So after Christmas comes Boxing Day. I probably should have noted that I worked on Christmas day, from about 1-4? Went over to the church... did some sermon prep, music work, organizing... that sorta thing. Also worked on Boxing day, at home though, finishing off my sermon and Sunday School work. I actually didn't mind though... I really enjoy my job!
So on Boxing day, evening, I was invited to another party (invited at the party the night before :P haha) and so crashed at another person's house (which was smaller but just as nice) with a fair few others. For some reason I don't have many photos... so I stole a few off FB.
This is most of us... the Host this time is the guy standing in the middle of everything... ruining the photo... not that we were actually taking a real one ;)
This one is us playing this REALLY fun game called "Diba Diba Dip" which I will really have to teach you soon.
See how much fun I was having playing? Which is interesting... the photo was taken by the guy who I'm pointing at... right? Hmm
So yeah... then on the 27th I took the day off and went to Ocean Park with some of the returning college kids and youth! Here are the choice photos... rest will go up on Facebook.
So here we are, with our tickets, about to go in!
First up... apart from the UBER long (and super slow) escalators... was the SPACE WHEEL! See how calm I am before? That didn't last very long... I've never been on something like this before.
We went on other rides... the Mine train (Roller coaster), Galleon (Pendulum), Dragon (SCARY AS Rollercoaster... which hurt... alot!) and the Abyss (Drop... which was by far the scariest... cause you are seriously MASSIVELY high up... with your feet hanging off the edge... and ... yeah... I started hyperventilating :P hehe We did have an AWESOME view though... ) Other stuff too.
But here's one of us having lunch.. since it's somehow the only one of us remotely together...
Here's a pic while ON the Galleon ;)
From the Cable Car to the other half of Ocean park.
After that we went over to J and E's place (siblings) and had dinner with their mum... who is way past cool... and then had a look at their house... before I had to head back :P hehe .
And that was my 4 days of Christmas fun :) Woot! I didn't even spend all THAT much money either :P hehe
Well I've had a fairly massive Christmas weekend... which is interesting considering that I was a "Christmas Orphan" with really nothing to look forward too, barely 2 weeks ago. I wonder if God is trying to tell me something.
So Christmas Eve, I spent at Aunty M's and Uncle V's house. They are one of the oldest members of the church... and Uncle V is one of the elders... and so I was a tad nervous, because I thought it'd be just them + another young couple that I'd never met... you know... age issues, language... that sorta thing.
In the end though, I'm very happy that I decided to go. Two of the YA's from our church also came, both who I'm friends with, and the younger couple were barely in their 30's and from the States, so it was awesome fun! I did get grilled about my Charismatic beliefs, which was actually kinda interesting, and we even sang carols... oh and ate so much home cooked food... it really wasn't funny.
No pictures though, I forgot to pull out my camera (which I do alot) and so yeah... sorry.
Then Christmas Day... was invited to a house party, hosted by one of the 180 crew. The Host (Who's first name shares a lot in common with my friends back home and thus will not be given a pseudo-name cause it'll get confusing) had an amazing house and we had turkey, "cranberry sauce" (raspberry Jam works as a good substitute) and Asian veggies! Talk about fusion! There were cakes, chocolates and even jelly beans too! Here are some of the pics.
Firstly, pic of me lending a hand!
This is the crew, the Host is the guy on red on the right
A shot of the food we had...
All the guys helping to cook... and one girl I guess :P... how similar to Australia ;) haha
On the balcony playing massively fast Uno!
The Jelly Beans! The girl in the photo brought them :)
Then we went out to a park afterwards... the biggest in HK... which is about the size of... CLCs carpark?? Lol This is what I got up to.
There were many MANY other... more... unpostable... things that happened... but yes, none of which I was involved in =) Serious!. After we got bored of being 16 again, we headed over to a bar.
Then I suddenly realized that I had tuition to give in the morning the next day, and had to dash off home.
So that was my Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
I'll post up more pics of the Christmas Dinner on Facebook.
Although I'm a few hours late... Merry Christmas Everyone! May God bless you all with an awesome time of rejoicing and fun/fellowship! Enjoy your New Years too! I've been having a blast over these last few days, and will soon report (when it's not so late) with pictures and good will to all men!
Well, let me tell you about what an absolutely SHOCKING end I had, to a most amazing day. Actually, it's not that bad, cause I only remembered it like when I decided that I wanted to blog... so yeah. Lol
Anyway... so the 180 crew, they like to go to nicER restaurants, like most of the white/richer people here... which is cool, although my budget can't handle it like they can... I think I can sorta cope. So we go to this Italian joint... with an atmosphere and set up like... say... a TINY bit better then Pescare and Paesanos... so ie, not all that posh.
So we're going through the menu, and it's quite expensive... like 90 HK average... which like like 14 dollars... which I'm like... ahh fine, what the heck, I can have something... I'm not poor right? Plus my parents have graciously started to contribute to my stay over... I think they were getting worried about me being sick lol.
So I order me this 100HK Ravioli with minced chicken, Parmesan and bacon etc, thinking that at least I'll have something that I like... you know, like Michaelangelos serves it... and it'll be good.
but no... for THAT much money... and not even at some super posh place... I get SEVEN pieces of SMALL Ravioli (which was damn good) covered in sauce. I mean SEVEN pieces... for !00 HK! That's OUTRAGEOUS! Luckily A: I wasn't the only one :P and B: They give free unlimited bread/olive Oil/Balsamic... which is REALLY nice... plus I was sitting next to three girls who didn't finish their food. So yeah, I didn't end up hungry... I just felt outrageously cheated, I mean the pizzas were big... and the lasanga too! Funnily enough, the other guy who ordered it actually got FULL off those 7 pieces.. while I was as hungry as when I started :P lol. However I decided not to complain about it (cause I don't like making a scene) and I actually enjoyed the chance I had to sample the different foods... which were all fairly tasty.
Bright side yes?
Oh and I preached today... you'd have to ask someone else for what they thought ;)
Ohh you also might have realized that I didn't mention what happened on the amazing day... but rather just the negative stuff ;) Hehe. I'm like that sometimes.
Lol, what a term! Man, I never thought about it that way... but yes... I think that for the first time in my life, I'm without a place to go for Christmas... Lol, it's not THAT big a deal... no need to go "awww" :P It's one day people.
So yes, I'm still recovering from my cold and cough, still hacking up the green stuff, which hurts, but apart from that my heads a lot clearer, so I can at least think and prepare my sermon, would have been bad if I had been sick until Saturday.
Anyway, apart from my whining, (and man you guys are getting rain in Melbourne!) I've been thinking about stuff... about the possibilities of me staying here longer. I'm not saying I will, not saying I won't... but it is something to consider... so I drew up a quick list of pros and cons of staying here.
Pros:
- Challenging and exciting work - More opportunities
Cons:
- Pollution and potentially getting sick a lot - Living by myself
But then I got to thinking... you know really the reason I came out here was God's call on my life. So it all sorta depends where he leads... I mean there are plenty of opportunities in Australia, and that would lead to exciting work. Over here, I'm sure I could find a roommate, and eventually my immune system will beat this pollution (I hope) and there are many other things to consider too. I could be a teacher out here, or a school chaplain, or a full time minister. Or I could go to the States and work out there. The possibilities are really endless at this point.
So my point? I don't know... I'm just randomly blogging quickly in the morning. I at least know what I'll be doing for the next 10 months... but after that, my life is "a blank black fog, where anything could happen and possibly will. All I need is God to shine a light, and blast a tunnel through the darkness, creating a path on which I will tread." - Josh, yesterday "Light up the Darkness" - Will Smith, I Am Legend (A most depressing movie for me... see if you can see why)
The other thing I have been thinking about is how the heck I'm going to A: make any friends and B: get married if I travel around so much. Lol. But don't worry, I'm still much too young to be considering this sorta thing... I only turn 22 in a month... though that IS beginning to sound old. No offense to those of you who are older then me ;)
Well there goes my honeymoon period at work... and let me say that honeymoons by yourself are probably no where near as good as those with other people... although haven't experienced that yet... maybe I should ask N...
Anyway!
Yes, it's crunch time at work... with D heading off to the US of A for his two week vac, leaving me in charge of 3 Sunday School sessions(LG discussion time things), 2 whole Sermons and the En ti re Youth Ministry for the next 3 Sundays... where's my partridge in a pear tree hey? (It almost fits too). Not to mention, ALL the admin stuff, and organizing... etc. Did I also mention that I have 4 days, instead of 8, to do all that in? Yay! It's seriously going to be a blast of fun! (No, I'm not being sarcastic, I really do mean it!)
I honestly don't know what I'll be doing for Christmas either, with my family away (or me away from them really), and most of the people here hanging with THEIR folks. *note to self* Find other loners like me (or Al :P ) to spend Christmas with!
Apart from that, it's gonna be a crazy few weeks, so I'll either have LOTS Of time to post (because I'll be on holidays and have nothing to do) or very little (cause I'll be working THROUGH my holidays or out with friends). We shall see won't we?!
You know, when I came out here, people were always telling me... "Josh, you're gonna get blown away by the pace here." "Josh, everythings so BUSY here..." "Josh, Melbourne will seem likes its underwater when you get to HK."
Well now I'm here... and I'll let you into a little secret. The pace IS faster then Australia. People cross on red lights, walk fast, push past people, DIVE into packed trains... but you know what? My pace is actually faster. I walk faster then most people... cross more red lights, WEAVE between people (less contact = more speed) tho I don't push into trains.. I like my cool air. And you know... if my pace is faster... by implication that should mean a lot of my friends back home have a faster pace too.
Admittedly the workload and other stuff is greater here. Longer hours, but less fun. Even so, I think that a lot of my friends anyway, have pretty action packed lives. I mean M makes my walking speeds look slow lol. N's never not busy... and Al always seems to be with friends :P. I personally have something on every night, and lots of things to do at home if I happen to catch a night free :P.
Apart from that, I do like the speed here... and ignoring traffic rules is pretty nifty too. I haven't been hit yet, tho come close a few times... so I'll probably keep disobeying the lights until I get a massive fine and 10 demerit points. Oh well, thems the breaks. The public transport is SO awesome here... and if it was like this back home, there would be enough volume to actually justify having such a system :P hehe.
I just got back from the 180 Christmas Dinner, but I'll write about it later, and I only took like 3 pics. Haha
Ok... well I'm back in the office and thought I'd give a quick update about how everythings going.
Well I THINK I've gotten over my stomach virus. See the thing is that everything is further complicated by this one really strange question... why do I feel like I'm always feverish and really dizzy? So I thought about it and traced it back... my stomach is fine... I can eat most things... my bones don't ache.
So then I thought it might be because I was super tired, or maybe because I was watching Top Gear all day. In the end tho, I believe that my head ache spin was most likely caused by fluid filling my ears and causing me to feel dizzy and disorientated. This sometimes happens when I spin around really fast (ie rolling down a hill) or get hit on the head (ie during boxing)... but suffice to say, it happens.
So yeah... I think that's pretty much the gist of it... so now normally I have my trusty nasonex nasal spray which kills this condition instantly. However I don't... and I can't find any... so hopefully I can get some soon.
Anyway, the point of this post is to say that... I'm sorta fine. There's still this one last thing to clear up... and it may prove sorta annoying... but I don't think I'm in any danger of dying... unless I cross a road thinking it's green... but it's really red... of course I haven't crossed a green here in ages! Hehe jk jk.
Well I think I'm almost getting there. It has been a rough few days, but, almost 36 hours after deciding I was pretty ill, I've almost fully recovered. Well at least I think so anyway... it could be the drugs that are masking all the symptoms. The real question will be what food I'll be able to eat without feeling sick. I wonder if I'll be able to take dumplings... mmmmm.
Yesterday I ate a normalish lunch, and it was pretty oil free... but still felt a bit weird.. so for dinner, I had fruit... and I STILL felt like puking... so that obviously showed no correlation to the oil... atm I'm eating breakfast (can't sleep, too sunny) and deciding if I want to go to work or not. Or really if I SHOULD go to work or not. Of course maybe it's not that smart to cart my laptop that far... it's quite heavy.
Anyway I'll keep ya all posted on how I'm feeling as the days pass on.
You know I made a random comment yesterday... you know I've taken more pills in the 1 month that I've been here... then in the last 5 years in Australia? I wonder... are the MEDS making me sick?
Well, it's definitly been interesting being sick here. Spending a day doing nothing, it was almost like when I was waiting to go to HK... heheh, jking.
The day passed by with me watching episodes of Top Gear off the net. Might I make an interesting observation now... and say that watching an adrenaline packed car show when sick... might not be the best idea. If you combine it with my imagination, the results... and I kid you not... were me thinking that I was racing a Ferarri when I was sleeping. Of course that wasn't the end of it. Round 9, for no reason at all, I start shivering, completely uncontrollably. I think it went on for like 10 minutes, even though I piled out an extra blanket and turned off the AC. It was only when I actually started to pray... that I stopped, instantly. How strange huh? Of course, then I passed out and went to sleep, with my heat generating computer and two blankets all in my bed.
This obviously led to me waking up with a masssssivvvveeee temperature. Like I was seriously burning up... To be honest, I've never felt more like I could possibly die then during those two episodes, the chills and the heat. Stomach pains can be inconvenient, but fevers can kill yea? Although it's good to have funny logic that dictates that because I came out here under God's orders, he's obviously not gonna let me die.
Well the heat stayed with me throughout the night... and I had a really hard time sleeping. I woke up several times thinking I was A: racing... again B: A revolutionary in a battle against my aircon... C: Running from being conscripted by a pirate.
Finally... around 3... I did manage to talk myself into remembering that I'm just me.. and that I need to sleep well to get better. And Sleep well I did.
So yeah. I feel better this morning, and my symptoms aren't as severe. Hopefully I'll be able to head out to work tomorrow... cause I'm really uber bored. *sigh I wanted to visit ICS today too.
Well, I'm feeling better today, no aches and pains, or feeling feverish, so that's good. Also went to buy a rice cooker and some rice, felt sick leaving the house, but once I got back, was ok. The main issue now is simply boredom... and waiting for my body to get back to normal. Hopefully I'll be alright by thursday. I think I might be able to go into work tomorrow.
But it's weird... I've been thinking about how it feels to live by myself, and I'd have to say, it's kinda scary and lonely to live completely on your own. For me, I suppose I'm out pretty much all the time, seeing people, doing work and all that... but being sick made me realize how alone I felt when A: I got up on monday morning and B: this morning, when I didn't want to leave the house... but had to anyway, cause no one else would. Maybe if I stay here longer, I'd try to get a roommate.
Seriously don't know what happened. Yesterday I was the picture of good health, life was good. Then, from three to five started wrestling with a stomach ache. Then when I woke up, even bone in my body, every muscle, ached... so I thought I had a fever. Had massive... umm number 3, in the morning, then decided to head to the Doctor... on the way there, threw up... (and boy does it hurt) and made it there about 1hour later. He believes I've got a stomach virus, and so yeah, gotta rest up, no milk and no fatty foods. But with me in soo much pain... (sitting up hurts) then how the heck am I gonna be able to cook??
Would appreciate massive amounts of prayer please!
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that when I got home, from the hospital, I realized that i had forgotten my keys, for the first time ever. So was stuck outside for ages, eventually had to go the agents and get a spare... then a spider.. or some bug dropped on my head as I was walking...
Well I've just got home from yet another youth group (why are there so many in HK I wonder) called, of all things, Ignite. (In case you wonder why that's so strange, it's the name of one of my old group's corporate events).
Anyway, it's a youth run and lead group... which is quite cool and very in tune with the me who rebels against authority and believes that youth should rule that world etc etc. However I've noticed that they need some form of training, for their structure has changed a lot in the past 6 months, and they are moving a cell based meeting... but they don't have any idea how to do cells. I really feel God wants me to give what small aid I can (considering that I am an Intern for a different church) and lend this group some of my experience when it comes to Cells and stuff. (Will keep you posted).
It's funny though, I was thinking about CLC, and you realize, with Encounter/LG, Kids Church, Church, the occasional leaders meeting and for those with BSF on Mondays... a whole lot of us Young Adults and Youth Leaders can spend a LOT of our weekends and evenings at church. Yet here, I'm about to become involved two OTHER ministries, apart from HKMBC, and I'm still spending less time in "church" (out of the office of course) then in Australia. Lol, it just makes me think. CLC is seriously a rarity in the church world... but I think it's growth, size and impact is directly related to the amount of volunteering that goes on. Of course they say that every leader's meeting, but it takes a while before you really understand it, and not take the spirit of our church for granted.
Anyway, hope everyone's having a blast in Australia. HK is still just as interesting as last week :P. Will be heading up to "the peak" tomorrow, so will post up some great pics soon. Of course my grinning face isn't the most photogenic, but yeah, we'll see how it goes, if you're lucky, you just MIGHT get a decent photo of me ;).
Well at a lot of people have been asking what I generally do during the day. Well it's varied... let me give some examples.
During work I can spend a few hours in the office, play guitar or be doing a website... or at a school chatting with kids, preparing for a sermon... doing admin... it's all there. I'm even (on special occasions) allowed to MSN with youth! How awesome is THAT!
AFter work I can hang out with new friends, wandering around my own, come home and go online, watch movies on my laptop, consider cooking but eat out instead... (the cooking for one person is a question of portion control and lack of raw materials. Ie it's annoying)
Yeah...lotta variety... and that's even without dancing, tutoring, teaching, marking, church, 180, youth groups and other stuff like that.
As for what's involved in being a Youth Pastor. Well I'll give you a better idea once Dan gets back from his holidays and starts giving me more work. Apparently I'm still in easy mode :P
Following on from my post about wanting to hear what's happening at home... I thought I'd give a bit of an insight into how I feel about living on my own.
Well to be honest... in someways it's really cool... in other ways... not so much.
For example, I forgot who warned me about this... but cooking for one REALLY sucks. See I thought I'd be alright, because in Australia I cooked lunch for myself every day right? However I forgot to factor in one very important fact (which was rather stupid of me) ... there are no left overs. So if I wanna fry rice... gotta boil it, THEN refrigerate it... and have it the next day (and the lack of rice cooker/some implements and like ALL my spices sucks too). I mean I can do it... it's just not as easy... and it's not as fun without people to appreciate my awesome skills (hehe jk jk)
Also it's fairly lonely. Like that's gonna change now that I have internet (go skype me!)... but for those of you who don't know... I'm a bit of an extrovert, meaning I gain my energy and exuberance in life from other people (Mauahaha I'm a vampire... I vant to ... anyway). However yes... those are the two major down sides. I don't mind the cleaning/laundry/looking after the place... thats actually sorta easy.
The good points are of course the freedom. No need to worry about waking my parents up, about the car (although I don't have one here). No need to stress about what other people think about my living style (which is actually a lot neater with a smaller place lol) and yeah. Way less stress.
Well the good thing is that I'm starting to make friends. As I've mentioned, often my youth are a bit busy, so can't hang out with them as much... but I've managed to find a group called one eighty (henceforth written 180) and they are SO cool. Ok, it's sorta like young adults.. well infact it's SO much like Oxygen, it really reminds me of home. The stage is even almost the same size... although the group is slightly smaller. The people are really friendly and I've already made some new friends who have taken me around HK and thank goodness... they speak canto. Lol. The vibe is similar... tho I obviously know less people... haha.
Pretty much 180 is a whole lot of the native English speaking Christians who are my age in HK... so it's pretty big (about 100) and they all have such cool accents... mostly Canadians... but yeah pretty much from everywhere. They are so out of the box too (I mean one guy bought a boat and is renovating it to live there, they all have international backgrounds and yeah) and the YA pastor is a cross between Dan and David Cheah... crazy, funny, asian, wise yet also really kid like... but not that buff :P He's also a really awesome speaker.
So yeah... even with my rather limited faith in the miraculous... it's all too much to be a coincidence... it's really awesome.
Man, you know that for people in my generation, being offline is very challenging.
Just wanted to write a quick post (it is 12:40AM after all) saying I have net at home! Woot! If you're wondering what the heck I'm doing up so late... had a good day :) ... but can't sleep. I wanna try and get my guitar fixed... I think I need new strings.
ANYWAY, you all need to comment more :P Or e-mail me! I'm like seriously in need of news from home! I mean I'm telling everyone MY stuff... but most of you aren't letting me know what's going on in your lives! :)
Just to warn you, this is liable to be a really long blog post, at least in terms of viewing time, not quite sure how long it’ll take to write.
Well firstly, videos. As I type these they are currently being uploaded to YouTube, but for some reason videos don’t seem to work. If it doesn’t, I’ll just take some pics of everything, but you’ll miss the “before” shot, showing what I started with. Oh well, maybe it’s for the best since I haven’t really done much.
Every Sunday we have “Sunday School” at 10 that goes till 11. Then we have our Worship service at 11:15 and that goes till 12:30 or 12:45… depending of what’s happening.
I’ve mentioned the youth a few times over the past few posts, and for the most part everything I’ve said before is accurate. They are an awesome bunch with great potential but they are very busy due to their massive commitments at school and to extra curricular stuff. I feel that to them, church is more of a duty rather then a joy, and I guess I can remember what that was like. In most ways they weren’t that much different then I was when I was younger. Hopefully they can grow in knowing God more each day, and I’ll have some small part to play with that.
Anyway, let’s move on.
Here’s a few pics, or a vid, of my new place. Hopefully you’ll get the “before” vid.
You’ll notice a lot of junk lying around, and it’s really not that big or that flash, but many of the places I was looking at were about half the size for almost the same price. Plus Hennessey road (or is it street, I don’t remember) is like right outside my house. It’s really just like living on Swanston Street, except there’s more places to shop in HK.
Anyway moving it was really funny. Like several of the mums in my church really helped out and pretty much all the smaller stuff you’re gonna see in the video (or pics) of my place after I’ve unpacked is free. Like all the stuff in the drying rack is from them. The cutlery set was the best, the handles are hollow and they hang from that metal from thing, which is great cause I don’t have any drawers.
So I bought a table, brought home some chairs from work (via a crowded subway (MTR) and like a 15 minute walk) and moved some stuff around. I’m getting a microwave (free, yay!) and also a rice cooker. I think I’ll put the microwave where the TV is atm, on top of the fridge.
Anyway, so here’s the vid of my place after everything has been like done, cept the micro. You can excuse my on the stop commentary, it was random. Also I don’t have a macbook pro, I have a macbook, my bad. And yes, my bathroom literally does have a towel hanging from the ceiling (to dry) but there’s no real change anyway, no it wasn’t dirty or anything.
As for everything else, hmm. My arm has healed completely, and my pinky has recovered. Living by myself is actually quite lonely, but it’s also good, don’t have to worry about interrupting other people, waking them up when I go to sleep and all that other jazz. I wouldn’t want to do it forever, but for the moment it’s good. That and the awesome location rocks. You know there’s a BB gun shop, a Sword shop and like 3 VCD shops like 30 meters from my place? *sigh, pity I A: can’t bring any of that back and B: can’t afford anything. Oh and it’s not illegal here, so I don’t feel bad = )
As for prayer needs, hmm. Well in general just really making an impact on these kids in whatever way. Also I’m getting this weird stabbing pains in my stomach when I stand up sometimes, but maybe I just need to eat slower. So general health and impact is all.
Oh and one last note, it seems that people in this city don’t do much laundry, ie many of them don’t have washing machines. You may have noticed that I didn’t either. So it seems that I get to dodge that bullet, which I was definitely not looking forward to.
Anyway, next I’ll tell you about 180, was going to, but my battery is dead.
Well a quick course of antibiotics can work wonders for an infected pinky. Lol. Yes my finger has returned to an unswollen state after some meds, though my arm is a bit slower in the recovery stakes.
Anyway, for those of you who have been following along carefully, I did indeed preach my first sermon on Sunday! I was very happy about it. To be honest I was a tad nervous, however I felt sure that God had given me a good message to start out with and so I had a lot of peace about it. I pretty much talked about my life, and the changes that occurred throughout. My three points were about God's plan, the gifts he's given us to fulfill that plan, and how he'll help us reach the goal when we've done all we can.
Now I thought I'd post a few pics, and a video, of the Youth room, just so you can get an idea of the size of our youth group. I didn't film while the kids were there, I'll do that some idea time, maybe when D goes on holiday and leaves me in charge for a few weeks. Tomorrow I'll try to post what my house is like.
My sermon went well, people said that I did really good and was very interesting. Several people (youth and adults) even told me what they got out of it. I personally think I did good, and that God really allowed me to speak the message he wanted me to. I might have done better in my practices, but hey.
Turns out the picture and video won't fly... oh well.
If you're wondering why I haven't been, and probably won't be typing much for the next few days...
Yes my right pinky has been bitten or something worse and it's a bit swollen... ok a lot swollen. My right arm too. However I've gotten a tutoring gig going!
Yo yo YO! Just letting everyone know that I've... almost... found a place. :P haha
I've paid for it, signed for it, but am waiting for the landlord to sign for it as well. It's REALLY tiny for you Australian people... and I'll post up a Vid as soon as I go back again. I should be moving in on Monday. Yatta! Thanks to all of you who prayed... or encouraged me :)
So far the job part is going awesome... and I'll be preaching on Sunday. That will be awesome too. I'll be posting up something with a job routine and pics of the youth room soon.
Hmm, I'll post a blog with pics of the youth room over here soon... but for the moment, let me assure you that life is NOT all a bed of roses. Sorry that they aren't that clear.
The dodgy thing is that I never used to get the reaction in Malaysia... or China... but here... *sigh
You know I've been here about 1 week. I've had a few random reflections in that time... mostly from just living with Dan and Geeta.
1: I realize why marriage is such a good thing.
I mean don't get my wrong, God has gifted some people with celibacy... and there's no need to rush into a marriage... but properly done... marriage is really l33t. I can't really think of another word that adequately describes it. Like the relying on each other, the taking turns... even the money you save on cab fares. It's awesome. That's not to say that I didn't notice it around my parents... I just took it for granted around them :P haha I guess it can operate for anyone who's found the right person and made a commitment to making their marriage work.
2: I appreciate my parents more.
Now most people think... "obviously, cause they looking after you, clean up, pay for stuff etc.." Actually I haven't reached that point yet. I'm still staying with people who, while they don't pay for me, they look after me really well (D&G are awesome) and they have a maid who does the cleaning and I haven't had to do laundry... and I'm not even ALLOWED to wash any dishes (which is weird let me tell you). Nah I just realized that while my parents can be annoying and some times irrational... they aren't actually bad parents. They are, for the most part, understanding and caring... and what bothers me more often then not is simply how MUCH they care (and how little they think I can look after myself). It's not like they would force me to do something I didn't want to... or try to blackmail me or anything... and for that I am most grateful. (Not that anyone's done anything like that here lol)
Anyway, I thought I'd share a few more photos of the apartment area and neighborhood. I uploaded the rest of the photos on Facebook if you wanna see.
So first up, the apartment area. It's really quite big... here's some shots to show you how GRAND a simple apartment estate (and there are a lot of them) is.
You'll see the sculptured gardens and statutes... the fountains and all the what not... it's so... grand. It's really quite cool when you first see it. However it's just one side of this city; the modern and grand side. For just 2 minutes away...
It's quite incredible... and so me in a way. The mixture of cultures that make up this fascinating city. I learned a new phrase the other day. 3rd culture kid. It refers to a child who doesn't share their parents culture... nor the culture of where they grow up... but rather have a 3rd culture. And it expands. I'm a 5th culture kid, cause my parents are multicultural (Chinese, English and Malaysian) and I've got Australian, a touch of the States and a good dose of Chinese. It's really quite cool.
Oh and check this out. I'm living on the docks yeah... and a boat fully plowed into the ground!
Haha just kidding! It's a mall that was built to look like a boat. This city has some strange ideas... but hey I'm pretty random too!
Anyway that's my spree of photos for the moment. Hopefully the next lot will be of my new place... which I have yet to find (and it's proving stubborn)
Well I finally got a camera. A Canon Ixus 75. I could have gotten a nice 860, with wide angle and all that... but it was about 1k more... and I just need something to take photos. So yeah.
Here goes my uploading btw, never done it before. These are the pictures of the place I'm staying at the moment. It's really quite big by HK standards.. but if you want some size comparison, it's about the size of my living room and tile area minus the kitchen. I've included a pic of Dan, but not Geeta (she's not home yet). I'll add some photos of HK (it's a bit late to take photos) and the apartment area tomorrow.
The first two pics are of the living/dining room. The brownish couch is where I was sleeping... but yeah I've moved to a make shift bed on the floor, which isn't out atm.
The interesting thing is... at my current budget if I was to live by myself, I'd have a place about the size of my kitchen with a tiny tiny space for bathroom and obviously no kitchen for myself. So a place like this is really quite nice. *sigh... we're having a few accommodation issues as the cost of rent has skyrocketed in the last 2 months.
Also does anyone know how to turn the photos properly?
Already the time is beginning to blur in my head. I swear I’ve been here at least 2 weeks, but really, if you but count back, I flew off less then 5 days ago… and really have only been in the country for 4. It’s amazing how time can fly when you’re doing stuff. It’s almost like when you’re on a missions trip. Where two weeks seems like a month or even 3. You can really get to know people over 2 weeks of 12 hours a day contact.
Anyway. I thought I’d blog a bit about my own personal feelings and thoughts at this present moment, and less on what I think about the people and place. Also some of the plans I have. Then, once more stuff starts happening, I’ll be writing a bit about events and stuff.
Well firstly I’m actually quite tired. I’m staying at Dan’s place, sleeping on his couch. While it’s not an uncomfortable make shift bed (soft yet firm… it’s good) my rather lengthy nature makes for a bit of a tight squeeze. A mattress would encounter the same issues and there is seriously NO space to put on out anyway. Also, I’m sleeping under a window. The curtains are… thin? Plus Geeta has to head out to work at her school really early, so that wakes me up a few hours earlier then I intend. I’m not complaining though, it’s just that I’m feeling a bit tired that’s all. Looking forward to getting my own place (which will solve all those problems). Until then, I’d appreciate prayers.
However that’s really the only negative thing that I can feel atm.
I’m excited for the future and looking forward to meeting more people as the weeks go on. There’s a new group that I will visit on Saturday, plus some dance teachers who are good friends of Dan and Geeta (henceforth D&G). Furthermore, I’ve seen enough of the church, youth and kids over here to get a real sense of the potential that exists over here. It’ll be awesome to see what God will do, especially as I learn to rely on him more and myself less.
I’m also looking forward to getting a camera and sharing with you guys the awesome pictures that I see everyday. Hong Kong is a beautiful city, even with the smog, and sharing that with you will be cool. That and my new phone ;) hehe
I’m feeling a lot of peace too, which is great. Over the past year, my vaunted “never stress” policy was made false a few times… maybe people stress as they do get older. However here, despite what is happening around me and the potential issues that I see, I have a real reassurance that it’s going to work out, it’s a mystery. I hope that doesn’t sound patronizing or arrogant or anything, but yeah I believe it’s God’s grace. The sea view helps too I reckon.
I AM stressed however by the technology that I’m dealing with. Might I point out, at this moment anyway, that I really dislike using MacBooks. Anyway.
Well today I've finally had my first real taste of what it's like here... and more to the point, what it will BE like as my time progresses.
So let's talk about my impressions of the city.
Well I can see why people think there's lots of shopping here. Cause there is. I mean for those of you who haven't been. Picture the Glen including Kings Way, and multiply that by say 3 or 4. That's the average shopping area around the place I'm staying. It's just that theres an area like this in EVERY suburb... and the suburbs are like 1/2 the size of ours! It's like a city of shopping malls, shopfronts, markets and skyscrapers. Really it's like living in the CBD all the time except with less offices and more malls. It's crazy!
There's a lot of walking and public transport here. The roads are filled with trucks, vans, dodgy old taxis and really hot sports cars. Lots of porsches, Nissans and convertibles. Crossing roads is interesting, as are the signs which tell you which way you should be looking when aproaching the street.
The weather is perfect... and it's really quite pleasent to walk about (at least in this current season) as long as there's a good breeze. I'm staying near the harbour and so it's really awesome. I'll hopefully be getting a camera on Wednesday, so pics might be up by the end of the week. The air isn't all that bad, tho it IS more polluted, I think maybe my time in Malaysia has made me slightly more immune to the effects of air pollution.
Food here is actually quite expensive, like all the desserts and stuff. If you go to the local areas, not the cafes and stuff, then it's really cheap though... bakeries for like 3 HK (about 40 Aussie cents) which are decent. So far Dan and Geeta (youth Pastor and his wife) haven't really taken me to any of the seriously local districts, cause niether of them speak chinese or canto... so we'll wait for their friends to come back from some trips. I look forward to it.
As for the church... the adult service is quite big... I was a bit surprised. It reminded me of the churches in Malaysia, cause in Melb, all the churches have buildings of their own and stuff. Here they meet in office blocks (which they DO own) and stuff... it's weird :P I'll put up some pics, but the Youth Hall is awesome :P I like the set up.
The kids are.... shy? They come right on time and leave straight away. A few of the ones who I already know stay for a few more minutes... but not much else. No one hangs out like we do... it's really different. The services are different too... they have a "Sunday School" thing BEFORE their "church" thing.. which is strange to me... but they've been doing it for a while. However I really do like the church and the kids. They are friendly, I can tell, but I'm slightly tall and foreign sounding, so maybe I scare them. Hopefully as the weeks go on, it'll work out. I've decided that my first and most important step is to get to know them... and actually find ways to talk to them. Before even talking about God or prayer or whatever... hanging out is the place to start.
So yeah, this adventure is barely 3 days old, but already the plot thickens, the conflicts grow and the setting is clearer. One part of me seriously wants to just give up and go home... however I'm thankful that's only a tiny voice ;) I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... and this isn't my church... or my plan... it's his, so he will figure out the details.
I miss ya all heaps already.. I wish all my friends could be here to share some of my experiences.
Come to China in July 08! You can stay after the trip for the olympics :P hehe
Hey there everyone! Just wanted to assure you that I've landed safely in HK, and have now woken up to my first morning in this new city. I was a touch tired last night, having had like 2 hours sleep accross 36 hours or so and still having spent the whole day with a friend in KL, and so I haven't really had a first impression of what it's like yet. Hopefully I'll get some clothes, a phone and a Camera by the end of today, so I can post some pics up and make a comment.
My hair's really long too ... *sigh
lol
Yes I am very happy to be here... but on the plane, I had a brief realization... I don't really have a home where I am anymore... no places that I can go to... no safe houses, escape routes or exit strategies... nothing. It was a bit freaky :)
Yes, it's my last day in Melbourne and I'm getting that feeling in my stomach that I always get before a trip. I often wondered if it was my body preparing for the flip flops of taking off and changes in elevation... but I decided it was just excitement.
Just a short one, letting everyone know that I'm heading out. Well those who read this blog anyway. I don't actually know who reads it... cause people can't be bothered commenting. However it's ok, I do not hold grudges =D.
Anyway, please pray for me... and sympathised with the lack of good milk, cheese, yogurt and chocolate that I will experience over there. Thanks to all of you who e-mailed, SMS'd, called and chatted with me in the past few weeks, it's been awesome and really encouraging!
Prepare for my blogs from the otherside!
ps. Anyone got a good template that I could use? This one's boring, and stretching my photo for some weird reason.
You'd be surprised the number of times I get that question. I mean sure, it's a very standard and normal thing to say to a person who's about to go on a long trip... specially one that's a year... however I personally don't see why you would pack so soon before your trip. I mean maybe the day before, if not the day that you fly... so you have all your clothes to wear and wash right? I don't know... maybe my logic's slightly fuzzy.
But yes as the time approaches I'm getting more and more excited! Woot! Can't wait! I dropped by CCCV to say hi and ended up telling a whole buncha people about my trip... so maybe I'll have like 20 more facebook invites and a whole new group of readers for my humble traveling blog.
Either way... I can't wait! I want to thank all the people who are praying for me... randomly or not... even though I don't always know who, I appreciate it! I don't think I will survive this time on my own, without God's strength and everyone of your prayers will make it even more impacting for me, and for the youth that I hope to minister too!
Anyway, just a quick note, and thanks to all the people who commented!
I’ve wanted to write that for a long time now. However it’s not until today (or yesterday, the 30th of Oct) that it became true. Finally, after much waiting and (to my shame) worrying, my visa has come. What a relief! Lol, yes, I was slightly shaken for a while and if you think that’s weak… I challenge you to wait for something which you really want for 2 months without knowing when it’s going to come or even if. It’s not a pleasant feeling. It would be mentally akin to being a PoW waiting for the war to end. Of course I’m not saying I’m in any where close to a similar situation, as always I’m merely exaggerating to garner more sympathy. I’m sure you get my drift though.
Anyway, random rambling aside.
Yes, around 1 pm today, I was informed, via e-mail, that the Visa had been approved in HK. Even now it should be en route to me in Melbourne via Fed Ex (I think). Thus my departure date is on the night of the 8th of Nov. I won’t say when on-line. However if you want to catch up with me, feel free to give me a call/SMS/e-mail/comment and make a booking. Spots are limited, so hurry to save a place. (No I’m not really that popular, I just want to get a chance to catch up with everyone before I go.)
Apart from that, there’s nothing really to say. I’ll start packing tomorrow, I will be stopping over in Malaysia for half a day… um … I’ll be buying a camera in HK so you can all see pretty pictures of what my apartment looks like?
I really don’t know, I’ll be choosing on over there.
Anyway, just letting you all know what’s happening. Soon I’ll have a more indepth update on any further goings on.
Ps. Please comment, it would be greatly appreciated if I knew how many people were reading. It would give me more incentive to write more! I’ve even turned on Anonymous commenting… although it might drive me insane.
Yes that is what I have been doing lately. If you really want to know, I've been waiting, in one form or another, for over 2 months now. In fact, Oct the 29th will make the 3 month date from when I first heard that I could potentially be going to HK.
You know, for some people, having a good three months off for a vacation is a dream come true. For me, I would have preferred a simple 1 or two months during which to do nothing, because doing nothing is not something I really enjoy doing, I’m am a man that enjoys intense action! That said, I'm not really doing "nothing" while I wait... which is why I thought I'd post up the things I've been doing while waiting for my approval and Visa.
I think the most annoying thing about this is the lack of a definite timeline. If I knew exactly when I was going, I could plan accordingly, perhaps entering courses or doing jobs which could be entered into and completed by the said date. However such is not my lot, and therefore I am consigned to an endless continuum of waiting for this ever immaterial "departure date" to come about, precluding me from committing to everything from a job, to a 12 class dance program.
For a large part of my day I have done all the things I normally do during weekends and days off. I've watched anime (out), played computer games (clocked all of them), watched TV and movies (Heroes is slow) chatted with friends, attempted (sporadically) to write stories, caught up with friends, danced (a lot), cooked, cleaned (again, only on occasion) and had my quiet time (which has kept me sane). I've also spent the last few weeks working out and learning the guitar... which is ever an interesting ambition when you have a younger brother who, not only learnt the guitar incredibly quickly but, constantly tells you how much worse you are then him. However I persevere on!
Surprisingly I’ve also had the opportunity to go on a series of weekend day trips to places like Hanging Rock, the 1000 steps, the City (Did you know it takes me longer to get to Docklands then to Philip Island sometimes?) and also a few weekend trips to Falls Creek to catch the end of the Snow season and Phillip Island for camp. I just realized, only yesterday, that I have been in Australia for almost 6 years now, yet I have failed to visit many of the iconic places, like the Great Ocean Rd, the Grampians, Ayres Rock (sp?), The Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania (lol) or any others which I don’t know about because I’m so un aware of the country.
But the fact remains that during the weekdays I am almost always bored! In fact very bored! 99% my friends are either working or studying for exams and to make matters worse, I don’t have a car during the day (due in part to my departure and also to my lack of funding). Thus this tedium is beginning to get to me, and even learning to play a guitar (which I ain’t l33t enough to tune for some reason) does not lessen this pressure. Of course the other issue is that my weekends are fully crowded in over compensation, and thus I normally go to bed on Sunday on the verge of sickness and exhaustion… at least I can sleep in during the day.
But yes, that’s pretty much what I’m up to atm. If you’re free, or bored, feel free to look me up during the day. I’d probably be glad to hang out or have lunch with you. Unless I don’t really know you... then I’d probably just be happy to... not quite so glad =) Anyway, good luck to those with exams!
I knew my house could fit 50 people easily, see? No sweat what so ever!
Random Though: It's funny how people come together for a night, hanging out and talking with one another... then go home, back to their own seperate lives... to briefly intersect with one another for but a moment, and then flitter back off onto their path.
Anyway.
So I had a going away party... although I really don't know what date I'm heading off yet (a rather frustrating place to be, let me tell you!) and it was quite big... around 50 people turned up (which was strangely the number of people I predicted...) and had a great time of food, fellowship and listening to Josh speak as he was getting consistantly heckled.
In case you missed it, I had my going away party now because I originally thought that I would be heading off tomorrow night. However due to Visa issues, I can't. So I changed the purpose of the night to explain why I'm going and answer some questions. Thus telling everyone all at once what's happening. Also it was good to see some people who I haven't seen for quite some time.
It was really amazing the feelings that your friends elicit when you know that you don't have that much longer with them... the strength of what you normally feel is magnified. If I could encapsulate and materialize the emotions that each and every one of my friends stir in my heart, it would be a substance that could bring World Peace and end poverty. I guess it's a pretty crazy feeling. Just being in a house filled with people I love and who I know love me; it was really awesome... beyond cool... fully sick... uber l33t. Whatever culture or vernacular that you follow, it was good.
So all in all it was a really great night. Lots of good byes ... on the more then likely chance that I wouldn't have a good oppurtunity to say a proper farewell in the months ahead. More then anything I pray that I would be able to leave soon... tho in God's timing... but it will still be sad to leave my friends behind. I don't think I realized until tonight just how hard it would be... especially to leave those that are closest to my heart and life.
I guess... as I told one of my LG members a couples days ago... God puts friends in your life for a season or for seasons... to grow you... to impart into you... and for you impart into them. Friends come and go... but never base your own self worth... your value in God... your own ability... or your faith... on your friends or those around you.
To all of you from Melbourne... I will miss you heaps; more then I could or would ever say or show being an Asian guy. I love you all. God bless.
And yes... I will still be around for at least another 2 weeks... probably for another month lol.
The Elders in HK asked for a bit of my testimony. Since I couldn't give everything, I thought 2 pages would suffice. Once I wrote it, I decided to share it here, in my chronicles of this stage of my life.
I was born into a Christian family, my father (Michael) having been a deacon, elder, pastor and even a priest in the years that I’ve known him; while my mother (Gwen) has faithfully served in a whole heap of ministries, the latest being Alpha, of which she is state advisor in Victoria. I gave my life to Jesus when I was three years old and that act kept me on a straight and narrow path during my childhood and teen years. Oh and I was baptised when I was five in the spa of someone’s house by my dad.
However it was only when I turned 16 and had returned to Australia when I truly accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour, not because of my parents, but on my own accord. That is when my faith truly became my own.
I was at a massive evangelistic youth event held by my church. The speaker was a man named Tom Papania, a former mafia boss who had been radically converted by God’s grace, who now went around the world as an evangelist. I don’t remember much about what he said… to be honest his testimony was a riveting testimony, but it didn’t really apply to me. I just remember at the end he asked everyone to stand. Then he asked those were totally sure of their faith and of their salvation to sit down. I was tempted… but in my heart I felt something urge me to remain standing. I re-dedicated that night.
A few months later I was baptised in the Holy Spirit, and God began to stir my heart for ministry and leadership in the church. However, because I was Chinese, with Chinese parents, I had to finish school first. Strangely it was only after I was filled with the Holy Spirit that I really was able to talk to people. Most people who know me now, having met me after this radical transformation, never believe that part. It’s true none the less. Past Ministry
I have been involved in a variety of ministries in my life. I developed a love of kids’ church and working with younger kids from very young and that continues to this day. I started doing crèche and sound for church when I was in grade 8, albeit without any formal training.
In 2004 I became a youth small group leader when I graduated from High school, leading a group of 15 young men, all from ages 16-18 for a year and a half while attending Young Adults (18-25). In 2006 I became a YA small group leader when my previous group graduated from High school and moved up.
I also am active in my church’s thriving Kid’s ministry, which sees about 600 children every week. Because I was so heavily involved in Youth and then YA, I chose to stick with a younger group, who are no less important, but require a little less time and brain power when dealing with the children.
I almost burnt myself out during 2005, when attending YA, leading in Youth and leading every week in Kid’s church meant that I would be at church as often as 5 times a week, plus a full time Job (for a 6 months industry work placement). God taught me a valuable lesson in balance during that time, and I decided to step down from Youth Leadership, for a variety of reasons.
I was asked to form a new group when I moved to YA in 2006, and I did so starting with just 4 members, one who was my intern. By God’s grace… and the power of the Holy Spirit, my group grew to about 12 regulars +/- 4 visitors, with 5 of my members eventually becoming interns (future leaders), 2 in other groups. I love my guys and girls heaps and pray that God will bless them with fresh vision and fire as my 3 current interns step up to take over from me.
Future Vision
God has given me two visions for my life. Ones that I have prayed about, thought through and talked about with my leaders and pastors.
The 1st is to be a motivational speaker/preacher who will travel the world talking about a variety of topics. The four biggest that sit on my heart at the moment are:
- Strengthening the masculinity and God drive of young men. - Growing and nurturing the self-esteem of young women. - The value and process of Discipling young people. - That God takes ALL things and works them out for your good.
You might notice a bit of a theme in the audience to which my speaking is generally directed. I’m not sure if that’s because I’ve been in generation ministries for so long, or if my passion for these topics has moved me towards these areas. One topic that I’d really love to talk about, but I don’t feel quite qualified yet, is about how fathers in this day and age are increasingly becoming less physically or emotionally present around their children, often leading to problems in the first two areas I mentioned before.
The 2nd of my visions is to plant an orphanage/primary school in China, which will then hopefully become a High School and even a University. God has given me some serious vision for this dream… including a picture of the place, how it’ll all be set up. This is the legacy that I hope to leave.
Anyone who looks at my future vision would immediately see that I’m a bit of a dreamer. However I don’t see that as a problem. Joseph was a dreamer, and while it landed him in some hot water, eventually God used him greatly. I serve a mighty, all powerful God who is far larger then my mind can even conceive. I believe that God has placed a special call on my life, to serve and lead his people wherever I am. I am lead by him, and I seek to follow his Will.
Unlike the average Eddings book, not every story has a straight forward plot or obstacle free road. This path, the one of destiny and adventure, is often fraught with danger, uncertainty, challenges and setbacks. As the Japanese seem fond of seeing... this is reality. However not to stress... certainly not on my account, for greater is he who is living in me then he who is in the world. Remember that God works all things for the good of those who love him and who are called to his plans and purposes. So basically... if you're following his plan, you have nothing to fear.
As of this moment, my initial plan to leave on the 23rd has been officially scrapped for reasons pertaining to Visa procurement. Australians ARE allowed 90 days in HK without a visa for strictly tourist reasons. I was hoping to use that time to get used to the city and the church while my visa was being processed. After all... this is a complete change of lifestyle, support networks, church, friends, social status... and even of location, language and culture. A big shift.
However it was not to be... and on the inside I agree with the decision handed down. As Christians we must strive to uphold and obey the law... and if I went to a country without a visa and even once worked there... it would compromise my faith. Not in a big way... but there are no "Little" sins... sin is still sin. Plus, it's entirely possible that I might have gone and been "caught" (although I was planning NOT to work during that time) and thus had my visa denied... or my visa could simply have taken too long and in the end have cost more money.
The short version is that I'm not going yet. Nor do I know when exactly I will head off (this feels familiar). However I am confident in my God... who is watching over me and guiding this part of my life. There is obviously some important reason why this is happening... and he knows what it is, that is good enough for me.
So for the next month (probably anyway) I'll be back where I was... waiting.
It will be a bit strange telling everyone that I haven't left yet. However, I trust that there is a greater purpose behind this.
If anyong reading this has a good idea of what I should do for the next month... let me know.
It was towards the end of June and I had just completed my final University exam. Before me stretched out a long and winding road that was completely obscured by the mist of uncertainty. I had no clue what I was doing next in life. Earlier that month I had been denied several job positions, received 10 demerit points on my drivers license and been through a rather severe change in personality (good thing). Now I had graduated, gotten my marks proclaiming my passing (with a Distinction average I think) and yet still... I had no where to head.
So I began to explore my options. I started applying for jobs, asking for help, calling agencies, talking to people. Then one day an interesting conversation caused me to re-think my goals. What was it that I wanted to do in life? What was I CALLED to do? What is my God given destiny and purpose? I have had an idea since early in High School... to start an orphanage in one particular nation, and to become a motivational speaker who would talk to both Christian and Non-Christian youth and young people about a whole range of topics which I believe God wishes to voice in this day and age.
But I was missing something... confidence, assurance... confirmation from the Most High... and what to do at this moment.
So I began to pray... and God confirmed these visions in my heart. He showed me a picture of what this orphanage would look like, an idea of the structure and various other things.
However it was a few days later, when I felt God stirring something within me… why couldn’t I go now? After all I was free, unattached, single and had just graduated. Maybe God had kept a corporate job away from me for a reason. After all, during that time I always had asked him to “Let his will be done,” not once had I thought to ask for the job itself.
So I began to research going to a particular country for the medium term. After all I would be going there for a short term trip in a few weeks, it would be a good time to hear God’s voice on the matter.
Fast forward a few weeks and I had returned. On that trip, God had spoken to me rather specifically. Do not go to a certain city and join up with other people from your church like I had originally intended. It had come across loud and clear… and so I thought it would mean that I would work in Australia for a while, then maybe go over later. I arrived home on a Sunday morning, around 8 am. Feeling tired, but still missing my friends and my home church, I managed to make it for the 11:15 service, after a decent shower and a good breakfast. That morning one of the pastors asked all those looking for jobs to stand and be prayed over. As I had just decided that I was in this category, I also received prayer.
That evening, after an arvo with my friends, I returned home. I turned on my computer to check for e-mails, and lo I received a MSN message from the Youth Pastor of a Church in Hong Kong, one whom I had met on my trip.
It pretty much went like this “Do you wanna come over and be a Youth Intern of our youth group for 1 year.”
To say that I was shocked was an understatement… but almost immediately a lot of things began to fall into place. God had been preparing me for this, allowing me to be able and willing to take this step. To be perfectly candid I wanted to agree right then... but a verse stuck in my head “plans fail for lack for counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” Also, I didn’t want to rush into probably the biggest decision of my life so far. I tell you, reading Proverbs every day is a good idea.
So I began to pray, to research, to seek advice and to ask my closest friends and leaders for opinions. Hearing the voice of God comes in six forms, Word, People, Circumstance, Still Soft Voice, Prophecy, and Miraculous. Five of those were telling to go, and it’s not every day that the audible voice of God is heard. So a week later, I had made MY decision.
However there were still a lot of obstacles. The board of Elders were away on holidays with their families. Later there would be concerns about accommodation, budget, Visa and a whole lot of other things. Honestly, if I hadn’t had the childhood that I did… I would be a nervous wreck atm. Thankfully God had prepared me for this. After all, I had left Malaysia with only 3 days warning... it was just the waiting sorta grated.
So now people ask me lots of questions.
WHY are you going?
There are three main reasons.
The first, is that I believe this fits in with the direction and call of God on my life. I want to learn to preach, I want to learn Chinese… both to serve one of the main purposes that I am called to complete. Thus this ties in perfectly.
2ndly, I believe that this is God’s will for my life. Through other people telling me to go for it as they can see me doing really well, through Mottie’s prophecy that God would call me to do something crazy this year, through my strange desire to jot down verses that I could use in sermons even before all of this… God has been speaking to me. He wants me to go, and even if I didn’t see why, that alone would be enough.
3rdly. I want a change in life. This might not seem like a valid reason to some… but trust me, it is. I’m 21, single, male and completely free. I want an adventure, an opportunity to go out and change the world! To SEE the world… to follow my wild heart. Australia’s great, but I was brought here to be born again properly, to be a baby so to speak. Now I need to leave the nest and strengthen my wings, to sharpen my skills and grow my gifts. This is my next step. This is me stepping out in faith.
WHAT will you be doing?
Well my job description is that of a Youth Intern. I could attach the 2 page list of expectations… but I won’t cause this blog is long enough. Suffice to say that I’ll be doing admin, pastoral, preaching, leading and also discipling type things. So in essence, everything from photo copying to preaching to the youth service to running a small group. If you're from CLC... it's pretty much a mix of what any of our Interns are doing (cept I get paid... score) with Ben's job tacked on.
WHERE are you going?
It’s a little church called HKMBC. It’s got an adult congregation of about 400 and a youth group of about 70-90. They have a website. www.hkmbc.org.hk/youth. I don’t know where I personally will be living for the moment, but the church is on the island itself.
HOW will it all work out practically?
Well I will be getting paid, if not that much. D and G (Youth Director and his wife) are currently looking into accommodation for me (which my salary sorta covers). At this point I’m not stressed, cause I know God is looking out for me. However if for some reason you feel lead to donate or help me out… my Asianess finds the idea a bit weird, but this is sort of the beginnings of a ministry, so let me know and we’ll work something out.
As for Visas and Insurance, Banking and Mobiles, Cards, IDs, Taxes, Furnishings and a billion other things that I need to be thinking about… just pray that I don’t forget anything important. That’s really important …
WHEN will all this take place?
Well currently I’m not sure when I’m flying out. I thought I knew… but Visa stuff might need to change that date. It will probably be from Late Sept/Early Oct till Aug08.
Anyway,
That’s my blog for the day. Let me know if you’ve got any questions.
I suppose when you start something new, normally the first question that needs to be answered is the purpose, or the reason behind this change from the norm. Thus, in this next phase of my life, I thought it would be helpful and informative to start a new blog to detail the goings on that are happening in my life. Plus, it'll save me having to write the same few things a million times in various e-mails.
For those of you who don't know, the next big phase of my life is about to begin.
I love Badminton, Foosball, very specific computer/console games, reading, writing (stories and poems), romance, archaic weaponary, dancing, my church and especially my friends (to whom much of this blog is written). However the center of my life, the core, is and always will be Lord Jesus, God of All.
