Asia #5 - July 13

The days seem to just fly by these days, though every day is packed with activity. This Friday, we visited a nearby orphanage. The orphanage is such a witness of G's power. The "mother" and "father" have so much trust. They don't ask for support because they trust in the Father's power to provide. They have expanded their facilities to include a center for those with disabilities, a center to feed the poor and help the sick of surrounding community, and they have even more plans. The government brings abandoned children to them. They build their facilities themselves, with the help of volunteers. When there are volunteers to help, the work goes forward. When there are not, the work stops. We couldn't spend much time there, but we were all moved by the experiences of the people there and how much G has provided for them. They really have so much work to do. . . it's not easy raising so many chidren, but they shared how G has transformed them through the work. How living with the children, they see every day their own limitations and their inability to love. Every day, they must come before G, admit their failures, and ask for strength from Him.

On Saturday, we went to Mt. Baekdu, or Chang Bai Shan as they say here. It was amazing. We were pushed and squeezed as we fought through a crazy line steered by a zig-zag fence formation, all to get on the "jeeps of death" that went speeding through the twisty curves of the mountain road, but the trouble was worth it to see the lake on top of the mountain. It was a beautiful blue, peaceful lake, the other side of which belongs to NK. Even on the ride up the mountain, the many cliffs and fields, with the clouds casting shadows on different portions, was a beautiful sight to behold (if you could bear to look out). We also saw a waterfall and some people got to wade in the cool water. It was a tiring day: we left at 4am and drove 4 hours each way and some of us got a little lost at one point. . .but in the end, it was an experience we would never forget. Hopefully, I will be able to send some pictures of it soon.

Sunday evening, we had dinner with the president of the university. He is a remarkable man, fully of energy. Also very funny. He encouraged us the same way he encourages his students: to have vision. He told us that vision is what allows us to keep going despite failures and to keep challenging the world around us. As long as we are humans, we will fail and we will encounter suffering, but we must keep going to do G's work. It was all re-emphasizing what I had already experienced so far. That the dreams and visions I had previously were so small and uninformed. I had no idea of all the things that G is doing in this place and now that I see a little more, I realize I need to adjust my perspective. Perhaps we all need to attempt greater things for the kingdom. . .which necessarily means being better listeners. I don't think I was good at listening to Him. We also heard from other volunteers about their experiences so far, which was encouraging and fun.

I think all of us have been thinking about vision and about the future: how to serve. Not just because of the president's words to us, but just because of everything we have been experiencing. Please ask Dad to help us hear His voice and to dream greater dreams for Him. We're all working on being sensitive to His voice, both for the near future, and for the farther future as well. Please also ask our father to preserve our health. Nancy's been trying to shake off a cold for a week now, and Julia and Karen have been feeling the signs of an oncoming cold. Also ask that we would give our best as our schedules get busier and to guard our times with Him.

Thanks, everyone!

-Michelle