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Dear Friends far and near,
Year 2003 is going and another Year 2004 is coming. God's mercy and protection is new everyday. All things happen for the Glory of God.
Purse was stolen
My purse was stolen on Sunday 14th December afternoon. All the credit cards, Identity Card, Mainland China-Hong Kong Entry Pass and money were lost. I was nervous because I had to take care of the Commissioning Service of Davis Lam, who was going to Cambodia for long term ministry. Moreover, I would lead a team to visit the leprosy rehab village in Mainland China in a few days time; and a week after I would go to India. Again, on Monday I had final examination in the evening. I planned to do the revision in Monday morning and afternoon. All bad things seemed to happen together. I called the banks to report the loss of the cards immediately. I prayed to God and a Bible verse came to my mind: "These things happened for the glory of God."
God cares about you
Monday morning I read I Peter 5:7, 8 in the devotion: "Cast all your anxieties on him, for He cares about you. Be sober, be watchful..." Yes, I was going to see God's glory; and I need to be more watchful and careful. I went to the Immigration Department to do the replacement of my Identity Card. A friend living near the Department was kind enough to go there early morning to get an appointment for me so that I to did not need to wait for a long time there. In the afternoon my friends helped me to do the revision for the examination. We did questions and answers. Wonderful enough, we did the right revision and Q&A. God knew all the questions in the examination paper!! God sent two angels to help me. All things happened for His Glory.
Loss and Gain
On Tuesday afternoon I got a phone call from the department store telling me that they had found my purse in the pocket of a coat. All money were gone except the cards. How did they know my telephone number? From the Red Cross blood donation card and organ donation card in my purse.
God is in control of everything. He deserves all Glory and Praise.
Changes and unexpected things always happen
Christina Chan has been replacing Jackeline as my assistant for 4 months. She is very helpful and taking up things quite fast. Gladys Chan has been replacing Davis Lam as the Conference Secretary also for 4 months. When we were still rejoicing with her for her happy wedding in early December, her father died because of heart attack a few days later, without any symptoms or any words. It was a real shock to the wife and the family to experience such extreme happiness and sadness within a week. Please pray for God's comfort on Gladys and her mother, who is still not yet a Christian, and also hard to accept.
November trip (1) ¡V God heals the sick
The 15th medical team to Cambodia went well. God listens to prayers and heals. One night we prayed for a woman who had malaria with fever at 41 degrees Celsius for three days already. After taken the medicine given by our doctor she fell into confusion. We prayed for two hours and her fever was gone and in the following morning she woke up and walked. For detail reports on the medical team, and new and exciting things coming up in Cambodia, please visit our website at www.apfmma.org. Praise God for His wonderful work, and also pray for our brothers and sisters there. They are working hard for the Lord.
November trip (2) ¡V God opens the door
From Cambodia we went to Vietnam for an exploratory trip to see the possibility to start ministry there. Please pray in His time, we will start ESL center in summer of 2004.
September trips
In early September I went to Osaka and then to Tokyo for the 50th Anniversary of Tokyo Free Methodist Church. These two Conferences are very dedicated in missions work. In late September I went to Taiwan to attend the Global China Ministry Consultation. Free Methodist Churches has ministry in China for 99 years already. As Chinese, we are much indebted and thankful for the labor and dedicated lives to the many missionaries from America, England and Europe during the war and restless time in the later half of 19th Century and first half of 20th Century; and some of them were even buried in China because of the gospel.
Now I am in India ¡X Hyderabad -- for Christmas
Right now I am in India. I am staying in Hyderabad in Dr. and Mrs. Narendra John's home. We will have over night Christmas caroling on 23rd evening, whole day celebration on Christmas Day in two of the churches where I have to speak; and then thanksgiving on 26th evening (and also the 28th wedding anniversary of Dr. & Mrs. John). 27th will be resting day and sight seeing in Hyderabad. 28th Sunday will go to Mumbai.
Mumbai, India ¡V APFMMA meeting and Global Intensive Training
APFMMA Executive Meeting will be held on 30th ¡V31st December. And the Global Intensive Training camp will be in the first half of January 2004. I will share two topics in the camp: ¡§Missions in the Local Church¡¨, and ¡§Partnership and Missionary Teams¡¨.
- Please pray for the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit in the two days APFMMA Executive Meeting. We will follow up on APFMMA moving to be a missionary sending agency.
- Please pray for the Global Intensive Training Camp
- Many of them come from US and they need time to adjust.
- The strength of the participants and speakers.
- The participants will response to the missionary calling to go out, or to mobilize missions work in their church.
- And, everyone will be refreshed and renewed with the mission ¡V be a disciple of Jesus and live a holy life, and reflect His goodness in his / her environment.
Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and His name shall be called Emmanuel - which means, God with us.
Have a Blessed Christmas
With the joy, peace and hope of our Savior Jesus Christ,
Polly HO
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Polly Ho
