Hello, 2012: Cheesegift

New Year's eve: i arrive home and am told there is a note by my bed. Yay! Beside my bed lay a scribbled note of appreciation- serving notice that my friend had given me some cheese, which i could find in the fridge. Cheesegift! This was a New Year's eve joy.

Here in Asia, cheese isn't a part of life- so, spare the slice of american cheese on a McDonald's burger when we happen to eat there, we don't eat cheese. But we remember it fondly. So cheese is a truly a delightful treat. Already a lover of cheese- and all the more in these circumstances- I was so pleased to receive this thoughtful gift. A cheesegift of New Year's cheer!

Happy 2012. We are off to a good start.

last hours of 2011: dumpling making

What did you do on New Year's eve? I learned to stuff chinese dumplings! These little morsels, often known Stateside as pot stickers but here as jiaozi ( jow-zih ), are popular cuisine whether steamed, boiled or fried. My coleader and i got to join a small local fellowship as they gathered to make jiaozi, pray for one another's needs, and of course, eat jiaozi. It was fun to be immersed in their lives in this way, and to learn that i am... not a good jiaozi stuffer. Mike of course got the hang of it immediately- the group reached a consensus and bestowed on him their unfortunate praise: "Mike, you make jiaozi like a girl." It was amazing. I on the other hand, was rather less skilled. The girl instructing me looked at my product with amusement and compassion. When i laughed and said it was bad, she shook her head and composing herself countered: "Its special." These are the joys of the groups limited english- their comments could not have been more perfect. Haha. Turns out i am pretty decent at eating jiaozi, though- even if the way i use chopsticks is special, too:)

Mmmm.

Actual Christmas

All the plotting and planning and late night wrappings paid off. My girls were so excited when i stuck my head in their room and called them out of bed... wearing a silly Christmas sweater and reindeer antlers:)

My co-leader Mike and I were up early cooking - eggs, pancakes, and muffins. It was a lovely little breakfast. Then we "moved to the leather" (retired to the couches) to open presents.

I had been wrapping little gifts and stuffing their three stockings since before we left Maui. It was such great fun to see my team all so delighted. Then there was tears when i "found some more gifts stuck in the chimney" and they turned out to be gifts their families had sent to me in Maui, which we "smuggled" over here in secret. So rewarding to see them blessed and feeling so loved. My dear and sneaky family even did the same for me- sending a precious little stocking of joy over with my co-leader. It was such a merry little Christmas.

The afternoon was full of skype calls, the whirring of Mike (all aglow) playing with the radio controlled helicopter i gave him, the girls happily rereading their cards from home, and then... me and Mike hitting the kitchen again.

We took on yesterday's unfortunate chicken and soon had him rinsed out, poised in a small glass baking pan ( all of this has to be cooked in a counter top toaster oven) and amply stuffed and surrounded with onions, carrots, butter and garlic. The tiny turkey stand-in went in the oven shortly after noon. By sometime after two (with only a couple bastings in between) the finished product emerged- a far cry from the fowl first seen at the market. The apartment was flooded with homey and delicious smells. In in a tiny kitchen and tiny oven, we pulled off a fantastic Christmas meal at about three o'clock in the afternoon. It was great fun to prepare and everything tasted amazing. We were all so stoked in our happy little Christmas haven all day.

In the evening, friends from the other Maui team came over for spiced cider and a movie...it was a great and cozy and family-like close to our Christmas festivities. Such a blessing from the Lord to all of us. Such a merry little Christmas.

Breakfast- a great start to a merry little Christmas!

Opening stockings:) i am such a great reindeer.

Me and Mike take on the pigeon-esque turkey stand-in ...don't you love our sweaters??!

We cracked ourselves up all day.

Not posed. They really were that excited for the roasted chicken as Mike carved it up at dinner!

The finished product. (Food picture- sorry, Trina.)

You'd maybe have to live on rice and dumplings in Asia for several weeks to appreciate how joyous and welcome this homey feast appeared to us, and how lovely it tasted:)

Yay for our Merry little Christmas!

Pre-Christmas fun (or, More fun at the wet market )

For over a month i have been plotting a cozy Christmas away from home for my team. I even packed stovetop stuffing mix and a can of cranberries in our luggage. But there is still local preparations to make... like acquiring a turkey stand in. In this case, said stand in was to be a chicken. Me and Mike headed to the fresh market- not referred to as "the wet market" for nothing... the floors are always awash in unidentified juices and the run off of frequent hose flushings. While we are at the markets often, its certainly less often that we go to buy a whole chicken (generally we purchase recognizable parts of meat that are lying out pre-cut). Happily, my local friend accompanied us and the chicken acquisition was accomplished rather easily. And by rather easily i mean with a certain amount of yelling and pointing while a lady dug through cages of fluffy white (and truly unfortunate) fowl, dippings and de-featherings, amusing translations, and finally some rather gruesome encounters with a cleaver: "Can you tell her we can do without the head?!". At last we departed with a (still warm) chicken about the size of an overfed pigeon. Haha. Some people's pre-Christmas shopping consists of a visit to the mall and a stop by Starbucks; for others, well, its looks a little bit different.

Ignore the flayed rabbits and try not to notice that she hands you your change in already grimy (and now damp) bills with same hand she gutted your chicken with... yay for fun at the wet market!

studies, friends and teaching

Life is picking up pace a bit, with lots of bible studies to host, friends to meet with, and opportunities to teach and share with both believers and nonbelievers. Its exciting to be a part of all the Lord is doing here, and to see us woven into His plan! Thank you for your prayers- we have been blessed, encouraged, and led though so many open doors already...praise the Lord!

my group...and the greater Maui posse

Just wanted to post a few familiar faces- my little group is just four people... but there is another Maui group here (besides our contacts)...friends and familiar faces. Its great to have a familiar little community in the area and have times of worship together each week.

Maui staff!! Me and the four other Maui staff involved with leading these groups.

The whole posse- me and my co-leader's little group of four...and the other two dozen Maui folks spending part of their trip here!

Its Asia!

Even though the urban city skyline is chic and modern, its still Asia- with a long and old heritage lost under the shiny international city veneer. We took time to recognize that heritage with a morning walk through a park in the city, visiting an old guard tower from the ancient city walls. Sites like this are rare in the city- many historic buildings were traded long ago for the efficiency of an urban center. While in the park, we also played a hacky sack type game with some locals- and bought one of the little shuttlecock type birdies used for the game. We may go play this popular game in parks and campuses to help us make friends and get to know local students. You can pray for me- i am the least coordinated of my group :) Haha. It makes me shy of playing- but i'm working my way into it. Soon it may be too cool outside to play, so I hope we can use this fun way of meeting people in the meantime.

a room with a view

We are blessed to be staying in a lovely apartment, belonging to some of my Maui friends that are back in the States on a visit. Their place here has a truly remarkable view- especially from the master bedroom, which i am inhabiting at present. Its kind of ridiculous, actually. I have something of a princess bed, and then this panoramic bay window... after leaving my bedroom in the cinderblock sub level of an old beach house. Its a bit much- I am so blessed to have a room with view. And this view is outstanding.

Our patio has the same city skyline view- we all just love it. Every day we just sort of wonder at the Father's provision, our friends' generosity, and what the Lord is doing in this city.

Good morning, Asia!

transit: day in/ day out

On Sunday, we departed Maui in the morning- catching last glimpses of home through panoramic windows- we hopped through Honolulu to catch a Korea bound flight and flew ten hours to reach Seoul. Thankfully, as the sun set on the glowing landscape, we were issued hotel vouchers. Far and away beyond our expectations, the hotel was lovely and we were each given our own large room. It broke our two days of flying into neat (and actually easy) transit. We were given vouchers for meals- and the hotel had a phenomenal variety of offerings which we hated to tear ourselves away from at both dinner and breakfast! Seoul was a blessing and truly refreshing stop over for us. We watched the sun rise from the departure gate and boarded our last flight, arriving at our destination in the afternoon. After being picked up by a friend thats helping to connect us here, we took our luggage to our borrowed apartment (which is beautiful and another lavish blessing) and then headed out by the glow of yet another sunset to walk along the river and get some local food for dinner. We were arrived at last.

Maui...

...Seoul...

...Arrived!

last day with dad

After a few great days together, my dad flew out this evening... but not before we enjoyed a final day of sunshine, rainbows, sand and sea. It was a fitting end to a refreshing weekend. Now, the countdown to outreach has begun: three more days till departure...

blessing alert: my dad is here!

This past weekend, my dad flew in to spend several days with me before i leave for outreach. He is such a joy and blessing everywhere he goes:) In this case, that means Maui! Even in the last minute crush of my errands, preparations and course closing duties, its such a refreshment to have time with him as a haven in the midst of everything. We've eaten at all my favorite local places, got our feet in the sand, done some of my pre-outreach shopping, taken friends out to gelato, and tonight we plan to watch the sunset from the beach. Its a blessing to enjoy my dad's fellowship and care for these few days- i love that he flew out here to spend this short time with me. He's such a blessing and refreshment to me!

Dinner at the Paia Fish Market never disappoints

Gelato with some of my close girlfriends

momentum can be stressful

I haven't had time to write in the last week. I haven't had time for much of anything! I went through the entire day with my hair in a bed-head braid and never got around to fixing it until well into the evening when i finally paused in front of a mirror. My brain has felt almost as disheveled as my hair. The momentum of our impending departure for Asia is hurling me headlong through each day- and with everything I have to do before we go, that experience can be stressful. I have been trying to diligently take time to focus on the Lord and step back from the clutter of responsibilities to breathe; its not easy. But if i don't stay on track there, i can win every battle and lose the war. If I miss Christ in my busy-ness, I forfeit everything, and my busy-ness is for naught. For to Whom are my days? My breaths? My prayers? My labors? And if not in, to, through, and for the Lord- than what? This is where i find perspective. Perspective that holds off the weight of the momentum, and honors God by setting the striving of stress aside. Easy? No. Vital? Yes.

John 15.

In the midst of it all, I have to say: i love my life. There is always grace for what i am given. (But granted, not always a lot of time to update my blog:)