It feels like it's been a year...

well, maybe not. But I am a year older..! The 29th of May we celebrated my 23rd birthday. It was a great  Sunday spent with HK church family. However, as much as I love my HK family, I hate not being with my real family on my birthday. To be honest, it was only the 2nd time in my life I haven't been with them. I know, I know...tell me to suck it up and put my big girl panties on, but I refuse.

Other than my birthday, April and May were pack with some awesome memories. We left for San Francisco on the 25th of April. It was a MUCH needed vacation. I realized it had been a YEAR since I had left Hong Kong. That a 15 mile radius at most. No wonder I was going crazy...I needed a fountain Dr. Pepper. Anywho...

We were greeted at the airport by some great friends and treated to an amazing breakfast at a corner cafe in Noe Valley. I fought off jet lag as much as I possibly could but eventually the day caught up to me and I fell asleep mid-day. Good thing I got some rest then, because El decided the next day we were going to bike the Golden Gate Bridge. After we began, it was brought to my knowledge that it was actually a 15 mile bike ride..........anyone who knows me would know I can barely climb up 15 stairs without complaining.  Not only did they have trouble finding a bike short enough for me, but I also had to wear a helmet. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful ride (although painful at times) and I did make it the entire 15 miles.

The week carried on and we ate plenty, bought much and laughed even more (maybe because of all the wine...Shhh!!) Another great highlight was Alcatraz. We opted for the more intimate "Night Tour". There were fewer people and more attractions open during those hours. El had too much fun. I'm surprised they let him off the island.

Unfortunately, one of the lows was El's first experience with the famous In-N-Out Burger...he was not impressed.

Our last day in SF we attended Ellison's BF's wedding. Hannah looked beautiful and the wedding and after party were super fun (again..thanks to the wine). We thoroughly enjoyed spending time with friends from France as well as Hong Kong.

Jon and Hannah (One of El's BF's from HK)

El's other BF from France, Greg and his wife, Marianne

After SF, we left for TEXAS!!! (and a bit of Oklahoma, too!!) I was able to spend 3 weeks with family and Ellison a week and a half. I couldn't believe it had been a year since I had seen them all. Definitely got some of my BF time in with my girls as well. I was fortunate enough to be able to help my lil' brother get ready for his first prom! and man...what a stud. ladies, he's definitely a great catch!!

Justin and his lovely date!! 

I'm so spoiled by my family it's unreal. They were constantly making me my favorite foods and taking me to my favorite restaurants...I definitely need to go back more often!! :) Leaving Texas this time was hard. Really hard...I'll have to write another post about this, but for now..I'll leave it at that.

As soon as I arrived back in Hong Kong I had to start packing. For those of you who don't know 3 weeks before we left on holiday our landlord called and basically said she wanted the place for her daughter. We found a new place in 2 days and after we got back from the US we were packed and moved in less than a week. It was SUPER stressful, BUT the move is over and we are now settled in our new home (pictures coming soon!!) We really are extremely happy with the new place, but there's only one downfall...no oven!! Maybe I'll lose some weight...

A week after we moved, our summer house guest arrived from the US. Amanda will be staying with us until August and will be working with Ellison and the youth. We've enjoyed having her here with us and have already been having a blast!! We definitely look forward to the weeks ahead.

Amanda and I on our boat trip last week.

On the 9th of July El and I will be taking the youth to Taiwan to work with a local church there. Please pray for us and the team of 12 youth who are preparing to go!! :)

There's so much more to say, but I've got to go be a housewife. Boo..

A Reflection on Easters Past

When I was little, Easter was a big deal and not necessarily for all the right reasons. I don't remember too much, but I remember it was one of the only times I would go to church each year. You see, my mother never went to church, but my grandparents did and each year I would go with them. Being the only grandchild for about 6 years and even then one of the only girls, I was spoiled (to be honest, still am). So every Easter I would get a new fancy dress with all the necessary accessories to match (bonnet/hat, purse, socks with the ruffles and new patent leather shoes). And Easter morning I would receive a basket which would always come with various gifts from the Easter Bunny, and my other grandparents would give me a new stuffed bunny. My favorite was Pinky, which I'm sure I still have tucked away in a dusty box someplace. 

Easter 1993, with my Papa ( he passed away in '99)

Sassy, I tell you. Easter 1992

Then, each year after church the entire family would gather out on a couple of acres of land for our annual lunch and Easter egg hunt. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE (including the 4 and 5th cousins once removed and the relatives you only care to see once a year). To put things into perspective there were well over 100 people there every year. Each family was responsible for bringing around 10 dozen eggs, and mom and I would spend hours the evening before dipping them in Randy's cups filled with colored vinegar and finish them off with stickers. After lunch the adults would strategically hide hundreds of eggs in the field nearby and the children would bury their eyes into the ground and countdown. 5-4-3-2-1, GOOO!!!!! We would take off in hopes of finding the plastic "money eggs" which contained nickles and dimes, or if you were lucky a $1 bill. I tried to stay away from all the real eggs that weren't colored, because rumor had it that my mean Aunt Shelia would bring a dozen eggs that weren't boiled. If for some reason I managed to find one in my basket I made sure to crack it over her head.

My Mom and I, Easter 1990

Found one!! Easter 1992 

Those sure were the days. I don't know how to quite explain it, but I truly miss those years. Even then, at such a young age, those memories stay with you.

The plot of land was eventually sold and the older generation, including my grandfather, passed on. As I got older, our Easter traditions were more or less forgotten and now are only a mere recollection. I'm sure my younger brother has absolutely no memory of these great times. As pagan as our traditions were, they are some of the sweetest memories I have with my family.

Reflecting on the season to come, I realized it will be my first Easter in Hong Kong. Over the past three years, I've had the opportunity to travel to some amazing places for the holiday:

Easter Day 2008, Ruins of Ayutthaya Kingdom , Thaliand

Easter Day 2010, Christ Church, Ilagan, Philippines

Much like my childhood experiences, these too are memories worth holding dear. Although it's unlikely I will be waking up to a basket from the Easter bunny, hunting for eggs or traveling to an exciting new place, I'm thankful for time to contemplate the true cause for the celebration of Easter. In my Sunday school class, I have been discussing with the girls the events leading up to Jesus' death, crucifixion, and resurrection and we will continue the study for the next two weeks. Easter, much like many of the holidays have definitely changed for me over the years, especially after moving to Hong Kong. Regardless as to how different this season may be for me, I'm thankful to have a community of believers to celebrate with... for He is risen, He is risen indeed!!

An Observation on Parenting

Tonight we were treated to a wonderful (almost free) dinner with some of our friends who were vacationing in the city from Taiwan. The Franklin's are originally from the US but moved from HK to Taiwan last year. We're so thankful we still see them a couple of times a year. Their 4 year old, Keely is in love with "Mr. El"..! We met them at an Italian restaurant, Fat Angelos, and because of Jacob's saved points, dinner was $40hkd!! They are truly amazing people and such great parents!! They will be spending the week at the Disneyland Resort, or as Keely and Jordan call it, "Mickey and Minnie's House".

After dinner on our way home, El and I met a Chinese boy named Samuel on the train. Samuel (age 5) was sitting in front of us with his mum and dad and just giggling uncontrollably. He had such an addicting laugh, we couldn't help but start laughing, too. He was so happy and expressing himself in a way that I rarely see from children in Hong Kong. Not only was he having a good time, but his parents were engaging in his silliness as well, another unaccustomed sight. Typically children are buried into their video games and parents are ignoring them the same, but not this family. They had an intoxicating joy. They overheard our laughter and the mum looked at us and said, "Kids are crazy!!" We smiled and I asked him his name, eventually I asked Samuel what he did today. He whispered to his mum and then proudly proclaimed, "CHURCH!" This led to even more discussion once we shared with them that El was a pastor. We eventually parted ways once we arrived at their stop and they waved from the window outside as the train pulled away.

In one night I saw two incredible examples of families interacting with their children, one Western and one Asian. In all the hoopla of Western parenting vs. Asian style parenting stirred from this article and book, these two families regardless of culture, have one thing in common. They are Christians. I've always wondered how difficult it would be for El and I as parents. Ellison was raised in a fairly "Chinese" family and myself...well, I was taught "Just do your best!" The question about where we would send our children to school has often crossed my mind. I went to a small, country, public school in Texas and El, a posh British boarding school. Regardless, I now realize we at least have one thing in common...we follow Christ. Although we're not planning on having children anytime soon, we've been discussing our options for adoption. With Christ as the Head, eventually I know we'll make great parents (even if we are so different). We're very thankful for the excellent examples of Christian parenting we see throughout our community!! Thanks to you all!! I'm taking notes.

Snickerdoodles

Since I'm allergic to chocolate, I'm always out to find great recipes for PB and Snickerdoodle cookies. I ate Snickerdoodles so often while Ellison and I were dating that I developed the pet name "Snickerdoodle". My favorites actually happen to be store bought. The Pepperidge Farm Snickerdoodles are legit and super soft (I love soft cookies)!! However, I found this recipe on the site I mentioned before and decided to give it a try. Definitely glad I did. I baked these TWICE this week and they were gone both nights. Some of you were asking for the recipe so I figured I would pass it along.

On another note, which has absolutely nothing to do with snickerdoodles or cookies at all..I read/watch the news A LOT. I love being in the know. I don't know if it's because I'm older or the fact that I left small town Texas, but I'm definitely more connected to what's going on in our world. I feel it's my duty as a global citizen to not be ignorant regarding issues that are taking place not only in my area, but around the world. Although a lot of the articles I read are "newsworthy", you do come across those that are somewhat less of a concern. Here are a few I have come across in the past couple of days (mind you these were all front page headlines and on the most popular list)...

Maryland man glued to Walmart toilet seat

Man hits 31st day of beer-only fast

Anywho, back to the topic at hand...cookies. Here's the recipe.

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For rolling:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on high speed. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you let the dough rest for 30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator.

5. In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the cinnamon for the topping.

6. Roll the dough into balls. (I did 1 1/2 inch balls.) Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press it onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (Not too much or you'll get flat, crunchy cookies!!) Repeat for the remaining cookies.

7. Bake the cookies for 10 to 14 minutes (depending on your oven). The cookies may seem undercooked, but will continue to develop after they are removed from the oven. When the cookies have cooled they should be soft and chewy in the middle.

Yum. I made a gigunda one, too!!

Deeper Conversation

After my previous post last week, I emailed "S" and told her that I was really encouraged by our conversation in class and that I was happy she had decided to join us. I also expressed to her that I was a Christian and that the freedom and happiness she longed for, I found in Christ. Then I asked if we could continue to meet to practice her English. She emailed me back on Wednesday and said that she was not a Christian but she would love for us meet and talk more. I was overjoyed that she would be returning to my class yet again.

Throughout the week, I began praying for my class and the girls who would be attending. I prayed that God would allow for deeper conversation and that through teaching I would find a way to incorporate the idea of Christianity. So in class today I was to give them mock IELTS speaking exam practice. Basically I would be asking them personal or abstract issue questions and mark their ability to express their ideas. Only two of the girls showed today and it happened to be "S" and "H" (the two from mainland China). I began by asking each girl a question and they would respond. Topics included everything from their families, hometown, to abortion and marriage, to traveling and the one child policy. 45 minutes had passed and we were so engrossed in our conversation that we didn't even pay attention to time. "H" was next and although it wasn't one of the "typical" questions used during the exam, I asked her about religion. "Does you family practice any religion or have any spiritual practices?" After a bit of clarification, she simply answered, "No, not really." I decided to ask "S" the same question. Then came the answer to my prayer.

"My grandmother is a Christian." BINGO! How rare is this? To find a girl from China who has a close family member who is Christian, what a gateway to deeper conversation! She continued... "My grandfather passed away about 10 years ago and my grandmother was very sad. She found faith through her friends and she will attend the church very regularly, each Sunday. Only one time there was a snow storm and she got hurt and couldn't go for sometime."

I smiled because in my heart I knew God was shaping more conversations to come. It was time for them to go to their next class and unfortunately I was sad to know that "S" and "H" would both be leaving this next week to return home to China for a couple of weeks, which means I will not get another chance to meet with them until after I return from the US toward the end of May.

We all traded contact information and the girls have added me on FB so I will surely keep in contact with them and we have plans to go shopping together when we're all back together in Hong Kong. Please continue to pray for "S", "H", "L" and "J" and our new friendship. Pray that God will continue to open the doors that lead to Him.

I'll leave you with a group photo from our Project 180 outreach last weekend. We ended up with 20 people, youth and parents included and we fed 200 people. It was a great start for KIBC and I'm definitely eager to see what's in store for our congregation and this city.

Soon to be Unemployed

As some of you may know, my position at HKBU is coming to an end this month. I have resigned. Not only has it been an asset for my CV, it's been a really great way for me to meet new people and get out of the house. Nonetheless, I was never 100% sold on this job. Now don't get me wrong, I'm extremely thankful for this post (so many people are struggling to find work), however, I'm convinced I was destined to be a domestic goddess, or "taai taai" if you will. Unfortunately there are many things standing in my way of fulfilling my "taai taai" dream. Maybe one day.

In reality, my heart is really set on serving. I pursued my bachelor's degree for a certain purpose, but after moving to Hong Kong I quickly found that the particular field I was interested in working, the area I felt "called" to, was challenging to get involved in for a couple reasons (language being one). After being told "I didn't have enough experience", I more or less just gave up. I've never understood how you gain experience without being given a chance. Anywho..

I then chose the path which is extremely easy in Hong Kong for westerners. Teaching English. These jobs are a dime a dozen. And with the exception of mine, they pay quite well, too. The hourly wage for a NET is anywhere from $30-$70 USD an hour. Not too bad right? That's what I thought. I even received my TEFL certificate for better job opportunities and ended up settling here at HKBU.

After working here for a few months, I quickly realized it wasn't for me. I longed for something more than a nine-to-five. So I began exploring some more options. In order to gain "valuable experience" serving in a humanitarian based organization, I began volunteering on Saturdays at Chungking Mansions teaching English to refugees. Could it be that God was leading down the English path for this purpose? It's been so rewarding and has honestly become the highlight of my week. I'm more convinced than ever that this is the career path I want to pursue, even if it takes me awhile to get there. I'm still young right? I would love to be able to volunteer full-time, but Ellison is pushing me to get a part-time job so I can have my "traveling" money. So I'm leaving HKBU in hopes to find a part time English job which will allow me the freedom to volunteer on a more regular basis, but will still give us that extra income each month.

So for the past couple of weeks I've been on the prowl. Searching websites high and low looking for a part-time English position that would suit my ulterior motive. I applied to this one post calling for a Part-Time English Instructor or Voice Talent which pays around $500 ($65US) an hour. They called me in for a group interview yesterday. Please note, I have NEVER been to a group interview before and pray I never have to again. Here's why:

I arrive to the interview place about 15 minutes early and find another applicant waiting in the room. Is she really wearing jeans? Yep, she is. Nice girl, but could have googled some interview prep advice in my opinion. After reviewing some of the company's publications, interviewee #3 arrives. Cute girl. Asian and friendly as well. Diane (the boss) follows her in and
we begin the interview process. She shows a PowerPoint giving the companies background information and we all listen intently. Then about 10 minutes into her spiel, interviewee #4 comes barging in the door. "HELLO EVERYONE!" In my head I'm thinking, "Inside voice, please." He was 10 minutes late. Obviously he didn't google either. Everyone gets their 2 minutes of fame to introduce themselves, of course I volunteer to be lucky number one. Wow, interviewee #3 went to Berkley and studied at Cambridge. Recent graduate, but still impressive. Where is ETBU again? My degree most definitely fails in comparison. Everyone finishes and we move on. Bursting through the door 25 minutes in is interviewee #5. "OHHHHHHHH, I'M SOOOO SOORRRYYY I'M LATE. SO SORRY, SO SORRY." Really? She sits down and gives her introduction. Middle aged woman from Canada. She reveals to us her entire life story and concludes with a bold statement, "I like to talk....a lot." You think? Story time subsides and we continue.

Each person is to give a 5 minute presentation on the information sheet that was passed out and we have 2 minutes to prepare. Although I find the instructions to be rather ambiguous, I give it my best shot. Okay... that could have gone better. Why did I have to be one of the first people to go? Perhaps if I understood what the lady wanted exactly, I know for certain I could have done better. When someone says "present" the information I in return give a presentation. However, I think what they were looking for was someone to "teach" the information, which I in fact didn't really do. The others follow...

It's now Berkley girl's turn and I'm amazed, to be awfully blunt, at how terrible she is. I don't know if she is nervous or just finds social interaction awkward, but I can't make out the poor girl's sentences. I'll take my ETBU degree, thank you. (No offense, Helen. You're great!!) Outside voice guy does really well, but continues to shout every word that comes out of his mouth.

We conclude the interview with the voice talent reading, which given my 10+ years of theater and public speaking experience, I hope I did quite well. But who knows, it's over!

Although I don't expect to get the specific "instructor" job (there were 3 more group interviews being held as well), it was an experience to say the least. Maybe they liked my voice? Who knows...I did get to go to Big Bite and get a delicious hamburger since I was in the North Point area. WIN!

Regardless, I know I will find the right fit eventually. Just trusting, obeying and praying. All I know is I definitely prefer one-on-one interviews.

**UPDATE** Soon after I posted this, I received an email from the GM at the company I interviewed for and she said I preformed well in both areas as a voice talent and a trainer and that there is a high possibility that we cane work out something. She said she would give me more details next week..! Possibly good news!!

A picture says a thousand words...

Every Friday at work I teach an "English Conversation Class" at 11:30. Although there are more than 15 people on the roster, only 2-4 show up each semester. This semester I have had 4 female students (2 from HK and 2 from mainland). Each week I usually choose a topic and we discuss it or I help them with upcoming English presentations/homework. It's extremely casual and they really enjoy the practice. The last class was today, but the students wanted to meet for another couple of weeks. I agreed.

I agreed not because I LOVE to teach English (we all know I don't), but because I've really felt God stirring something in me. As I have got to know them, I feel God continually urging me to share with them the message of Jesus Christ and his love, grace, kindness, power and mercy. But what am I afraid of?

To be quite honest, I can't remember a time I've actually lead someone to Christ. Shocking right? Oh, I've "planted seeds" and prayed that someone else would do the difficult part. I've pointed them in the direction of a church and I've gone on mission trips and taught Sunday School. I've been a youth intern and done VBS, but I've never actually battled with anyone through the questions and doubts and the insecurities for the end purpose of seeing another soul won for His glory. I've never done it. I guess I've always had the mentality that it's about love and relationships and that eventually the Holy Spirit will do the work in their heart. However, what I was neglecting was the part where I connect the two and say, "Hey, let me tell you about this guy named Jesus and what he's done." We can fellowship with them and love on them, however, there's got to come a time in our relationships with non-believers that we step out in faith and take that next step. Hopefully sooner rather than never!

In today's class...I took that next step. I began with a "warmer". Using an app on my phone with a series of photos, I asked the girls to choose 3 photos that best represented their life and to practice their English by telling me why they chose those 3 specifically. The entire time I'm praying that God would somehow open a door for a deeper conversation to come.

One of the Mainland girls (we'll call her S) chose a photo of a guy dancing in the rain. She expressed to me her desire to experience freedom and joy such as then man in the image. AMAZING RIGHT? I'm pretty sure through a relationship with Christ we experience freedom.

"Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace." Romans 6:14

The next photo she chose an older couple holding hands and walking together. She explained her passion for happiness and joy in her life. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The Lord offers that too,

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16:24

Another girl (L) chose a picture of an eye and exclaimed that she wanted to broaden her horizons by feeling more and seeing more. All to which would lead her to a more enriched life.

"The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalm 145:15-16

We then continued on with our scheduled lesson, but I know God has started something big in my heart and I pray in the heart of S and L, too. Please join me in praying for these for girls (S, L, H and J), for our class next week, for their salvation and that our conversations would be a meaningful testament to His Truth!

I use to judge books by their covers, but now I don't have to...

In grade school I was never much of a reader. To be completely honest, I failed one six weeks of Reading in 8th grade because I refused to get 21 AR (Accelerated Reader) points. I would have to read like 4-5 large books to get that many points and I had plenty of other things to do with my time. After all, I took part in every sport possible (including boys and cheerleading, gasp!) But, there was something about being made to read that I despised. Plus, I always said God gifted me with the ability to speak (too often, too much) and my mother would probably say, "I couldn't shut-up long enough to sit down and read a book."

High School came and went, I made good grades without ever reading too many books. Just the ones required for AP English (In Cold Blood, All the King's Men, Lord of the Flies, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc.), but some of these I only skimmed for the required answers. And again I had little time to devote to reading while editing the school newspaper and yearbook, starring in the school plays, managing my role as class officer as well as student council and playing musical chairs for friends. It wasn't until uni that I really discovered the JOY that comes with reading. Bit of a late bloomer...I know. Yet still it was difficult to pick up and enjoy a leisurely read when I had a fatty pile of homework staring me in the face. Yet I managed to find some of my favorite reads during these years; What is the What, The Poisonwood Bible and Sense & Sensibility to name a few. But the truth is...I would only read new books. I didn't like books with ugly covers, hence why I would never check books out from a library. They almost always had to be new.

Then, I met my Kindle. I never thought I would be one to conform.. There's just something that happens when you crack open a new book and dive in, especially the smell. However, after having searched for a couple of books in Hong Kong and facing utter disappointment once again, I looked into purchasing a Kindle. After reviewing the pros and cons for a couple of weeks, the cheaper cost of ebooks and the 1 minute delivery had me sold.
It's great!! This past month alone I've read 4 books. The freebies are a definite seller, too. All those classics that I skimmed through in High School I can now read for free! They have Kindle apps as well, so I can read on my device, computer or even my phone if I wanted to go blind. I can even loan books to other Kindle users for up to two weeks. Overall I think it was a great choice. As light as it is I seriously can get lost in reading. Literally. I missed my stop on the train. Twice. I'm especially going to be thankful when I'm packing my bags for vacation and I don't have 10 extra lbs. of books, but instead I have 50 books on one device! The best thing about it all...I no longer have to worry about the covers.

Ellison has had trouble getting me to turn off the bedside lamp at night lately. I found this quote on the Kindle FB page and I think it sums things up quite nicely, "My husband said I loved my Kindle more than him, I said not more, different."

Outreach for the Unreached

As most of you know, I went to ETBU in Marshall, TX. Marshall isn't the richest area in Texas and it definitely has its fair share of downtrodden residents. Every time Lana and I would drive to Wal-mart I would see him. The brittle old man standing on the corner with a cardboard sign begging for money. It's not that I have a problem with giving away money, but I've been raised to be cautious about such things. In my mind I didn't know what he would do with the money, but I knew if I gave him some food, he would eat at least one meal that day. We would pull through Wendy's drive-thru and I would order a Baconator with a large Dr. Pepper. It's what I would like to eat, so I figured he would too. We'd drive over to where he was sitting on the ground and he would come over and grab his food. He never said much and we didn't either. Just maybe a heart-felt "Thank you" and we might call back "God Bless You."

But it wasn't enough. Throughout God's word we see where Jesus not only met physical needs, but he addressed the spiritual as well. However, I've noticed that I'm caught in the middle. Let me explain.

I've been volunteering for over 2 months now at a local organization called "Christian Action" working with refugees and asylum seekers here in HK. While my work there is worthwhile and the bonds I am making with many of my students are growing, many feel the organization fails to live up to its name. Although they were founded by Christian members, most of their staff aren't Christian and from what I've experienced there hasn't been any form of evangelism on the part of the organization staff themselves. They are clearly focused on the physical.

On the other hand, I've been attending my church in HK for over 2 1/2 years. The church itself focuses on the spiritual side of Jesus' mission, but for the most part ignore the poverty, addiction and physical needs around them.

So one focuses on the physical and one primarily on the spiritual, why not both?

The need is there and we can meet it. I've been longing for a community of believers who are willing to make a large impact in the world and will live out their faith as true disciples. Verses such as 1 John 3:17 ("If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no put on him, how can the love of God be in him?") brought me to my knees in tears last week. How can the love of God be in him? Strong words. How can the love of God be in me if I ignore such things? How can it be in you?

I laid on my bed broken and praying that God would change my heart (see this post), but I also cried for my Church. I prayed God would challenge us in a way that would awaken our eyes to the call from Christ to "do for the least of these" and that we wouldn't ignore His command in Matthew 25:34-46.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I prayed and continued to pray and I left the rest up to God, because I knew the message had to come from someone higher than me to catch attention of the congregation.

Then, this past Sunday morning we made it to worship (even though I was reluctant to get out of bed because of my killer allergies) but I'm glad I did. Our pastor began his message entitled "Do Something!" based off the passage James 2:14-17.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

This was the answer to my prayer!!!!!!! Amen!! Pastor challenged us to act. I could hardly contain my joy and I teared up in the service and cried a good hearty praise at home in my prayer closet (aka: shower)!! Amen! God answered my prayer directly and I can only pray now that we, as the congregation, will be receptive.

Our pastor has probably had this sermon prepared for at least a week or two, but God chose to stir the same desire in my heart that very week. Grateful. And what a better way to put our faith into action than an opportunity to serve??

Ellison has been organizing an opportunity for youth and adults to feed 180 homeless in Sham Shui Po on April 1st. While at the first meeting we had a few youth and their parents. It was a HUGE start for our church. This week our meeting after the sermon produced a few more who were willing to challenge themselves and stand up to make a difference for the Kingdom. We will have over 20 people coming with us this Friday to meet under the bridge in Sham Shui Po. The act is simple, but I pray the impact will be everlasting.

I've recently been reading an amazing non-fiction book called, "Same Kind of Different as Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. You can review it here. It's a great challenge for those of us who claim to be Christian to examine what exactly we're doing to make a difference. A MUST READ (if you haven't already)!!!

Please pray for our Project 180 on Friday and for our church as we continue to uncover the truth of discipleship and the need for evangelism.

Thursday Night Fun

For well over a year now, Ellison and I have been hosting a group of people over at our flat just about every Thursday night to watch American Idol. We love it!! Not only do we love the company, but we love being able to serve in that way. With the exception of Greg, most of our visitors are exchange students and we love to give them a little taste of home by making dinner. I wouldn't really say I'm a good cook, but I LOVE to bake. A couple of weeks ago I made some Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats and they were gone in about 10 minutes. This week I found a recipe from one of my favorite blogs for Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies. A cookie made out of a cookie. Amazing, right? I had everything except the Oreos in my kitchen cabinet, so I gave it a shot. I made a half batch which actually turned out to be about 32 cookies. That's a half batch? Crazy. Anywho, they were gone in about 20 minutes. 5 people ate 32 cookies in 20 minutes. WINNING!

Here's the recipe. (Half-Batch)

• 1 stick softened butter
• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• 6 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ¼ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 11 Oreo Cookies broken into pieces
  
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter, and sugars until well combined. Add egg and vanilla until mixed well.

2. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, stir to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients then stir in oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.

3. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked, but still soft. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Enjoy with a cold glass of milk!!

They turned out perfectly!!

See the Oreo and the chocolate chips? The Oreo cream added a great color contrast!!

Philippians 2:13

This is going to be a long one, bear with me. I'll begin with a post from my old blog that was written on April 9th, 2008, almost 3 years ago...

"So, I'm just going to throw this out there for sake of prayers. I've been struggling...

Hong Kong, a city of 7 million people...most (meaning an extremely large percentage of the population) do not know Christ. Prior to my departure for Hong Kong I began praying that God would help me to adjust into a culture that is predominantly non-Christian. Now that this place has more or less become home, I feel as though I've become accustomed to the fact that these people are lost, and for some reason I wasn't bothered by it anymore.

When did my heart become so comfortable with the fact that these people are living their day to day life without knowing Him? I'll tell you how..

Recently, I have been looking at some friends' pictures from mission trips they have taken. Always to poverty stricken lands. Children with no shoes, no parents, no homes. Families living with no clean water. My heart breaks every time. I find myself wiping away tears for countries I have never even been a part of, but what about the country I live in?? I live in one of the richest areas of Hong Kong. Hong Kong in itself is an extremely wealthy region. It appears that very little do without. Outwardly they appear as if they have it all together. It would be easy for me to take off to some African country or to some South American village and be broken every day...but just because the majority of Hong Kong isn't physically wasting away doesn't justify their need for The Truth.

God has called me to minister to these people for the time being and I pray that God will break my heart for the people of Hong Kong. I pray that I wouldn't walk past all the skyscrapers and Gucci stores without being drawn to show and tell of His love and mercy. Because who am I to decide the eternal fate of these people?"

Fast forward to today, I've finished my year of study abroad in HK, gone back to the US for a year and now I've been back in Hong Kong for a year and three months now. I wish I could say I believed and lived the words that I wrote then, but not much has changed. Another year in Hong Kong has gone by and I can say that I've done little (if nothing) to further the Kingdom of Christ...and to be honest it's me that's wasting away spiritually. It all goes back to 2008.

During my first semester abroad in Hong Kong I was given an incredible experience to serve on staff at a local church as the youth ministry assistant over the summer full-time and stay an extra semester at school and serve part-time. Amazing, right? Well, that's what I thought.

However, soon after I began working things starting to go downhill. To make a lloooonnnggg story short, I was caught in the middle (on both sides) of difficult situation within the church. After months of an emotional and spiritual battle between friends, coworkers and loved ones...I was pretty much working full-time and going to school full-time (and not doing a good job at either.) Thankfully, everything has since been resolved but friendships were inevitably damaged and some lost. Because I was only "caught-in-the-middle", no one seemed to wonder how everything effected me and to some extent I never processed my feelings, sadness or stress properly. I just swore I would never work at a church again.

After that last semester, I returned to the United States and ETBU only to experience a difficult case of reverse culture-shock. And for the next year I would find myself spiritually exhausted, emotionally empty and out-of-place... so much, to the point that for the entire year I didn't attend church.

You read that correctly, I didn't attend church for a year. I somehow justified my need for congregational worship with the excuse that I went to a Christian school and I talked about Jesus in my classes. Somehow through it all, God continued to guide me through a healthy relationship with Ellison and at the end of that year we were married and I moved back to Hong Kong.

So it's 2010 and I began attending church again (more or less because I had to) and regardless of my attendance I had lost what it meant to be a true disciple of Christ. For the most part, I wasn't truly engaged in Sunday school or any other form of bible study for most of 2010. (If members of my church are reading this they are probably thinking, "I had no idea." But that's because most of us don't really know each other.) My heart was hard. I wasn't feeding myself and I wasn't being fed. Something needed to change..

Since the beginning of this new year I could feel something stir inside of me. I was longing, but I didn't know what for. Like I said, I had forgotten what it meant to be a true-disciple. I began by reading a short devotion everyday. One verse and one little passage. Then I began reading parts of a book or two and praying. Ellison needed a girl's SS teacher so I decided to step up only to realize that it would throw me even deeper into God's word. In the end it's exactly what I needed. I'm on a come back to Christ, however this time it's different. I can't settle on a mediocre Christian lifestyle.

Since becoming a Christ follower in High School, I've always had a desire for a deeper sense of Christianity than what conventional church in the US was offering and HK church isn't really different. I've always desired to read the word for what it is, nothing watered down, just a pure hunger for truth, but I've settled for a COMFORTABLE version of Jesus and the "lifestyle" that comes with believing. But that's not what the Bible calls for at all...through his word, I am beginning to see clearly what Jesus says about being his disciple and that's not what my life looks like at all. Does yours? Because it's pretty RADICAL.

Now you're thinking, "Oh okay, she's read the book..." Yes. I have. And I'm sold. Platt's book Radical has put into words and made sense of these desires that God has laid on my heart and it came at just the right time. After diving into God's word and praying for a change in my heart it's finally come and I can't just set back and do nothing about it anymore. Christ gave all and he asks all.

I'm praying and longing for a community of believers who will step out of their comfort zones and join me as I discover more about true-discipleship and what it means to live missionally.

What an awesome end to a wonderful year...

December was PACKED with excitement and celebrations!! I don't even know where to begin. Pictures say a thousand words, so I'll let them do most of the talking.

On December 19th we celebrated our one year anniversary. After attending our church's Christmas concert and sharing lunch with over 200 members, Ellison took me out to Pearl on the Peak for dinner where we dined over the Hong Kong skyline. El had saved over $200US in coins for our dinner and he was so proud of himself....

December 21st was Sylvia's one year birthday! Ellison took her to the park and then we clipped her nails, gave her a bath and made her cry.


December 22nd was a super happy day when we welcomed my mom and brother to Hong Kong for the first time!! As soon as they arrived we had them on a double deck-open top bus singing Christmas carols throughout the city.



The next day, December 23rd was Ellison's 26th birthday. We celebrated by taking a trip to Macau with both of our families (it was also the first time they had met).


We also spent a little time at MGM Grand and the Venetian and topped the day off with some Fernado's and and a stop at good ole' Ned Kelly's!


The following day was Christmas Eve and we hosted some of our good friends for get together and some texas chili. Nathaniel started dipping sugar cookies in his chili and we figured it was time for him to open his present...and boy..he was excited.


Ellison also opened his gift from Paul and I...XBOX 360 and KINECT!! (a true gift for me)..hehehe.

No Christmas eve would be complete without my family's traditional "Santa" game. To explain it simply..you beat the crap out of the boxes to get to the gift in the middle!!


With my mom and brother in town we had a very "un-traditional" Christmas day..after the church service we went to Madam Tussuad's Wax Museum and then later to dinner at El's parent's house. Here's a few of my favorite photos..




The following days were filled with sightseeing and exciting days. Disneyland, horse races, Big Buddha, Avenue of Stars, markets, New Year's Eve fireworks and Cheung Chau Island, etc. etc. etc.





My brother had NEVER been to a beach before..and even though it was really cold we look over and he's stripped down to his undies and went diving in!!


It was truly a great vacation for everyone and I'm so thankful my mom and justin were able to experience Hong Kong!! We had a truly blessed December and we're looking forward to everything 2011 has to offer!!