1/03/05 - Hey!! I'm alive, and in Malaysia

[lily]

Hi you all!

Thank you so much for your concern and prayers.... As you can see, I'm alive and doing pretty well, although it hasn't all been easy.

I arrived in Malaysia on December 19th, and we were in Kuala Lumpur for the first couple days, for orientation. The first thing you notice when coming here is the extreme heat and humidity... I'm used to hot weather (mostly having lived in hot places), but the humidity I wasn't used to... even after being in Hawaii for 3 months!

Then we took a bus to Penang, and we found out that our itinerary had changed. Originally we were supposed to go to Medan Indonesia, a couple days after getting to Penang. (to be for Christmas and for 2 weeks) But they thought that it would be better if we had time to adjust and get settled in, so the trip to Indonesia was postponed til January 8. My family and close friends were worried because they didn't know that my plans had been changed, and they didn't know if I even survived. Believe it or not, my mom knew about the earthquake before I did... because I didn't even feel it here in Malaysia (some of our teammates did), and she must've been watching the news, and called the office here, right after it happened.

It probably was a Godsend that our plans had changed, and as it turned out, there was a lot of need here in Penang... pretty much all the little houses and shacks on the coast were either destroyed or flooded from the tsunami, and tons of people needed help. So we did a lot of work down on the coast, in this area, picking up people's belongings (which mostly became trash, and were caked in mud), shoveling debris and wet sand from the street drains, and picking up all sorts of trash and people's belongings that were strewn all over the beaches. The place was a disaster area, and lots of people lost everything they owned. It was hard and dirty work, but we wanted to show God's love to those affected by the tsunami, and it was worth it.

There was one Malaysian man, whose house was destroyed, and we found out that he had divorced his first wife because she became a Christian. Then his kids and second wife began going to church, and he was totally against Christianity. But he saw that pretty much the only people who volunteered to pick up the wreckage at the beach were Christians, local churches, and I was told something by a local pastor that was awesome to hear... The pastor told me that the man saw me shoveling mud, and he was touched, by seeing us helping, and his mind was changed about Christianity. So I heard that this man is coming to Christ, praise God! (this is someone who was opposed to Christianity, so it's amazing news) Btw, I remember when I was shoveling a Malaysian man who lived in one of the homes that was destroyed asked me where I was from, and I told him I was from California and I was there with a Christian organization. So maybe that was the man the pastor was talking about..

There's a lot more to tell, but I'm going to post some pictures now of the flood... these were taken by someone on our team, a Norwegian kid with his video camera... a few on our team were there the day that one of the big waves hit, so the shots you'll see are from that day, and you can see some of the wreckage.

[lily]

Hmm, I'm trying to attach some photos but I don't think it worked... let me try again....

aha, I just figured it out.. the pics are too big. I'll resize them and brb!

[lily]

let me try again

[lily]

the girl with the visor is on our team...my roommate, a Korean girl named Mi Young. In the previous picture you can see another one of my teammates, Carol, in the grey t-shirt.

[CCC]

YAY CINDY!

Thanks for posting this. Give me a few minutos to read.

[BIG GABE]

It's good to hear from you. South Asia is in need of compassionate action...

[CCC]

I've probably been reading more of the Malaysian on-line papers than my local ones this past week.

There's a bunch of photos of the destruction and cleanup in northern Penang on the New Straits Times here

[CCC]

MIRACLE BABE: ‘Mum feared baby was gone but she was saved by mattress

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 28:

Anna Mary went through a roller coaster of emotions on Sunday.

She thought that her 20-day-old baby had been swept away by the tidal waves that hit Miami Beach in Batu Ferringghi. But a floating mattress proved to be the baby's saviour and she was found safe a while later.

"Only God knows how happy I was to know my baby was safe," she said today.

When the tsunami hit about 1.15pm on Sunday, S. Thulishi was sleeping in a room behind her father's western food outlet along the beach.

Anna Mary was outside with her 12-year-old daughter S. Kanchana when the waves came crashing into the shop.

"I scrambled for safety while shouting to my husband to save the baby", she said.

The baby's father A. Suppiah, 55, braved the strong waves to open the room door to save his daughter. Meanwhile, Kanchana said she fled when she saw the waves slam the embankment but fell and was dragged a short distance by the waves.

"I tried to run to the road but fell again because of the strong waves. At the same time I was also thinking of my baby sister but luckily she was saved," she said, adding that she suffered minor injuries to her legs.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/N...le/indexb_html

[lily]

Hey Gabe and Alan!!

(((hugs)))

I was going to post some more.... (there's way more to tell, all about other things we've been doing) but I've been here for a long time, and I really should go. I'll try to come back tonight because there's a lot more I have to tell you about!

God has been using me in ways I never thought I would be, and this is just the beginning... I actually sang a song (with one other girl) in front of a group of about 100 people on Saturday night. At first I was really nervous, but we had prayed a lot before doing it, and it turned out really well, I'll tell you more about that later! The people we performed for were a group of Vietnamese - most were either new believers or non-Christians who were invited by a Malaysian Christian church, and our team was invited to meet with them and do different ministries, including speaking, a dance, singing, etc. I've never sang in front of a group before, but now I know that scripture 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' is true! The next morning and night we did more ministry at a different location, some teaching, speaking, testimonies, dance, and singing (me and MiYoung performed our songs 2 nights a row), and on the 3rd song, I taught them hand motions to the song.... it was what I had learned in Kona (I think I mentioned it on a thread once), and it got the whole crowd going, it was super fun and even though they didn't speak English (we had an interpreter), they really had fun and got into it. It's only God that can cause someone like me who has a fear of public speaking to be able to get up in front of that many people and speak and sing, so as I said.... God has really been stretching me, and this is just the beginning.

I should go, but I'll try to come back tonight!

Thanks again you all for your thoughts and prayers. I love you!

Peace~
cindy

[beatlebabe]

I'm so glad you're safe Cindy...I've been worried about you & praying for you & everyone over there.

[Cd.]

All I can say is WOW!

I had no idea you were in the middle of it all. I am glad you made it through OK.

[Silent man]

There has been a lot of people praying for you, Cindy!

We looked up Penang on the map once we heard, saw you most likely were safe, that was good!

I sent you the e-mails I did expecting the government to be in total chaos, under Martial Law, I am glad you were safe and that the people didn't riot or panic.

I figured that after a while your group would be helping with relief efforts, that is the best thing.

I dont know if you read or spoke to your family about just how bad it all was, but we here have seen some awful pictures of entire Islands disappear, and the damage is well beyond any hurricane or US earthquake any of us have ever experienced.

(James 1:27 KJV) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.


Is there anything we can mail you that will be a treat for the kids there? Do you need sanitary items that we can get to you? Toilet paper? Soap? paper plates or plastic cups?

Need some more candles?

[HangFire]

Glad to see that you made it sweetheart, you were and remain in our prayers. Keep up the good work, you make us all very proud.

God Bless, we all love and miss you.

P.S. I always knew you could do that public speaking thing;-)

[Red]

glad you're safe and missed the big earthquake/tsunami!

best of luck over there.

[BIG GABE]

Originally Posted by Silent man

Is there anything we can mail you that will be a treat for the kids there? Do you need sanitary items that we can get to you? Toilet paper? Soap? paper plates or plastic cups?

Need some more candles?

You can donate such items through various disaster relief organizations. The information is on the internet.

[BIG GABE]

Originally Posted by buttercup

It's only God that can cause someone like me who has a fear of public speaking to be able to get up in front of that many people and speak and sing

I need some more of that God stuff. Before I play or am about to give a presentation, I get these stomach aches

[Bubbles]

YAY to hearing from you!!!

I'm so glad all is going according to plan.

;^)

(LOL)

Miss you, keep us updated!
xo!

[Feinie]

So happy to read your post & find out that you are doing well.

Love Ya!!!

Feinie

[Terrapin]

thank god..( I don't say that often)...you are alright cindy..

[CCC]

Yay! Joe and Lisa sign up, and Anna and Jim return!

I love it when a plan comes together