One Week In Hong Kong

Adjusting...
It have been a week since I landed in Hong Kong. Still adjusting... to get familiar with the roads, bus route to school, back home, to the city center etc. Many silly mistakes made... haha! Yesterday, I moved officially from Fan Leng to Elaine's place in Hong Kong Island. I took a taxi from Hong Ham Railway Station with the help of Cannas. It cost me about HKD98, about 20 minutes at peak hour. Thanks for the rain, if it was not the rain, I had probably took the KCR train, and then the MTR, and then a bus to South Horizon. That will cost me around HKD 25, and it will take me at least two hours to reach home. So, I concluded it as a good deal! :-) I'm planning to move to Chi Fu next week, so it would be even nearer to the school, a shorter distance. I had been really blessed by Elaine and Ken. They are really angels that God sent perfectly on time to reduce the stress of travelling average four hours a day back and forth.

New Friends...
A group of us (the new students in the MPH) get really close to each other. We went to the main camp together this morning to process the student ID. Victoria and me will visit Sky's church tomorrow, Vine in Center. Then, in the afternoon I will go to Church On The Rock, the Japanese church in Tai Koo. Oh, ya... I am going to the Japanese Cafe this afternoon at about 2pm. I'm writing to you in this cafe named MIX. They have a Internet service for their customers. Limited to 20 minutes per user, however... you know... haha.

Japanese bible study...
I went to Kakuko's bible study group @ home fellowship? on Tuesday evening. Plain Japanese, except Cannas and me. I really hoped that they can start to pray for Japan as they are Japanese, however, the practice of praying might need to experience a revival before that. LOL. Cannas was thinking to start a Heart4Japan prayer group in Kowloon. That's a great idea, please do pray for that! And I might get a few person in the island to start praying for Japan too. Let's see how it goes......

Is this really a way to Japan?
I'll be meeting Janice Johnston on Monday afternoon to discuss again about the modules and the dissertation, hope to find out more to see if I'm on the right track. Please pray about this too. That will decide how I'm going to spend time in this 2 years, and how could I possibly go to Japan after this.

Accomodation, is this the right place for me?
Please do pray for a good time of fellowship with Theressa Lam too. The landlady that I'm going to stay with, she had a lot of "restriction" in the beginning, eg. no cooking, no staying at home in the day time, blar blar...... But now she is considering to give me special permission in cooking, and having small group discussion or bible study at home. However, we just need to pray for this. The denomination different really matters to her church leaders, but thank God, not her. So, if I'm really going to stay with her, there are a lot of things that I'll gonna watch out, and pray for. A nice lady, she bought me a burger when we last met. :-)

Attention...
Japan, Japan, Japan...... What is the reason that I come here for? Is it for Japan? or is it for God? I really need to be very focus on Jesus, even in the whole area of missions. Of course I have no doubt that He had lead me here with a great deal of reasons that of Japan, but would He had more thoughts for me? I can only be open to that as I direct my full attention to HIM.

Retreat ...
Staying in Elaine's place is like a retreat, the block is facing the sea, and it's often very windy. My meals and laundry have also been taken care of. Really appreciate that... thanks, Elaine! God is great, He provides. And when we call on Him, He answers. More than what we asked for.

Support...
I heard from my mom that the ladies had encouraged her very much by sharing prayers and thoughtful ideas with her... THANK YOU SO MUCH...... It's not really a great idea to leave home, but because of the love, care and concern of you people, it helped to strengthen us A LOT...... really. God Bless!

Finally Arrived

Finally arrived...
Finally, arrived in Hong Kong, started as a student, going into classes. Everything is new for me here.

Warm Weather...
The weather here is still summer! Oh... no... I thought it would end by September, and now I took almost all thick clothes, lol. I'm afraid of cold, you know... well, the autumn would only begins in the end of October. But the library and classrooms are very cold because of the air-cond. The clothes that I bring is still suitable if I'm going to stay in the school for the whole day :-) Walking out the street at night is still humid and warm.

2 hours of traveling X 2 ...
I stay in Fan Leng, which it takes about 1and a half hour to 2 hours of public transport to the university. However, GOD is forever faithful. I had started to make friends with my classmates, interesting though. And I'm as usual, forever blur in everything... haha. But I do meet wonderful people, bless you!

Malaysian Classmates...
There are 2 Malaysian government officers here just to take the summer course. It is great to meet someone from home! I'm still looking around for an accommodation near school. The one in Fan Leng is alright, accept for the long hours of traveling. And it is expensive, just travel in between the school and home will easily cost me about HKD1500/mth.

Out Of The Box
The class is interesting. It seems that I would need to learn how to transform the normal days practice and logical thinking or action into conceptual ideas in drawing out theoretical and practical enforcement. Feel like studying philosophy now. A lot of creative thinking were involved. By listening to the conversations between the lecturer and the other students, it is like you really need to jump out of the box, and it's a bunji jump! If you think I'm crazy enough, I think I'm rather a kinder garden kid in this situation. lol. I will really need a lot of prayers form you people! :-D

Assignments!!!
My first assignment is deal on September 2, and I am now in the library trying to look at the data and do some research. The assignment only require 2 pages, but the citation might take 1 page(exclude the 2 pages). A lot of readings! And I will be amazed if I could fix all that I want to present in 2 pages. Whew...what a challenge! I need that though :-) I often write too long...

I'm trying to focus on the topic of "Measurements and Prevention of Suicide in Japan." However, the focus area still need to be refine.

I have 4 clinical papers to read, 2 chapters in the text book to read, and a bundle of notes to work on, today. Urrh.... got to go! Will need to see the possible place where I will be staying later.

信心踱步

第一步

终于踏出我的第一步了！离开家，在国外一个人好好的生活两年，磨练装备。长得这么大了，这样的壮举还是第一遭。还没有离开家之前，我好像已经开始有点想家了。两年过后，我会回来吗？我的心没有一个定案。但是我想，这两年里，我大概就像是神手上所握的一发箭，留恋着、摸索着、雕朔着、磨着。两年后，我这支箭能发出去吗？若发出去，就必射着红心！因为发箭的，整装的都是创造天地万物的主，他发的箭不会错失靶心。然而，这两年里，我必须要有坚强的韧性，守住神的应许，凭着信好好的走下去！

选择

是信心的踏步吧！信，就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。从去年年底，我的薪酬开始倍增的时候，我的心就提醒我是时候离开了。在我工作上最巅峰的时候投身进入全职服事的行列是我和神之间的契约。然而看着一大堆账单、看着为日本祷告事工的开销，我变得没有勇气。但是心里面的那个全职服事的欲望越来越强烈，向将更多的时间摆上，专注于教会的服事和为日本祷告事工的发展。现在的代职服事因为工作的方向和服事的方向不同，对爱动爱自由的我原本是很好的调协剂，但是因为不能够全力为日本代祷的事工向前冲的关系，只让我觉得沉闷。心里不断有一股催逼挑战我，使我的灵久久不能安静。

我基于种种现实的因素，是较为偏向代职服事的。由于我的工作地点总在医院和药房这种地方留恋，所以我做探访是挺方便的，就像是上帝特地为我而设的一分服事。然后，因为时间的从容，我也可以安排教会的服事和上课的时间。对我而言，白天上班，晚上教会是非常充实的安排。事工的拓展，也因为自己有着收入的平衡，不需要求助于人也可以稳健的发展。这对于我来说都是优势！

然而，当上帝的灵开始在我心里面动工的时候，我开始有了崭新的视野。工作上所带个我的种种好处，忽然间不知啥的，竟然变成了庸俗。真得很奇怪。然后，我开始发现上帝在我心里摆放着的事工的托付霎眼间扩大了，我想将全副的时间摆上，我想看见他的心意完成。就这样，我的心不断地、不断地催逼着我去下一个决定！这是个大胆的决定，我还记得认识我的人都瞪大了眼睛。我是个痴人，我想要得到教会的祝福，所以为了这个决定，经历了很多挣扎和考验。但感谢神，我终于干了！那满溢的平安和喜乐，远远超过了困惑和负担。信心的等待，生命的精彩，在这一刻划上了一个新的里程碑。

顺服

一切从顺服开始。我的心非常地想要念神学，要不就是去念日本的社会发展学，在我的脑海里面没有第二个选择。但是神的计划比我的高，当他提醒我在过去的日子里他所给我的装备的时候，我妥协了。我答应去敲公共卫生的门，挺难考上的吧，我想。但是上帝开门了。学费比我预算的超出四倍，而且还要在一个星期里垫交而我没有钱，但是上帝开门了。我想一边念书，一边作关于日本文化的研究，但是神说：你要专心，相信我是真的引领你去上这个一课程。日本会来，日语会来，你要相信我。我心里想，如何能够多念几个科目，好让我上路的时候多备子弹，上帝开门了。

勇气

大学的宿舍没有回音，学生签证没有发，但是神说：“我会供应你。”于是我踏上信的步伐，上帝真的会供应。这是他手上的工，不是吗？我们的神岂是人，会欺骗我们吗？他岂是像人的儿子，会收回他所说的话吗？我的信心的路程并不是一路顺畅的，我看见一扇的门打开，眼前是一座山；一扇门，一座山；又一扇门，又一座山。我不知道我自己是怎样的跨过去，但是有一点我知道，遇见山的时候我没有放弃，不知道哪儿来的一股力量支持着我，我就是这样的信靠着他，一步一步地踏上去。在我发觉的时候，我已经走过去了。

独木桥

我之前总是希望满载着祝福而离开。甚至辞职的时候，虽然看见自己走在独木桥上，也希望自己的脚下有着教会和家里的桩。我极力的争取牧者领袖的认同，原因是我害怕孤单上路。这一场仗，太凶狠了，我希望教会能作我的后盾，和我并肩作战！然而神还真有办法教导我，当我踏上去了，我才发现我脚下没有桩。在迷漫里，我捉住上帝一路走着，看不见，测不着前方，彷如凌空踱步。在实质上我像是从零出发，但是我深信我的背包里是充满着爱的浓厚力量的。上帝又再教导我五饼二鱼的故事，和彼得在海上行走的故事。

信心

信心啊！何其的简单，又何其的难？信心的踱步是何其的不可思议！是何等的蒙福？愿我们在上帝的里面都没有惧怕。愿我们都能凭着信心，与耶稣、圣灵一同翱翔于波涛翻涌的海上！愿神的国度降临！愿他的心意行在我们的身上！愿以此与你们共勉励。

愿恩惠、平安从神我们的父并耶稣基督归于你们！阿门。

注：（这个新的里程碑，要是没有了家人的支持，和对主同等的信靠，是不可能划上的。我们的一切从主而来，我们尝了主里的丰盛恩典，于是我们决定把自己献回给神，并且活在他的旨意里，行在他的祝福当中。谢谢你，妈！谢谢你，珊姗和森安！）