There's No "I" in T-E-A-M

On July 30 - August 21, I will be leading a team of five Vancouverites to England on a short-term ministry trip. Our objective is to minister to the second-generation Chinese in the UK, while helping them develop their leadership skills and strategies. While in England, we will be helping out at a youth camp and two kids' programs. For the youth camp, we are partnering with a Calgary team as well as others from the UK.

I'm very excited... and very scared. This will be my first time leading a team overseas on a ministry project. And due to many scheduling conflicts, my team has only had one official meeting so far. However, I believe God pulled this team together. They are an awesome group of individuals. We are all from different churches, but our heart to do God's will is the same. As a team, they have displayed an emotional and spiritual maturity beyond their chronological age. In the major decisions we've had to make so far, the team has been very careful in making them. I can barely express how awestruck I am by them... and how they are seeking God's guidance.

At this early stage in planning, we are still trying to figure out roles and what they entail. We are learning about each other and how to best complement each other. We're seeking prayer and financial support for the trip. We are learning from the experience of those who previously went on such a trip. We are trying to rely on God for His guidance, and working hard to following Him.

Personally, this is a huge opportunity. I am eager to learn about how God is working in the midst of the second-generation Chinese people in the UK. And I am eager to gain experience in leadership and teaching. There are definite fears and worries. There are concerns and questions. But most of all, there is hope and assurance in God because I truly believe He led me to this opportunity.

If you would like to support my team and me through prayer or financial giving, please let me know. I will send you a support letter. Please "team up" with us!

The Sabbath

Exodus 20:8-11: Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord you God; you shall not do any work... For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

Deuteronomy 5:12,15: Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you... Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

Mark 2:27: Then [Jesus] said to them, "The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind of the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

I recently had a heated discussion with someone about the importance of observing the sabbath— to rest physically, to renew spiritually and to revive mentally. This individual accused me of being "legalistic" like the Jews in the Bible. I left that discussion very frustrated because I really do think that the sabbath is important... not because it's a day to be lazy and watch television, but because it's a day to look forward to for purposeful rest and renewal. And I do not believe this day should be eliminated for the sake of doing more work (even if it is ministry). How can I be effective if I'm burned out? Besides, God didn't need to rest, but He did it anyway. Shouldn't we?

Any thoughts out there about this topic? Am I totally off here?

I'm sorry I cannot disclose full details and context of the aforementioned discussion because I don't want anyone to figure out with whom I was talking.

The cartoon is a little irrelevant, but I thought it was funny

More Public Transportation Frustrations

Whew!

I finally made it to the airport. I waited at the bus stop this morning for nearly an hour, but the right bus never showed up. I guess the website was wrong. I am very grateful that Elaine actually answered her phone at 5:50AM, and was willing to drive me to the airport.

Assuming that my flight is not delayed too long (or canceled), I'll be at Grace and Jimmy's wedding this afternoon. I'm so excited... this is the event of the year! =D

"A Total L.A. Girl"

People at school say that I'm "a total LA girl." What does that mean? Is it because I have a dark complexion (seemingly like a perpetual tan)? Do I talk like a valley girl?

In fact, some people tell me that they forget I'm even Asian because I'm "so LA." Oddly enough, it's not the first time I've been told this. People tend to be surprised that I speak Chinese at all.

How can people forget? Don't I LOOK Asian? In fact, I think I'm more "Chinesey" than most of my Chinese friends.

What do I do that makes people forget I'm Chinese? And what makes me "a total LA girl"? Any thoughts?

Public Transportation Frustrations

Today, I waited nearly one hour after church for the #22 bus to arrive. (It's supposed to arrive every 20 minutes.) And when it finally came, it was absolutely packed... claustrophobic-like standing-room only. While riding the bus, several things came to mind.

(1) If you're a youngish person who is sitting, you should give up your seat for elderly people.

(2) If there are two seats (side-by-side) available, you should sit closer to the window so that someone else can sit next to you. If you just sit in the aisle seat, you don't allow another person to sit in a perfectly empty seat.

(3) If there are available seats next to you while others are standing, you should either take a seat or make room for others to take those seats... too many standing people makes the bus feel even more crowded.

(4) There's a small plastic and metal box near the bus door that says something like, "In case of an emergency, break box and pull handle to open door." How do you break the box? It doesn't seem obvious.

I guess those were just totally random thoughts, but that is what happens when the bus is so packed that you can't even read or pull out your iPod.

You've Got Mail

Ever since I was a kid, I loved getting personal mail. And when anyone sent a personal card, postcard or letter to me in the mail, it was always very special. That still holds true today. I definitely love getting phone calls, emails and blog comments. Facebook wall messages, text messages and e-cards are nice too. But there's something extra special about getting a hand-written piece of personal correspondence in the mail.

However, I recently had a conversation with a friend and was told that people don't really care for getting personal "snail mail" anymore because "it's an extra piece of paper that I have to figure out where to store." According to this friend, technology has taken over and electronic communication is just as good, if not better because it doesn't take up physical space.

I disagree with my friend. What are your thoughts on this? Am I just too old-fashioned?

As an aside... I've received some nice mail since I moved to Vancouver. I so much appreciate the few postcards, cards, and even letters. I especially love the care packages of Trader Joe's items, and other yummy snacks! Thanks.

Don't "Cover Your Mouth!"

With the weird weather during this time of the year, many people are suffering from colds, flus and allergies. When they sneeze/cough, most tend to cover their mouths with their hands.

As a kid, I was taught by my parents and teachers to do this as well. Covering your mouth with your hands during a sneeze/cough was considered good etiquette and good hygiene at the time.

However, when I started working in the food service industry, I learned just how disgusting it is to cover your mouth with your hands because those hands will eventually touch other things (door handles, handrails, etc.) or even other people. Thus, the contamination spreads. Instead, we were required to either sneeze/cough into the inside of our elbow or to sneeze/cough directly to the ground.

Now, when I see people around me sneezing/coughing into their hands, I just get so grossed out. So, if you're sick or suffering from allergies, please sneeze/cough directly to the ground or into the inside of your elbow.

Thank you... and bless you!