Flying low across East Malaysia

BILL AND ELLEN WITH GRIFFINS,
VISION SPECIALIST

TRYING THE BLOW GUN WITH A PENAN GENTLEMAN

RADIANT TOWER...WHERE WE LIVE..
THIRD FLOOR DOWN FROM THE TOP 
AND ON THE LEFT CORNER

Sorry about the lapse in postings. We are home now from our trip to Kuching at the other end of East M'sia where we met up with Dr. Bob and Shirley Griffin who are vision specialists and are helping us put together a vision care project both in Kuching and here in Kota Kinabalu. We have had several days of back to back meetings with NGO's and Sarawak Society for the Blind and Sabah Society for the Blind. Both societies are doing wonderful things for the vision impaired people. And both could use help with their efforts to help people be independent with their blindness. In both facilities they are training the vision impaired to be able to support themselves with such occupations as massage therapy or reflexology, basket weaving, ITC, mushroom growing, small woodworking projects, and others.

While we were in Kuching we had a free afternoon and a friend took us out to a cultural center where many of the Sarawak ethnic groups are represented. It is similar to the Polynesian Cultural Center for those of you who have visited that. We walked around a small lake around which were constructed homes representing the different groups. At each home we learned about something unique to that group such as using sago palm for food, how bird's nest soup is made, (don't think I will try that), how to make and use a blow gun, and other things. At the end we were treated to a music and dance show. It was very interesting and well done. Some of the photos were taken there.

We are in Ramadan which is the Muslim's month of fasting when they do not eat from sunrise to sunset. At sunset they feast. There is much bustle to get special foods for breaking the fast and all the restaurants have special breaking the fast foods. We were treated to a buffet one evening and it was quite unique---very different foods from what we are used to. Sweets are a big part of their feasting. The Muslims have a diet code similar to kosher. I hope I don't get into trouble for mentioning kosher and Muslim in the same sentence. Ramadan ends on the 21st and 22nd. Then they have really big feasts and it is a national holiday. Reminds me of our Christmas celebrations in a way.

We got back to Kota Kinabalu in time to completely miss our zone conference. But we were able to get together with the Pres. Clark and his wife and the 3 other senior couples for dinner that evening. It was so good to meet the Morries from Sandakan and see the Thomas' again and the Douglas' who live here in KK who just returned from a temple trip with a group of our branch members who they had prepared for going to the temple for the first time. They go to the Manila Philipines temple. We have a wedding reception this evening for a couple who were married/sealed. So cool.

Life is good here. We are well and somehow continue to have energy to do the things we need to do. The Lord is guiding us and helping us all along the way. This truely is His work and He wants it done.

TYPICAL HOME OF THE MALAYSIA TRIBES BEFORE 1950'S

CENTER FOR TEACHING BASKET WEAVING 
SKILLS TO BLIND PEOPLE

TYPICAL MALAYSIAN TUG, THE WORKERS LIVE ON THE TUG

Looks like we will have the first vision project for Malaysia ready submit to the Area Presidency very soon. We are excited to see the poor and needy of Malaysia get the vision help they need. Many will be able to see for the first time in years. We will be donating hi tech equipment that will allow the doctors here that are passionate about eye care for the poor give the help they so desperately want to give. It will take awhile to get it all done but some time in the next four months hopefully if all goes well another doctor will come from the states bringing this new equipment with him and making sure it is all calibrated and operating correctly.

We had a wonderful tour seeing the Proboscis Monkeys on a jungle river south of here about 2 hours into the jungle. The Proboscis are only found on Borneo and there are only 500+ left. There were quite the sight. This is the first of our sightseeing adventures in the 6 months we have been in Borneo. We both feel that maybe we are working pretty hard and need to take time to enjoy the country. However there is just so much to do and so many people to help we just find joy in working I guess. We really don't feel like we are missing much because our lives our so full . We may regret not seeing more latter.

PROBOSCIS MONKEYS

PROBOSCIS MONKEY 

We will have the Frandsens here October 21st. They are the water specialist. We will be doing the same work with them however it will be much harder as we have to see all of the 50 schools that are in the jungle and all spread out over east Sabah. Then we have to travel down to Kuching with them also. They will be here 14 days and it will all be a busY.
Internet is very slow here. So I am very limited on how much we can put on. Here is a short clip.