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Malina, from Malaysia: "Seeing my friends take Communion was the beginning of my journey"

Malina learned to get along with Muslims, atheists and Christians in her own family. "My family is an example of the mix of cultures and religions that exist in my country, Malaysia," she says. Her father is an atheist, her mother is Catholic, and her sisters converted to Islam. She decided to be baptised at the age of 16. That was the beginning of a search that would eventually lead her to Opus Dei as an assistant numerary.

I’m Malina. I’m from Malaysia. My country is a mosaic of cultures and religions. We know how to coexist well among Muslims, Hindus and Christians.

My family is a sample of this mix of cultures and beliefs. My father is an atheist, my mother was baptized in the Catholic Church when she already had three children.

I decided to be baptized when I was 16 years old. When I was 13 years old some friends invited me to join a choir at church. I saw them taking communion and I felt the need to take communion too. This was the beginning of my way because I continue my life in the Church searching for my vocation.

When I was 18 years old I did the National Service Military. That experience was hard for me, but at the same time it helped me to be mature.

Then I studied literature for two years, and this helped me to acquire habits of study and reflection. When I finished my studies I knew a guy who later became my boyfriend. He was the first person who told me about Opus Dei and took me to visit a center in Johor. I always wanted to serve God through my family. When I met the numerary assistants I realized this was the vocation that I was looking for.

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