Arrived Alive :)

Hey Everyone!

I am back to humid, muggy and sweat-everywhere Hong Kong! After a two hour delay and some interesting issues at immigration - I finally arrived Hong Kong safely around 8pm last night.

It was quite the moment I had with DAD while the airplane took off from Kunming International Airport. As the plane soared through the clouds, I couldn't help but let tears come to my eyes. He has been SO faithful. Two years ago He began placing a burden in my heart to come to China to teach. Each summer I would ask to go and He would say 'Not yet...'. When the door finally opened this past fall - all I could do was be thankful and expect!

When the option of Kunming opened up I really had no interest in going. I didn't think twice about it. Perhaps it was safer to teach in Hong Kong first - afterall, it's much more 'civilized' than China! (so I thought!) But as Mike always reminds me, our Father makes no mistakes - no siree! By His grace and His provision I ended up in the hands of saints and priests throughout my three week stay in Yunnan.

Wherever I would go, whatever I would see, whenever I would hear - He opened my heart a bit more. As I flew over Kunming and prayed over this amazing city I realized that I have fallen in love with this nation. My heart was brimming with gratitude because I know that all these years HE has been so amazingly faithful!

Snapshots of my life in the past three weeks...

The three homeless children, the beggar old lady, the crippled man with his young grandson - they allowed me to see Jesus all the more clearly.

The teachers that I met struggled with English but their determination to learn and improve themselves belittled their inabilities.

The students whose potential is beyond their comprehension come from street living to garbage picking.

The brothers and sisters that were literally sent to us left, right and center has faith unshakeable like the mountains that surround their mission field.

The family that showed me with actions their love for Dad through their incredible care and hospitality for my every need during my stay.

The breath-taking, awe-inspiring, majestic view of His creation left me humbled, dwarfed, face-down.

This trip has quite literally changed my life...It has led me closer to the Lover of my soul and renewed my love for my people. Being alone and away from all that I can call 'comfort' I was taught the lesson David learned long ago - that truly His love is better than life. His love is all that I need!

I hope to get my pictures up to Imagestation soon - I can't wait to share all of them with you!

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I am so thankful for the experience and I'm also so glad to be back. I was pleasantly surprised by Mike and his roses at the airport. It's been too long! We dropped off my luggages back home and was off to pick up Will at the Kowloon Tong station. We got him settled in at Auntie Cathy's place and was off for some Macanese food. Little did we know that our choice of cuisine would lead us to the source the next day!

Today Mike, Will and I left Hong Kong for even hotter Macau! We spent the day there today walking around, seeing the sights, visiting the local church Mike served at two years ago.

Macau used to be a Portuguese colony so the remanant of their occupation is found everywhere from the buildings to the sign posts to the food. The city is thick with Catholic heritage but is being polluted by the greed of casinos.

We visited the ruins of St.Paul's church where a fire nearly destroyed the beautiful cathedral. What remains is one wall and the rubble foundation of what used to be a standing community. Inside the small museum of the church were paintings of St.Francis of Assisi, Archangel Michael(!), Japanese martyrs and real human bones that were found under the rubble. It was so cool being surrounded by so much history!

We also visited the tomb of Robert Morrison - the first Anglican missionary to China 200 years ago. How incredible it was to stand at the grave of such a man who brought the gospel to my people! It was really interesting to visit one of the two local Protestant churches later tonight. We even saw the headquarters of Campus Crusade for Christ in Macau!

Another journey we were unexpectedly whisked off to! We had a great time but now I'm so tired...

I can't wait to worship at the Vine tomorrow. It's been a while since I've been able to sing with others brothers and sisters in a language that I can fully understand! I yearn for that fellowship but am so grateful for the fellowship that I found in Acts 2 communities all over China - no matter what language or nationality. That is truly what REAL fellowship is all about!

Thanks again for all of your support and especially your patience as you read my emails :) I'm so glad I can express myself much more freely now! Can't wait to hear from and see all of you!

Until then...may our loving Father shower you with His love so that you can love others through Him.

Life is so good...beacuse He is GOOD.