The more I read about it online, the more excited I got!

This was back in July.

I sent an email…  got connected to the event on Facebook for updates and started asking questions.

Found out a couple things…. One It is free to mainlanders!  It is difficult for Mainland Asians to get into Hong Kong (they need passport and visa).Two is they connected me with Sam. A student living in this city I live in.

I began to realize that I needed to hold the idea of going to Passion loosely.  If Dad wants us to go, He'll bring the people and make it clear.

An initial disappointment.  But…. Fast forward to last week right outside my new home!
___
Peering through the layers of bodies all waiting at the crosswalk… I caught a peek at her.
Directly across from me was our university gate.  …and HER I think!!  There were only a few people waiting in front of the gate.

As I crossed the busy street our eyes met, grew wider … “Melody!? Is that you?” she said.

“Sam! …  HI! Yes!”

As we walked and talked that night, I felt as if I'd known Sam forever. It is really cool. We shared testimonies, talked about this year ahead, and discovered that in big and small ways …we were answers to the others' prayers. Already a Book study is in formation! I can't tell you what an encouragement it is to have this friend to work with. Dad prepares
for us more than we imagine.

Being my third day here, I was prepared too! It only takes most people once — and me twice — to learn to what the “rainy season” means in the city of GZ. Always have an umbrella on hand.

The learning curve we all are on right now is a steep one! Everything is new to us in this city! The language, sounds, smells, culture, indecipherable writing. It’s exciting!

Most exciting is that myself and my team of twenty are on the biggest spiritual adventure of our lives.  Been reading the book of Joshua this week.  God keeps reminding me that He is WITH us. He is going to take this City for His Namesake. I can't wait to see how this year unfolds.

I believe that as you seek His heart for GZ and for us, He is going to speak to you. Will you commit to sharing with me this year any recurring thoughts, specific prayers, and declarations that Dad gives to you as you talk to Him about us. “If one can put ten thousand to flight” then two of us can…..  send millions … Your prayer's are such a big part of God advancing His Glory in this city.

It has been a vivid reminder of the brevity of life. “On Christ the SOLID rock we stand… all other ground is sinking sand…”

The panic and uncertainty felt much like 9-11. You know, it has been really tiring and intense to be here right now, but it has been really amazing to know that God has “special agents” of hope and peace here! It's been awesome to open up our homes to friends and be available to speak LIFE into the fear.

Still today the aftereffects of the event are hitting us all. This morning, I was alerted by my adorable neighbors that the water has been shut off…. The MAIN water supply a few cities away busted and was polluted, so all the water will be off for five days. Crazy!!

I know that God is using us in a special way to minister to our friends and even to perfect strangers while we are here! It is no accident that we did not leave the country two weeks ago, but are here and able to be the fragrance of Jesus.

Praise:
We survived a major earthquake! God has kept us safe in this country.Thank you for praying! This last weekend my team got to share the gospel in our home with about fifteen students. It was an awesome time. Tears filled eyes around the room and many have asked for prayer since then. It is exciting to know that God is softening hearts and continuing His work…. even right up until the time we leave!

We planned it, prayed, and WENT. But the thing that made it all happen is that God CAME with us. Every single one of us felt His nearness and heard His voice as we went out onto the campuses in this city.

This is a glimpse of what happened:
Teams of three headed out each morning to an assigned university. They prayed, walked, and gathered information. Then at night, all twenty six of us piled into a small hotel room sharing testimonies and worshiping. Story after story of how God met us and spoke to us about His harvest in this place came back each night. It was faith building.

In September, a group of twenty five will arrive to work in this new city. God has made it clear to us that He is leading us here. Thank you for your prayers for us, for the trip, and for the remaining time we will be in this country. God is truly a faithful God.

And now…
We are back in our home cities. Both teams have arrived home! There are four weeks left before we head back to the US. It's exciting! And a little intimidating. We want to leave things just as God has in mind. Please pray that we would wisely spend our days. And that God would continue to help us teach and instruct and receive from Him.

“ Faire – steadfast heart. Woman of faith. In marriage – steadfast love. Committed, unfaltering, firm.”

Another reads:

“Linda – Annointing on her … graceful dance recital… Full of grace. Chosen one. Apostle- she'll start churches.”

These were some words our team felt in January as we prayed for our friends for two of my close “students”

I walked away from lunch with Linda amazed. Amazed at how God has shaped her seart to be such a wide open vessel. She's receiving teaching and growing. She's personally committed to reading the Word. AND she's stepping out in prayer and sharing testimonies. And it isn't even by my promptings It's so precious. And really powerful.

I believe that God is going to use Linda in a tremendous way in this new church over the summer! I LOVE IT! I absolutely love what God is about!

Update:
The H2O party was beautiful. Faire and Linda were two of the four that got dunked. BUT… get this: The only three friends that were present and not already dunked or getting dunked that very day are NOW 100% ready and eager to take that step! It was a sweet sweet time.

Mayday: … it has been non-stop for both he and Meghan. They are taking care of all sorts of responsibilities that are new to each of them. God is giving them strength and grace. Please continue to lift them up. I know that Mayday will be facing jetlag and culture adjustments in a wave-like manner. Thank you for praying!

God has been full of grace toward each member on my team! I am quite speechless – honored to be walking SO aware of God’s grace. We are growing! And it is exciting! He has strengthened His work in me, all around me, in the lives of my teammates, and in what we are investing our time into. Thank you for all your prayers.

It's gonna be awesome! The congregation will be: my team, those being dunked, those young leaders helping to LEAD this celebration, and a whole slew of friends witnessing this act! These students are genuine, and as I think about each one making this public confession… I am so thrilled to know the process that God has worked in their hearts so far.

It's SO cool!!!!

This week has been really intense. I wanted to make you aware of a special need.

Mayday hugged us goodbye three days ago. His bride-to-be's father died suddenly earlier this week. And as we prayed about it, It was VERY clear that He needed to be home now. So with confident and peaceful hearts … we sent him off.

My brother came to visit and speak at our CT team's “fellowship.” (Like you have every Sunday morning.) But it wasn't like every Sunday morning. Here we were. Consecrating our lifetime to seeing the world come to Christ in OUR generation. It was solemn. It was sincere. It was and is what happens when the Holy Spirit falls and causes revival in hearts.

He talked about the greatest student missions movement ever. It started in 1886. With a small prayer meeting in Haystacks. And from there launched a message that echoed John Wesley's statement.: “Give me 100 men who hate only sin and love only God and we can change the world.” Their slogan: We CAN if we WILL. What this is is much greater than one year in Asia.

As we closed the meeting, the words that echoed in the place were full of belief that we CAN and that we WILL.

These are the kind of radical people I get to be here with!

My eyes are dancing between Clover and the rush hour traffic she is confidently maneuvering through.. Back and forth. Back and forth. Clover's punkish hair and casual dress match her chill personality. With simple English words, a bit of body language, and some talk in the local language, we can hold a fine conversation. It's takes energy, but we have fun. =)

We are only a fifteen minute drive away from the other girls, but I want to make this time to talk count. My simple agenda is to let Clover know that I care about her as a friend. “My house is YOUR house.” I say to her sincerely. When Vivian brought her over to join the “paint my living room night”, I knew it was for a God-reason. Even beyond Viv's whisper to me: “She's not in the family… yet.” (wink) I picked up God’s cues. There is a cry for real Love in her.

“My house is not your house!” Clover laughs out loud at her own humor.

“CLOVER!!!” I just gasp and give her the response she is asking for. =)

My next question is if she lives with her mom and dad. Seconds later, she is telling me that her mom died one year ago in a very bad traffic accident. She misses her mom. She feels SO sad, but she feels worse for her dad. He misses her mom so much. Somehow, Lily and I start teaching Clover The Audio Adrenalin Song “Big House” .. which is perfect. It's simple and it's all about God’s OPEN house.

Girl's night is coming to a close. As we sing “Your Love is Amazing” for the tenth time through I pray that they would KNOW it. That each one would come to know this amazing Love.

And Someone’s been in my chair! Someone has been sharing Jesus. Here in Asia!

I sat on the cushy bus seat and talked to two eager listeners about Jesus. The thirty minutes on the bus (plush as it may be) is a great place to have conversations with people. Oh, but wait! They had heard this before! Victor even had some of the Word memorized.

A half an hour later, I meet Julia in the library. Turns out, she is a Christian! And will bring some of her unsaved friends to meet us tomorrow for lunch. Then again as we are at the campus’s English Corner we find a whole group of interested hungry students. I am in awe of how God has been introducing us to people non-stop.

My roommate and I came home jumping up and down tonight as we saw the POWER of the gospel for three girls. Personally, I am so thankful that He came and caught all of our attention. The tofu soup wasn’t worthy of my attention, as far as I could tell (and smell)!

“You know the miracle is this: that He came and that He lived and that He died and that HE defeated the grave… ALL to demonstrate the Love that the Father God has for me and for you. ” “This IS Jesus…”

Tears filled each of our eyes at one point in the night. As we left Jocelyn, Judy, and CiCi in their dorm room (after the tofu soup dinner), we knew they each had a personal encounter with Jesus. They would have all prayed the sinner’s prayer tonight if we had led them in it. I’m not kidding! At all. It was an incredibly real and powerful night. And I can’t expalin why we waited, other than, it was faith in God’s timing. In HIS time. They WILL be HIS daughters.

He is WILLING that NONE should perish, I want to be too!

Evangelism 101
Don’t sleep on buses. People might get saved.

Yes it is! We have a home! I have a housemate, and we are officially a completed team! I can't tell you how RIGHT it feels to be together again.

It is great to finally get settled. Although the area is SO dingy and filthy outside, it is no reflection of the lovely inside. Gorgeous floors, freshly cleaned, so inviting and beautiful. I love it!

There is a real sense that this house will be a strategic address for His purposes in many lives. Within four days of arriving, I've had fifteen different visitors. Two of them were sleepovers with local friends. His peace is here!

In other news: My team is pumped to be focusing on our campus’s two newer locations. The English proficiency is much better at these two and we are encouraged to have meaningful, clear conversation with new friends. This week we are heading out to the campuses with strength, renewed vision, and some clear goals. I am thrilled to tell you that God has been a close refuge and resource to each of my team members these past two weeks. It's evident that people have been praying for us! Thank you.

God is our refuge and our fortress (strength) a VERY PRESENT Help in time of need.