“Make friends everywhere you go – because their happiness is yours"

Bittersweet…is exactly how I would describe my preparation to leave Hong Kong after 17 weeks studying abroad here. I’m excited to go home and see my family and friends, to celebrate Christmas and New Years in West Virginia, and to return to West Virginia University for my final semester of college. But I am also so sad to be leaving Hong Kong. I have had an absolutely amazing time here! Everything about Hong Kong and studying abroad far exceeded my expectations – I love my new friends, both new Hong Kong friends and exchange friends, and I love the adventures of a different place, I love the different culture, I love exploring new places, I loved only having to pass my classes…so many new loves!

Finals are over and packing is nearly finished. I fly home tomorrow – get home just in time for Christmas Eve and Christmas, with a little time before the holidays to make some Christmas cookies!

My last few days in Hong Kong have been filled with the enjoyment all of my Hong Kong favorites – my favorite restaurant, my favorite popcorn, my favorite stores, my favorite running path. And of course all of my favorite people!

I even fit in some exploring and movie watching in between all the “goodbyes” – trying to keep myself busy/distracted...so I wouldn’t focus on coming home! So I enjoying the new Twilight and Avatar movie and I went to see the “Big Buddha” in Hong Kong. The “Big Buddha” is a huge, huge Buddha on Lantau Island. You can take a 20 minute cable car ride to the newly constructed Buddha and monetary. The “Big Buddha” is as much a tourist attraction as well as a place of worship – filled with both foreigners and the smell of burning incense.

How I will miss you Hong Kong…

Eternal Opportunities

The English Bible Exploration that I have helped lead at Lingnan University took part in Operation Christmas Child this year. Operation Christmas Child is the international, non-profit, Christian organization that collects shoeboxes filled with toys and delivers them to children in need around the world! You fill the shoeboxes with toys for a boy or a girl; pick the appropriate age group and then Operation Christmas Child ships the shoeboxes to countries where kids are presented with the Gospel and a shoebox filled with toys and gifts!

2009 was the first year for Operation Christmas Child in Hong Kong! The English Bible Exploration put together a total of 8 shoeboxes and last week I delivered them to the Processing Center in Hong Kong!

The Processing Center is the final destination for the shoeboxes before they are shipped to their designated foreign country! The shoeboxes from Hong Kong will go to Sichuan, China and Manila, Philippines!

The Processing Center was in on the edge of an old industrial building area in Hong Kong. There were hundreds of old warehouses and industrial buildings! And on the edge of this industrial park, by the water, just beside a city of millions of people – there was a HUGE banner for Operation Christmas Child…

Inside the building there were around 15,000 individual shoeboxes, and hundreds of large cardboard shipping boxes filled with gifts, ready to be delivered to China! Seeing the Processing Center, all shoeboxes, cardboard boxes, the volunteers, and the extra toys – it was one of the most awesome experiences I have had in Hong Kong.

I was reminded that night of all I have and all I have to be thankful for, I was also reminded to do “eternal” things and help others. It was a reminder to strive to everyday do something of eternal significance, whether it is a smile, an encouragement, inviting someone to church or Bible Study, packing a shoebox filled with gifts, or giving money to someone in need…

If every day and every deed, every moment was filled with eternity – that would truly be a life well lived, and that would truly be “making the most of every opportunity!” 

Island Hopping

This weekend I went “Island Hopping” around Hong Kong. On Saturday, I took a Ferry to Cheung Chau Island. Cheung Chau Island has been a fishing village since 1400’s and all day long the ports are busy with the comings and goings of the fishing boats. There were boats, fishermen, and tons and tons of dried and fresh fish everywhere (you can imagine how it smelt)! Overall, it was a relaxing day. I explored different walking paths and temples around the island and enjoyed watching the boats float along the island shores.

Then on Sunday I went to another fishing village on Lantau Island, called Tai O. Tai O is known as the “Venice of Hong Kong” – many of the houses are held up by wooden stilts and we watched as small fishing boats floated in and out of the canals surrounding the houses.

It is crazy how just a 30 to 40 minute ferry ride away from the bustling, high-class, business city of Hong Kong, are beautiful and peaceful islands, where the people live simple, quaint lives. And even though it is a week into December, the weather is still beautiful, sunny with a cool breeze – making the day perfect for a stroll along the Hong Kong island beaches and walking paths.

The countdown continues as I only have two more weeks left in Hong Kong – sure to be filled with studying for finals, visiting with friends, and exploring the last few places in Hong Kong that I still haven’t seen! 

Pre-Christmas "Hot Pot" Celebration

This week was officially the last "gathering" of English Bible Exploration. We have been meeting every Tuesday, for just over 2 months learning about the Bible and enjoying fellowship! We had students from Hong Kong, Columbia, America, Mainland China, and Malaysia all attend English Bible Exploration. For the final meeting of English Bible Exploration, we made it an outreach where we all invited our friends to a traditional "Hot Pot" Dinner...

The day started when I went shopping for "Hot Pot" ingredients with my exchange friends from America - we took the opportunity to shop for dumplings and tofu - all the traditional "Hot Pot" ingredients we won't be able to find in America! We also stopped at the "Wet Market" to get cheap vegetables and Japanese noodles. The "Wet Market" is where locals sell their own meat, produce, and a variety of goods from spices and sauces to flowers. The "Wet Market" is about 10 minutes from campus and on the ground floor of a large complex that has shops, restaurants, and a grocery store...

We then "set-up" for dinner - found Hot Pots, decorated the Hostel Common Room, washed the vegetables, put the dumplings on plates, divided the dipping sauces...

Friends arrived and we had a great night! I was so grateful for everyone that showed up! I had met up with long-term missionaries in Hong Kong earlier this semester and they traveled over an hour to come join us for dinner and see the ministry opportunities at Lingnan. We also welcomed our guest speaker for the night, Pastor Dale and his wife Pam. Pastor Dale shared the "good news" of Jesus with everyone over dessert! 

The night consist of friends singing Christmas carols, students sharing their "story" and testimony of how Jesus has changed their life and how English Bible Exploration has shaped their time at Lingnan University, taking pictures with friends, and of course...eating tons and tons of dumplings! 

The Pre-Christmas "Hot Pot" Celebration was truly a celebration of friends and fellowship! It has been amazing to see the provision and the opportunities for ministry placed right in front of me this semester at Lingnan and in Hong Kong! It never ceases to amaze me - "'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'Plans to give you a hope and a future'."