You'll Come

I have decided I have resolved to wait upon you Lord
My rock and redeemer shall not be moved- I'll wait upon you Lord

As surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us as certain as the dawn appears

You'll come let your glory fall- As you respond to us
Spirit reign flood our hearts with holy fire again

We are not shaken we are not moved. We wait upon you Lord
Our Mighty deliverer my triumph and truth- I'll wait upon you Lord

Chains be broken, Lives be healed
Eyes be opened, Christ is revealed 

My views have been shifting a bit for this reason:
...not to mention the ways that I see things through the eyes of my heart these days... my views are always changing and expanding.  I can hardly keep up.  I am growing and changing I feel like and sometimes it kind of leaves me feeling bent out of shape.  The roles and jobs I have found myself in, the relationships I am a part of are all tools that press and shape me to be who He has created me to be.  Having and savoring my experiences here with Jesus distinctly mark me each and everytime.  Some marks are more painful than others.  Some I do not notice and some I focus too much on.  What can I say? I am still growing, still learning, even after almost 20 years of being a Christian, the good news is we never "arrive" but there is always a deeper path to take with Him.

God intends our deeper, truer self, which he created, to blossom freely as we follow him.  God has endowed each of us with certain essential qualities that reflect and express him in a unique way.  Part of the sanctification process of the Holy Spirit is to strip away the false constructs we have accumulated and enable our true selves to emerge.
-Peter Scazerro in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

If there is not the stripping away of the worldly ideals and ways of life then I miss out on expressing Christ, and here of all places I cannot afford to do that- I deeply desire for Him to show forth all His beauty that He may be made to look great.  I am amazed at how comfortable I was in my life before these days in Hong Kong, but I know He is not.  He knew all along that this would be a challenge and refining process for me and I accept it with gratitude (although it's not easy!)

If it is true that we belong to an UNSHAKEABLE KINGDOM then it's necessary that He remove all that's not of Him (as much as it makes me kick and scream) for the sake of what's best for us.  It is also an invitation... "The reason we need to stop and be with God is so we might creat a continual and easy familiarity with God's presence at all times-- while working, playing, cooking, taking out the garbage, driving, visiting friends, as well as during worship, prayer, and Bible study. This requires that we slow down to pay attention.  Our goal is to love God with our whole being, to be consistently conscious of God through our daily life..."-Scazzero

Whatever state you are in, I hope to can take a deep breath and remind yourself about His presence in this very moment, let His love seep in, and move forward into the glory He has for you to know in Him today. That is the reality I long for and the only way I can truly live.

Surely The only reason they put this up is because someone has done it before... saw this in the MTR (the Hong Kong subway) station...

I am trying my very best to skate-bike only in open areas.  We don't anyone to lose a limb, now do we?

I have some priorities these days... and obviously blogging hasn't been one of those.  As much as I love to have an outlet to write and share and especially connect with all 2 of you that read this, I sometimes just need to hold things in my heart, not to mention that I have been so busy that I can barely think of what to write at the end of the day!

It is a joy and privilege to be in this city with my Jesus as He leads me one step at a time.  So... obviously a lot has happened since Sept 4 when I last wrote.  (Sorry, Mom...)  I am a very thorough person, so it drives me crazy to just throw things up on here, but I think i have come to find that to be what blogging is... and I digress. To humor myself, I feel I need to catch you up... (I know hold on tight, some of it's pretty exciting!)

Since my last entry I have:
1.  Moved to another flat
2.  Painted 3 bedrooms a "moonlight sand" color (a welcomed change from rose, lavender, and mint green)
3.  Welcomed our final 3  U.S. team members to Hong Kong
4.  Attended a Beth Moore conference at a local church (only by video)
5.  Biscuet , one of my long time friends came to visit for the week on a work trip
6.  Survived a typhoon (but really it's not that big of a deal)
7.  Cooked spaghetti for the team
8.  Revisited the Chinese medicine doctor lady... tweaking the medicine... giving it one last chance, but it still tastes like dirt.
9.  On the search for some furniture... we are loving the air mattresses for the past few weeks, but furniture is better, and GOD HAS PROVIDED FURNITURE FOR OUR FLAT FREE OF CHARGE! (more to come on that later)
10. Led worship for a local youth group at ECC
11. Helped with an English class for students that are new to Hong Kong- made some fun friends
12. Relish in the puffy cinnamon roll that I discovered that we can buy at a bakery called "Das Gute" (shout out to my favorite German...)
13. Had our first staff meeting with the whole US team together in HK
14. Visited several campuses, met up with the the friends we met at class plus some more along the way-
15. Saw God work miracles among our teammates as He draws us together in unity and His love
16. Grew and gained a little more perspective about what's before us and praying and trusting He will bring clarity for what's next... He is so good to do that.  He brings just what we need, right when we need it, from furniture to reassurance in our hearts...

I leave you with this, as this is what I want to reflect in my life... I trust the process I am walking through in this season- one of redefining all things, laying down the knowledge and comfort of familiarity and skills I had honed to say I don't really have anything but you Jesus, so I'm free of those things (even though I had no idea they were holding me back) and I get to walk forward, starting anew as His grace shapes me to bring Him glory here... I want to love well. BOTTOM LINE.

1 John 4: 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. ¹² No one has ever seen God.

if we love each other,

God lives in us,

and his love is brought to

full expression in us. [my thought: and as one born of God, my new nature is to express, reveal, and manifest HIM thus bringing HIM glory! Lord, give me the grace anew to live this out!]  ¹³ And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. ¹⁴ Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. ¹⁶ We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.
   God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. ¹⁷ And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because...

For those of you who don't know, I was diagnosed with "mild asthma" recently and I think it's an irritation that has developed since I came to Hong Kong last summer.  Maybe it was lack of rest on top of having a cold on top of stressful point in my life, but never the less, I cough and have a little more crud than I feel is "normal." I laugh at the idea of anything normal though.  What even is that?!

Since I am in China, and have a medical background in nursing, I am very curious about their traditional medicine.  I have a friend at ELIC / Hong Kong named Anita who has had some success with this type of treatment, so I figured what's the harm in trying some of these natural remedies instead of always taking an inhaler and a few pills each day.  

What's my diagnosis you may ask? Well the thing I appreciate is that the FIRST thing the Chinese doctor will think about is your environment.  What's wrong w/ my environment? Dust mites.  Possibly.  The first step is to wrap my mattress in saran wrap- the mattress i have here has to be very old and yucky so I can see how that might help.  I feel "gunkier" when I wake up, so that would logically point to something in my bedroom, in the states and here, and we all have dust mites (eewwww!!) So maybe that's my allergy?  So allergy/mild asthma remains my diagnosis... one that probably will never go away (but can pray for the miracle of that) and the challenge is to manage the environment so that there is the least amount irritant possible. 

The best part of the visit was this conversation we had as she was writing my prescription so that my "chi" will no longer be blocked- that's my other diagnosis. (Explanation of that is a whole 'nother blog for a whole 'nother day.)

DR: "Are you a vegetarian?"
ME: "NO..."
ANITA:  "What does that mean that you are putting in her medicine?"
DR: "Some insect!"

Above you see the packet of powder that I mix with hot water and drink twice a day.  Tastes like dirt.  I will go for follow up on Monday and we'll see what's next. It takes some time to tweak it but I am quite fascinated by how this could possibly help me feel better.  I'm sure I will have more to share on this topic after Monday.  Also, as with any relationship, please think of Anita and I as there have already been some light/life-giving conversations with this doctor, and for that purpose, trying a little insect and whatever-else-mixture is worth it. 

...I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Cor 9:22-23

I just wanted to share a little insight into what a normal day might be around here, and what our surroundings are like.  It's interesting the little things that are different...

First of all, in the kitchen, hidden behind our cabinet door, on the left is where we do laundry.



See our tiny washer, that also "dries" with puffs of steam? I like the steam/hang up combo myself.  I also like my mattress which is very very very firm- probably because it's good for my health. (See below).


This is how you know you weren't invited to the party around here/how popular you are... I haven't had any shoes left outside my door... Could you all help me with this problem? Actually our CRATE got here with all of our stuff this past Monday! I can't wait to get my tea set out and have tea with whoever will come!





Starting a "BBQ" fire with coal in a pit on a rainy day with 8 teenage girls- it's quite a feat! (and not your typical BBQ- pork and fish meatball things with mushrooms or some other taste, wings, and other unidentifiable objects on a skewer as seen in the photo-





Trying to explain why my credit card says "Katie" and my passport says "Katherine" - at least after 2 1/2 hours at the bank I got rewarded with this keychain:
and got to write a comment card for the teller for her "flexibility"... I pondered taking a snapshot of that as well, but decided that would not look good to the people who are handling my money. (It's called saving face, but that's another post for another day.) I had to run downstairs a couple of times to get a verification and then another signature from Matt, which they were quick to comment that at least I got my exercise today. Happy "year of the ox"!

Oh, and tack "health" or "environment" on to whatever you are doing and that makes it a good thing. Many Chinese will be concerned about these things... so to put everyone's soul at ease- you will find signs like this on any thing there many hands may touch (elevator buttons, handles, escalators...) and still the anti-bacterial hand gel everywhere... ooooh the hand gel! (It's a good thing- just like the Katie/Katherine thing- for our safety and security... so thankful. Yes. )

Last but not least... words like, happy, fun, and joy- even your water bill is more awesome because of this! Ya'll want to come pay it right now, don't you? I thought so.



Speaking of Joy...
It's a joy to just be here and soak it in and have the time to be sensitive to how He is refining me through the tiniest things, preparing me and the rest of our team for the "bigger things."   I know that when you and I are faithful in the small things, that there is such deep blessing there.  These are the moments that no one else sees but that HE alone sees.  This draws me nearer to Him, knowing that He and I have shared that moment and that His grace enabled me to walk righteously in the littlest things.  I know if I am the "apple of His eye" that He delights in me.  His glance is not infrequent towards me.  He takes pleasure in who I am and I take pleasure in Him.  There is intimacy and joy and delight in what could be a mundane day, but it's HIS day and we get to share it together!  I can say I AM learning to be content whatever the circumstance. I love this quote by Jeremiah Burroughs:

Christian contentment is that sweet inward quiet, that gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.

I definitely don't have it down, I get frustrated and exasperated sometimes, but at the core of me is Christ, and He is TOTALLY submitted to the wise and fatherly disposal of GOD!  Christ IN me allows this to happen!  Now THAT is FREEDOM!  I have the blessed opportunity to be the recipient of GOD's wise and fatherly disposal in THIS condition, and the next, and the next... "¹¹Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹²I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Phil 4:11-13.  If you are in a high or low that is ok- He is revealing Himself to you- so that you will tap into the gracious Spirit of Christ in you.  Seems like Paul went through that too... Just read Philippians.

What does it mean for me and you to really RECEIVE from the King of Kings who "... longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.  For the LORD is a God of justice. "
The promise for us today (as I have said before)-
 ¹⁹ O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. (Isaiah 30:18-19)


His answer for me today:  Trust the process- I am doing more than your eyes can see!

The day started with our team meeting up in the MTR (subway of Hong Kong) station in Ma On Shan- closer to where the Dean family resides, catching a bus (see Cat, April, and I in the circle picture waiting on it...) catching a delicious lunch at a great "Texas BBQ" place in Sai Kung town- (the beauty of living in an international city!) and catching a boat over to Hap Mun Bay, where sandcastles, sunbathing, swimming, and "suco" (Cantonese for ice cream) ensued...Here are more of the views from our little boat ride back and forth... so beautiful and quaint is this little area. There will still a good number of people, but it was a nice break to be all together as a little team/family and be away from the shopping malls and crowds.

And continuing on the "international city" theme...
New
 Year


My
 heart 
beats 
like 
a 
drum,
 flying
 up 
with 
the 
sun, 
I 
grab 
Your 
hand 
again


Renovated 
with
 life, 
my
 eyes
 again
 bright,
 and 
You 
are 
radiant


Where 
hope 
can
 hold
 the
 hand
 of
 sorrow
 and
 we
 can
 walk 
into
 tomorro
w

Where 
peace 
is 
found 
in
 troubled 
days 
and 
the 
joy 
of 
Jesus 
carries 
pain



This 
is 
a 
new 
year, 
this 
is 
new 
day, 
to 
rise 
shine, 
lift 
up 
your 
eyes

This 
is 
a
 new 
year, 
this 
is 
a 
new 
day 
to 
rise 
shine,

and
 point 
the 
way
 to 
God’s 
great 
life


I’m 
held 
in 
a 
place, 
a 
beautiful 
space 
where 
heaven 
meets 
the 
earth
My 
heart 
opens 
wide 
and 
the 
Father 
pours 
life 
deep 
inside 
my 
soul

Lyrics 
by 
Charlie 
Hall 
& 
Kendall 
Combes

Join me in asking the Father to pour life in to my soul (Rom 5.5) in these days that I may wholeheartedly serve those around me and be a part of the work here that impacts lives. Oh that He would pour the abundant life into YOUR soul in these moments. Please contact me if you want to know more about this because He has made it available to you--right now! 

I'm thankful for "landmarks" like birthdays that are reminders of how we are invited into the newness of Christ as we let the reality that we are redeemed, forgiven people fall on us again.

Our team had the chance finally to sit together tonight after church and digest a word from Exodus 4, and I was so blessed to see that once again and we share life--our sin, our victory, our true selves- and what God is doing in our lives it's like living water-not standing, stagnant, or even well water, it's flowing, moving, fresh, new, clean water- to the soul. We are living in authentic community. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE MADE TO DO! God's presence pours out when we take the time to dig deep and be our real selves. I can't get enough. It used to be intimidating, but the benefits are such a blessing.

Pray we grow in what it means to be a gospel-centered community of safety and strength by His grace alone. Redemption, healing, restoration, unity... GLORY... has to happen in our own lives--amongst our team--before we extend it to the world.

May He pour it out in these days like we've never known...

Here are a few examples-

If we have "drill team" or the "dance team" they have the lion dance team and it's so neat to me- something that has been carried on for MUCH longer than our local cheer squad. The tradition almost didn't continue at one point- it sounds like a Kung Fu movie but here's what I found from wikipedia...

During the 1950s-60's, people who joined lion dance troupes were “gangster-like” and there was a lot of fighting amongst lion dance troupes and kung fu schools. Parents were afraid to let their children join lion dance troupes because of the “gangster” association with the members... The violence got so extreme that at one point, the Hong Kong government had to put a stop to lion dance completely. Now, as with many other countries, lion dance troupes must attain a permit from the government in order to perform lion dance. Although there is still a certain degree of competitiveness, troupes are a lot less violent and aggressive. Today, lion dance is a more sport-oriented activity. Lion dance is more for recreation than a way of living.

and who would have thought there would be an African drum performance next to the Big Buddha?? Hong Kong has a wide range of things to offer as you can see... that's part of the fun. You never know what you'll see.

Peace and blessings to you today...

The total time I have spent in Hong Kong with the past few summers combined totals about 3 1/2 months. With that "under my belt" (by the grace of God of course) it feels "normal" to me to walk the city and engage with people or use the public transportation. I soak it all in like a sponge... the wonder of this place is still upon me, and I hope I never lose it. I don't have culture-shock moments when I walk through a wet market, or am asked to eat weird food or use chopsticks, although I don't think I'll ever really get used to the smells of some of those things. These are the daily things of these people's LIVES. They don't think twice about them and to me they are quite fascinating. I love the challenge of learning and just "being" here without having to analyze but simply to BE. I AM aware that 100 days in HK cannot allow you to know everything, and I am only touching the tip of the iceberg in discovering the breadth, height, and depth of this place. I would say now I am learning the rhythm of this place for myself. I'm not in Alabama anymore- I am living in a little area called Sha Tin- a close cousin to Alabama... ok not really, but we aren't in the "Big City" district of HK, even though over 628,000 people live in our area. It's a great mix of local Chinese and then some western conveniences not too far from our place. (Just a shuttle bus ride away...)

So what have I learned?
HE is taking care of me. He always has and always will. The things I think I am lacking in are only because He knows when and how to give me what He sees fit. When I think I "need" something to do or somewhere to be, I am reminded that God, the creator of the city, and His work, which I am a tiny part of, is a lot like the city-
*I can only see a tiny bit of what's going on at a time.
*I can walk all the streets, look at all the people, taste all the food and still not experience everything there is to experience.
*There's SO much more than meets the eye (see above quote in red) and my small mind cannot contain all that comes with 7.5 million people in this one area constantly on the move!

This forces me to be patient like never before- there's so much in front of me, yet He's asking me to wait on Him. Oh, the glorious tension! He's asking me to tap into the DEPTHS of HIM instead of rush ahead of Him because truly, there's so much more to Him- that a whole LIFETIME can't suffice to show us all of our God. In fact, it will take all of eternity to know Him- that's exciting, that's forever-- immeasurable. Mind blowing, isn't it? God builds our foundation, fills us up, prepares us so that we know our need for Him to accomplish the work HE has called us to do.

I hope there are days when you are overwhelmed by all you see of Him and other days where you are walking it out, letting it solidify in your soul. LIVING overseas is different than VISITING overseas. Not everyday is earth shattering, some days you might even get a little... bored (-gasp-) because you expect something new but what if that's the day to appreciate what you already know to be true, and dig a little deeper? What if it's the opportunity to say that Christ is enough for you and it's not an emotion you seek but Him?

Today I must delight in Him more than the adventure, the newness of this place because He IS the adventure. He has been and always will be. I pray I will never delight in the 'next thing' more than Jesus, the marvelous mystery and King of all!

Colossians 2:For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ²that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵ though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

There is a great treasure in knowing Jesus... this is a treasure worth seeking and savoring. May you discover these riches for the sake of your own heart today... He is not far from you! Just ask Him- He gives these riches freely!

Sorry I have been absent for so long from this little area of the web... I, after a long process that I will save for another post, have internet access that is suitable for blogging.... yahoo! Let's all thank "Tak" for his brilliant installation skills. So here goes...

Jack, Grace, Mom and Dad:

It was perfect that they were there as well. Biscuet will be back in Asia in a matter of hours from now whereas John has gotten really good at putting his best friends on planes to Asia... it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it and he's a great one for the job. All this to say, you people are some of the most important ones in my life and I look forward to sharing life with you on this side of the world. Now here I am, a month and 18 days later, living on the other side of the world. Still it's unbelievable to me. I am still happy, and I am being stretched. More to come on that...

So I have moved into apartment #2... which is on the 19th floor a couple of towers away from the Littlepage home. I will be here at least for the next month and a half or so until the next wave of folks gets here and we do the fruitbasket turnover... possibly. That is one thing about this new life... learning surrender and flexibility. It is challenging, but I am up for it and gladly accept it from Father as He prepares me for what is to come. So here's the new view...
...quite different than Scott and Cat's, but I like it because you see life happening all around and then the lovely mountains behind. Pretty neat contrast, I think.

And here is a small portion of our big team... people are trickling over the next couple months... but here you see Maik, me, Catherine, Scott, and Jason. We are standing where the Doulos once was docked in the area of town called Tsim Sha Tsui (easier to say would be TST) and also the location of one of the first GCM||HK events... And there will be many more to come!

It's so overwhelming to actually be here, live life here, be neighbors with dear friends, and be on the edge of something that our minds and hearts cannot contain or conceive... yet here we are. I'm ready. Please join me in interceding for these days- that the main thing will remain the main thing and that His perspective will be mine.

Lord give me YOUR eyes, heart, mind, hands, feet... that I may live through you and unto you in all things.

Good morning Hong Kong! This is the view from Scott and cat's
apartment... Can't wait for everyone to get here this evening!

Happy Birthday Susan!
I love you so much and am so thankful for the true friend that you are! It's been 4 years of so much fun! Looking forward to much much more of that. I am different today because you have been in my life. Wish I could celebrate with you. You are precious to me!!

____________________

On a side note... Everything is going great in HK. Please think of us as the teachers finish up their last week of English camp. The GCM team arrives in ONE week, I look at apartments on THURSDAY. It's only going to get more intense from here but this is what I've waited for... I think even for years... can't wait to report back to you!

So something else you may want to know as you ALL plan your visit here is this -->
The summer is VERY hot...(don't be deceived that it's "only" 88-91- which brings me to the metric system issue, but that's a whole 'nother post) you get to SWEAT a ton... and you never know when it's going to rain. Since we are in a subtropical climate, and close to the ocean, we get this type of weather... All this to say unless you are into large amounts of moisture... come between September and May.

Also today i want to give a shout out to this guy:












Have a GREAT birthday- Hope Lake-apalooza is all you hoped it would be!

From the recycling bins (remember how we strive in a major way here to care for the environment), to buildings, to the silk flowers in the airplane bathroom, aesthetics are never ignored...

Another interesting point that we learned in our culture lessons is that eastern thought also incorporates relationship and images. The experiment was to show a picture and see how each group described it- the eastern thinkers, when asked to describe a picture of a fish in an ocean would tell about what he's doing, where he's going, and maybe even what he's about to do, and the westerners would say how many stripes he had and what color and what side of the picture he was on. This is very fascinating to me- I am not yet sure the implications yet, but it challenges me to look deeper into things that are seemingly simple. I just desperately want to see life through the eyes of the people here to better love them. I can't wait to make friends here and dialogue about these things! The PEOPLE are definitely a reason to love HK. They definitely get relationship and highly value it- there is just so much more to the relationship thing for us to learn... like WHOSE idea RELATIONSHIP was in the first place...

I am truly looking forward to being in real community with these amazing people, in fact, I got invited to camp with these great people: students that I met through Camp HK 3 years ago! This is a precious community of students. I hope we can grow closer as well. They will be in university not too long from now! It's very competitive so we are praying they will get "good marks" and get into a good HK university eventually.

Another thing: Hong Kong is always concerned for your safety...
When people get sick, they take it upon themselves to wear masks (you probably would too if you had been a part of an epidemic like the one that occured in 2003. ) They are very health conscious and safety conscious, for if something happens, that is very bad and you could have prevented it! That is why our teachers looked like this on our first few days of teaching...

Then there's the British English. You hear it in the accents of the voice recording for the subway, bus, and elevator, you see it on the signs and when kids go to see a "film" or visit the "w.c" Here's an example that combines both of the aforementioned topics: safety and British english. These are just a few things that make HK enjoyable. Can't wait to share more with you all!

Be encouraged that He sustains, provides, covers in more ways than we can ask or imagine. I close with this:
Psalm 145
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Hey everyone! The first bit of news is that I am healthy and happy after living 10 days in Hong Kong! I am 13 hours ahead of most of you and am having a blast with the 6 teams of English teachers from universities across from America... I have many thoughts to share, but first a light-hearted blog:

Something I have been having fun with is keeping a mental list of is what's different in HK than America...so here we go:
1. The environment is VERY important (when you have 7.5 million people you have to be careful, although we should be as well...) This is evidenced my many things, for example:
-the kid who was so distressed when asked to change his mask (worn because of the H1N1 virus- but will explain that in a bit) because it pollutes this earth. Totally distressed. Refusing to wear the mask required by the school because he is so distraught. Would you rather... have swine flu or pollute the earth? He has made his choice obviously.
-the fact that my plastic cup at this coffee shop is "made of corn" and is sustainable. I do not lie: clear plastic cup. Made of corn.
-Recycling bins galore- divided down to paper, plastic, cardboard, cd's, inkjet cartridges and more
-The stores charge 50 cents per plastic bag to encourage you to use reuseable bags. Good idea i think. And the hold more/are stronger than plastic ones. I am for this for sure.
-NO straw day at McDonalds. What better way to save the environment.

2. Looking right THEN left when you cross the street. This is because they drive on the left side like Europe. I still feel like I'm gonna get hit when I'm crossing and having to look the way I am not used to. (And you don't know you do it until you are in this other place with taxis and busses driving at breakneck speed.)

3. The supreme importance of disease control. Temperatures are taken at schools each morning, masks worn, we got a "special 7 day extended culture time" in HK before we could have contact with the kids, and many people wear masks anyway. It's not uncommon. After the SARS epidemic you can't be too careful, especially when you have 7.5 million neighbors. It's also become a way to sell a product: my clorox wipes have an ad: Protect agains h1n1. Hm. And I have also notices exponentially more antibacterial handgel dispensers, and most elevator buttons are covered in plastic that is sanitized every 2 hours at least. Wow. No one is sick yet, thankfully.

4. If you shop a lot at a place you get stickers to collect so you win a toy. I find that the Chinese LOVE toys. Some think it's because they have studied so much their young lives that they got deprived of playing toys. I can understand that. Part of me would LOVE to receive a Barbie for my birthday too. They even have turned toys into competition- I wish I had a video camera- there was definitely a RUBIX CUBE RACE in the bottom of the mall I was in today. It was an entire tournament. Young and old were clicking those things at an extreme pace. Wow again.

5. H E A T !!!! No lie I have never felt heat and humidity like this. This summer especially, I am often soaked! Hopefully it will cool off when we have our...

6. TYPHOON!! Tomorrow it's possible that we will have a level 8/10. Kinda like a Hurricane for those of you in the southeast. I am just glad it might help cool the place and wash away some pollution so my asthma will calm down. (Asthma that I think I developed here last year... oops. Don't worry Mom, it's really ok. I just say this for dramatic effect.)

I am sure there are many more things I could share, and I can't wait to tell you more!
I hope this whets your appetite to visit this fun city. Can't wait to see you here!

My heart in writing this blog is simply to chronicle what God's doing and maybe give a little insight into what it's like to move overseas, and hopefully encourage more people in the corner they live in or to make the leap to do the same as I, if the Lord is leading in that direction...

So I made it to the airport, got on my (first class, thanks Jesus) flight, and arrived at what I like to call "limbo." God has been generous in letting me transition slowly to life in another place. It is a blessing to be in Colorado, and meet people (mostly college students) from all over the country who love Asia until I board the plane to HK on Tuesday at MIDNIGHT!! We have been spending the week learning how to function as healthy teams, teach English to young Asian students, and live as people who love others well and walk with humility, maturity, and wisdom. This summer's camp will be incredible because of the tools we have been given, the hearts behind it, and the Source from which it all comes.

For me, it is a different experience than the last two summers I have participated. I get the joy of being the site coordinator for 6 Hong Kong ("Xiang Geng" in Mandarin!) Teams. It feels different to not have my own team, but the fun is I have one HUGE team! (about 50 folks!) While they have been learning all the above mentioned things, I have been making plans and corresponding with many people from HK to enrich our language and culture training when we arrive. This is something else I am passionate about: you can't really love people well until you really seek to understand their culture and where they are coming from. Eastern culture is fascinating to me- it's a communal culture which means it highly values relationship above all things-- a challenge for us task-oriented and time-oriented Americans, but I love every minute of it because I know it's causing me to know the Lord as I am stretched in unique ways.

What God is doing...

A couple of months ago I was anticipating what it might be like to leave home, family, and friends for the first time. I didn't know how I would respond but I asked the Lord to get the most mileage possible out of it. I told Him I wanted Him to take me deeper in our relationship. Moving away from the country I've known all my life is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but He has been gracious to get many many miles out of this move. Not to mention that this time in my life has also been one of the MOST exciting!

I have had the privilege of rooming with a woman who has served in Japan for the past 30 years, and you can imagine that I have picked the poor woman's brain so very much. The reality of this move hits in waves, and when she asked me how I was doing this morning another wave of emotion hit- I miss my family. I have never been one to "miss" people but I can be sentimental. I cannot tell you how strange it was to step away, not sure when I would hug them next. In talking to her, I think she put a word on it: separation. As we talked we connected the dots- she said she came to know God. She had a hint of how Jesus might have felt when God had to turn His head as Jesus hung on the cross. Jesus felt the separation, I feel it too, but the cross is good news for me today for these reasons:

1. He knows how I feel being separated from those I love to an incredibly high degree (so I find intimacy and fellowship & intimacy with Him in that).
2. He achieved victory over these "griefs and sorrows" in the resurrection.
3. This is an experience of hope I have to share with the world, were my faith is my VICTORY! (1 John 5:21)

There's a depth of fellowship found in that point of suffering. I realized for about the tenth time this week that He is swiftly answering my prayer to know Him deeply by stripping me of the comforts I rest in. I want JESUS to be my Savior and the one I rest in. I KNOW that is His best for me and He is giving me the privilege to walk it out. I have found that in the suffering (Click the link to read an incredible article that resonates with me personally.) and sacrifice that the Word says we will do, He extends grace all the more and He moves His kingdom through it. This is how LOVE is demonstrated! We magnify Christ when we endure such things unto Him. May you endure today and shine brightly with His life and light!

When I think about leaving tomorrow I feel like I will come back to good ol' Auburn like I always do in a month. It's weird to think this is my last night in Alabama, but here I sit, in my room since I was in 5th grade, trying to wrap my mind about what's about to take place but I cannot. Yet again, I take deep comfort in the Sovereignty of God, how He sees all and He gives generous glimpses of what's to come so that I will move forward. I am humbled to take this step and that He has made a way for me when anyone could be in this place. What an honor!

Please pray for this transition and for all that will ensue as I leave this place. Please lift up my family as well. My heart in this is to know Him and for those who are affected by my leaving (humbling, very much so) to know Him in a fresh way as well. My heart craves to be wooed by the Savior and He does just that as we share in this journey, just the 2 of us, on an adventure for the sake of His glorious name.

by HIS grace; for HIS glory...

In Daniel 7, the vision of the prophet shows and explains who Christ is, and what it's all about. Christ the crowning GLORY of creation, the greatest, the highest, and the Holiest one and only God. He has not come just to wipe our slates clean but to reign perfectly and righteously (the kindest, most fair, most beneficial way for all), that ALL should serve Him, thus serving one another and living life as He has designed it to be! (1 John ²This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.)

I love imagining today what it would be like to witness the Ancient of Days bestow the Glory of Creation on His Son, who laid down His life that we may know the greatness of God.

¹³"I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
¹⁴ And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

So these last few days I am blessed to be at the beach with my family, but I dream of the day they could possibly hang out with me on another beach on the other side of the world, hopefully with new brothers and sisters, and experience His creation like I do in that place. My prayer these days is just that He'll give me vision for this next place. Since I am journeying to Hong Kong, to me it's like walking towards the promise land, trusting that the Lord will reign there as we walk faithfully.

If we are sons and daughters of God, and our families (blood or spiritual) are one of the many ways that He expands His kingdom, (therefore bringing blessing to people) can we claim these words as a promise to us? Sometimes He asks us to do hard things, yet He knows the outcome . I PRAY we will be a blessing to this place.

Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Genesis 12:1-3

We'll never know the impact that we have on the world, and the ripples of the Spirit's work in and through our lives are incalculable. Walking in faith, knowing the journey to the promised land is not always easy, He imparts a taste of the promise to us along the way. This is our reality as believers: His Kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord may we be a blessing to all we encounter- for your name and your renown or the desire of our souls! (Is 26:8)