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

What are we up to????

Sawasdee!!! We have been BUUUUUUsy!!!! But we find ourselves now in Malaysia. Which we'll explain in our next blog. With a kindly reminder from JoAnn, we wanted to update everyone. We left off in Lao returning to Thailand. Had our Special Day Assembly, did some preaching up in Phuket, CO visit, Theocratic School Assignments: the first one from a deaf Bible student and Melissa's first assignment in Sign Language.

Preaching in Phuket again was exciting. Searching for the Deaf is difficult though. But this time we had a bigger group and a total of 7 deaf at the SAD. Good news: the brothers have started interpreting meetings in Thai Sign for the first time in Phuket, with 2 Deaf coming regularly. Isn't it great to be part of something so important in these last days. Besides that, we had Tia, an Australian sister we met in Chiang Mai, come down and visit us. She was awesome. We took her with us to Phuket, she actually fit in our backpack, she's tiny. We all decided to check out some of the other beautiful islands here in Thailand...talk about some hard and tough times.

I wonder why they call it Chicken Island...





It's amazing the stuff that washes into the shore

Now CO visit: He's a young MTS grad from the east side of Thailand. What a busy week that was, in the ministry and with the congregation. One of the things he encourged us to do is to practice singing the new songs...we must have been that bad...just kidding. So we had a dinner Sunday evening at the KH and practiced. Now we practice after our meetings. It really unifies the congregation.



Afterwards, we had a pleasure of hearing the CO serenade us with one of his favorites.


During the visit, we each had assignments. I had a Bible Reading in Thai, this is my 3rd, this time the brothers said they actually understood 80%, humm... I wonder how much they understood before. Melissa had her first assignment but not in Thai...yet...it was actually in Thai Sign Language with one of our Deaf Bible students, her name is Jem, and a Thai sister interpreting....took 3 days to get it right. But this wasn't Jem's first assignment, she had one a few weeks prior. It's exciting to see her progress and how our hearing brothers are accepting us as part of the family in the congregation.

But listen to this....Melissa and I were heading to the meeting on our moto. We stopped at a red light...along side us was a young Thai man. Thais have the habit of just staring...and not a quick stare, it's a serious long gazing stare...like if you have 3 heads or something...anyways, I go ahead and say: "Hey Papito, how ya doin'?" thinking the man doesn't speak English. He responds: "I'm good..and you. Where are you going?" It caught us by surprise. We told him we were on our way to a meeting. He asks: "what kind of meeting?" So I explained. The guy actually followed us to the KH because he wanted to see where it was. He didn't stay though but we gave him a Bible Teach book and the latest mags. It's rare to find a Thai in Krabi who speaks English, the reason he does is because he works at a hotel in Phuket but lives in Krabi. Isn't that awesome...isn't it!!!! Didn't think a little Bronx attitude and a small question would lead to such a good experience. What an undeserved way of Jehovah using us.

By the way...does anyone out there, who knows Nepalese and Hindi, like to come to Thailand? There are soooooooo many Nepalese and Indians here in Krabi. Most of them work as tailors. They're great people to talk to but there is no one here who speaks their language. They can speak Thai and English but can't read it. Think about it!!!Pray about it!!! And remember...there's always a place to stay with us.

Now, unfortunately, we must go...why you may ask...because guess what time it is kids....Visa Run Time... off to Malaysia....till next time!!!

Backpack Witnessing, 2 DC's...one accidental one, trip to Brunei during Ramadan....interesting!!!! By the way, thanks everyone for your comments and to those who plan to...hint hint...it's very encouraging!!!

Sarah...thanks for your words of encouragement. We're also encouraged to see that you're working hard in the Italian field. Going to Italy...how cool is that! Congrats on graduating from the Kichwa Language Course....Chad and Michelle! Indo Tom...congrats on being accepted to MTS. So many good things!!!!!

Note: There was someone who left a very encouraging message a few blogs ago asking about backpack witnessing. Please contact us again so we can give you some info.

International Convention where?...... Kenya

Tea Plantations

Feeding African cows

Maasai garbs. Cool huh?

Dead tired from safari

The shirt say's tough guys wear pink

The huge need for Kingdom Halls. This is where our contributions to kingdom hall building does a whole lot of good.

Beautiful Mt. Kenya

bunch o cowboys or clowns

Fresh african fruit


and finally a cool video of the awesome convention we had in Africa. There is no doubt we are Jehovah's people I mean c'mon look at all that love.... well look out for a new post soon!! enjoy
p.s Elizabeth and Mark way to go in selling the house! see you in Ecuador!