Reflections

• A special note for this post--my "caps" isn't working correctly. so i apologize.

Thursday

Most people arrived at the airport with red eyes, weary after saying their goodbyes.

I haven't cried yet.

I'm not sure that this reality has really sunk in.

Part of me feels like i will see my family and friends in a few weeks at max.

My fellow Malaysia friend Tessa said that the worst is behind us.  saying goodbye is hard.

but being left behind could be even worse.
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Friday

Today we talked about accompaniment. it's the model that the ELCA has adopted for mission related work.  thinking of myself as a missionary is odd, and actually i am a bit relieved that, due to the negative connotations that missionaries have from the past related to "converting" people, it is not a phrase that i will actually use to identify myself.

so-- lots of people asked what it was that i would actually be doing in Malaysia, after all-- "don't you read the news?"

Here i am to clear up some thoughts, and inform you of some new information to me!

1. This is not a trip.-- I'm not here to sit on a beach and have fun
2. This isn't even about me-- it's about how God is working through people and the church

Accompaniment means to walk alongside others. it's about mutuality and interdependence.  it's not about coming in and fixing, teaching, or changing, but more about observing and finding a need that you could fill.  This need comes in many shapes and no level of difficulty is below that of a servant.  in the Western culture we are "doers", we need to have a task and feel accomplishment.  The model of accompaniment challenges us to focus on "being" rather than "doing".  After all-- we were made for relationship, and if we are too busy trying to change someone or something into what we view as "right", we won't get the chance to "be" and appreciate who they are and the story they have to offer the world.

--so now for the NEW information--

1. Mail takes about a month to get to me
2. you take your shoes off before you enter a house
3. people swim with clothes on
4. all parts of the chicken are consumed--ALL of it
5. i am slightly worked up about eating the above mentioned items plus spicy food..more then slightly
6. people shower from 2-4 times a day due to heat and humidity
7.becoming scuba certified is supposed to be super cheap in Malaysia
8. there's a kfc in my town in case number 5 becomes too much to handle
9. i'm told we use "squatters" for toilets
10. you flush your toilet by dumping water down it..sometimes multiple pitchers of water
11. the toilets don't have toilet paper--bring your own!
12. God is great and wonderful and  i know that i will find myself challenged in ways i never thought possible.  but God goes before us to pave the way and prepare us for the journey ahead.