My heart breaks for his family and loved ones as I hear the news that Nabeel Qureshi has gone to be with Jesus, and I even feel a personal loss though I didn’t know the man personally. I have prayed for Nabeel so regularly over the past year–that God would work a miraculous healing in his body–that it is hard to believe that he is … Continue reading “Well done, good and faithful servant”
I had not trained to hike a mountain. Especially not in the foothills of the Himalayas. Certainly not for a three-day hike while carrying a backpack weighing at least forty pounds.
But sometimes we do things we never dreamed of doing. Sometimes we face trials that we never expected. That’s what happened in the summer of 2004 for me. That’s when I faced the greatest physical challenge of my life so far.
I was spending my summer in a small Tibetan town in Sichuan, China. I was working with a family who was there long-term and two other short-term workers like myself. We taught English in schools, we visited Buddhist temples, we came together with the community once a week in the evening for dancing in the town square, we studied Tibetan and Mandarin, we tasted all sorts of exotic foods, we read by candlelight in the evenings when the power went out town-wide to save energy, and we rode mules into the mountains to visit with villagers–it was the adventure of a lifetime. For the sake of others, I cannot divulge many details about my trip, but I can say that it was a spiritual adventure and mission even more than a physical one. Continue reading “A Tale of Two Mountains”
I am afraid of heights. To be more accurate, I am terrified of falling from great heights. I imagine that’s what most people mean when they say they are “afraid of heights.”
My fear includes walking along high ledges, dangling in a ski lift chair far above the ground, looking down from the roofs of tall buildings, walking across suspension bridges, summiting the top of a high Ferris wheel, and other similar situations. I especially dislike going down steep stairs (which happens much more frequently in life than the other scenarios I listed); my head gets dizzy, my legs get all wobbly, and I feel like I am going to tip over and forward-roll my way down to the bottom.
Yesterday, we went on a tour to the Great Wall of China. I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of it, but if you’ve never been, there’s no way to accurately imagine just how steep the steps are. Pictures don’t do it justice. For instance, here’s a photo that Charles took looking down the stairs we had just climbed. A friend and I are sitting on the ledge in the middle/top of the stairs. Trust me: it was steeper than it looks. Continue reading “A Lesson I Learned on The Great Wall of China”
Last night was our Staff Appreciation Dinner at Morrison Academy Taichung. Every year the board graciously treats the entire staff (teachers, maintenance workers, principals, administrative assistants, tech guys, cleaning people, cooking staff, etc.) to a formal dinner party. It’s the one time of year that you’ll see all Morrison personnel dressed in their finest, and it’s a very festive event. After the meal, there is a time to recognize people who have served for 5, 10, 15, 20… years in the school system as well as a time to honor and say goodbye to those who are leaving at the end of the year. Continue reading “Joy and Appreciation”
Happy Easter! 復活節快樂!
We celebrated Easter Sunday at New Life Bilingual Church, a Southern Baptist church plant here in Kaohsiung. It’s the church that my sisters and I have been attending this year. We love the pastor and the people. The preaching is great, the music is encouraging, and the fellowship is rich. This year, Easter was extra-special for my sisters and me because our mom is here visiting for two weeks, so we were together for Easter Sunday. Continue reading “A Multicultural Easter”
Peace Along the Journey 