Wednesday, February 15, 2012

OTHER ACTIVITIES IN FEBRUARY

We have been busy this month so far. February is the month of love and Valentine's. Our YSA group is going to have our Second Annual KK District Valentine's Ball. It's this Saturday evening at 6:30. They are so excited. We have had three dance practices. Here we're learning the cha-cha. Malaysians love to perform!!!!

After our first dance practice, we were invited to Dorcas's home for dinner. Sis. Dorcas wanted Elder Larson to give her son, Jacob, a blessing. Jacob has been floundering for about a year now and he needs direction. He has enrolled in school to be a flight attendant with a Canadian airlines. He wanted a blessing before starting school. This picture is of Sis. Karen, Sis. Liza, Pres. Fausto, and Eder Wong. Eder and Fausto are returned missionaries. Eder is one of my new favorite people now that he has come home to live from KL. Karen, Liza, and Fausto are Philipino. Food was yummy--Dorcas is a great cook!!

This is Cecie, Karen, David Choong, Liza, Dorcas, Me, and Elder Larson. this is about 9:30 at night after we finished FHE. Malaysians just get started eating at about 8:30 or 9 at night!!!! I do look forward to a more normal schedule. Cecie rides with us to FHE and goes wherever we go afterwards. David goes wherever there's food!!!

Dorcas is amazing!!!! She befriends anyone who needs a helping hand and offers them what she has!!!



Our KK2 YW's activity this month was to make purses for themselves. Cute, huh???? In the picture sitting are Betty and Betsy Mojundil on the ends and Findley's little sister in the middle. I can't remember her name. Standing in the back are President Chua's two daughters, Zi Ching and Vivienne, and on the left is Sarah, our neighbor's daughter!! Our neighbor Debbie and her daughters, Sarah and Rebecca, are supposed to be baptized on March 3!!!!!


I'll let you know how the dance turns out on Saturday. I'm busy making a bulletin board for the cultural hall. I'm also baking cakes for the dessert. I love being busy!!


We are also busy getting ready to come home. We have packed one suitcase already. I'm trying hard not to get too "trunky". We love you and so look forward to seeing , hugging, and kissing everyone!!!!

Love

MOM






Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Wheelchair GiveAway IN Tawau

In the city of Tawau,
we have three LDS Charities projects ongoing. One of these projects is a wheelchair one. LDS Charities has donated almost 1500 wheelchairs to people on the Island of Borneo this year!!! Our main partner in these wheelchair projects if Cheshire Homes. They arrange for the distribution of chairs to cities other than KK . Jennifer Liew(Director of Cheshire Homes in Borneo) and Elder Larson arranged for 73 chairs to be distributed in Tawau. This is a picture of some of the recipients there who received chairs after being assessed. This picture was taken after the closing ceremony. Practically all of the recipients were elderly Chinese. This is Elder Larson speaking at the closing ceremony. He told them of all the projects that LDS Charities has done for peoples all over the world. This is one of the few times that he spoke without a translator, because most of them understood English.


These are two brothers who received wheelchairs. Their parents were so grateful. The young lady in the blue shirt is Ashley who is doing volunteer humanitarian work in Malaysia and is sponsored by the Lutheran Church. She is stationed in Sandakan and rode the bus to Tawau to help us with the wheelchair assessments. Thanks, Ashley!!




This was the night before the assessment/giveaway. We were trying to train volunteers to do the assessments. We thought that we had 20+ volunteers to train, but later found out that they were simply relatives of the recipients!!! Oh, well........ Red Crescent Society of Tawau was in charge of the planning and evidently misunderstood. But it worked out okay--usually does when you work for the Lord!!







This was the Newspaper article in the paper the following day. Really good coverage for LDS Charities and the church.








GAYA PALAU SEKOLAH PROJECT

These are some of the students at Palau Gaya Sekolah. I noticed that many of the classes are segregated into male and female. They are so friendly and shy at the same time.

This a class of boys--lots more outgoing than the girls. I'm not sure if that is a reflection of the Muslim culture or just the difference in boys and girls!!!


This is a picture of homes in a kampung on Gaya Island. Gaya is just off the coast of KK. It is the largest island of several that protect KK from the storms and problems that other island in southeast Asia have. The Philippines are just north of Borneo and are exposed to terrible storms and monsoons. Borneo is called "The Land Below the Wind" because they are free from the terrible winds that affect other nations near them.

Gaya Island(Palau) is a picture of contrasts. On one end of the island are resorts that cater to the wealthy and tourists. On the other side is this kampung that houses mostly illegals from the Phillipines and Indonesia. The government of Malaysia provides a school(sekolah) for the children. This school is built on the water just like these homes. The children either walk on the island or arrive by boat.


About six months ago, one of their buildings burned with the children's supplies in the building. LDS Charities is going to replace the supplies for the children. We are in the process of getting quotes from suppliers to buy these materials. As soon as we purchase these supplies, the members of the branches of the church in KK are going to go to the school to present them to the students.




This is David Choong, and Elder Larson and me going to the island to talk with the principal about places from which to order the children's supplies. David translates for us and his schedule allows him to go with us during the day. Notice the building of downtown KK in the background.







BE THANKFUL FOR WHO YOU ARE!!!

We are all Heavenly Father's children and some of us have been born into circumstances better than others. This picture was taken in a small shopping area in KK called Damai. We have shopped here alot since coming to KK a year and a half ago. We like Damai because it has most of our favorite store in one confined area. The bank where we make our car payment, the bakery where we buy our bread and treats, Cons Foods where I can buy "real" cheese, Upperstar where we can have a really, honest-to-goodness salad, Pizza Hut, a hardware store, Burger King just like at home, print shop where we have our project materials printed, Desa where I buy really fresh chicken, Celcom where we can get our phone minutes "topped off", and fresh fruit and vegetable market every day at 4 PM are all in Damai. I guess back at home, you could call this a "Power Shopping Center".

The picture of this little girl and her grandma is one that I doubt you would find at home. Elder Larson and I have seen her at these garbage can practically every time we go to Damai. She is usually in the garbage cans searching for foods and anything that they can use!!! She is small enough that she can be lowered into the bins and then be pulled out. She is really very shy when you try to talk to her, but her grandmother will come up with her hand out and beg for money. Her grandmother's teeth are stained black from the "bethel nut " that she chews. It is almost like a drug and lots of natives chew them. People here cannot join the church until they agree to give up chewing this nut.

The stench from these bins is very strong during the days because it's garbage and it is very hot every day here. We have watched this child and her grandma and they laugh and seem "happy". I often think of how fortunate my little granddaughters are when I see her. How fortunate they are to have been born into their families!!! As missionaries, we are told not to donate money in situations like this. As President Hickley said, " I do not know what the solution is except the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think it is the only thing that will help them and bless their lives."