What I like least and best about my new job...

Today's a Typhoon Day (heavy winds in Hong Kong from Typhoon Nesat, wind forces measured up to 121 KM per hour!) so I thought it's a good time to update my blog after my first two weeks on the new job as International Students' Coordinator at the Lutheran School of Theology in Hong Kong.

Above you can see a few of the beautiful faces I get to see each and every day that I am at the seminary.  (Shout-out to the congregations of the Indiana-Kentucky synod of the ELCA -- do you recognize one of these faces???  You should, because one of these wonderful new students is able to study here in Hong Kong because of a scholarship generously sponsored by YOU!)

This week I"m discovering that this job entails all I love to do best... and least!

I'll tell you about the least, first.

I get to push pencils.  Fill out forms.  Figure out where documents are filed on the computer.  Make sure money has transferred into the correct accounts.  Convert euros and U.S. dollars into Hong Kong dollars (whoa, for those who are interested... the euro really is worth a lot less than it was just a few months ago).  I get to send (what seems like) endless documents to the Immigration Office (for visas) and make sure they bear the correct reference numbers (Ref. 0001732096754 S0155, formerly ref. 0001697043226 S11432) for one made-up-but-not-exaggerated example! And I get to write elaborate letters thanking the immigration office for the opportunity to send in yet more documents for their perusal!  And, when sending to Cambodia for another document to send - immediately - to the Hong Kong office, I get a letter back stating that there is a national festival in Cambodia which means that all governmental offices are closed down... for the week!  AND when I DO get all the documents together for the students from Laos, I zip them off to the Hong Kong Immigration office (Ok, I don't actually zip them anywhere, because the fax machine clogs up on me at least 3 times) but I finally get them -- slowly - chug chug -- sent off so they will be there first thing in the morning... when ta ta!  A typhoon comes cycling close enough to HK that ALL HK governmental offices are closed today.

That's what I like least about my new job.

What I like best is....

International students. From Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia... and more.
That's what I like best about my new job.

"Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”            Revelation 15:4

Ups, Downs, and Typhoons

We were so happy to pick our youngest son up from the airport where he had successfully navigated the multi-legged trip to Wisconsin and back to Hong Kong. Not bad for a 16 year old.

We gave him one whole day of rest then signed him up to go with Wayne for an overnight camping adventure with Inner City Ministries. Since he will be teaching a course about Youth & Family Counseling this fall, Wayne thought it would be good to get some hands on experience with the ministries already in place here in Hong Kong. This particular event was with youth whose families are immigrants to Hong Kong from Nepal.

Do you notice anything funny about the way Wayne is holding his arm in picture #2? After falling hard during one of the first activities, he soldiered on for several more hours until everyone convinced him it might be good to go see a doctor.

Yes, indeed, the arm is broken.

We also experienced our first typhoon winds just last night. I slept through it but for some reason (!) Wayne was awake and heard the winds roaring and tree branches falling around us.

In the morning, the city sweepers were already hard at work cleaning up the debris. Typhoons seem to be just part of the standard summer experiences here in Hong Kong.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

--Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians 15:58 (Today's New International Version)