In October 2011, I made my second visit to Malaysia. I was able to go back to the orphanage that team 7 visited the first time we were here. Pastor Johnson, the man who runs the orphanage, allowed me to stay a night with the children and film the events of a typical day. 

Like many orphanages in the world, there is great need here. Approximately 50 children live here. Any age child is accepted, and they are allowed to live there as long as they like. Many of the children, after entering their 20s, have remained at the orphanage to take care of the younger ones. 

I know the video is long. And I didn't want to add any music, or different "scenes." I just wanted to film Pastor Johnson giving a bit of an interview and then follow him as he provided a tour. The children have one main room where they do their homework, play games, eat their meals, and sleep. This room is an open room with a concrete floor. 

As I understand it, there are many homes for orphans in Kuala Lumpur, but most are run by non-Christians. Some homes only take in children under the age of twelve, are Islamic homes, and are either all girl or all boy homes. The Stepping Stones Living Centre is a Christian orphanage that was started in 1998 and houses boys and girls, children of any age. 

Pastor Johnson revealed to me that in the past, on different occasions, individuals have visited the orphanage, taken pictures and video to raise support for the home, and then he never heard from them again. On another occasion, he discovered that a group was using pictures and videos to exploit the children. The group was raising money and then keeping it. So the fact that Pastor Johnson allowed me to stay a night, and trusted me enough to allow me to take pictures really means a lot to me. I plan on returning to Malaysia on a regular basis every year. Hopefully, a few times a year. My hope is that when I return in March, I will be able to financially contribute to the ministry of the Stepping Stones Living Centre. They have no website to check, however, there is a group on Facebook if you would like to check that out.

Please pray for the children there. Pray for Pastor Johnson, and pray that children who need a safe place to live, meals to eat, clothing, and an education, will be sent there. If you would like to donate, send your donations to Lester Memorial United Methodist Church in Oneonta, AL. Let us know that your donation is for this orphanage. We will keep track of how much each person donates, and I promise you ALL DONATIONS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE STEPPING STONES LIVING CENTRE IN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA.

After watching the video, if you have any questions or are seeking clarification, please contact me. I would be glad to take your questions. Finally, the video was shot on a little Cannon point and shoot. I do wish it were a nicer video.

Donations will be spent on :

School uniforms

School supplies and books

Shoes

Food, cooking utensils

Shampoo, soap, toothpaste, towels

Home repairs

Some will be saved since there are plans to build a new house.

Lester Memorial United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 626

108 3rd Ave. East

Oneonta, AL 35121

A few weeks back I made my second trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Just like the first time I visited, it was a blessing. Team SE7EN members Jillian (J-bone) and Jenae were also there. Jenae is serving in the Philippines, and J-bone had just finished a month of ministry in India with her job. Also, another dear friend of mine and fellow World Racer Liz Olson visited. She is currently serving in Thailand.

After 38 hours of traveling, including a 14 hour flight followed by a 12 hour layover, it was nice to finally arrive in KL. I spent the first night upstairs above the restaurant in the same room where we stayed during the WR. With J-bone and Jenae there, I felt a bit sad to not have Jessica (who's married now), Jessi, and Trev with us. Everything reminded me of the race. The smells. The food. The heat. The showers. It took a day for me to get over the "I can't believe I'm back" mindset. But it felt right being there; with Peter and Carol again.

My whole purpose for going was to speak at a university. I also wanted to participate in as many ministries as I could. 

I arrived on Oct. 13th, and spoke at the university on the 14th. Before I spoke, we played charades, and had a time of worship and prayer. Then I spoke for about an hour. 

I spent some of the days working in the restaurant again. Peter and Carol have opened a second one called Kennedy's. It's an American themed restaurant with movie posters, and sports gear covering the walls. Also, there are pictures of past WR teams spread throughout the room. A few teams have there own booth. And team SE7EN is one of those teams!

One of the contacts Amy, or Snoop as we call her, asked me to go to a worship service that lasted from 11:00pm to 6:00am. I stayed for half of it and then took a taxi back to where we stayed. In the taxi though, the driver (who was also at the service) asked if I would go to his house and pray for his brother who had recently suffered his second stroke. I agreed to go. We arrived at the man's house where his brother, sister, and wife all lived together. His brother was lying on a hospital bed in an open room to my right as we entered the house. I approached his brother, and began to pray for him. As I prayed, the man's wife and sister asked if I would anoint him with oil. Again, I agreed, and held out my hand. Not knowing exactly what to do, or what they were expecting me to do, I then made the sign of a cross on his forehead and kept praying. The taxi driver then began to take pictures of me praying for his brother. After the Amen, he asked if I would pray over his sister and wife. This time no oil was used. However, he took pictures of this prayer as well. Then he handed me a bag with cookies, tea, and money in it and told me this was a gift for my prayers. 

When team SE7EN was here in April of 2010, we visited the Stepping Stones Living Centre Orphanage. On this past trip of mine, I was able to return and visit the children again. They enjoyed seeing pictures of themselves from the first time we all were together. Their living conditions are rough though. There is one main room where the children do their homework, play games, eat their meals, and sleep. Pastor Johnson, the man who runs the orphanage, gave me the opportunity to stay a night with them and film the events of a typical day. I was surprised to see exactly how they live. Not once did any of them complain about their situation. I hope to post a video blog sharing that experience with you.

I was asked to share the Gospel with one of the Muslim staff members from the restaurant. For his safety, I won't reveal his name, but you must know his story.

I was getting ready to leave on Friday the 21st. On Thursday morning after I had just tied my apron and was preparing to wait some tables, I approached him and said, "I'm leaving to go home tomorrow, but before I do, I would like to share the Gospel about Jesus Christ with you." He said ok and we planned it for the same time the next day. You should know this. It's illegal to share the Gospel with a Muslim. 

That next day, we met. I asked him about his family and religious background. His family lives in Pakistan and are all Muslim. I asked him who he believed Jesus was, and he replied "I don't know much about Jesus. Teach me." Carol later joined and helped interpret. From there, the door was open to share about Jesus. So I did. After some 30 minutes if not more, I asked him again the same question. "Who do you believe Jesus is?" His response, as he pointed one finger to the ceiling, "God's Son. Jesus is the Son of God." 

That's where our conversation ended. I didn't feel the need to go any further. We simply got up, and went to work. Hours later I boarded the plane and flew home.

On that next Monday, the 24th, I received a Skype call from Peter and Carol. It was in the 7:00am hour for me so it was in the 8:00pm hour for them. Carol told me that that morning, the young man of 21 came into work like normal, and approached her. The news was truly life-changing. He had given his life to Christ. I teared up as they told me the news. I went into work that day happier than I ever had before. No better news could one receive. Well, that's my opinion. But this goes a bit deeper.

When the young man told his mother, her was response was this: "You can't come home." Now, I don't know if these words were spoken out of fear, or out of anger. He was told that the Taliban would kill him if he returned. So for now, he will remain in Malaysia. He chose Jesus over the possibility of never seeing his parents again; over the possibility of never seeing his family or friends again. He chose Jesus over his safety, his home, and everything that he has ever known. What a decision. What a Godly man. 

I wanted to keep this blog short and simple for a few reasons. 1) I can't go into a lot of details about the ministry for Peter and Carol's sake. 2) I understand you're all busy. So I'll simply provide a summary of the events. 

I plan on returning in March, so I'll try to post that experience as well. Thanks for reading, take care.

Preparing for the 11:00pm-6:00am service.

Monica is a dear friend of mine from our squad. While we were in the Ukraine, she asked if I would baptize her. Honored and humbled, I did. This is her video.

                I feel like it's been a while since I've actually written a blog about our ministry. To some degree, it has. We're in Romania for a few more days and then we'll leave for our final country. It took us 3 days of traveling by train to get here from the Ukraine. This month has passed by quickly. A few more weeks and then we'll be home...

                We begin each morning with about 4 hours of construction; which by the way, our team has gotten used to by now. We've mixed, leveled, and poured concrete. We've shoveled wheel barrel after wheel barrel of rocks. We've plastered walls, ripped our shoes, and popped plenty of blisters. Team SE7EN has been blessed to have a role in the building of a few homes. We've laid the foundation of a home, and added porches and walkways around the others.

                While shoveling piles and piles and piles of rocks I constantly think of how this year has gone by. I think of the ministries of which we have been a part. Some of the ministries are like this month, simply laying a foundation. Other months, like in the Philippines, we were able to reap the benefits of someone else's labor. After we painted a few walls we watched as a woman and her family moved in to their new home. And still other months, we didn't lay the foundation or see the project reach completion. We were only there to keep the process going.

                The same is said spiritually. We have shared the Gospel with some people who heard it for the first time that day. We've also preached to those who are already believers. And then there are those days in which we are blessed to witness people come to Christ after years of having Godly men and women continually pouring into their lives. We saw a similar case in Maylasia...A woman who converted to Christianity from Islam wanted to be baptized. We only met with her a few times; however, she asked that our team be there for that special day.

                Now, back to our ministry here. We're living in an orphanage this month so every afternoon is spent with the children and teenagers playing soccer, watching movies, making crafts, and anything else they can think of. We have all built relationships with the kids and this will certainly be another difficult country to leave.

    There is a group from England staying with us this month as well. We went with them one day and visited a gypsy village to deliver food. It was heart breaking. The gypsy village is basically outside of the city. They live in homes made of scraps of whatever they can find. Honestly, it looks like a trash dump. These people are neglected from society and are often homeless and jobless. I wish we could've spent more time in that area. It's unbelievable.

    We have done a lot this month. But it never feels like enough. It seems like as soon as your heart breaks it's time to move to the next country. 

Trevor first began to feel sick on our 18 hour train ride in Ukraine from Kiev to Yalta on Sept. 6^th. On the train and the day we arrived, he had a headache, a fever, and was feeling dizzy. On the 8^th, (our first day of ministry) he stayed in his bed for most of the day. Trevor never missed a day of ministry before that day because he was feeling sick.

                On the 9^th, Trevor had a fever of 103.5. I stayed overnight with him in a hospital. At this hospital, he received a few shots and an occasional IV. The IVs at this hospital were very limited. They were more like a shot. The rooms were empty...no medical equipment...just a room with two twin beds. My bed sheets had what looked like blood stains on them. Who knows what it actually was? Also, no one spoke English, and at this point, we had no idea what Trevor was suffering from.

                Trevor and I rejoined the team on the 10^th. He felt a little better while the medication was still in his system, but naturally as it wore off his symptoms returned. He spent the rest of the late afternoon and evening in his bed. He was now beginning to feel a pain in his left side. Since it was Friday, the labs were closed, and we couldn't have a blood test done for him on a weekend.

At about 2:00am on the 11^th, he woke me up and asked for us to take him back to the hospital. Jenae went with him and stayed until morning. I switched with her a few hours later. When I arrived, Trevor was wrapped in blankets, cold, shivering (more so shaking), moaning, vomiting, and still running a fever. Later that afternoon he went into the bathroom to vomit. He would often go to his knees for he was getting weak. At 4:51pm I heard a fall. While trying to stand up, Trevor passed out. I ran into the bathroom and there was Trevor on the floor. I stood over him yelling his name and checking his pulse. I then retrieved the nurses. After 2 minutes he came to, and we got him to his bed. As soon as he sat on his bed he passed out again. This time in my arms. I laid him down while the nurses gave him an IV. When he came back to this time, his clothes were saturated from sweat. Trevor would never fall again without me being there to catch him. After this, our ministry contact and I rode with him in an ambulance to a hospital about 2 hours away in Simferopol.

The hospital in Simferopol provided better medication and more IVs for Trevor. However, since it was now the weekend, the labs were closed at this hospital as well. This hospital would not allow me to stay with Trevor.  I had to wait outside all day. The doors were locked with gates in front of them. I couldn't see Trevor at all. He was released at 6:00pm that evening, and the two of us took a taxi to the airport. The plan was to get him to Kiev on a short flight because there was no way that his body could handle an 18 hour train ride without any medication. We also hoped that the hospital in Kiev would be able to treat him.

On the 13^th, we arrived at the airport. Trevor did fine in the taxi, and was pretty stable at the airport. As we began to line up to board the plane, Trevor dropped his passport. As I began to put our bags down and grab it, he had already bent over and picked it up. After he straightened back up he started to stagger a bit. Seconds later he passed out. I caught him and then laid him on the ground. Most in the line watched. Some came and offered assistance. One checked his pulse. Some doctors and flight attendants checked him out to see if he could fly. They took our bags off of the plane and told us he couldn't. But God knew that we needed to be on that flight so when they checked him a few minutes later we were cleared to fly.

We boarded the plane, put our bags away, and took our seats. Trevor was doing fine at first. He wanted to rest and fall asleep. I kept watch on him while he slept. Minutes later I took a glance at him, and his eyes were open while he stared at nothing. He had passed out again. I called for the flight attendant, and she brought him an oxygen mask and tank. This time he was out for over 4 minutes. His mouth hung open, and his bottom lip was quivering. When he came to, his shirt was drenched with sweat. Altogether he passed out 4 times on the plane.

We were the last to get off of the plane when we landed in Kiev. The attendants handed our bags to us and arranged for another ambulance to carry Trevor to the airport hospital wing. We met up with our squad leader, Austin, and he rode with us. While walking from the ambulance to airport hospital wing, Trevor passed out again. And again, I caught him. The doctors rushed to him and waved a cotton ball with something on it that woke him up instantly. After they gave him some shots and a brief check up, we headed to a hospital. Austin and I stayed with him at the hospital until he was placed in a room. It was 4:00am on the morning of the 13^th before Austin and I went to sleep.

At 7:00am our phones began to ring with calls from the states. Exhausted, we headed to the hospital to see Trevor. When we arrived we were told that he was no longer there. They had moved him to another hospital without letting us know. Fortunately, we finally met a woman who spoke English. She said if Austin and I could wait 15 minutes until she was off work then she would drive us to him herself. She, along with a few others, became our translators. She was truly a blessing for us. After finally having a blood test done, the results revealed that Trevor had malaria. He was given medicine to treat the malaria and the malaria count began to decrease fairly quickly.

On the morning of the 14^th we were given some terrible news. Trevor had gotten worse.  The doctors told us that on a scale of 0-10 (10 being the worst) Trevor was at a 9.5. After talking with his family, and AIM, and other doctors in the U.S. it was best for us to try and fly him to a better facility by means of a medical jet. However, the doctors at this hospital said that if we tried to fly him out as he was, then he wouldn't make it.

Early in the afternoon, Trevor had surgery and his spleen, which had ruptured, was removed. So now, he was recovering from the malaria, but he also had to recover from the surgery. His father arrived that night. It was powerful to see a father come and care for his son.

For the next few days Trevor needed to make a strong enough recovery so that he could fly to London and then fly home. I am happy to report that he made that recovery. On the night of the 18^th, some of us Racers held candles and sang Christmas songs as Trevor and his father walked together for the first time in 9 months. They walked from Trevor's hospital room to an ambulance and were taken to the airport. Currently they are in London where Trevor says he is in the nicest hospital that he has ever seen. He hopes to have some fish and chips as soon as he is feeling better.

Trevor,

 

    Our month in Uganda has been a great one for our team. Our days have been filled with: leading Bible studies, preaching in churches, leading worship, praying for patients in the hospital, spending time with orphans, construction, visiting schools, and making home visits to pray for those who are sick. 

    Personally, I really enjoy visiting the schools. It’s loud, and the energy is awesome! We try our best to entertain the students by providing skits, songs, and a message. We conclude each session by allowing the students to ask any questions that they may have. Typically, the kids ask about the food in America. However, some have asked great questions concerning a few scriptures in the Bible.

    I hope these pictures help to show you what we have been blessed to be a part of this month. 

     Before I begin to talk about the robbery, I would like to fill you in on the events of that day. We went door to door evangelizing again this month. It was a lot like last month in Kenya. Some people gave their lives to Christ, there were miracles, and children followed us throughout the streets. Each of these things occurred daily as we went out.

     On this particular day we met a woman named Salma who was paralyzed in one foot. We prayed for her as a group, and she was healed. She then stood up, walked around as if she was trying on a new pair of shoes, and began to dance. I'll never forget the smile she had on her face. She was so excited. We then shared the gospel with her, and she accepted Christ. 

     That afternoon and early evening we went to church. Jillian and I preached that night. Jillian preached on living out our faith, and I preached on evangelizing in that area as well as loving our Father in our relationship with Him. After the service a man who we had shared the gospel with a few days earlier was there in his car waiting for us. He asked if we could visit his house and pray for a little boy who was sick. Jessi and I went with the man as well as one of our ministry contacts, and we met a boy named William who is about 11 years old and has cancer. Please remember him in your prayers. We prayed for him and then went back to the house.

     When we arrived at the house, it was time for dinner. At this point it was about 8:00pm. We all gathered around the table and then heard a loud bang on the back door. It happened one more time, and then the door was opened. Instantly we all began to run to our rooms. Jillian and I were sitting in the corner as they entered. We both saw that the first man was carrying a shotgun. Following him were at least 7 others, and some of those men were carrying clubs and pieces of wood.

     Jessi and Jenae went into their room, turned off the lights, and sat down with their backs against the door. A few men tried to open the door, however, the girls kept them out. Their room wasn't touched. Trevor ran into our room, closed the door, and held it shut. They threw a rock through the bottom of his door and then entered the room. I ran into the room with Jillian and Jessica. They both went against the wall and began to pray. I closed the door behind Jillian as she came in and leaned against it for one second thinking that they would soon be shooting through the door. Then they pushed it open and came in.

     They took my watch first, then said, "Money, I'll kill you." I heard that phrase many times during the next five minutes. A man then grabbed my arm and took me to the room Trevor and I stayed in. I watched them take my wallet out of a pair of pants, then they grabbed both of my bags. Everything I had was in my bags...my tent, my computer, camera, sleeping bag, clothes, 3 pair of shoes, passport, ipod, etc. As they walked out, I stopped the one carrying my day pack and asked for my Bible. He just looked at me. I then took my bag off of his shoulder, searched for my Bible, and then noticed that it was on a night stand. I walked away that night with a few things, my Bible and my mandolin. 

     The whole thing happened extremely fast. People were screaming, breaking doors, and threatening to take our lives. As they were leaving, I said "God bless you" in swahili. They turned around and said "Mungu...." which means God and then they stopped, as if they were caught off guard by what I said. 

     We had a man who stayed on our porch every night keeping watch. The men came to him first, threatened him, and then went around to the back door. The guard said that there were 15 to 20 of them. While Jessi and Jenae had the lights off, they could see some men walking outside of their windows.

     I'm convinced that they had been watching us for a few weeks. In our room, they lifted the mattress where Trevor kept some things hidden. They didn't do that in the other room. Also, you can't see from the inside out at night, but you can see from the outside in. They could've been watching us, and we'd never know. Each of us heard people whispering or walking around during the nights many times.

     Many people from the area and from the church came to the house a few minutes later. I was trying to preach the gospel to as many as possible, but I was told that they were all believers. A few of them said that they couldn't believe how joyful we were. We tried to keep the environment God centered. There was and still is so much for which to be thankful. Before we left the house that night, one of our contacts asked me to pray. My prayer was simple, I thanked God for taking care of us, and I prayed for forgiveness for those who robbed us.

     Things didn't hit me until the afternoon of the next day. I became extremely bitter, extremely angry, and very much so carried a calloused heart for a few hours. I was wrecked. I hit rock bottom, spiritually and emotionally. I never once blamed God, nor did I ask why. And honestly, in my bitterness and anger, I felt so close to Him. I knew He understood how I felt. It was normal for me to feel those emotions, but only for a little while. It benefits no one for me to hold on to them, and I won't be mastered by them, 1 Cor. 6:12.

     I don't want anyone who reads this to become bitter or angry. In fact, don't think too much about the situation. If you become frustrated, read the first few paragraphs again. For that is why we are here. The thicker the darkness, the brighter the light of Christ shines. 

     More good will come from this than evil ever could. We've already seen fruit. I was able to share the gospel with the officer who conducted my interview and police report. I now have a new perspective in my relationship with God. He has given me a new insight into reading His word. 

     Philippians 3:7-10 "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

     I'm so thankful for all of the prayers you have provided for me. Truly, I thank you. Our first squad leader Tara has flown out to be with us and brought us all some gifts. She brought me some t-shirts and a new backpack. My needs have been met. I don't have much, but I don't need much. Also, our squad father Dave has joined us. It's been nice to have them with us. 

     Thank you all so much for the prayers for our team. Please know that we are praying for you as well. The emails and encouraging words have made such a difference my growth. Take care, God bless!