Missing Life in the City

As most of you know, David and I are currently in good ol' Lubbock, Texas--my hometown and basically the capital of suburbia. Today I was missing my other home a little bit (East Asia) so I was getting on friends' blogs and reading about what was going on on the other side of the world. Basically, I discovered they are smack in the middle of the summer rainy season, which I very much remember from last summer when the temperature never got above 60 degrees and it rained continuously, 24 hours a day, for about 25 days straight in July (no shorts or swimming or any of the fun summer activities I was looking forward to). So, that was good and made me thankful to spend the summer in a different way--at home, with family, in Lubbock where it is currently 102 degrees. But I read a recent blog by my friend Josh that was inspired by a book he was reading about urbanism--basically, it was all about how living in the city really is good for the soul. He described a lot of the casual relationships he and his wife have built with their neighbors and with the shopkeepers and vegetable sellers in their neighborhood. About these he said, "I’m realizing how significant all these short little human interactions are. Interacting with strangers is good for the soul. It helps me remember that I’m not the only one on the planet and helps me to care about people who aren’t directly involved in my life. I think that it makes me more human." I completely agree. I feel like living in the city I meet new and interesting people every day--cab drivers, women who sell handmade aprons on the street, etc. 90% of these interractions are positive, but even the negative ones are good for me in that they teach me patience, and they help me take seriously being polite, kind and compassionate to others. Its defintely my favorite thing about living in the city, and also one of my favorite things about living overseas (that the people I meet are from a different culture just makes them more interesting to me)! Anyway, I highly recommend reading this blog entry.

Fun with Family

We've been enjoying the clear, blue skies and gorgeous, cool Utah weather these past few days, but even more we've been enjoying being together with family! Here are some favorite photos:




This one is my favorite! Mom, Becky and I came home from buying groceries to find David, Josh and Dad ALL just sitting around on their laptops!

Random in Park City

Here are some photos I took today in Park City, Utah. This tree of shoes reminds me that America can sometimes be just as random as Asia.
My favorite is these ski boots someone managed to get up in the tree. :)
This tiny cottage in Park City is for sale for $795,000.
Interesting--this photo was NOT taken in Asia, but Salt Lake City. Bilingual in English and Chinese.

Thankful

So, David and I are back here in the good ol' USA!! We arrived Thursday night, delirious and wanting not to ever spend another second on a plane ever again, which is a wish that will be granted us for exactly one month. Jet lag kicked in for me at exactly 4:30 a.m. friday morning, when I found myself wide awake and yet somehow also still exhausted. But, friday ended up being a great day, and we managed to stay busy and awake until 11 p.m.! This day included an overwhelming trip to the grocery store (suddenly, so many choices all available to me any time I please!!), and overwhelming trip to the mall (people are wearing that these days?!), and a wonderful couple of hours spent at Barnes and Noble (browsing books with a Starbucks in my hand? Awesome!). My mom treated us to a delicious lunch at this really nice fresh fish restaurant--it made for a spectacular first real meal in the States! Last night, my sister took us to a little cafe she likes that reminded me a lot of Foster's Market in Chapel Hill. The food was really good, and afterwards we went to see a movie called "The Visitor." Becky and Josh had seen it at the Sundance Film Festival, and now it was in the theater. It was really good--about this lonely college professor whose life is reinvigorated when he meets this illegal immigrant couple and begins trying to help them. I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the movie, but it was really engaging and held my attention the whole way through! We finished the fun evening off with some frozen yogurt, and lots of laughter together with my family. For this and so much more, I am truly thankful!

Goodbye Asia . . . for now

Well, our semester is over (although school here technically doesn't end till mid-July!) and David and I are headed home to the U.S. to see our friends and families--some for the first time in 2 years! Needless to say, we are excited. The last few days have been a whirlwind of business, but the Lord has been good in the midst to give us sweet time and conversations with good friends here--chances both to be a blessing to others, and be blessed in return! Anyway, this is a short post because we need to head to bed, get up and get on a plane tomorrow! I'll post again soon about our adventures in good ol' America! Till then . . .

More Earthquake Thoughts

Its been a couple of weeks since the earthquake in our neighboring province, and while the return to somewhat-normalcy has been nice, the disaster is still very much present in our hearts and minds. While I still feel overwhelmed when I think of the suffering and the enormity of the issues in the quake zone, this past week or so has also brought with it some really amazingly encouraging stories.

Last Sunday at the International Fellowship that David and I attend here in our city (its legal so I can write about it), a doctor shared about the time he and a team of doctors spent working in a camp of survivors near the epicenter. He said that since they arrived 5 days after the quake, most of the serious injuries had already been treated, so the work they spent the most time doing was simply dressing minor wounds and such things. However, they found the work to be incredibly meaningful for 2 reasons--they were so glad to be able to give some rest to the military doctors who had been working at this location for literally 5 days straight without a break. They said it meant a lot to them to be working side by side with these doctors with a common goal (this doesn't often happen here--foreigners and the military being on the same side).

The other reason actually involves very non-medical work they ended up doing. Something I have heard from several sources working up there is that one of the major needs is for volunteers to go to these camps of survivors and organize games and activities to entertain the children. This doctor said after the first day when they noticed dozens of kids just wandering around aimlessly, some of the doctors decided to put together a little arts and crafts center for the kids. By the end of their time there, they had 40 or so kids coming daily to spend the day coloring or making crafts, as well as smiling and laughing. The laughter of these kids soon spread to the adults around them, and it felt like hope and encouragement was returning to this camp!

Another friend who is very actively involved in the relief efforts said this in a recent email:

"If you were asked to guess the earthquake survivors’ two most sought-after items, would you say water and medical supplies? Food and blankets?

Would you believe…tents and soccer balls?? Several teams would attest from their experience that the need for fun and laughter is as great as basic survival needs.

One group of athletic minded college guys were inspired to bring a bunch of sports equipment so the refugee camp’s children could have the chance to feel like kids again. Imagine their surprise when the adults gathered around and their faces lit up at the sound of lighthearted laughter at play!

Another surprise was how their games somehow freed the children up to share their traumatic experiences that up until that time they hadn’t shared with anyone else. Lin had been in the camp with the other children for at least a week before the roving soccer camp arrived. As a result of this “soccer therapy” she was able to reveal that she had lost a sister in the earthquake, something she had not told anyone before that.

It is evidence that the necessities of the soul such as connecting with others and the promise of tomorrow - as seen in the laughter of children - can help soften the blow of losing loved ones, homes and material possessions. It serves as a reminder that life will indeed hold something to look forward to again, as long as there are children and soccer balls."

These two separate stories really encouraged and humbled me. In my pride, I often think that if God will use me, it will be through some really big, really significant thing. But it was really good to be reminded that doctors can find significance in acting like camp counselors, and that sometimes the most important thing you could do in a given day is organize a game of soccer.

Back to Blogging

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted many things these past few weeks. First it was simply busyness, and recently with the earthquake and all, it's simply been due to weariness and really being unsure what to write. Its been kind of a heavy time, but God is really good. David and I have had many meaningful and significant conversations with people this past week about God's comfort in the midst of suffering, and those very truths have been what has brought me strength and hope as well.

This afternoon a friend sat in my living room and shared how his parent's and grandparent's and relative's homes had all been destroyed, tears running down his face as he spoke. Thankfully, his family had all survived the earthquake unharmed, but he worried that since his family doesn't live in one of the 4 counties nearest the epicenter of the quake, he is not sure much aid will arrive to his hometown. He said currently his family members do not even have tents to sleep in at night, but sleep in the open. It was heartbreaking to hear about, but this friend's family's situation is ten times better than so many who lost relatives in the earthquake! So we do our best to mourn with the brothers and sisters who are mourning around us.

On the other hand, it has been so encouraging to hear about how people nearer the quake zone are really pulling together to do everything they can to help! Some good friends of ours, Josh and Danielle (read more on their blog here) traveled to the area of the quake, and they said they were amazed not only by the destruction they saw, but by the thousands of people driving their personal cars full of food and supplies up into the mountains to help the victims of the quake. As outsiders to the culture I live in, it is often a temptation to judge my surrounding culture and feel superior, and I admit I have done this in the past, saying to myself, "At least Americans are compassionate, unlike these people . . ." But I am moved and humbled by all I have heard over the past week. And inspired to do as much as I can with the limited resources and time I have.

So, yeah, a roller coaster of emotions. But God is so good in the midst, and I know that he not only has plans to use David and I in this situation, but also to grow our faith and reliance on him. So I am thankful.

In any case, I will try to do better on updating my blog. Oh, and you should congratulate me on my first serious post! And let me know what you think of the new background and layout and all. God bless!