Dear Friends far and near,

It has been five months since I last wrote. Time goes so fast that I wish there were 36 hours in a day. This is always my wish; a wish that I know will never come true.

World Cup

It is World Cup time again! Although I am not a soccer fan, I enjoy watching the highlights of each game. Do you have a favorite team? There are always some unexpected results. That is the way life is! The Hong Kong Stadium had big screens for a live showing of the China-Brazil competition, and admission was free. The radio stations and TV also reported the whole game from Korea. Some churches also opened their auditoriums for watching the soccer game. It was a bit disappointing to watch the result for the China team. Anyway, this is the first time China has played in the World Cup, so they gained some experience for the next time. There is always the first time in different endeavors. Skill improves through effort and experience.

Some changes in my ministry

Because of my workload in missions, and also with my further studies, upon my request, finally, from April 1, the Conference is not assigning me as part-time pastor in charge of Yan On Free Methodist Church. Now I can focus on missions work. But it is a bit sad to leave the church that I have served for 11 years. There is always a time for change. Pray that they can find a suitable full time pastor in charge. Please also pray for their assistant pastors, Kitty Ku and Simon Wan. Now Simon is the acting pastor in charge.

So far, for these three months, on Sundays I go to different churches speaking for their Missions Sunday. I also help leading a Bible study on the Book of Hebrews in Sunday School at Yan On Church.

CPE Basic Course

I have finished three subjects at Bethel Seminary. Now it is the summer holiday. I enjoyed the Clinical Pastoral Education Basic Course (CPE). It is a one-year training course for visiting and caring for patients in the hospital and their family members. For the first term we had courses on personal growth. We went through a series on group dynamics. This is important training before we go into the hospital to visit patients with all kinds of illness, and also to help them to face death and suffering. This is very helpful to me personally and also helps me in pastoral care in the church. On June 2, I got the certificate for the completion of the Basic training of CPE. If I want to be a supervisor in this field, I have to take 3 more courses. But one year of training is enough to be a chaplain in the hospital and for church ministry.

Turmoil in the world and God's victory

During the practical work for CPE, my heart was a bit heavy. It was sad to see so many people suffering from strokes and fatal illnesses. I thank the Lord that I can be with them for the last journey in their life and can bring them the love and hope of Jesus. My heart was also heavy to see many friends, young and old, who have passed away because of cancer these recent months. Together with so much turmoil, violence and terrorism in the world, we may feel we cannot do anything to help. Last week during my daily devotion I read Psalm 74. I realized that my heart also cried out, "How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile thy name forever? Why dost thou hold back thy hand ¡K ¡K O Lord ¡K do not forget the life of thy poor for ever. Have regard for thy covenant; for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. Let not the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise thy name. Arise, O God ¡K the uproar of thy adversaries which goes up continually ¡K Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth."

Travel to Cambodia in early May

In April 23-May 4 I went to Cambodia with our Area Director Rev. David Yardy. We went to see the land in Phnom Penh, the new House of Joy, and the new church building in Truyslaa. We celebrated the birthday of Paula on May 2. That was one of the reasons for going there. We had some planning for the new missionaries who are coming, the Light and Life Bible Training Center, the land in Phnom Penh and the ministry as a whole. At that time, we had a good time of fellowship with Dr. Narendra John. He came from India to teach Christian Family and Christian Ethics in the Light and Life Bible Training Center.

When Paula met me at the airport, I saw her left wrist was wrapped with a bandage. It was hurt when she played volleyball. And for myself, I had hurt my right wrist when I took down the bag from the baggage compartment in the airplane. Between us, we made one very good pair of hands!

From Cambodia Dr. John went to the US to visit his children. We were sorry to hear that he was hurt in a car accident. Praise the Lord, only his right ankle was hurt. Please pray for his complete recovery.

Travel to Japan in mid May

I enjoyed my time in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. I felt so much at home. I was impressed by the preparation for the Missions Rally and meetings. I was very thankful for the special and considerate arrangements for the meetings, transportation, food and lodging, and most of all their love and care for me. They have a real heart for missions work.

Besides, I enjoyed the delicious Japanese food like raw fish, sushi and noodles. I was greedy and ate a lot. I was also very happy to have an experience of watching the "tea ceremony" done by a sister in the church. This is a very beautiful national art of Japan. I admired and praised our sisters and pastors' wives in the Japanese church -- capable, active in the church; but also very gentle, submissive and taking good care of their families and husbands.

Please pray for the health of Rev. Haga. He is in his seventies and has been in the ministry for half a century. When I was in Tokyo, he was in the hospital because he fell and broke his pelvis some weeks ago. He took a one-day leave from the hospital for the prayer meeting for missions work and the Cambodian ministry, and the staff meeting for the church. 

The Free Methodist churches of the Japan General Conference, and the Tokyo Free Methodist churches have been very supportive of APFMMA and the ministries in Asia from the first. I was blessed a lot by their support and caring hearts. May all this be like a fragrant offering, a sacrifice pleasing to God. And may God supply every need of theirs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:18-19).

Missions endeavors in Hong Kong

June 14-16 we will have meetings for the study for Hinduism. On Friday evening, June 14, we will have an Indian dinner. Pastor Joshua Peter will share about what Hinduism is, and then we will pray for India. On Saturday we will visit a Hindu temple and on Sunday we will visit some Indian families. 

June 15 (5th Day of the Fifth Month in the Chinese Calendar) is the Dragon Boat Festival and is a holiday. I will lead a group of 25 to visit the rehab patients in a leprosy village in Mainland China. All the rehab patients are elderly people and have been in the village for 20-40 years, and are almost forgotten by people.

So much for this time. I hope to communicate with you more during the summer holiday. Once school starts again in September, days will be very busy. Keep trying and keep looking up to God, our Heavenly Father.

Serving with you to extend His Kingdom,
Polly