On our last night at the longhouse there was a send-off ceremony. There was more native dancing and a few members of the UCA Gymnastics Team performed. We also exchanged gifts with our hosts. I gave small gifts to some of my friends, too.

Yesterday morning, Pastor Andrew Wong, the “chief cook” walked up to me, pulled out his key chain and, after pulling the keys off it, handed it to me as a gift! That meant a lot to me and I kept pulling that key chain out of my pocket to look at it as  we left the longhouse and flew out of Sibu for Kuching. But somehow I lost it Wednesday night when we were shopping in Kuching. I’ve been praying that God will help me find it. It is priceless to me because it was a gift from a friend.

The dedication services were a real blessing. I remember fighting back sentimental tears as songs of praise filled the structure for which we had sacrificed sweat and blood. It was exciting to think that those were the first of many worship services in the new churches, and rewarding to know we were part of making it happen.

After the first dedication service we all piled into the pickup trucks and once again traversed the roads that led to Julau. The views were breathtaking: open jungle and misty blue mountains far in the distance. After the second dedication at the church in Julau we were served lunch at a nearby longhouse. I got to eat one last meal with my Iban friends. Pastor Andrew Wong gave me his “Japan SDA Union Conference International Volunteer” hat. I still have the hat, at least, even if I did lose the key chain.

Then it was time to say goodbye. Chelsea, Abby, Pastor Andrew, Pastor Sim, Pastor Denney, Pastor Ostine, and I stood around and watched the bus load. None of us wanted to leave. We said goodbye about four times before Abby, Chelsea and I reluctantly boarded the bus. Walking away that last time was almost physically painful. As the bus rolled out onto the road, nearly everyone in our group had tears in their eyes, many of us had made good friends.

That night we stayed in the Seventh-day Adventist Mission Headquarters in Kuching. We spent the evening downtown, shopping and sightseeing.  Kuching is a very beautiful, very advanced city. Most of us ate dinner at Pizza Hut. After we finished with our shopping we returned to the mission, by this time it was about 11pm. When we got there we found that the gate was locked! No one had a key, and while some of us could climb over the fence not all of us could manage it. Then Pastor Sim showed up and unlocked the gate.

“Who called you?” we asked; none of us had his number.

“No one called me,” he answered as he swung the gate open, “I couldn’t sleep so I decided to come check on you.” It turns out he’d left a note on the gate with instructions for the man who usually locks up to leave it unlocked, but the note had fallen on the ground. I believe Pastor Sim coming to unlock the gate was a miracle. God was watching over us!

Right now we are at Bako National Park. We came over on boats, down a river and along the bay. We have a couple days to relax here before we go home. This evening I wet my toes in the South China Sea!