The best noodle
Sunday morning, the Malaysian pastor reminds us to remember the things God has done. We are admonished not to forget that the benefits of salvation and any of our accomplishments in life come through God's goodness.
After W teaches until 6pm, we head out with Yokee for a trip to Chinatown vendors. Kirsten and I find some goodies - Kirsten's huge orange tote is amazing. She eyes a black dress, holds it up, and says, "I think it fits." It does. Both Jono and Kirsten suit the people here, slim and (J) tall, able to find fashion and accessories easily. Yokee, who used to be a banker and now works for the church, is the ideal tour guide. She helps us find things, but makes few suggestions and lets everyone browse.
By 10pm, we are driving back from the downtown area to our suburb, and Yokee settles us in a Hokkien noodle shop. Oh yum! Who knew food tasted this good at bedtime?!
We fall into bed at the apartment before midnight, having dropped the children off at the pastor's house. "I'm a night owl," says Yokee. Good thing! as she drives into the night.
Monday morning, Tara and Serge take us to town to see the cultural market. Tabitha is along, and the kids are glad for someone their age to hang out with. "Lots of fun, she draws people in, doesn't she?" they observe.
The stalls are bursting with wares from SE Asia, with Malay specialty crafts, fabrics, and foods. After another wonderful lunch at an open-fronted Chinese restaurant (fans overhead blowing our noodles and bodies cool), most of our group goes into Chinatown. Tara and I search for Chinese herbal tea (scored at a grocer) and finally find the little jewelry wholesaler I remember from last trip. Unfortunately, we have only five minutes in the shop before we have to hit the street and bolt for the van. Tara's folks had a store in Chinatown when she was growing up, so she knows exactly where she is. No detours, just a straight shot back to the parking lot.
The guys are waiting impatiently, a bit anxious. Traffic is thick in downtown Kuala Lumpur, with cars, busses, and lorries backed up on the on-ramps. The coach is due to leave at 2.30, but Serge performs driving heroics and gets us to the station at 2.15, with a few minutes to spare. Quick hugs all around, and we part company. Hopefully some of our friends from this part of the world will come to visit Seattle - it would be fun to extend hospitality to them as they have to us.
As we pull away for the 5-hour trip to Singapore, we are full of warm memories, and of course... great food.W sleeps, the kids read and listen to music, and I watch a few movies. By 7.30pm, we are through Malaysia and Singapore customs and getting off the coach.
The thought of eating after we get home is too much. We catch a quick supper near the coach station at 8.30, queue for a taxi, and get a speedy ride through the new highway tunnel to the east side of Singapore. Our driver lives a few streets from our condo, so he has no trouble dropping us at the door.
Tuesday, I swim for half an hour before a shower and pickup for work at 7.30am. The guys aren't ready, but the professor from Vanguard U and I go in early. Kirsten rests before heading out to Tampines Mall.
It's a long day: 8.30-3.30 classes, with information poured on the students. We do quite a few interactive and group learning breaks, but there is so much to learn. The students start the day with children's building blocks, describing their place in the body of Christ.
Spa date! The masseuse pops me into a steam bath where I sweat for 3/4 hour while Kirsten gets a massage and salt scrub. Then it's my turn. Kirsten spends about 15 minutes in the steam before hopping onto a table beside mine for a rest. We are refreshed when we grab a bit in the basement of the mall: humbau buns, sticky rice in palm leaves, a few pastries.
Waldemar and Jono find us there, but they have already eaten on their trip to the computer mall. We can't finish our bounty. We take a taxi to the flat and put the leftovers into the fridge. Later in the evening, I try out a scone and herbal tea from yesterday in KL's Chinatown (yum), then it's time to prepare the devotional for the morning, and get class notes sorted. Another long day coming up tomorrow.
After W teaches until 6pm, we head out with Yokee for a trip to Chinatown vendors. Kirsten and I find some goodies - Kirsten's huge orange tote is amazing. She eyes a black dress, holds it up, and says, "I think it fits." It does. Both Jono and Kirsten suit the people here, slim and (J) tall, able to find fashion and accessories easily. Yokee, who used to be a banker and now works for the church, is the ideal tour guide. She helps us find things, but makes few suggestions and lets everyone browse.By 10pm, we are driving back from the downtown area to our suburb, and Yokee settles us in a Hokkien noodle shop. Oh yum! Who knew food tasted this good at bedtime?!
We fall into bed at the apartment before midnight, having dropped the children off at the pastor's house. "I'm a night owl," says Yokee. Good thing! as she drives into the night.
Monday morning, Tara and Serge take us to town to see the cultural market. Tabitha is along, and the kids are glad for someone their age to hang out with. "Lots of fun, she draws people in, doesn't she?" they observe.
The stalls are bursting with wares from SE Asia, with Malay specialty crafts, fabrics, and foods. After another wonderful lunch at an open-fronted Chinese restaurant (fans overhead blowing our noodles and bodies cool), most of our group goes into Chinatown. Tara and I search for Chinese herbal tea (scored at a grocer) and finally find the little jewelry wholesaler I remember from last trip. Unfortunately, we have only five minutes in the shop before we have to hit the street and bolt for the van. Tara's folks had a store in Chinatown when she was growing up, so she knows exactly where she is. No detours, just a straight shot back to the parking lot.
As we pull away for the 5-hour trip to Singapore, we are full of warm memories, and of course... great food.W sleeps, the kids read and listen to music, and I watch a few movies. By 7.30pm, we are through Malaysia and Singapore customs and getting off the coach.
The thought of eating after we get home is too much. We catch a quick supper near the coach station at 8.30, queue for a taxi, and get a speedy ride through the new highway tunnel to the east side of Singapore. Our driver lives a few streets from our condo, so he has no trouble dropping us at the door.
It's a long day: 8.30-3.30 classes, with information poured on the students. We do quite a few interactive and group learning breaks, but there is so much to learn. The students start the day with children's building blocks, describing their place in the body of Christ.
- Flowers, water in a dish: planted by the streams of water, bearing fruit in its season
- Playdough lump: "What do you think this is?" we suggest a train, a lump of clay, but no one can make out what it is. The student peels playdough off a little metal bulldozer. "It is sometimes hard to see what we are, but I am like this bulldozer. I clear the way for the gospel, and level the places where the church is built."
- A group of sticks, held by an elastic: "I am the leader (big stick) but I must be surrounded by many others (small sticks) to be effective."
- An elaborate Lego fort (the church with people guarded inside), a small man with a sword, backed by 3 horsemen, attacking a big raptor dinosaur: "I am the evangelist with the sword of the Word of God, supported by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Others take care of the church, the fortress of the saints."
- And so on... 11 examples of God's placement and our participation in his Kingdom.
Spa date! The masseuse pops me into a steam bath where I sweat for 3/4 hour while Kirsten gets a massage and salt scrub. Then it's my turn. Kirsten spends about 15 minutes in the steam before hopping onto a table beside mine for a rest. We are refreshed when we grab a bit in the basement of the mall: humbau buns, sticky rice in palm leaves, a few pastries.
Waldemar and Jono find us there, but they have already eaten on their trip to the computer mall. We can't finish our bounty. We take a taxi to the flat and put the leftovers into the fridge. Later in the evening, I try out a scone and herbal tea from yesterday in KL's Chinatown (yum), then it's time to prepare the devotional for the morning, and get class notes sorted. Another long day coming up tomorrow.
