Thank you all.

Thank you for the birthday wishes. It's been a weird day. It doesn't feel like my birthday. I didn't do anything. My family didn't even call me. I think they forgot. I went to a "concert" tonight. I saw my pastor and he told me a group from our church was in the front. I went up to the front, but couldn't find them. This overwhelming feeling of loneliness overtook me (which I've never felt in my Christian life). The Lord took me back to a skit that I performed in at White Horse. It talked about how even when we feel lonely and that no one cares or notices, we're NEVER alone. God is always there. He knows us. He notices us. He cares. He wants to draw us close to him. He wants to hold us in his embrace and hide us in the shadow of His wings. Who's arms will we run to? That of a mighty God? Or perhaps into our own arms of self-pity?

I feel so privilaged to serve a great, big God. A daddy who I can run to without embarrassment for how I feel. A God and a Father who accepts me as I am without question. A God who calls me friend as opposed to servant. A God who does not require anything, except for that I believe...

Thank you, Lord, for another year of knowing you and revealing more of yourself to me. I'm grateful for all you've done and all you will do. Father, that this may be the best year yet!! I give it all to you!

Hold on before it's too late...

I took a walk today and saw Transformers (and it's out in Taiwan BEFORE the US...Go, Taiwan)!!!

One of the best action movies of the year!! Nothing like what I remember from my childhood!!!

And I finally saw the trailer for Bourne Ultimatum....WOW!!! I think that's the first thing I'm going to do when I get home, go see it!! It opens Aug 10th here. When does it open State side? Who wants to go see it with me?!?

You know it's summertime in Taiwan when...

your face (which never really has break outs) breaks out and you no longer recognize yourself...

AHHHH!!!!!!!


I took a nap today at 5pm, thinking, I'll get up in a hour and do things I need to do. Nope. I just woke up: 12:20 AM!!!! So much for getting things done.

I'm looking forward to tonight. A group from the International House of Prayer (IHOP), Kansas City, is having a service at an elementary school across the street from the Confucious Temple. It's really a "youth" event, but it's open to the public since it's outdoors and on government property.

Maybe I'll take in a few movies in the afternoon. I want to see the Transformers movie. It looks really cool (and unlike the cartoon of the 1980s)!!

The last day of school.

My students were all crying because I won't return next year...that made me cry. I've made some really awesome little friends here. I hope some will come visit me!!! (Actually, 2 of my students parents already gave them permission to come to NY)!!
One of my 5th Grade classes.

That's all folks...

I'm tired and I'll post more later...sorry.

A big...

Happy Birthday to my sister!!!!! She's 24 today. She's also stuck in Detroit teaching summer school at her university. Email her, call her, scream from across the US...she'll appreciate it!

Love you lil' sis. (And stop whining about your gift...you'll get it when I get home...I don't have your address in MI)!!

(Oh, and I need a lot of prayer with the medical study. I have no discipline!!! Grrr...I was doing so well up until I went to Malaysia...and then I blew it)!!
Thanks!
xoxo

Bantu Cave (Selengor, Malaysia)

I hired a cab driver for the afternoon to take me outside the city. He was great!! And I had an awesome time in sharing my faith with him. There are times where I'm glad I don't go to church and God gives me amazing experiences in Him anyway!! Just confirmation that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.
This is the Bantu Cave. After my butt climbed the 272 stairs to the top, I went inside and found various Hindu temples and alters built inside the cave. It really amazed me to what lengths people went to craft this! The hardest part was going down. The stairs were very wet and my feet are quite large compared to Asian people. Tiny, wet stairs and big feet don't mix well.

Monkeys of the Hindu Temple at Bantu Cave

Now, you all know I love monkeys. But I love it even more when they walk up to you. However, I didn't want to touch them. They would probably eat my hand off!! The local people treated them really well...constantly giving them "offerings" of tiny, sweet bananas. In Lilo and Stitch fashion, you know those monkeys control the weather!!

Orang Asli Museum and the Royal Selengor Pewter Factory

The Orang Asli Museum was tiny (free) museum on the history of Malay (aboringinal) people of Malaysia. There were so many different tribes. One tribe that still exists consists of like 30 people!!! It really made me think about what will happen to these people and the extinction of a whole culture. It's something I never thought about before.
Afterwards, my driver took me to the most famous pewter factory, where I had a personal and private tour of the factory (including the production floor)! My guide even let me hold the Formula One racing trophy!!!

National Museum (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Seriously, Malaysians are all about weddings. Every museum had huge displays about weddings!! I met some random man on the way to the museum. He was telling me about how I should be careful about walking around KL by myself because I'm a woman. He started to scare me a bit. I ended our conversation, but on the way out, who did I see by the bus stop? The same man! However, his wife and children were there, too!! They talked to me for a while and the man no longer seemed creepy to me. They were really nice people.

Sentosa: The Southern Most Place on the Asian Continent (Singapore)

We took an "overnight" bus to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur. We arrived around 5am and that would have been fine if I slept on the bus. However, I kept hearing music the whole trip and couldn't sleep. Since we were blessed with extra time in Singapore, I rearranged our schedule in order to see more things. I was so excited to see more than originally planned. Although, exhausting, it was completely worth it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Our first stop was Sentosa Island. Sentosa is located off the southern coast of Singapore. It was really deserted at 7am, however, I got to see my first peacock. I'm such a city person!!

Har Paw Villa/The Ten Courts of Hell (Singapore)

The guy who invented Tiger Balm created this "garden" at his villa in Singapore. In the garden, he built "The Ten Courts of Hell," which depicts what will happen to sinners when they die. He did this to teach his family traditional lessons. It was creepy.




This was a sign on the subway...praise Jesus for kindness and mercy!

Singapore Zoo

This zoo is by far the best zoo in the world. You need to make a trip to Singapore just to go to the zoo. I've never been to a zoo that has so many free roaming animals. Only a handful of animals are in cages.

One of the most beautiful creatures ever: The White Tiger!

le Zoo, con't

The fish are munchin' on the hippo.

I caught him, so I had to!


The above 3 monkeys started to FREAK me out!!! They kept following me!! I told Jequetta to watch out for them, however, I was the one who needed to watch out!!! I moved, they moved. I stopped, they stopped. I ran, they ran....FREAKY!!!!

Downtown Singapore

Although there was a nice dark cloud over the country the entire day, it was a day for exploring on foot, climbing buildings, and wedding pictures!!!



This is the Esplande Bay Theatre. It was featured on the Amazing Race. I wanted to climb it and wash windows just like on the Race. Oh well...