Christmas and New Year Letter (December 2001)

Aien

Sharing a Soda

Another Christmas & (Western) New Year has come.

It is now our family's 3rd year in Malaysia. With the exception of a short trip back to Canada and one to Japan and Taiwan to present the results of my research, Jon spent the whole year in Malayisa. Xiuman spent a couple of months in Taiwan due to poor health.

For Xiuman, this past year she has concentrated her time on caring for Aien. She is involved in the Sunday school ministry of the local Chinese church and is trying to sell NuSkin products with varying degrees of success. The latter has led to some high points and a lot of disappointments as she finds that what people say and do may be different - especially when it relates to money!

Overall, Jon's activities were the same as in previous years in Malaysia: teaching, research (a little), involvement in student Christian Fellowship and local churches. I have also done some bicycling around the Melaka area. At the university, there were both highs and lows. High points included being recognized by the students as the faculty's best lecturer, and having a research paper awarded "Top Poster Paper" at a major international conference. On the low side, our Dean chastised me after some students complained about a lecture in which I displayed a Chinese character. It seems that we are not allowed to use Chinese characters in lectures - even if we explain what it means.)

Aien, at 2.5 years, is continuing to give our family great joy. She enjoys going to the zoo (the state zoo is about 15' from our house by bicycle) and watching the animals - particularily elephants and monkeys! She enjoys playing with Lego, riding her bike with training wheels, and talking, talking, talking... She also likes singing and music. Dissappointing is that she seems less interested in prayer than she was a few months ago. She has strong opinions on what clothes she wants to wear. Actually her selection is quite good and the pants and tops she chooses look good together (more than one can say about her father's choices!).

Building friendships with the ethnic Malays that live with us has proved disappointing. The year started out well with friendships with our neighbors and their children continuing to grow. There were often many children at our house. This suddenly changed in the fall. A man (we have never met) accused us of low morals (having loud drunken parties) and proselytization. An enquiry stated. Our neighbors on both sides said we are good people and not involved in any of these activities. Children suddenly stopped coming our house. One neighbor told us people were afraid of what other people would say about them if they allowed their children to play with Aien. Very hard for Aien. Recently things have started to improve with children willing to play with her on the street and one neighbor allowing his son to come to our house. As a result, my wife feels fear-not sure who she can trust. (We now find the reason for the accusation was that the man wanted to rent the house we are renting and so hoped to get us thrown out!)

Lord willing, our family will travel to Taiwan in March for Xiuman's 5 year check. I have applied for leave to the Dean, which I hope will be granted. Next year I will concentrate on seeing things in the light of the verse: "All things work together for God to them that love God and are called according to his purpose."

Sincerely, Jon, Xiuman and Aien White