East Asia 2008: Part I.

I did a better job of journaling my trip so I should be able to recap the trip better than last time.

April 14: Wrote this on my wrist at my apartment. An encouragement verse from Ashley Ingram that pumped me up for the trip. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”

Left DFW around 9pm. My last American meal was at the airport’s TGIF, cheeseburger and fries. Had to sit by the jets on the plane. “ROAR!” Oddly, it was an MD-80, the same aircrafts that were suspended a few days before we took off. Definitely one of the many signs that God’s hand was with us. Journal entry ends with, “I need a bigger heart and an open mind. And some sleep!”

April 15: Landed at LAX and getting a feel for everyone’s role in the trip. The day was “short” because of the time changes. Ended the day’s journal entry with “Ashley’s verse of encouragement has definitely pumped me up, so I’m quite eager to get cracking. But perhaps we shouldn’t wait ’til (our destination)?”

April 16: Continued our journey across the Pacific. Tried to use my jacket as a pillow, but my sore neck woke me up. My partner for the trip (and team leader), Molly, lent me her travel pillow. BEST INVENTION EVER. I took two Nyquil and passed the heck out. She said at one point of the trip, I woke up and said, “This Nyquil is eating… MY BRAIN” and passed back out.

When we landed at our destination country (but not city), we discovered Carrie’s suitcase didn’t make it to the airport. I wrote, “Thankfully, she was flexible and unwilling to let the problem ‘determine this trip.’”

A small bus/van took us to our first foreign meal. The menu had pictures and English so it was a great transition meal. We tried some new things and some safe things. Below I am eating one of the stranger tasting things. I took a dare to put it all in my mouth at one time. It was tough to cram it all in, but… SUCCESS!

We then spent a few hours sightseeing which included Tiananmen Square, its surroundings, and a three-story KFC. Everyone got their first dose of being the minority in this country which took them awhile to get used to. Here are some of my favorite pics:

We asked a local to take our picture. For some reason, a few bystanders thought they should join in too.

Three stories tall!

A persistant saleslady trying to haggle Jeremy for a North Face jacket. She noticed me taking a picture so she stopped and waved!

After sightseeing, we went to an airport across the city. My first time (of many) to get felt up by security! (Don’t worry, she was a female.) She was very suspicious of the object in my pocket even though I showed her it was Chapstick. I spotted my first squatty potty at the airport and decided to hold it. I finished that portion of the journal entry with, “Will this be another successful non-squatty trip? Guess we’ll see.”

I’m baaaaack!

My team and I arrived at DFW around 8pm tonight. Celebrated the return at On the Border because I had chicken fajitas and ‘ritas on the brain. And now, I have SOFT BED! on the brain so I will post pictures and recaps later.

And away we go!

THANK YOU TO ALL! who have supported me financially and prayerfully. There is only so much I can do alone so how awesome it is to have a body of believers behind me!

In six hours, six of us will be heading across the Pacific to a country that does not have the same freedoms as the U.S.A. The people here are starving for a light to their lives, a bigger reason for living. I know because I’ve met them. Although they live in a restricted country, the Gospel is a little sweeter there. Maybe it’s because we take for granted the readily available Good News here. Maybe it’s because we tend to use it as a status symbol. Maybe because we’re so busy sporting our “God Bless America” bumper stickers, we forget that what that means. And that God blesses all the other nations too.

My team and I will be gone until the 25th. I humbly ask that you remember us during your prayers. Here are some specifics to pray for:
- safety
- health
- open hearts, both within our team and the people we encounter
- team unity
- rememberance that love is bigger than language barriers
- endurance
- open eyes to the opportunities God has opened
- also, pray for the family of long-term missionaries that we are helping over there. they have a little baby, Apple!

I look forward to sharing all the crazy exciting things the Lord has in store for us there. Hasta la vista, babies.

Encouragement.

I just did a search online for the word “encourage” in the ESV translation of the Bible. Interestingly enough, 25% of the “encourage” passages are found in Acts. I listened to Acts (yes! audiobook rocks!) before my last mission trip and it did exactly that — encouraged me — through the beginnings of our early church. Many miracles happened, thousands were converted, and the disciples acted bolder than they had while Jesus was still on earth! As a church, they gave and received encouragement which no doubt, is key to a healthy community.

So, this is my proposal to my online community. Send me some Scriptures of encouragement!

It could be your favorite passage (please no ceremonial laws, you comedic theologians!) or maybe just one you feel led to share. *Don’t send me the passages word for word, just the chapter and verse. This will ensure I will open up my Bible to find it!* Although my primary objective will be to serve the locals there, I don’t want to forget you guys. And what better way to connect everything altogether and encourage each other than with God’s Word?

So leave me some comment love or you can even e-mail me at theneener[at]gmail.com. Your homework is due by 3pm Monday because our flight leaves later that day!

“‘Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.’ So Paul stood up…!” - Acts 13:15-16

Community.

I tear up almost every Sunday night. It’s embarrassing, but true. I wouldn’t consider myself a very emotional person, but there is something that tugs on my heart every time I watch Extreme Home Makeover or Oprah’s Big Give. There is something about the community coming together to help out a person or family. There is something about random people pulling together their resources to meet simple, yet necessary needs. And these people not only meet their needs but go above and beyond.

It’s strange when that person is you.

My friend D’Ann who I met at Texas Tech lives in Fort Worth where she attends seminary. She is also a member of The Village Church so she makes the trek every weekend to hang out and hit up church. What I did not know is that she is involved with a Bible study with members from another church, Wedgewood Baptist. (Yes, that Wedgewood.) Apparently, they covered the topic of “faith” a few weeks ago and it was laid on their hearts to help out someone in need. And for some reason, D’Ann threw my name out there. Her unemployed Asian friend that is heading off on a mission trip with the daunting task of asking for more money since she just took the same trip eight months ago. And what’s crazier is that they decided to help me out.

Tomorrow night, I will be in Mansfield, Texas to eat spaghetti and meet these people that have decided to extend their hands out out of their city limits. I will meet the people that have graciously put together this dinner to raise money for me which I will give to The Village Church international missions funds towards my trip. Tomorrow night my heart will be full of joy, knowing my pride kept me from asking many people for help for this trip, but God has provided this random group of people to love on me.

This small group has reminded me that community isn’t just the neighborhood I live in or the church I attend. Community extends quite further than that and my hope is that I don’t forget this truth.

(that is the flyer they made up for the dinner! there’s even a facebook event!)