hosting mikatan

This time around, I've had more activities packed into my year-end break compared to previous trips. Some of them have been quite impromptu, and I'm glad in many ways that I've been able to spend time with people whom I believe I needed to meet.

I had the pleasure of hosting some Japanese friends the previous week and last week, and also able to squeeze in a mini escapade to the Pearl of the Orient in between. Mikatan, who was in our dance group, had told me quite last minute that she was coming to visit Malaysia during our last Bible Study group of the year.

She was supposed to spend the night at my place and had wanted to meet my family, but due to some stomach discomfort decided to rest instead. She typed this message to my parents as we sat there at the backpackers hostel lobby.

セラのお父さん、お母さん、今日はお家に呼んでくださりありがとうございました。お会いするのをとても楽しみにしてたのですが、日本の冬からマレーシアが急に真夏の暑さで体調が悪いので今日はホルテルにおります。残念です。いつも、セラにはたくさんの励ましもらったり一緒に祈ったり本当に感謝してます。だから、今日は、ご両親に、セラを日本に送ってくれてることお礼を言いたかったたです。が、メールになってごめんなさいね。今度お会いできるのを楽しみにしてます。セラのご家族がますます祝福されますように。祈ります。感謝。祝福。美智子

I was so touched by her message, I wouldn't have known her thoughts until she came here. There were some other plans at first; and I wasn't sure if I could host her or even be around, so I was hesitant to promise a grand tour.

In the end, we managed to cover quite a lot of places; some I have not even been myself! I even brought her around different places to try some local delicacies.

Unfortunately, her stomach had a cultural shock, but she kept thanking me for bringing her around even after she left.

Recalling last Sunday's message on the topic of Hope, I thought how apt it was that sometimes the little that we do might have a big impact on others without us realising it. Sometimes we may need to go out of our way for someone, and it's easy to just stay in our comfort zone; but perhaps it's better to take that extra effort and look back at life without regrets.