angeline things: Mission Accomplished

It might have been a normal, dull weekend for you, but I had a special one.

I am back from my first ever church mission trip! It was really unexpected that I would find myself at an Iban long house last Friday, because I was having my mock exams that week.

I told myself that if God wants me to go, he'd make a way.

Then I thought "Gah, it's impossible since I'm having my exam!"

The mission team was set to leave at 10 a.m and my exam ends at 12 a.m. I didn't think it was possible at all.

But God does the unexpected.

Decided to go for the mission trip on Thursday night.

Early morning the next day,I went to look for my principal, asked for permission, she said yes, and I was off to take my exams earlier.

Went home at 9:30 a.m. and off we go to Saratok!

doodoodoodadoodoodoodadoodoodooda

I thought Saratok is only 1 hour from Kuching.

Something unexpected happened again.

I realized it's SIX hours away from Kuching -______-

Oh well that doesn't matter!

After 6 long hours, we reach the long house we'll be staying for the night.

Ah-ha! Shocking fact No.1 is : The long house is built with cement!

The imaginary wooden long house in my mind goes *poof*

posing with ~~an Iban I met there~~ my sister

Now that we're here, what happens next?

1. The Ibans welcome and shake hands with us. HELLO HELLO,SARATOK!

2. Next,they get a tikar (mat) out.

HAHA there was an old lady who opened up a tikar and DOZENS of cockroaches came out of it. CULTURE SHOCK HAHA

3. Then they stuff you with food! The people there are so hospitable. Coffee, biscuits and cake. Yum.

5. Contradicting what we usually think, the tuai rumah (leader of the longhouse) of the longhouse we were staying at is a lady. Who says females can't lead! :D

A school was built right beside the long house we were staying so most of the kids from the long houses nearby study there.

I was walking outside the classes and I realized something really interesting.

The students don't bring their school bags home! I guess it's because they live so near it's wrong to bring your bag home.

I saw unprocessed black pepper for the first time.Now I felt like someone from some rural area. Sakai lah!

We went to 5 longhouses in Saratok. We spent the night at one of them but we visited the others.

This is the only one we visited that is made of wood

And then and then and then! I saw kitties! YAY! (you know how hyper I get when I see felines)

Cat + 0 = 1 Cat

Cat + Cat = 2 Cats

And a dog too :)

We visited a lady too. She was sick :( So Uncle Richard prayed for her.

"Mari kitai bersampi" means let us pray.

Of course there are lots of kids at the longhouses. Very amiable and amicable people.

I think her name is Kakai. Or that might be what they call "sister"

At first I thought it's Kaka O.O

Playing with Amy's phone

(oh the joy of touch screens)

CUTE

BIG EYESSS *jealous*

Okay now I don't like the showering part. They had no water at that time and they go to the river to take baths. I don't know how they do it..let's skip this part. And then later, there was no room to change.

BUT it's okay lah! A good experience to step out of my comfort zone :D

Dinner time is here! All of the people in the long house gathered and ate together at the verandah. I think that is really good to strengthen family bonds and friendship bonds between one another.

During dinner time I learn a new Iban word.

MAKAI MAKAI MAKAI MAKAI !

It was easy to guess it out because a lot of people pointed to the food and said "makai makai!" Obviously it meant makan (eat) :D

And. The. Food. Was. Great.

None of them was spicy and I'm glad I was used to the food. Rice, cangkuk manis, kangkung, pork, etc. Rebung was the only food I'm not used to because it's kind of bitter. (Angeline does not like bitter food. She likes lui cha though)

After eating, we had a church service. I'm happy some of them have already accepted Christ, have experienced and are still experiencing the real peace and love Jesus gives.

I had a nice sleep.

Next morning, we had breakfast.

See the big urns at the top right corner?

Those are the tajaus that we learn in Sejarah.

Then there's another fat kitty TEEHEE

Introducing Canon's Newest Camera..Canon 70071234D!

EOS Digital Canon Catmera !

Ortographic view:

A must-have deal: Promotion: Only RM 10 + some kitty treats ^-.-^

That's about the end of it. It was only a one-night stay.

I'm extremely happy that I went. No regrets at all. See the uncle (standing, third from right) carrying a box of bread? haha he purposely posed with it just for the fun of it :D