Other Sheep in Malaysia - 2009 Southeast Asia Trip Part 4/4

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2009 Southeast Asia Trip - Part 4/4

Participants of the August 7 - 9 Good Samaritan MCC Retreat. Port Dickson, Malaysia, Sunday, August 9, 2009

The Parelli-Ortiz Other Sheep Southeast Asia Trip: Part 4/4 - Malaysia

June 26-August 30, 2009 (Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia)
by Rev. Stephen Parelli and Jose Ortiz

Fort Dickson, Kuala Lumpur and Lumut, Malaysia

12 days
Friday, August 7 - Sunday, August 9
Thursday, August 13 - Sunday, August 23

Fort Dickson:
Friday afternoon, August 7 - late afternoon, Sunday, August 9

2 days
We stayed at the retreat grounds of the Good Samaritan MCC church retreat, Fort Dickson, Malaysia.

Steve spoke for a session on his journey as a gay Christian. Friday, August 7.
Jose spoke briefly for a pre-session on the Southeast Asia trip to date. Saturday, August 8.
We participated in general group discussions.
We met informally with Rev. Pat Bumgardner, a featured speaker of the retreat, and we mutually shared reports on our respective trips in Asia working for the empowerment of LGBT people of faith. Friday, August 7.
Steve solicited an anonymous biographical account for the Other Sheep website from a closeted gay clergy (account is posted on website).

[From late Sunday evening, August 9 to Thursday morning, August 13 -

Return to Singapore to our host, a fellow Christian American closeted gay Activist - see Singapore above]

Kuala Lumpur:
Thursday, August 13 - Friday, August 14

1 evening (1 night)
We stayed in a hotel in the center of Kuala Lumpur, across from a major bus terminal.

We presented a PowerPoint seminar on the "ex-gay We presented a PowerPoint seminar on the "ex-gay" movement to about 35 people at the Good Samaritan MCC church, Thursday evening, July 13.

Cultural enrichment while in Kuala Lumpur: We saw and photographed the Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur

Travel to Lumut, Malaysia

� day
Early Friday morning - Friday afternoon, July 14
We traveled by bus from Kuala Lumpur to Lumut, Malaysia; then by taxi from Lumut to resort.

Lumut:
Friday, August 14 - Friday, August 21

7 days (7 nights)
We vacationed at Lumut, Malaysia, Resort

We made connections with hotel staff and clients and talked about our marriage, Other Sheep and related topics; we created web pages and reports on our time spent in Singapore and Malaysia; we finalized arrangements for Bangkok including placing an announcement in the Bangkok Post and making travel arrangements to Thailand.
We relaxed and enjoyed area attractions.

Travel to Bangkok, Thailand

2 and � days (2 nights in Georgetown, Malaysia)
Friday afternoon, August 21 - Sunday evening, August 23

We traveled by bus to Butterworth, Malaysia; then by ferry to Georgetown on the Island of Penang; we stayed two nights at Friendship Hotel, Georgetown (Friday and Saturday nights, August 21 and 22); we traveled by air from Georgetown to Kuala Lumpur for connecting flight to Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday, August 23.

Cultural enrichment in Georgetown, Malaysia: We visited Batu Ferringhi beach and Penang Hill, Friday late evening and Saturday afternoon and evening, August 21 and 22.

October 24, 2009

At our resort in Lumut. Responding to Jose's leading the song "YMCA."

Pastor of the Good Samaritan MCC Malaysai church, Pastor Joe

Rev. Bumgardner, Chair of the Moderator's Global Justice Team (MCC) and Senior Pastor of MCCNY

Worship room of the Good Samaritan MCC Malaysai church in Kuala Lumpur

Jose Ortiz at our vacation resort in Lumut, Malaysia, leading the song "YMCA."

Member of the Good Samaritan MCC Malaysia church

The Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sunset at our vacation resort in Lumut, Malaysia

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Other Sheep in Nepal 2009, Thailand 2009 and Singapore 2009

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