaves, fern, palm tree mushrooms) is heart-warming, especially since they can barely afford to feed themselves at other times. Actually, I never saw a wild boar before it hit my plate so when given the opportunity I had to agree with Trout that "this is a face only a mother can love" =)
When it's time to eat, the villagers simply refuse to approach the buffet table until the guests go first which is something I really don't like. We are treated like royalty and I would rather fit in with the crowd. Then again, this is their custom and there is a definite rhythm to the way things are done around here; not going first would be rude on our part.Notice how we are to place our dirty dishes under the table when we're done eating and then rinse our hands with cold water from a tea pot. I learned that silverware is never used here in Malaysia –- everyone eats with their hands including rice and messier sauce-type dishes. Fortunately our gracious hosts found silverware for us so we weren't challenged with the task of changing our eating habits!
One part of the service I absolutely love is meeting the entire congregation at the front of the church after the service is over. It really doesn't get much better when so many shake your hand, look in your eyes and their faces light up. It is obvious that they, along with me, are encouraged to share this moment as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
