My first assignment was at the Asia Pacific Seminary where Dr Tee presides. This is a project designed to equip lay people with Bible knowledge and background. They hold a graduation once in two years the next one will be in September 2010.

My flight to KL was not until 20.00 so a long wait over. This time though the taxi driver in KL knew where to find the house of Chin Shien Yu, my host, so instead of trolling housing estates for a half hour or so before reaching we were there. KL is its own place similar to Singapore but with a different dynamic as the Malay element rather than the Chinese is dominant. The British, on leaving, made a constitution that favors the Malay over the Chinese. The result, as in Sri Lanka has brought uncertainty to the Chinese community, thankfully no long sustained civil war but continued uneasiness giving the Christian community a trend toward encouraging migration of their more talented and gifted young people.

The group of 20 or so listened well and responded with intelligent informative questions. Reaching out to the majority Muslim community is a unique challenge as it is officially illegal to become a Christian if you are Malay. A significant ministry goes on with Chinese people and some with Indians. The greatest response as in many countries is with the tribal people in East Malaysia where whole tribes have become predominately Christian. This is part of the old Borneo of the British era.

I was taken to the venue by a brother who is in business beginning his training by taking an MBA from Warwick U in England. His wife is a High Court judge the only woman, Chinese and Christian in that capacity amongst Malaysians. It is encouraging to see a ministry which is reaching out to this committed group of lay people whose early retirement requirements leave them with opportunity and purpose for the future.

The Petaling Jaya Baptist Church where the other seminar has been held is a large group with a 1000 or so English speaking congregation as well as Mandarin, Cantonese and Nepali groupings. The English group are largely well placed professionals making them a strategic group to influence. Out of this mix 30-40 emerges for the all day Seminar beginning at 09.00 until 16.00. The group proved representative with older and younger attending. One man who normally works in Jiddah in Saudi Arabia others from Philippines, Nepal and China. The ideas were new to many but response positive an thoughtful. The leader suggested another possible similar seminar on our visit next year.

In addition to good fellowship I have enjoyed a great variety of food. On Saturday night after the seminar, Malay style Indian food. On Sunday Indian pancake type dosa made with fermented rice flour, noodle soup from Vietnam for lunch and a Church sponsored Chinese banquet at night.

The family of Chin Shei and Tyzzy Yu have enfolded me into household as a type of grandpa figure as well as a traveling missionary making for a very positive and enriching relationship as I experience the life of a normal Chinese family.

On Friday night their house group which meet, sing, pray and share together. An interesting happening was the arrival of a couple from Penang who are going with New Tribes Mission to Indonesia with the vision of reaching a people group in a mountainous area.

Meeting up with Dr Tee of the Asia Pacific Seminary the course on Cultural Anthropology was enthusiastically received and will become part of the regular curriculum. The first two students taking it are likely to be resident in Nepal and Tajikistan. This brings to fruition a vision and a project Colin has been working on for a number of years. Others could follow depending on reaction to this one.

Dr. Tee was emphatic that we should attend the graduation of the Seminary September 2010, brother Chin Shei has extended his warm hospitality so this is one item on next year’s program.