Second Time Around

My family and I first came to Penang in 2000 for some team training as we were serving in Indonesia at the time. If memory serves me correctly, I think we were here for a couple of weeks. We even came to Dalat’s campus for a worship service. Penang and Dalat were very different back in the day. We came back again in 2010 to work at Dalat and stayed until 2015.

We loved our five years in Penang and at Dalat, but again, things looked very different then.

Since we have come back this time to serve again at Dalat, I have been asked many times if it feels any different being back. For starters, Penang has certainly changed quite a bit. Tesco is not even named Tesco anymore, there is new reclaimed land in front of Gurney Drive that used to be ocean, and a new man-made island now sits off the coast of Straits Quay.

Dalat has also changed. When we left in 2015, they had just knocked down my old office to build the Castle. Since then, the campus has continued to grow and develop. Even today we eagerly anticipate the completion of our new Marina building that will house our middle school. It is amazing all that has been done and will be done eventually. So yes, Dalat’s campus is very different than it used to be.

Despite all the development, what has not changed is the Dalat spirit.

Every morning, I come to campus and cannot believe I get to work with such gifted and talented students and staff. Every day, I am greeted by children eager to learn. And guess what, they are not just eager for academics, but also about God and life. Dalat has always been a place of holistic learning, and that has not changed one bit.

One of the reasons we decided to come back to Dalat is so our youngest daughter could experience that Dalat spirit for her last two years of high school. I am so glad we made that decision.

This is an incredible place with incredible people. I am grateful to be able to call Penang and Dalat home once again. I hope you are, too.