Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is an amazing city to visit. Lots of records achieved... Tallest flagpole in the world, tallest twin towers in the world, used to be the tallest building in the world... Huge rock caves that have been converted into a series of Hindu temples. It's one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India (read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Caves). There are 272 steps to get up there (pant, pant) and monkeys EVERYWHERE! I got too close to one, and he swatted me! Broke the skin on my arm. Let that be a lesson to you. :)

Amazing food varieties in KL... Below is Nepalese food. MMMM!!!!

Fraser's Hill, Malaysia

Day Out

A couple weeks before leaving Bandung, Colleen and I got to spend the day with 4 girls from the kost who were good friends from the first month to the last. We hiked around some caves that weren't too far from the dorm, and enjoyed the mountain beauty. A day to remember. I miss my buddies!!! :(

Catch up

I'm trying to play catch-up here. There have been so many things that have happened in the past few months that are worth sharing. Be sure to check past months as well, because I had a few drafts that were started and never finished (Independence Day and Farewell from the dorm).

Star Wars (1977)

So I am watching Star Wars for the first time (yes, finally). #4 on Sunday, #5 last night, and will watch #6 today. Generally not the movie genre I pick out for myself, but since I had the time and it was here, and Colleen wanted me to watch it, thought I would at least give it a try. #5 was much better than #4, and the characters and story are growing on me, although I'm far from hooked at this point. Most interesting to me are the spiritual parallels.

Yesterday I read about how King Saul spared the best of the sheep and cattle when he was supposed to totally destroy the Amalekites and everything belonging to them. He was going to use them for a sacrifice to God. But God wasn't happy and said, "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."

This morning I read about Samuel looking for the next king, and God says He doesn't look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

When I read that, it made me think of Star Wars when Luke leaves to rescue Leia and Han, against the wishes of Yoda and Obi, telling him he is not ready to go yet. Then later we discover more information that Yoda and Obi already knew when Luke ran off recklessly to do a "good" thing (save his friends and fight the dark side), a thing he felt absolutely necessary, more so than heeding the words of his trainers.

I haven't seen the last film yet, but it just reminded me of how God does not think the way I think, and He knows infinitely more than I do, and it's better to obey than go off on my bright ideas of things I think are good that differ from what He's said. I only can see the outward situation, but He sees all the intricate workings, much larger and much smaller than I ever will.

Anyway, that's my musings thus far on Star Wars. Found it interesting that my viewings coincided with my readings.

Janda Baik, Malaysia

The "chalet" in Janda Baik was our first stop in Malaysia after leaving Bandung. It was a bit more rustic than we anticipated (see me in our chalet below, with mattresses propped up against the wall of the empty, square wood hut). However, the cold, power-pipe shower blaster was refreshing! There was no door on the outhouse bathroom/shower that hovered over the stream, but as we were quite alone, a sarong worked for privacy. Feeling a bit too isolated in a brand new country, we decided it was time to split after the first night. Also, Colleen was attacked by a leech. If you click on the picture of me outside, you can see our chalet in the background.

Farewell from the dorm

Our dorm mom surprised us a week before we left, with 2 lovely cakes she made for us. Everyone came down to partake that night, and it was a great time. She said, "I don't have anything I can give you, so this is my gift to you." It was very special.

Then a couple nights before we left, they went all out and had a "barbeque" for us, and pulled out the stops. On our last night, we were up past 1 am, and the girls kept stopping by, one by one, at 15-30 minute intervals, with gifts and notes for us. We felt so loved!