Won't Let Your Foot Slip, Lisu



Lisu Houses at Hill Slope

  Sitting and praising in a small church in Kamloops, I was about to preach.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help comes from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip --he who watches over you will not slumber..."(Psalms 121)

While I sang this Psalms, my heart and mind flew thousands miles to Yunnan. To the Lisu minority people who lives and works in the steep hills and mountains. Seeing their feet would slip and they would fall - in fact an old man did slip and rolled down the hill - got my emotion suddenly. My eyes turned red. Tears wanted to fall. But I held myself, I was about to preach. 

Ever since I came back from Lisu last month, I couldn't help thinking of them a lot.

Lisu people lives in high mountains along the Nu River in Yunnan, 3500 to 4000 meters above sea. The small Lisu village we visited is located so high up that no cars can access. If you dare to ride on a motorcycle behind their back along the steep and narrow slope, there you go modern way. If not, donkey will do with goods. And us, just walked up and up the Yunnan red soil plateau. With less and less oxygen level in the air, every move seemed tougher and every breathing went deeper and deeper.

Mountains give protection to their faith and to their unique culture.  But high mountains won't grow much. Only corns for animals, coffee bean for sales. But they grow Bourbon - a high quality Arabica coffee. When I shared with them my Starbuck instant coffee, that was the first time these kind-hearted coffee planters drank coffee. They were amazed at how high this tiny Starbuck sachet could charge when they sell their beans to coffee dealers in such a low price.  In a slope so steep that holds nothing more than their feet, they plant and grow and harvest coffee bean. People would slip and fall and roll and die.  Innocent kids in flip-flops jump here and there over sandy heights. Fearfully I watched. "Watch out. Watch out." I exclaimed. 

Lisu House & Coffee Beans Bags



They don't have electricity for their houses. Only manage to have some solar energy for their small chapel. No power no light give much inconvenience.  But the reward for darkness is found in the sheer beauty of a starry night.

Water condition is poor. Drought hit them hard for the last 3 years and is getting worse. They drain water with a small hose from mountain spring afar to 2 stone barrels. No better storage and no pipings to each house. They don't brush their teeth and wash their bodies much.  I became one of them that night. I dared not waste their water on my body and my teeth.  So after much sweating but no washing, sleeping was not much an easy rest that night.

Sanitation and hygiene are poor. The last thing we shall wish for is a well-drained toilet. How bad? Leave it to your wild imagination. But ever since we left the village, we started discussing how to construct better toilet. At least we build our own next time - personal, simple but workable, temporary, mosquitoes and flies free. We even made sketches!

Toddlers crawled on ground with no pants. Cut wounds were not treated with right medicine. Flies share your foods and cups. In a dark dinning moment, you could be eating a dried black bean or most likely, an unlucky fly.

They are poor. But when they moved from the north to this area 5 years ago, they were worse. With the help of some local churches, they built better houses with brick roof. Church people would bring in used clothes and textbooks for kids once a year. 

They have a school, more like a classroom.  One class for all kids of all ages, ranged from 6 to 18. Now the 18 dropped off because he felt bad among the younger ones. The teacher is a young man who should be getting higher education himself. That's all they have. But they have it contentedly. So joyful and eagerly they learn. They even accepted a lousy teacher like me to teach them "Hello" "How are you" "I am fine" in English.

If life is all about food and goods, the Lisu people doesn't have life and joy. But Jesus reassured us that, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."(Deut.8:3). Their faith in God makes their life a richer one.

They are poor. But they share. They killed chickens - their scare and precious resources, to feed strangers like us. They moved to relative's house and welcome us to sleep in their very own. They accepted us whom they never met with great hospitality. I hope we were angels to them!

They are poor. But the Kingdom of God belongs to the poor, to them.

Bible in Lisu Language



Simple But Faithful



They let Christ be their center spiritually and physically.

Somewhere in the center of their village, they built a small chapel. This small and simple chapel was built not for faith decoration and sunday church-goers. Almost every nights, they go there for prayers, for praises, for teach and preach, for admonishing one and other. 

That night after dinner, they summoned the villagers with speakers. People walked up and down to the church from all directions with torchlight at their hands. They sat down and sang. And then, with no prior notice, they invited me to preach them God's words. In awe, in His holy presence and with great honour, I finished my first ever spontaneous preaching. We were all touched by the love of God.   

Their zeal for God and their hunger for His words are nowhere to find in our western church. So precious that makes you want to go back again and again to help them.

I can't stop thinking...

Our western Christianity uses up a majority of spiritual and financial resources. Does our faith get better? But somewhere in these high mountains, live the Lisu minority people - unknown to world, neglected and poor and deprived simply because they are the "minority." Is that fair?  Yet they remain strong and faithful to God. And God is faithful enough to remember them even they are the "minority."  He blesses them.

Good People: Father & Daughter

I hope my life could be used in place and people where it is needed most.
If there is already so much supply to a rich majority, why need me?
If there is supply never delivered to a needy minority, what holds me?

If James O Fraser, as a foreigner, could live 30 years there in Yunnan, riding donkey or just walking for weeks from village to village to preach and teach, could I, as a Chinese, move there and just live near them so as to build up their faith?
Why people of no faith could move easily to settle in China for the sake of its great culture or money-making?
And why does it take us, followers of the great Faith, so much pain to consider living there for the good sake of others and the gospel of the Kingdom?

My soul flies to you Lisu ...over mountains and seas.
Just believe Lisu, the Lord will not let your foot slip.
And just believe Lisu, we won't let your foot slip.

Never.

 





Following Jesus (2): Two Grande Dark

Coffee is coffee. But coffee isn't coffee.

In the hand of the One who turned water into wine. It's more than a Starbuck coffee. 

"Two Grande Dark" - the spirit of "Got it" and "Pass on."

Master Xu ( Click & know him first will help Following Jesus (1): Shall We Dance? ) drank tea back home. Seldom drank coffee. Never a Starbuck fans. But I am everything of coffee, of Starbuck. Since he didn't have any idea what to order, he followed mine. " Two Grande Dark please!"  No milk only sugar is my cup of coffee. Xu followed the last detail. We drank, talked about everything, of life, of immigration, of James O Fraser, of faith...

Then at other time, Xu would meet his own friends in restaurants, his home AND Starbuck. Now he met Alan, another Chinese immigrant, in Starbuck. He messed up the order and ended up something like Latte or Mocha, expensive and milky. He distasted it. Came back to me and asked what's the correct name to order. I told Xu, "Grande Dark." And ask him to repeat a few times "Grande Dark."  Now whenever they met in Starbuck, he made Alan drink...GRANDE DARK.  Xu "Got it". He "Passed on" to Alan right away.

Coffee is not my interest here. Jesus IS. Coffee is a medium to connect people. LTG (Life Transformation Group) is the like, a tool only, but Xu experienced the "Got it" and the power of God's words there.

3 months ago, when he felt desperate at all live challenges in this new country, I encouraged him to read Bible, by himself, as well as with us as a group.  This was his first time reading Bible.

I refrained myself from giving out to him only teaching, knowledge and opinion. Every questions he raised or every life issues he faced, I would answer them in the light of the Scripture and Jesus teaching - I flipped Bible.  Our focus is obedience unto Christ(Mat.28:20)  If he still didn't "Got it," we would learn the same lesson the other week, the other other week... till he was convinced to ACT. Even my friend was just a seeker, non-Christian, pre-follower, I wanted to make sure obedience to Christ was planted, planted deep. Because a true mark for Christ follower is obedience and love, not knowledge.

He showed progress, but slow. Now he told me he would be leaving for China in February. I thought I  should formed a LTG with him so that he later could repeat it with someone in China, to grow his new found faith and to grow the Kingdom there.

We did 3 things in LTG - the very core things of our faith, of our living as followers, yet so often neglected or reduced to lip service:

1. Read about 30 chapters Bible a week: He was then bathed in the Kingdom values, filling his soul, spirit and thinking, shaping him, instructing him...We read Gospel of John, then two three times Matthew(since we couldn't finish at the same time). Romans. Now Luke.  Jesus became bigger and bigger in Master Xu.
2. Make ourselves accountable to each other: we ask each other character shaping questions, confessing sins and drawing our focus again and again to the spiritual realm, the presence of God in our lives...
3. Pray for non-believers: this prepared him to share his witness and Jesus' teaching to his friends.  

Life's happening, growing and began to bear fruit.

He got drunk, then next morning he confessed he was wrong, since he now knew drunkenness is a sin(Rom 13:13). He no more wanted to tell lie, just wanted to be honest. He confessed his negligence of his kids and wanted to be a better father. Those were the things we confessed as we met in the LTG. And I told him that we should confess to each other and asked God's forgiveness. But at the same time, we should ask forgiveness from those with whom we had wronged.

The next day, after he had left for China, his wife told me that Master Xu had apologized to her and asked for forgiveness. He never apologized before.  Amd she was touched. They used to pointing finger towards each other, seeing logs in other's eyes. Now they were submitted to Jesus' teaching and confessing their logs in their own eyes (Mat.7:3-5).

I didn't induce them to say a sinner's prayer and became a believer. I no more a fans of it. I now challenged people to follow, to obey, to have an obedience-based faith.  When they follow Christ, they are His follower. When they obey Christ, they are God's obedient children (1Peter 1:14). A sinner's prayer won't bring you into his Kingdom, only the faith in obedience will do.  

There he was, he "Got it." He's following Jesus. And "Passed on" now...

 He shared Jesus teaching and his own experience to friends. People listened to him and wanting to study Bible with us. 2 weeks before he left, he brought Alan to our Bible Study, 6 of us including Alan's wife. We studied Bible.

Now Alan learnt to drink Grande Dark from Xu. Now Alan joined our LTG.  Both of us would connect with Master Xu in China through Skype to do LTG together every Friday. 

This is our journey in making disciples for Jesus. This is what we do in convincing them that everything we do, they can do, they should do.  His charge and his dream " to make disciples OF ALL NATIONS" (that is, of all people groups, of all languages, culture, subculture in this world) can only make senses when all believers all do it.

And do it with all focus. 
 

A LISU Christian was praying


A same disciple-making journey. In April, I would go to Yunnan to further disciple Master Xu. We were kind of connected by James O Fraser ("Mountain Rain"). I felt something divine in the minority groups out there in Yunnan, out there for us to discover, out there God's plan for us.  It is another journey.  We would walk along the missional path of James O Fraser, visiting cities he preached, staying in the Lisu minority people village... to hear, to see, to discover what God has prepared for us there. 

If you are inspired by what we are doing, and want to support my journey to Lisu in April. You can team up with us by donation - this will relieve our ministry's financial burden, and by prayer support, in our "LISU & Minorities 101 Journey." (Email me for detail)

See coffee is more than a coffee... 

So whether we are in a remote village in the Lisu community, or in a packed Starbuck corner in Vancouver. Be it face to face. Be it via Facebook.

 

We have one vision, one heart and one focus. To grow and reproduce faithful disciples, leaders, Christ communities. Love Jesus in our hearts. Love people with our deeds. Glorifing our Father here and forever.

Come and join me with a coffee!

This time with..."Two Grande Dark"

Following Jesus (I): Shall We Dance?

Jesus leads, we follow. That's discipleship.


Man leads, lady follows. That's dancing.  Can we then compare discipleship to dancing? To Tango.

Intimate, passionate, glancing at and away from each other.  STRONG - STRONG beat, and a weak beat or two in between.  Accelerates and slows down. Kicks and turns and throws and draws.  In good leading hands, and the will to follow, they turn out to be breathless moments lasting a lifetime. 

All of these begin with an invitation to our partner: "Shall we dance?"

But the way Jesus extended his invitation to my friend, Xu, seemed unconventional to us. In fact, Jesus sent someone to attract him, teach him, before he himself danced a Tango of discipleship with Xu.

Me. No! You can't imagine. A dead figure, James O Fraser, the missionary to Lisu - minority people in south west Yunnan, China.   


My friend came from another minority group in Yunnan. He met me at the poolside 6 months ago here. As a new immigrant, he's proactive in introducing himself, talking about his career as a Kung Fu Master in University back home. But his focus would shift when I mentioned my faith.


Summer sun gone quickly. Worries of life and emotion kicked into my friend. Failed in driving exam, hardship in jumpstart his Kungfu career, cold and rainy weather, language and more... My friend could no longer sleep at night, sad and depressed. Wanting to go home.

It was in this circumstance that I handed him the biography of James O Fraser (JOF), the "Mountain Rain" - a book any missional follower shouldn't miss. I couldn't give him a Bible. He still shifted his focus. But "Mountain Rain" and JOF were irresistible to him. Because he came from the same place where JOF served and died. He practised Kungfu everyday in the mountain where he believed JOF was buried a generation ago. 

He was 100% curious and drawn. Two weeks later, he excitedly told me he finished reading. And he was reading now AGAIN. We always drank coffee in Starbuck. He kept telling me how he related all those places in the book, how he was amazed by JOF' sacrifice for the Lisu people group... He was very much following James O Fraser. Not exactly Jesus. He's admiring him and so much inspired by him. 

This very much differs from our "Bringing People To Christ 101."  Attracted by a Christian book is OK la. Some by "Wealth & Health" gospel.  But definitely not a missionary book - sacrifice, suffering, hardship for faith.

While James O Fraser still impacting my friend, Jesus showed up on the stage, whispered to my friend, "Shall we dance?"

My friend started to see miracle. A big one that he couldn't deny. 


He was a skillful driver in China standard. In Canada and for driving exam bar, he was just lousy and poor. He failed once already. Now their chinese driving licences were taken away by CIBC. They could no longer drive their car alone. Imagine the everyday inconveniences. This created pressure. The couple was desperate to pass this time. So I decided to drive him to N. Vancouver for driving test, to bless him.


On that day, we arrived an hour early for practicing. I now saw how he drove. I was shaking my head and sighed inside. "OH my God, how will he get passed. Impossible!" He broke almost all rules. And he himself knew it.


Test time. There he went. Here I sat. In the centre praying for him. His wife and his son was praying at home for him. Then he came back. I met his test officer(she) with him. She told me with the paper on hand, " I didn't decide to pass or to fail him yet. Did he learn from a coach here?" "Yes"(i didn't mention one lesson only!). "I will give him a bare pass. But he has to promise me to improve this...and that...!" "Yes Yes Yes...," We replied.

A huge relief for everyone. Everyone involved knew it's a miracle. My family prayed. Her wife and kid did. He himself prayed. Rarely had I heard of anything called "Barely Pass" in driving test. He now got one. He knew it's the gift of Jesus. And it was a gift from Jesus for him had I prayed in the center. Now Jesus opened the eyes of his heart that he could see miracle.

Then both he and his wife started reading Bible with us.

But the issue of returning to China or not created great schism among them. They couldn't talk about it without arguing. They wouldn't listen to each other. We showed them how to wait on God's will. But how much could they, as pre-believers, the not-yet-followers, understand?  "God, I didn't expect discipleship turn out to be marriage counselling!" I complaint to God.

We became close friend. Families mingled. Kids played. Our home always seemed open to him. He could show up anytime at our door. Coffee, numerous. Life, crossed and shared. Jesus was here among us. 

The way onto following Jesus wasn't easy for them. "STRONG-weak-STRONG" beat of faith. Quickens and slows down. But God's grace was powerful. And they were doing great. I formed an LTG with my friend, while Aden formed one with his wife. They read 30 chapters Bible a week. Their values began to change. They started to see God here and there.

The power of God's words and the Holy Spirit were just irresistible. Jesus was now leading, my friend was following. Beautiful things were happening. Amazing me. Amazing them.  

I'll leave their transformation, the exciting part, a week from now for Part II, Following Jesus(2): Two Grande Dark

But for the time being, slow down and listen... Jesus whispers to you, "Shall we dance?"

Will you follow?

Search & Find

On a new way. The way we point people to Jesus.

2 days ago we met with non-Christian friends & studied "Jesus Feeds 5 thousands" at our home.

If it were 5 years ago, then this meeting would be like this:

I played guitar and sang beautiful songs, hoping to move their emotions; we made breakfast and great desserts, fearing Jesus needs facials & make-up; I would prepare much information and guiding questions, thinking they would be sufficient or necessary for faith and obedience. I would naively gave them workbooks instead of Bibles. That was my "Seeker's Bible Study." Good for producing nothing except passive & information-based church members. I had much confessions to make...

For our new attempt, the Discovery Bible Study, things are simple, direct and full of heavenly surprises:

No guitar, no songs, no American breakfast or delicious desserts - we want people to be attracted by nothing, except Jesus alone. They either discover Jesus here and follow or find nothing this time and leave. A blurred Jesus believed by them is worse than the real Jesus not yet be found. There are no intrinsic wrongs with songs, guitar, dessert... But they are wrong when used as outreach strategies. In other times, I still play music.

Anything that is not reproducible in these potential disciples' lives, I alert myself not to do.

If they think they need a guitar to start a Bible study with friends, that's a sin to the multiplication of church movements. Anything that is of culture, of tradition or personal charisma should be distinguished and discarded from the basic and original Gospel message if we long to see the Gospel moves from nations to nations, from races to races.

We want followers of Jesus even at this pre-following stage to believe that they can do what we are doing. God wants all extraordinary works come from ordinary people, not the ordained, not the priests, not the so called full-time pastors or ministers only. I believe. I act.

No more workbooks - our bestseller authors would hate me, but only an easy -to -read, to- hear and to -understand version of Bible on hands. Some never touched Bible before. Some even read the Bible story before they come!

Every weeks, we ask the same 4 questions - good news to you, leaders! No more our expository skills we rely on, but trusting the Holy Spirit to work with God's words in a searching heart. So the 4 easy questions for leading the 7 Miracles of John are:

• What do you know about man (or human nature)?


• What do you know about Jesus?


• What do you know about yourself?


• To whom you can share this with?

So simple. With repeated questions like these, the focus is not on how much meaning we can bring out for them. Rather they search in the text for insights about human nature, about Jesus and about their own life. Since it is they who dig it out, so they own it and keep it. I would never forget those sacred moments when the "aha" came from their eyes once they discover the truth. So our job is more about praying, observing and pointing out how Jesus is now working in their lives.

Here are our discoveries...

"Our Japanese friend seemed not very pleased with Jesus, 'It's not very admirable to do good to people (in the miracle of water into wine) and then publicized it and got glory.' My friend misunderstood Jesus let the whole bunch of wedding guests know it was he who gave them the new choice wine! So we looked at the text again. Our Budhist friend also shared this misunderstanding but was shocked for their new discovery & said, 'Oh. Only the servants knew. Jesus didn't say anything to the public.' Their eyes shone, 'Jesus was very humble. He did good things in secret...' (Bare in mind, Japanese and Budhist have strong belief in doing good. But doing it in a humble and secret way is rare and is adorable to them.)"

"'What do you know about Jesus(in the miracle of feeding 5 thousands), Catherine?' She was kind of choked in her voice, 'I think Jesus cared about people.' She was a strong-willed woman. We knew her for 5 years and tried hard to introduce her Jesus. But she never thought she need Jesus. Recently she had family problem and her daughter had health issue. Now when asked to elaborate more on 'Jesus cared about people,' in shivering voices she said, 'sometimes you feel so helpless. You try and try. But your best seems not good enough. You need someone like Jesus who cares for people...'(She represents all those who believe in themselves. But the struggles of life open up her eyes seeing and longing for Jesus' care.)"

There are many things we can improve. We never tried the fourth question. It's a powerful one to plant a disciple seed into pre-follower's heart. I have to try this one! There are many in and out. But we don't want to set any condition for the group...

There are so many places to improve and so much to learn in our first Discovery Bible Study. But one thing we can be sure and proud of, that is, we let Jesus to be our only focus. Then Jesus proudly presents himself. When the King comes, he catches all eyes...

Aden met our Japanese friend after school in the playground. She attended our Bible study for the first time this Monday. It was about 3 hours after the meeting. Aden asked her how she thought of it...

(I would not dare to ask, if it were me. During the study, she was distracted by my friend's little kid and she played with him from time to time. She was not very attentive. And usually it is a tactic we employ to tell others 'I am not interested!' So when sending her to the door, I deliberately said to her, 'We welcome you to come back next Monday!' This I say to those I guess probably not coming again.)

She said to Aden, "I find it very new and very good to me! I know this is for Christians only (No! It is in fact not for Christians!). But could I come every week?"

A non-Christian asking for a permission of attending your Bible Study? What could it be?

The fragrance of Jesus. The presence of Jesus in the study. The presence of Jesus' works in a searching heart.

"Everyone who searches will find."(Mat.7:8)

This is our exciting journey of searching Jesus together, and we all discover the King one way or the other.

Surf Camper

Life should be simple.

Focus on "the" one great thing. Put everything in it. Put aside all other "good" things for it. Together with others or alone, run just for it!

Don't get me wrong. "The" great thing will never be gaining the world but always loving the people of it. And "the" only great thing that can drive us in all eternity is and will only be all about and around Jesus Christ himself. He is great enough.

If you have it, driven by it, convinced of it, your life must be simple and focused, fruitful and beautiful.

We were revealed again to this simple truth in our Tofino surfing trip 2 weeks ago. This simple truth was made alive to us as we stayed in a little community with the "Surf Campers." Let me tell you our story as a surf camper, a story almost couldn't happen, a story of threats and thrills, but ultimately of discoveries and ecstasies.

This is the story... it starts with the things that could have cancelled our Tofino trip.

$ issues. 5 nights camping with 3 surfing courses and 3 days surf gear rentals included was a hard financial decision, not to mention the BC ferries and the gasoline. So 4 months ago, we set aside $500 in a new account, and tried to save for the remaining amount. About 5 weeks before the trip, we had to spend an unexpected $1200 on our vehicle in its 4 times repair and maintenance in just 2 weeks. It ate up everything we had including that $500.

We were about to cancel the trip. In despair, I prayed to God, "I am fine if you cancel this trip for us. But just if you want us to go for this vacation, please PAY for it!" 2 days later, a lady called us and presented us with a gift, a cheque. It was $500, not much not less. Our surfing trip is a miracle, a prayer answered.

Tyres. Tried to get a cheapest pair of tyres on my 1994 Voyage Van. $183 for 2 Cooper tyres from nearby Esso station. When we drove there, the 2 tyres seemed to only appear in computer but never in actual stocking. Our desire to reduce our anxiety of driving the ups and downs narrow winding road between Port Alberni and Tofino was never fulfilled. We had to live with this worry and entrust our safety to God alone, not Cooper tyres

Bear visits. It was our first family camping. We fear bear. You might want a beer, not a bear in your site. We thought it was a slight threat only. But who could believe it was a reality in our campground. Bear signs everywhere. In fact our site was visited by bear 2 weeks ago. We really wanted to leave the campground after the first night.

Cold Water. We went there for one purpose. Surfing. Nothing else. What if the North Pacific Ocean water was too cold? In fact it was very very cold. But the wet suites and the fire inside kept us warm enough.

Back Pain. Within one week of setting off, I still visited Chiropractors. Not one, but two clinics in one week. The muscles I needed most for surfing, the lower back, was sole and painful. My knees problem already seemed minor. Will I lie on the surfboard but got no strength to stand up?

These threats were real. Every now and then made me despair and wanted give up. Every now and then they challenged how much I wanted to surf. Every now and then I ended up more desperate to do it.

Now the wave came, the first wave since April Kenting, the first North Pacific cold water wave came... I paddled paddled, pushed up, popped up, stabilized, stood up. Here I was. Riding my first Tofino wave, to my surprise, yet shouldn't be surprised. It's all by grace that I stood, that I rode a wave, that I felt His power in me over pains, threats, $... and Jesus fulfilled my desperate focus, SURF.

Over those few seconds on waves, it seemed I was having fun time with Jesus on the waves. Jesus walked on waves, loving me, seeing me and endorsing me to surf side by side with him. Every time I surf, I feel his grace of making possible out of impossible, therein I feel his presence. Now you know why I loving it.

Then I rode waves after waves. Never so many before. Even though I was wipe out many times. Who cares? Why cares! I did what I desired. I was fulfilled. I was surfing.

It is about surfing and it's not about surfing! You don't need to surf. But everyone need to have a mission, a passion, all and only about and centered on Jesus. Rather die to have one, than live without it. And if you have this focus and passion, life is simple, fruitful and beautiful, as my surf campers friends...

They didn't come for digging oysters or catching crabs, not for stomachs.

They didn't care to pitch a tent or if it's too crowded, some slept in their Subaru, uncomfy.

They would forget to bring matches for the woods but never forget to stack up their surfboards nicely on top of each other over their car's roof.

They ate quick and simple foods, canned foods always.

After breakfast they set off for beach, at sunset they came back with full load of funs. After supper, they made camp fire, they shared the excitements, they laughed, they played guitar, they sang loud... At about 11 pm, they were disciplined enough to sleep. To sleep well. Why? Simply to ride another morning wave. They stepped in the water, gave each other a high 5. "Let's do it."

Their lives were simple. They made them simple. In order to accomplish their biggest desire and their greatest focus: to surf. Only surfing. And nothing else...even catching a crab is a good one. Simple and focused. That made them make it.

Jesus forms us a community, a community of 2-3(Mat.18:20), or any numbers up. So we learn to love one another, accountable to one another, encourage one another, share food and life together... Always knowing that it is only because Jesus and for Jesus that we get together. Life. Simple enough.

Jesus assigns a mission to this simple community. To plant Jesus everywhere we go, to every one we meet. Make the pre-believers his disciples. Make them the Jesus followers (Mat.28:19).

Who are we then? The Baptists. The Evangelicals. The Anglicans. The Catholics...The Apollos's. Paul's. Cephas's. Man complicated God's simple truth.

Who are we? What are we here for?

We are a spiritual family, with Jesus' presence, together on a mission. A church.

We laugh, we cry, we share and we encourage...that we all could set out for accomplishing the Jesus' mission.

If there is no mission, there is no direction. If there is no mission in God's people, complications and shallowness set in. There will not be deep life sharing and exchange from the hard-fought SWAT team.

Mission. The DNA of being church, of being Jesus' followers, of our story being a part of God big story of redemption. Take it away, we live. But never with spirit and soul. Simple. To me, it is that simple.

The devil is in the details. God requests a life of simple trust and obedience. That is life. A simple life.

But if we let complications set in, let "what to eat, what to drink, what to wear" overwhelm us, let busyness and programs replace living life together as Jesus followers, then we are a bunch of God's people on earth ends up catching crabs, digging oysters...

Forgetting we came here for the waves, for surfing, and for fulfilling Jesus mission.

If eating crabs and oysters make me stumble, I would never eat crabs and oysters - Paul said similarly. Die to them, that I could live for a mission. My only passion for His mission alone.

To reward you with this long reading, I have a not-my-best surfing video clip for you. Although the sea is rough, I want to have you in this missional fellowship to surf as well as to witness Jesus:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RoxdCNSRMY

Enjoy Surf Campers!

9/11 Love Multiplies

9/11 Sunday. We had donated $540 to UNICEF to help relief the "horn" people in Africa.

On or around 9/11, "R" donated another $540, "K" donated another $540, and "M" donated another $540. They matched our donations. All to Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Plus the Canadian government matching the donations, this little initiative ("The tomatoes of Hope") out of this little patio of mine raised more than $4000 for these poor and the needy people in one of the worst famine in Africa.

Joy filled my heart. And tears almost fell, as I recounted how God moved and led us to this finish line on 9/11...

A few months ago, we decorated our pale patio with summer favour by growing pot plant - tomatoes. First time in 14 years.

In July, we heard of the very severe famine in these 3 African countries, the "horn." We have been constantly praying for Africa, especially Somalia and Sudan. The news broke our heart. So out of our very tight budget, we donated some money.

I watered the tomatoes daily. My kids at times.

One day while I was doing the watering, God inspired me to sell these tomatoes and donate these money to Africa. While I was excited with this idea, Jesus told me, "why don't you ask some Christians to match the tomatoes sales?" I was even more excited now as I could see it as a way that more people, Christians or non-Christians, came to realize the desperate needs of our "neighbours" far away.

8/1. I posted on facebook about this little project and the needs for the famine. Sadly no one responded. Not even 1 "like" or 1 "comment." While my friends' photos of delicious foods, up-class hotels...jammed "the top news" of my facebook. I felt some loneliness.

8/1. Same day. This displaced Somalian woman (above picture) sits with her malnourished children at refugee camp in the capital waiting desperately for life necessities.

I pressed on. Water and water. With love and love and prayers for these tiny little tomato firstfruits. God bless all those acts that bless other people. Our tomatoes grow big and red.

I managed to find 3 friends of mine who were quick to say "Yes" when requested to match our tomatoes donation. Now we were a bit worried to sell the most expensive tomato in the world. $10 each.

If I would have just made a few calls, all these tomatoes would be gone right away. But we wanted as many people to participate as possible. So that more people will know the needs there. And more might do some extra good at a later day. We were just the initiator and agitator of more love actions! We decided to sell to our neighbours and our small community. So we talked to our Muslims friends, Catholic friends, Buddhist friends, atheist friends, Christian friends... And we talked to friends from Middle East, Africa, Taiwan, PRC, HK, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Korea, Philippines...

Most embrace this "Tomatoes of Hope" readily. Few of them with hesitations. Why not?! When you were sunbathing at the pool side, suddenly someone whom you not knew well came up and asked for donation. You hesitated naturally. I felt embarrassed even more naturally.

I really did. Even when I were in need, I seldom ask people for money. I have my pride. Now I asked people to trust me with $10. Even $10. People hesitate. And I felt embarrassed. Suddenly a voice inside said, "If my embarrassment means help and aids to the famine people. I don't mind made embarrassed. I got embarrassed for a purpose!" So we asked $10 after $10...

Now we have 25 families buying 54 tomatoes from us. A total of $540. Plus all the matching, it multiplied to $4320. More than thousand people could be fed. Dying children could be taken care of. Heartbreaking parents could spare some tears. All out of this $4320. All out of our little tomatoes plant of our little patio. All out of a little brain of a little man. Above all, all out of Jesus our Saviour.

From one, it multiplied. And multiplied. Money multiplied. Love multiplied. They became the sources of joy and life of the poor and needy. Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it beautiful? Shouldn't we be filled with joys and thankfulness?

"The Tomatoes of Hope" started in July and accomplished on 9/11, not planned. But there is a divine conspiracy. One of love. One about 9/11.

Jesus loves the Muslims. He died for them as well. Now the most severely famine stricken area is in Somalia, a country of 100% Muslims. Literally no Christians at all. Even missionaries retreated because of highly possible life threat. None of them heard of Jesus' love for them. Now everyday thousands and thousands Muslims moved to Kenya and Ethiopia for help, two Christian countries. They might possibly receive the Living Bread and the Living Water and the eternal hope there. God loves the Muslims.

God loves the poor. Jesus identified himself with the poor and needy (Mat25:40). Anyone who loves unconditionally draws close to God. The God of love.

The world is filled with hatred and evil. Unfortunately 9/11 is not the first and won't be the last. If we choose hatred, self interest and focus on our differences, the world is Hell in advance.

But if we follow Jesus and choose love instead of hatred, choose loving others instead of securing our own interest, choose to celebrate our commonalities as human being instead of differences, goodness will then flow, kindness will be done, our image of the perfect God will shine forth. We won't be too far from His Kingdom.

These little tomatoes inspires. They teach us that we are never too little to extend a helping hand. Even an idea, based on love, aimed to help, consecrated to God, could mean life to many people. We are never too few to achieve something big as long as we have love. Because our God is the God of multiplication. And this God charged us to multiply. We just let as many people to involve in love actions as possible. Love then multiplied. And multiplied. God multiplies it.

So now how do you feel? This is my yesterday Scripture reading... This is our God. It might help you to act now and more.

"For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
FOR PRECIOUS IS THEIR BLOOD IN HIS SIGHT."(Psalms 72)

Canadian government will still match your donations to any major relief organizations before this Saturday (9/16). Let it multiplies. Let love multiplies.

Check this website for the famine and donations:http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/east-africa-famine-crisis-help-160515874.html

God loves a cheer giver. Just give with love.

The Road

Jesus said, "The road that leads there is so hard to follow..."(Mat7:14b, CEV)

The mind was yet settled. The clothes still wet. Waiting in a small jet plane for the thunderstorm to stop and then flew back. I asked my wife, "Did you benefit from the workshop?"

It would at least give me some comfort if she said "Yes." Because I didn't.

We had attended this 2 days Organic Church Workshop in Cleveland 22-23/7. We were now flying back to Vancouver via Toronto. I wanted to see at least my wife would benefit from it if that was not me.

I had high expectation of it. We decided to attend at least 4 months ago. We invited some possible partners to go as well. But as time unfolded itself, all of them had reasons not to go with us. But we never looked back even though that means flying all the way from coast to the almost coast just the two of us.

We prayed for possible fellowship and connections with people there including the speakers. But apparently it's not achieved because of the tight schedule. We prayed for good weather. But it turned out to one blazing 40 degree or the other sweeping thunderstorm. I worried about the connecting flight. And worries came true. We got stuck in Cleveland airport because of thunderstorm and missed our connecting flight in Toronto. And our new flight to Vancouver got delayed again. We landed home 2:30 in the morning. Not to mention the messy check-in counter in the ex-Lebron James city.

We paid at least $2000 for the whole trip. And 2 families took turn to care for our 3 kids. With all these costing and sacrifices, I thought it's justified to ask, "Do we benefit from it?"

God shocked me when he said, "Why do you see it in a "we benefit" way? Why don't you see it in what you could benefit others?" (With this non-self-seeking twist of thinking, who could it be if not Him?)

Suddenly I was relieved. I don't have to tell myself and others that this trip was worthy of all costs because we so so benefited from the messages, etc and etc. And suddenly I realized how far my mind and heart was from his. We love to justify our sacrifice, time and money, by what we get from it. It's in our DNA. A thinking needs no thinking. But in God's Kingdom economies, how much other people benefit from it is always his calculation, his formula. Remember the saying of Jesus - "It is more blessed to give than to receive." And suddenly I had a new perspective...

Give credits to Neil Cole and Ed Waken who did great job to introduce the Organic church planting concept. I didn't "get" much new discoveries because I had read four of Cole's books and others beforehand. Neil Cole kind of kidding said I could teach and he could sit. But it's no more about new information. We had seen wonderful people having great passion for the harvest as well as the Lord of harvest. Our presence, by flying thousand miles, by being the only Asians and the only Canadians, encouraged them. We prayed for one another. Definitely we touched some hearts as ours were warmed by not a few. Since we had been praying for this simple/organic church a long time and starting it for half a year, we had some hands-on struggles to share...

Could God fly us there just for these? Why not! The answer lies in our understanding of who God is: the God who loves to give, or the God who loves to take? Everything will change with the right understanding - the way we do church, the way we view the world and interact with people, and of course, our expectation on a workshop...

I had double blessings. Apart from this revelation of "give and take," He gave me an experiential understanding of what it takes to walk down the road that leads to multiplication of disciples and churches...

Our trip to and from Cleveland was a tough one. The flying time added up to a single trip to HK except the comfort and flights connections. Our swim suits never got wet. The hotel pool was to look not to use because of the schedule. As said, all the things we prayed for happened the other way. You could imagine our anxieties and frustration.

Anxiety was the right word. All through the workshops, we had time to talk to a few people around our table. Most of them are pastors. They felt frustrations with the institutionalization of churches as well as God's calling for them to start the simple/organic expressions of church. But one thing always worried them was the job, the finance. They agreed that they had to take up "secular" vocation in order to carry on this journey. That's the anxiety part.

And we shared the same anxiety as well because we had thought about how far the this road is going to take us. Forfeiting the clergy tax benefits and steady income soon at sight, taking up any kinds of jobs as tent making - just jobs no more career, dive alone into the unknown non-believers world, a few believers knowing and supporting your beliefs on this trip. Loneliness is the deal. Struggling in the realms of neither here nor there. Constantly in need even daily bread. Constantly in need of faith, of hope and of love for us and for others. Sometimes I feel like crying. I did cry. Before Him. Only He knows. He knows what it takes on this road...

Sitting in that plane and reflecting of the whole trip, these two trips seemed to converge. God told me once again that this road to fulfill his purpose in "making disciples of all nations" and church multiplications is never an easy road. It's bumpy, it's narrow, it's very hard for one to follow... There's great costs attached, sacrifices of this life to make...

But more and more I believe faith is about being courageous, taking risks and bearing cost to pursue Jesus, acting on our convictions and trusting Him for the outcome, knowing, however hard it is, it is a road of adventure and new discoveries of who He really is, of what's in His heart.

What count most is the end. We are going to see Jesus Christ, smiling and applauding, in the finish line. And as we look back, we'll see it is no more we alone running on this road. There are many thousands. And Jesus is smiling to all of us. He's loving it.

Thank you Neil and Ed and all the fellowships of the Lord down in Ohio. We love you all.