We are attending a church that is open to foreign passport holders only. Locals are not allowed.  Locals who are married to foreigners are also welcome but you need to show some proof.  I’m a foreigner but I don’t look like one, I look like a local so every time I enter I need to present my passport, sometimes I feel discriminated but it’s the law. They need to obey the laws or else their license would not be renewed.

Once in a while, we’re attending  a church that is open to all but the service is in English after the service we are all  invited to go to a place where everybody can have lunch, eat all you can for less than 2 dollars only. Free indoor and outdoor activities. One time while we’re playing fools ball game, a cute boy approached me and asked me this question, “Wo ye neng wan ma?” I said “Whatt?, he said again in a louder voice “Wo ye neng wan ma? I said again “Whatttt?” And finally he noticed that I couldn’t understand Mandarin. He said again “Can I play also?” I answered “of course” with a smile on my face. My goodness this little kid can speak Mandarin (he’s a foreigner) while I’m still struggling with my language acquisition. It’s frustrating sometimes, I’ve been here for 9 months and I only know few words. It’s my prayer that I can be able to go to formal training next year.

Last Tuesday we went out so early to have our morning tea. Morning tea is a Cantonese Culture where friends and family gather in the restaurant/tea house to read newspaper and chat over a pot of tea and basket of dim sum. It is actually a form of social activity especially for older people.  But for us instead of reading newspaper, we brought our bible with us and had our devotions there.

 I miss spending Christmas at Home, I miss my family and friends, the food especially puto bumbong and bibingka and the Christmas gatherings. But I am excited to spend our Christmas and anniversary in Guillin.

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I’ve got a terrible backache a couple of days ago, I couldn’t sit straight and it was painful even when I was lying. Praise God for His healing. I also got my new visa yesterday; they gave me six months this time. We’ve been amazed at how God works in our lives.

It’s been 9 months since I came here. What’s next? I feel like I’ve never done anything. Lord, is this the place where you want me to be? What kind of question is that, of course! My husband is here, where else can I go!

One of the greatest paradoxes of Christian life is oftentimes we know the ultimate plan of God in our life, we know that we are called to do great things, we know that his plans are best for us, we know that we are called to do specific task but oftentimes the details are not revealed. And that, we are struggling with because we want to know the details, we want to make sure that God will surely do what he has promised. Sometimes our faith wavers because we want to know every detail of His plan for us. We want to know what is next. Those small details are the challenges of our faith.

Remember what Apostle Paul said? That in all things God works for the good of those who love him. It is “all” not only the good things but even the bad things. God uses even the bad things to bring his purpose into completion. Nothing is wasted in our life.  Everything is part of His great plan in our Life.

And so I may feel like a paralytic person I believe God has a purpose why I’m here.

 "And we know that in all things God works for the good those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28

It is common to see snake and crocodile meat in the market near our place, but scorpions, centipede and spider BBQ? No way, I haven’t thought anyone can eat those insects or animals, but this morning while walking in one of the shopping roads here, I saw a guy selling these arachnids and arthropods along with fried octopus, chicken wings, etc.  I took the picture using my cellphone that's why it isn't clear.

Few days ago my husband and I visited a Park, the largest green area within the city. It is hilly and mostly covered in evergreens. It has several man-made lakes where you can do fishing and boating. It is also a beautiful place for biking and hiking. We're just taking the opportunity to enjoy our time together since he has less teaching schedules right now. When I was still working I haven’t had the chance to visit parks because of my busy schedule.

My life then was house, work and church, I felt guilty when I wasn’t doing anything. I think most of the Christians right now feel that way, especially those who are workers in the church.  They feel guilty doing something other than the activities in the church.

One of the man-made lakes

Or maybe when we see our Pastors taking their Sabbatical leave we accuse them of just wasting their time. We are giving our tithes and offerings and they are getting their allowance from our tithes, they should do their work and not waste their time by going out of town or out of the country. Sometimes we have that way of thinking I was once like that; thank God He changed my mind. For me if there is someone who deserves rest and relaxation it must be a Pastor, a missionary and a worker in the church.

  my first time to ride a bicycle-it's a two seater bicycle

Hey, don’t feel guilty when you are doing things other than church activities or your work. It is not sin to travel, it is not sin to go to the beach, it is not sin to enjoy and relax. It is not sin to enjoy the fruits of your work.

no parents or nanny around, i just saw one teacher supervising these little kids, yes they respect their teachers so much, that's one thing i noticed.

How can you prove God to someone who doesn’t believe in the bible? What is the visible thing that people can see in your life that makes them consider and think that what you believe might be the right one? It’s LOVE, they may not believe the bible but if they can see and feel the love you have for them, you may bring them to Christ.

I’ve read about Christians who suffered persecutions, they were tortured, imprisoned, beaten yet they were able to love their persecutors. Because of the love they have shown, many believed in Jesus Christ, they were able to bring to Christ their torturers.

“A flower if you bruise it under your feet, rewards you by giving you its perfume, likewise Christians tortured by the Communists, rewarded their torturers by love. We brought many of our jailers to Christ. And we are dominated by one desire, to give communists who have made us suffer the best we have the salvation which comes from our Jesus Christ” Richard Wumbrand-Founder of the Voice of the Martyrs. Spent fourteen years in a Communist Prison in Romania-1940,’50s ‘60s

But how can we love others if we cannot even love our brothers and sisters in Christ?

1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sin”

I thank God for the warm weather today, I honestly prayed for it. I have been hiding in our bed, covered with a thick quilt because the weather is too cold for me to bear. Even while reading my bible I still need to hide inside it. It’s my second winter here, the first one was last year which I stayed in northern China, the weather there is much colder though but I only stayed for less than a month. This time, it’s different coz I’ll be staying here for the whole winter. My country has a tropical climate and is usually hot and humid; my body is still adjusting with the weather, especially my skin. Since I came here, I’ve got a problem with my skin but thank God it’s healed now, for the first time in my life, I’ve got a lot of pimples. It’s good I have a caring husband who keeps on telling me “I am beautiful” even though sometimes when I look at the mirror I feel little discourage with my look. So far my husband is very much supportive with my adjustment. It’s funny when I was in my country I’ve been looking forward for this winter but now that I’m into it, I miss the hot and humid climate.

Yesterday I was saddened to know that our friend’s wife passed away, I know that she’s with the Lord now. My heart goes for the husband and their son. Yes, somehow I have this question in mind, she’s too young to die, and she has a son, why? I don't have the answer but one thing I know, God’s wisdom is perfect. Please pray for strength for James as he goes through with this trial.

Deuteronomy 29:29b “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us”

Fried Donkey Meat

Fried Cicada

Few weeks ago a friend of ours invited us to dine out in a Shangdong Restaurant, these are some of the food they ordered. It was our first time to taste these things. The taste??? it's hard to describe.

 Ruins of Saint Paul Church

Macau was colonized by the Portuguese in the 16^th century and the first European settlement in the Far East. It is also the first and last European colony in China. In 1999 it was turned over to China and was became one of the Special Administrative Regions (SAR) the other one is Hong Kong. Under China’s “one country, two systems” formula Macau would enjoy autonomy with China’s socialist economic system except with foreign and defense affairs.

The Venetian

Macau’s economy is based largely on tourism and gambling. Since the turnover of Macau to China there has been an increase of visitors from Mainland China.  According to World Fact book in 2008 Macau’s visitors reached up to more than 30 million, almost 60% came from Mainland China.

Both Cantonese and Portuguese are the official languages; other languages such as Mandarin, English Hokkien, and Tagalog are also spoken by some residents. As of 2009 Macau’s population is 560,000.

Major Religions are Buddhism 14.4%, Christianity 9.4% ( 62.6% are Roman Catholics, 1.7% are evangelicals, the rest are Anglicans, etc.) Ethnic Religion 25%, Islam 0.2%, Non-Religious 48.8%, Other 2.2%. Ninety three percent of the total population is considered as Unreached. Joshua Project website defines “unreached’ as the people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group.

PRAY FOR MACAU

·         Pray that the Lord will grant favor for the missions agencies that are targeting Macau.

·         Ask the Holy Spirits to soften the hearts of the people especially the unreached towards the Gospel message

·         Pray for those Christians who are ministering to these people.

·         Ask the Lord to raise-up strong local churches.

Sources: Joshua Project

              World Fact Book

Today is my husband’s  birthday he is now 29 years old and it’s our first time celebrating together as couple. I started my gratefulness journal about him two weeks ago and I just want to share some of the things I am grateful about him.

I am grateful for his hard work to provide for us.

I’m grateful for he has been patient with me as I am still adjusting and growing as his wife.

I’m grateful for he always tells how beautiful I am.

I’m grateful for he understands my needs as a woman

I’m grateful for he respects and understands when I need to be quiet

I’m grateful for he cooks and wash dishes especially when I am not feeling well.

I’m grateful for he has been gracious to me especially when I am not in good mood.

I’m grateful for he always brings out the trash even without reminding him.

I’m grateful for we pray and read the bible together.

And most of all I’m grateful for he loves the Lord and wants to please Him in everything he does.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Thank you for doing your best to be the husband that He wants you to be.

I LOVE YOU!

 © 2009 the emissary’s feet

I’ve been reading articles and blogs  about proving their beliefs are right that the version of the bible they are reading are the most accurate version, that they are right and others are wrong. Sadly but these are among believers.

I was raised in the Pentecostal background; I would only enter a church with the same background or denomination as mine.  It was two years ago that God opened my heart and eyes, he made me realize that these people are my bothers and sisters no matter what denomination they are. You see here in China there are no Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Baptist, Anglicans etc. Christians here don’t have time to argue about what they believe in.  Their hearts cry is that Christ be glorified that His name be known and lifted up among the nations.

As Pastor Richard Wurmbrand said the founder of the Voice of the Martyrs and spent fourteen years in a communist prison in Romania “The menace of persecutors and the sufferings of the underground church are scarcely ever mentioned in the church periodicals today. Instead, there are endless discussions about theological matters, about rituals, about nonessentials. In formerly communist Russia, no one remembered the arguments for or against child or adult baptism, for or against papal infallibility. They are not pre-or post millenialists. They cannot interpret prophecies and don’t quarrel about them, but I have wondered very often at how well they could prove the existence of God to atheists"

I bet when these persecuted Christians were in the prison, they did not talk about what version of the bible they are reading, or about speaking in tongues, or what background or denomination they are into, I bet what matters to them was Christ.