The Gist

Date:	Saturday, June 9, 2007
Time:	8:00pm - 10:30pm
Location:	Richmond Hill Chinese Baptist Church
	9670 Bayview Ave,Richmond Hill, ON

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

I dunno why I'm excited about this, but I pass Grade 8 Science...

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

1 Down, 8 To Go

Congrats to Karen and Brian Fu on their wedding. Karen is the first in our high school group to go... man, we are late boomers. Well, I guess the flood gates has opened, just 8 more to go. Connie is next in July. Too bad I will not be in town for Connie and Greg's wedding. I'll be in Vancouver.

Jenny arrived in Xining

I was ecstatic to receive an email from Jenny and from the team leader this morning. They only have a hour of internet per week (a commitment they made during their orientation) so I have taken over of providing updates for Jenny. :p

> Jenny's official trip blog can be found here
http://jenny-chinagp07.blogspot.com/

Te team arrived in Beijing on Friday and before boarding the train on Saturday they went to the temple of heaven.

According to Jenny, the train ride was fun. They got to meet some really cool people and did sing alongs! They sang English songs and then in return the locals sang their Tibetan or their ethnic songs. Lily and Phoebe, cute white girls attracting a lot of attention and everyone wants to take pictures with them. It is good to hear that they drove right into the cross-culture experience with the locals.

Jenny Chu on the Chu Chu Train

Jenny and her China GP team are now on the 25hours train ride from Beijing to Xining in the province of Qinghai. They must be so tried from all the traveling and jetlag, only having arrived into China yesterday.

Do keep them in prayers.

The Summer is shaping up

I love God's plans... everything is beginning to fit together nicely. My Summer is slowly shaping up, and like a puzzle, every piece is falling into place.

Apr 29 - June 7 (Jenny away on missions in China)
May 16 - June 27 (Mondays and Wednesday Night): Summer school - Gospel Church & Culture
May 19 - May 2: Spring Camp
July 15 - Aug 8: Vancouver visit
Aug 9 - Aug 11: Willow Leadership Summit
Aug 13 - Aug 17: Arts and Sports Camp

The nice thing about the Leadership Summit being held on Aug 9 - 11 is that I can fly straight from Vancouver to Chicago and attend the conference live. There are Air Canada flights from YVR to ORD departing at 11:00p and arriving at 5:00a. That gives me 4 hours to travel to Willowcreek to attend the 9:00a conference. Nice. Now I can see my canceled Harmony Flights to be a blessing in disguise.

The Leadership Summit will be so cool!

Times Listed below are Central Time. (Schedule is subject to change.)
Thurs, August 9, 2007 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.	Fri, August 10, 2007 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.	Sat, August 11, 2007 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Session 1 Vision to Die For Bill Hybels Session 2 Tough Choices One-on-One with Carly Fiorina Session 3 The Heat of Responsibility Floyd Flake Session 4 The Sixth Sense of a Leader Warren Bennis	Session 5 Your Move Harvard Strategy Professor Michael Porter Session 6 Leading at the Highest Level A Personal Conversation with Colin Powell Session 7 A Leader’s Greatest Fear John Ortberg Session 8 Living for the Greater Good One-on-One with International Filmmaker Richard Curtis	Session 9 Building Humanity An Exclusive Interview with President Jimmy Carter Session 10 Whatever You Do, Inspire Me! Bill Hybels

Lunch with the big guys

Another jam packed day, another productive day. This week has been crazy! I never knew there so much to do during the summer "break". Monday was a nice Sabbath. Tuesday, dim sum lunch with grandma. Wednesday, worked all day, meeting after dinner and tutor. Today, graduation rehearsal, work at church, and tutor.

The highlight of the day was surely lunch. Lunch with Kaarina, the dean of student life, Nelly, admin of Hudson Taylor Centre, Doreen, executive assistant to the provost, and provost Dr. Earl Davey. Lunch with the provost was intense. I had to be on my best behaviour. :P But from him, I learn so much about how upper levels of Tyndale runs.

Because of the parties present during lunch, at one point I felt that pulled in many directions. When they asked me what was my plans for the coming year, whether or not I'll be serving at the student council, I replied no and Kaarina gave me a frown. Then I suddenly felt the tension with when Nelly's eyes when with the prospect to recruit me to the Chinese student council. LOL. Oh, the fun of ministry. In the end I made my point clear that I wanted to focus on my congregation. But I'll still lend my helping hand to both council occasionally.

The most encouraging part of lunch was when Doreen asked about my trip to Vancouver in July, she asked me if I have family there. I said no but Kaarina jumped in and said "Not yet". Then Earl started sharing his experience when he was a missionary in Indonesia that the culture always uses the phrase "not yet". So much hope, I like it.

It turns out that Earl also have a passion for photography. Oh, we will have so much to talk about. :)

Leaving on a Jet Plane (Jenny's China edition)

Flight:	CA 992 (Air China)
Depart:	Vancouver International Apt			3 May	13:00
Arrive:	Beijing Capital Apt			4 May	15:00
Aircraft:	767		Stops:	Non-Stop
		Travel Time:		11hrs

Jenny is on the plane on the way to China as we speak. In another 10 hours, her team will arrive in Beijing, China. To be honest, I do not know exactly how I feel right now. Don't get me wrong, I am SO proud of her and SO excited for what God has to teach her. But bottom line, I do miss her. I have sent her off last Sunday and she had a 4 days long orientation with her team, so we only had minimal email contact over the past few days.

I believe this time alone is very good. You may think I sound ridiculous because I only see her twice a year anyways, and more time "apart" is good? LOL. To be honest, yeah! This gives me the time to think, reflect and pray about our relationship. Meanwhile it gives me the time to focus on my task here at home.

It is funny that exactly 11 months ago, the roles were reversed. Jenny and I were in Hong Kong, and I left Hong Kong for Bangkok and not knowing when I'll see her again. Oh, and look at how our relationship grow during our time apart. I was able to do when God planned for my on my mission trip, and Jenny was able to witness to her family in Hong Kong and China. We kept in contact through letters and blogs.

I am so proud of her. I know God is shaping her into the beautiful, young lady He had in His mind. And I cannot wait to meet this masterpiece of God when she returns. And the best part is that I'll get to see her in July. What else can I ask for? I am so blessed. God has already spoken to me in volumes over the past days, I am waiting with high expectations on what God has in store.http://jenny-chinagp07.blogspot.com/

Pray for the safety of their flight, and for rest and jet lag recovery. Also pray for strength in the Lord, and for the spiritual attacks. Susie Colby (the wife of one of the staff leader) has already fallen ill and had to miss the 4 days orientation.

God speed, Jenny, and serve him well.