They were eager to learn the language. They asked questions, drank in new words and some of them did their homework faithfully.

I learnt as much from their sharing as they learnt from my teaching. It was a rich cross cultural experience.

Golden Boy was nicknamed Commando by his boss. He was entrusted with the keys and the security of the factory. While the rest of the foreign workers slept in quarters, his room was in the factory office itself, something of a higher class, I gather.

One season in his young life, Jeya’s grandmother had to cane and drag him to church. It makes me chuckle when I compare his sharing with modern child discipline. Today, this young man shines for the LORD. I could see how generous he was with his time and things with Than So and Sim So who were non believers. They shared the same quarters.  The two young men told me that Jeya was the apple of the boss’s eye.

“Really? Why do you say that?” I asked.

And they related an incident where Jeya accidently dropped a heavy package which landed on the boss who was immediately floored and injured too.  But the boss never took him to task!

I remember on the last day of his stay in the country, Jeya asked to meet me. We had lunch at KFC, it was his first. Oh! It was a delight watching him enjoy the food. He told he was going back in the evening. The boss would drive him to the airport.  

“Have you got a testimonial from him?” I asked. This was one of the topics I brought up in class.  He nodded his head from side to side, his eyes seeming to glaze and the corners of his mouth beginning to droop.

After a few seconds, I heard him say in a soft voice, “I asked him a few times already, but he says to wait.” He shrugged his shoulders as though it was a forgone situation since he would be flying home within the next few hours.

“Don’t give up ! Call your boss right now and remind him to bring the testimonial when he sends you to the airport!”

 At my insistence, he called the boss, right there and then.  I don’t know if he ever got the valuable piece of paper which would increase his earning capacity for the next job.  All I know is that he is now working in Singapore and so is Than So, the moody one, who never seemed to be satisfied with anything. I hope he is happier working in Singapore.

You hear firsthand about the sufferings and discrimination of Christians in their country. They share with you about their families, their aspirations. They share about their early adjustment in Malaysia, one of which is getting used to our road system. So, the next time you see a foreigner getting in your way, be patient.  It’s not impudence. They happen to have a different road system.  One of their countrymen was knocked down and suffered brain damage simply because he was ignorant of our road system.

These are foreigners who walk our streets, work their butts out for a meager living, who sometimes gets clubbed and robbed of their hard earned savings, who send money home, the old fashioned way, through an agent for a high fee.  A knowledge  of languages, particularly,  English or Chinese could help  get  them somewhere in society just as English did for us in our own country.

You can help. Indeed the harvest is ready but the laborers are few.  (Mt: 9:37) You don’t have to leave familiar surroundings. There is a ready mission right on home ground! Teachers are needed for adults as well as for children.  Contact Brother Andrew at 0162129636 for more information.

In 1995, I came to Malaysia when I was 22 years old. I was staying in a room with a Christian brother. That was the first time in my life I in close contact with a Christian. He used to tell me about Christianity. But I always remember my uncle and auntie had said: “you can go to another land, but never change your religion and worship foreign god”. I did my best to keep the promise and I believe that the god that I worship is the most powerful in the world.

Conversion experience
One day when I was at home alone. I felt the loneliness in my heart and I picked up my friend’s bible and I started to read the chapter Genesis. 1:1 “In the beginning God created Heaven and the Earth……”. And I started to think why there are so many gods in this world but the bible said that there is only one God! Suddenly another question came to my mind, “where do I will go if I die?” I believe if I do good things to others, I will go to a better place. If I do bad thing then I will go to hell. I was so afraid of thinking about my life in the future.

Until one day, a Christian teacher came to visit us and my friend asked me to listen to him. He told me that there are many gods in the world but there is only one God who rules over all the other gods as Jesus Christ is the God of gods of the heaven and earth. Jesus came to forgive all the sins of man and grant us the eternal life for those who believe Him. I was very touched at the moment and I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior that day.

After my conversion
Though I am a young Christian, one thing that I sure is I am not more a sinner by God’s grace. If I die today I will receive eternal life in the heaven. I have an assurance of all these from Jesus Christ. He is the only way to eternal life.Now I am not afraid of my future life anymore. I began to change myself to be more loving and caring with people. I believe that God is the answer to my life.

He is in control of my past, present and future. I came to this world by His purpose and plan and I want to continue to walk with Him.

Whenever I meet my friends, I like to share my testimony to them. Jesus loves all sinners and He said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mathew 11:28).

My prayer is all of my relatives will be saved. Please do remember in your prayer that all of my relatives will receive the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. May the good God bless you and enlighten your life by reading my testimony.

Your brother in Christ,
Nay Min Tun

Then, in October last year Dinh Cong Tuan came to know Christ and he believes that God can and will do something for his mother so he started praying very hard for her. After 7 months, just a few weeks ago when he called back home and asked about his mother, he was told that his mother had discharged from the metal hospital and the doctor said that she had recovered.

Sister Rina, who was working with me at that time, was involved with the Migrant Ministry and she mentioned that they were looking for someone to work in the office. Within weeks everything was falling into place and my resignation letter found its rightful place, at the principal’s table!

I have been here in the MMK office since December, 2007 and it has made a huge difference in my life. The work itself is very different from that of a teacher and of course it took some adjusting but today, the Lord is steering my ship.

I am blessed with three wonderful children and with God’s hand working in our lives we have a good relationship and we are all so thankful to God.

The office is in the guest house which has three rooms and two baths. We have visitors very often. We have been blessed with this house, only good things happen here.

Today, like every other Friday, we have our pastors’ fellowship. We have lunch which is prepared by Pas. Raj. He enjoys cooking it’s his hobby. We chat and have fun followed by worship. We have two pastors from Myanmar, one from Vietnam, one from India(Telegu) and one from Nepal. We are waiting for another pastor from Nepal and for the return of our Indonesian pastor. God is present – you can see this among these young pastors who go out and spread the Word of God. They are young men and women who have left their families behind yet they have their focus, isn’t God present?

It is truly amazing to hear their voices ringing out with praises and coming together as one happy family, as God’s children.

I feel special here. Finally I feel I am in the right place at the right time. All glory to God. All we have to do is to allow Him to come into our lives and make the changes ….. and He is waiting at the door. God bless you all.

Katie