A Taste of Uzbekistan

Next...Afghanistan?

"The only thing that's constant is change"

One of our favorite sayings in which we have mentioned in this blog before: "The only thing that's constant is change" That includes plans. Last we left everyone in Uzbekistan. Heading to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. But in transition from Georgia to Armenia we received bad news. A great friend and spiritual Mom had passed away. Therefore, we purchased a red eye ticket back to the states. We flew from Georgia to Turkey with a 12 hour layover, city tour of Istanbul, to head back to New York City. At the moment, we put a pause on our great journey. Don't worry, we're hoping to resume our journey in a few months. We've taken this opportunity to head home and visit family, find a little work, refresh and relect. We're hoping, in our next post, to put photos and videos. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank all our brothers and sisters, who we had the privilege of meeting and those who took care of us. Although the only thing that's constant is change, what has not changed and never will is the love and unity amongst us all.

The Stans

An update from the last update. We find ourselves in Uzbekistan. We've traveled through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajiskistan, so far. Unfortunately, I can't download pics just yet. Internet is ssssssllllllloooooooowww! But don't worry, bear with us, we'll tell you all about it eventually. So far, we've had such a great time with our brothers and many places in these countries are spectacular that photos don't do it justice. Our goal is to travel from China through to London, with stops inbetween, and then fly to New York. Hope to get to a place with good internet and we'll show you how things pan out.

Where are they now?

Yesterday Kazakhstan and today, Kyrgyzstan! What? Where?

A bit of an update. We left off in Taiwan but since then we were taken to Hong Kong, Macao and China....for work. The cash flow was low. 6 month contract teaching English and learning Chinese in the city of Yinchuan. Not bad at all. Unfortunately, no access to our blog and so we disappeared.

But now, we're back. In further post, we'll talk about Branch Dedication, Thai group in Hong Kong, life in China and now our trip through the Stans...who?

We wanted to say that we hope you haven't given up on reading our blog. We have so many encouraging stories and pictures coming up. We miss you all and we'll talk soon.

Friends...please prepare for take off.

Yes, we're still alive. One year later....where has the time gone. You're all probably wondering what happened to us. Well, we've had our ups and downs...literally.

We've stepped over boundaries from Myanmar to Vietnam to the Philippines to Malaysia to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau onwards to mainland China. First Deaf baptized. Need great work in another country and so much more.
Where do we begin?

We're now writing from Hong Kong. We've left our beautiful temporary home of Krabi, Thailand to look for work. Yes, that's where China falls in. We'll be there for 6 months. On the way to Hong Kong, we stopped over to Taiwan for the District Convention in English and meet up with an old friend...Omar. It was great to see all the brothers and sisters that have answered the call to serve where the need is great and learn the Chinese language so fast. Although there is a growth in the English and Chinese field, they had just made an announcement for classes for Taiwanese Sign Language. Also, that very week we were there, they had started a Vietnamese and Indonesian group. There is also one indigenous language that is translated at the Taiwanese Bethel for the benefit of a few ol' timers in Taiwan. What a loving provision.






Here's some of Taiwan for you...


to be continued...

No Reservations

We write, we travel, we eat and we're hungry for more...as Anthony Bordain would put it.

Malaysia...as a typical New Yorker from the Bronx would say: "Niiiiiiiiiice." What a time we had. From Krabi to Hat Yai to KL to Klang to Borneo,Kota Kinabalu to Brunei to Miri to Kuching back to KL to Phuket and finally...Krabi.

We took a bus to Hat Yai then another bus to Kuala Lumphur...a 13-15 hour ride. Why didn't we fly? You might ask yourselves. Air Asia has very cheap flights, don't they? Well, we had our flight scheduled for Aug 5th, but our Visa expired Aug 1st and "No REFUNDS." Now just as Homer Simpson would say: D'oh!

We left Krabi Sunday morning and arrived in KL Monday morning. Our first stop, immigration, but of course. We love that place! We filled out our forms, requesting 2 entries..like we did the last time...and got a number and waited, waited and waited. Get to the window and the immigration clerk looks over our paperwork and with a big X crosses of my two entry request and writes the number one. "Why?" I asked as Jeff just looks at me. The clerk said nothing and that was it, end of discussion.

We arrived at a Japanese sister's house. Her name is Mikako. Thanks Tia for the hook up, by the way. What a sweetheart Mikako is. She made us such a delicious Japanese dinner and let us stay for the next 3 days.

So what do we do with ourselves...play "Tourist." I love that game. I used to play it all the time in NY. Just because you've been to a place before doesn't mean you've seen everything, right!!!

This just became a Krispy Kreme Trip!

Jeff's new friend...Apple Pie

My old time friend...Mr. Coffee

There's a Chinatown everywhere

We finally got our passports back, with only 60 days but we roll with the flow. So there ended our touring of KL but off to Klang we go for the English District Convention. Klang was just a train ride away. Spent the next 3 days enjoying all the treats. and meeting so many wonderful people. Wonderful to see how the preaching work is reaching so many people who speak many languages as you can see from the pictures.

After Klang, we had a flight to catch to Kota Kinabalu. We didn't climb the mountain though one, because we didn't have the appropriate permits and two.. I'm outta shape. Anyways, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

The highest mountain in SouthEast Asia

We had one cool experience in KK. We were just walking through a mall. Jeff is relaxing on one of those massage armchairs. We were on the ground floor and I was looking over to the basement floor. I see 3 school kids coming out of KFC signing to each other. Well, that turned into 5 turned into 8 turned into 12 and I lost count after that. It turns out they were from a a school for the deaf and they we're out on a school trip.

After KK we decided to head to the country of Brunei...one thing though. It was Ramadan...the Islamic month of fasting. Most of the businesses were closed. But a very beautiful place. So we just spent the night there and off we go again.

oK....we're moving on to Miri. Ahhhh finally, real food. After check in at a really cool place we decided to go get some dinner. Looking around trying to figure out what to eat we spot some people, very nicely dressed... I have to admit. We get closer and just as we thought...id tags everywhere., there was another convention going on here too. We had the next two days to enjoy Saturday and Sunday's program one more time... Cool thing was the brother taking the lead in the Sign Language section found out Jeff knew A.S.L so he asked him to translate the closing prayer for both days. What an underserved priviledge! There is a huge need for signers there so if anyone wants to, come on over!!! Now a cool backpack witnessing experience. A young man from Australia is in Borneo to do some diving and conservation work since there is so many beautiful corals there. Jeff thought that maybe he could ask him if he knew who created it all. The man said that he felt there wasn't enough evidence to believe there was a Creator. What a coincidence that the new release in the convention spoke about that very theme. So sure enough Jeff left him a copy of both brochures.

Having a little too much fun with the props...

Now off to Kuching....meaning cat...meowwwww..

Could you imagine a whole KFC that employs Deaf workers. A territory ripe for the pickin.

But I have to say that for the next couple of days all we did was eat, eat and eat.

It was a sad farewell...we had such a great time with our brothers and sisters.....but I have to say...

while Jeff continues to be Man of all nations...

I'll just continue trying to keep up!!!

Sorry for the delay of this post. We always have so much to say. Next our trip to Myanmar, Vietnam and our sad failed trip to India and the rest of the Indian subcontinent and more preaching!!!! Love to all