Congratulations Family,
We have officially been on this journey in SEA for 1 year! Can you believe it? I know I can’t! Thank you all so much for you love, support, and continued prayers. If I could sum up my whole experience with one word it would be learner. Socially I am learning the art of small talk. People here are experts at small talk. I personally can’t stand it. In times when I would rather have a God-versation or learn more about who a person is I often get stuck asking and answering the same questions. Even still, somehow this vicious cycle of seemingly meaningless conversations has taught me one of my biggest social lessons. It’s like at a beach, before you get into the deeper water, you have to walk through the shallow waters first. Sometimes you’re pushed back by the waves, and other times the waves pull you in closer. However, to get to the deepest waters you have to push through and make every effort to get there.
Linguistically, I don’t think I would quite call myself bilingual, but my brain is starting to think and dream in the local language! I also find myself getting frustrated because I forget simple English words for no other reason than I don’t use English as much anymore. It is a very discouraging and exciting place to be. When I come home at the end of my time here please be patient with me when we have conversations. It can be expected that I will speak very slowly and potentially use a few foreign words.
Experientially, well it’s a given that I’m having new experiences with each passing day. Some of my favorites include people asking me and talking to me as if I’m a local and improvising American meals with SEA ingredients. I’ve also traveled to many different counties. For example as I’m writing this I’m on a flight to Malaysia. All of my new experiences have taught me lessons of flexibility and responsibility. Flexibility because a plan can change at the drop of a hat in this place. One moment I could have nothing planned and the next I could be invited to go to a village for the weekend. Responsibility lessons, more recently, deal with visas. Getting together necessary paper work, talking with agents, and driving an hour out of town to the immigration office are all on my to-do list these days.
Spiritually I am learning about my non-negotiables and where there is room for adoption. The more conversations I have, and the more articles I read about the belief of the people here I am greatly encouraged to know I have found the truth in my LORD, J.C. But more than that, I am deeply saddened and broken for my brothers and sisters here. Many of them they are completely blind to the truth that is literally right at their fingertips. Did you know that their holy book requires them to read the Torah (Genesis - Deuteronomy) and the New Testament? Sadly, most of them have never picked it up. The evil one is loving keeping this whole people in the dark and I’m tired of it.
These are just a few of the things I have been learning and struggling with during my first year. In my second year I plan on dedicating it completely to prayer. Even though many of my experiences are fun, I know I am also in a spiritual battlefield. I'm reminded of it 5 times a day when I hear the call to prayer. In our second year please continue to lift my team and me up in your prayers!
Thank you all again for your love and continued support. I could not do this without you.
Much love to you family!
Alyssa K.