New Jobs

  I haven't posted lately because I've been a wee bit busy... I have a new job!  Actually TWO of them!  I am now (Job #1) the International Students' Coordinator at the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Hong Kong (same place - at the top of the hill here in Shatin -- where my husband, "Dr. Wayne" teaches) AND (Job #2) I'm the Associate Coordinator of the Mekong Mission Forum Network Implementation Committee.

I've spent the first week on the job just trying to learn my title(s)!  And getting acquainted with the map of the Mekong River (helpfully lifted from the internet).

After less than a week on  Job #1 I've already fielded inquiries from India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Ghana, Canada, and the USA. 

After less than a week on Job #2 I've done a bit of editing on an MMF-NIC publication but mostly am wondering whether I ever actually be able to be of help to anyone.  (I did learn how to use the copier, the scanner, and after much fumbling, successfully unlocked my own office door).

Stay tuned!

Oh, and I've still reserved Thursdays for Job #3, (volunteer church work, continuing for my third year already!) which is working with the primary school kids at the Ma On Shan Lutheran School in Heng On... we're going to be doing the Big Jungle Adventure  later on this fall in our Truth English Bible Club.  One of our sponsoring churches in Wisconsin sent us a bunch of fun crafts, posters, and prizes to use, since they used the same program this summer.

It's amazing what a big world it is, and how interconnected.

And now it's time for me to go to bed (yes, I'm pretty much over jet lag except that I'm going to bed at 9:30 and getting up at 5!) and time for many of you to be getting up for the day's journey.  Reminds me of one of my favorite hymns, stanzas 1 & 4 of "The Day You Gave Us, Lord, Has Ended":

The day you gave us, Lord, has ended, the darkness falls at your behest,
To you our morning hymns ascended; your praise shall hallow now our rest.

The sun, here having set, is waking your children under western skies,
and hour by hour as day is breaking, fresh hymns of thankful praise arise.

Return to Hong Kong - Moon Festival - New Beginnings

Flowers awaited me upon my return to Hong Kong.

I'm back in Hong Kong!  This week I start a new job as International Student Coordinator at the Lutheran School of Theology... and as the Mekong Mission Forum Network Implementation Committee Assistant Coordinator... whew, that's a mouthful! Do I know what I'm getting myself into? Not really!

I do know that I get to help serve students coming from Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, who are studying at LTS in Hong Kong, in order to be better equipped to serve their growing churches in countries where few people know who Jesus Christ is, and the people who carry his name are often persecuted.

I start on Thursday. The learning curve for me will be steep.  

Last night we attended a brief memorial service for the Mom of one of the students from Myanmar.  The Mom had died while her daughter was far from home (here in Hong Kong), reminding us of the sacrifices so many families are willing to make in order to help these LTS students follow their calling to study here. But the students reminded each other (and us!) of the hope of the Gospel we share, which make these present sacrifices so worthwhile.

Near the end of the little service, one of the LTS professors stood up to recite, by heart, this scripture passage:

⁹ However, as it is written:
   “What no eye has seen,
   what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
   the things God has prepared for those who love him—
 ¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
   The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
                                                                         -- II Corinthians, 2:9-10

Watching the full moon from our roof on  Moon Festival (Monday night). Today (Tuesday) is a public holiday here in Hong Kong.  "Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars" - Psalm 148:3  The deep things of God, indeed!

Too Many Goodbyes.

Youngest Kid said it last Sunday:
Too many goodbyes.

Good bye to Eldest Son who's off in Korea teaching (I am waiting for his blog updates!!!)

Good bye to Middle Son who is happily applying for what he hopes will be lucrative internships in finance (he's a university senior and the world is his oyster.)

Goodbye to the season of "hands on" parenting.  Wayne and I are now officially empty-nesters. That Youngest Kid who bravely went off with us to Asia as a 15 year old is now an 18 year old University of Wisconsin freshman.  I said good bye to him and cried like I haven't cried in years.

Good bye to Eldest Sister, the gardener, who revamped our yard, helped cook, savored some lovely glasses of wine with us,  even though-- or maybe because she's wrestling with the pains and aches and hard decisions of Stage 4 breast cancer.

Goodbye to my eighty-seven year old Mutti who is still interested in every aspect of our lives. Who has finally agreed to start using a cane when she goes for her walks.

Oh yes, I almost forgot, good bye to that cat, Wilson, who terrorized the chipmunks in our back yard, but magically came when I, only I called him.

Sometimes good-byes are a good thing. We said goodbye to Wilson the cat - he's staying with friends. This chipmunk is enjoying raiding our bird feeder in peace.

 Good bye to cherry trees and fall colors and crisp evening air.  Good bye to those chipmunks and the deer and the bluebirds.  Goodbye to Door County ice-cream, tubs of Amish blue cheese, fresh salmon on the grill. Goodbye to the good Lutheran churches and kind, caring individuals who support us so graciously. 

Now it's back to Hong Kong, where my husband is already at work and where a new job awaits me.


The Daily Text  and prayer are especially helpful for me today:

Friday, September 9

I will say, "They are my people"; and they will say, "The Lord is our
God." Zechariah 13:9

Be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do
this, you will never stumble. 2 Peter 1:10

Lord, our God, help us to follow in the path you have set before us.
Keep our steps sure and prevent us from stumbling. We are your people.
Thank you for being our Lord and God. Amen.