Above the Noise

Just returned from New York City this weekend, I spoke at the Chinese Evangel Mission Church Queen's Coffehouse. The evening was called
Above the Noise: The theme verse was from Isaiah 30:21 "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

This is the second time I have spoken at the church (the first time was for a Teen Eastern Chinese Bible Conference Reunion) and I was amazed by the transformation from a garage to a beautiful space. As I arrived, I encountered the parents helping out with setting up and the youth who gathered in the basement to pray for almost an hour. They were earnestly praying for each other, for me and for the people who were coming. I was blown away.

As I watched the youth leading worship, perform skits and the powerful testimony by a sister, I felt so undeserving of being in the presence of such saints. To be part of something so beautiful and pure...and as I spoke, I felt the prayers of the youth and those of you who have been so gracious in praying for me and I spoke with such a conviction. As I invited the youth the come home...one by one, they stood...and I knew there was God there, responding to our brokenness, our ragged clothes and our bare feet and all of us were clothed in His robe and the sandals...we all were on our way home. I can't express how much I was blessed that evening and thank God for allowing me to partner with these people. I am going to write a letter to express my appreciation and to esteem the church for their commitment to the youth and for the parents' support. Pray for the follow up and that the seeds that were planted would come into fruition.

Please pray for my speaking engagements at:

I am looking forward to speaking at my next outreach as I head back to my High School (Brooklyn Technical High School) on May 18th and speaking for Seekers Jesus Day. Pray for this day as a working of the spirit as the students plan this day!

Teen Eastern Chinese bible Conference is coming around the corner! I am excited that I am serving again this year as a support to the wonderful chair person Fran!

Mid-Hudson Chinese Christian Church on June 4th I am planning on having a meeting with their leadership to see what kind of partnership could exist with PaLM.

New York Summer Conference where I will be the youth speaker for this historic conference, I am also doing a workshop and lifestyle evangelism...one of my passions!

Boon Church of Overseas Chinese Mission Church in Flushing in August. I will be speaking on engagement of evangelism and discipleship.

September I will be launching the Laity Project at the College and Career Eastern Chinese Bible Conference and will be doing a workshop there as well.

Funding
The Prayer Letter is ready, I sent it to a first group of prospective funders! Right now, my budget is about 20% raised and I need a special push in the summer to get the budget ready for the full launch by September, I know things are behind but I trust God's provision through His people. I will contacting some churches to talk about some formal partnerships in the Fall. If you want a copy of the prayer letter it is in the yahoo groups.

Please feel free to forward it to anyone who you think would be interested.Pray for divine provision in the next few months and that I would have faith that God will move in this project. Pray that I will be able to have meaningful times with some prospective funders from missions boards and ministries. Pray that I have faith...a simple and focused faith.

I have been putting in more hours at my part-time job and I am really being challenged by the time I am putting there and the other commitments...but my finances are a concern for me...and for the summer, Jamie and I will have to pay for our own health insurance. Pray for God's guidance and for us to lean on Him...our beautiful savior and deliverer.

Prospective Partnerships

I had a meeting with Glen Ewart who is a New York Regional Director about the possibility of serving with Intervarsity at Cornell. As I reflect on this past winter when I spoke at the Grace Christian Fellowship at Cornell, I realize that I miss the work I did back with Intervarsity at the Asian American Christian Fellowship at NYU. I am praying that God would open my heart to see how I should respond to this opportunity.

I am hoping to meet with the English Pastor at the Korean Church of Syracuse to connect with him and talk about some of his heart for the fellowship and the church. Pray for a time of encouragement and insight for the two of us and how to best serve the Asian American students on campus.

I have been approached by a church in Chinatown to serve once a month to develop their college and/or youth ministries. Pray for discernment on how to proceed and be a good steward of time and heart.

I have started working with my home church in developing their youth ministry, we will be hosting Joshua Revolution. I really love the kids but my greatest challenge is to serve the current leadership and the existing culture but I am really encouraged by the Associate Pastor's vision for engagement and his heart for a transformative discipleship. I am going to serve through the summer for a bit and planning some prayer walks and then take it from there. Pray for opportunities for me to understand and to enter into this new place of serving with patience and also confidence of the gifts that God has given me.

Pray for the CCHC Website, it has hit a slight speed bump and I am hoping that we can complete it so we can move to the next stage of funding exploration.

Transitions
Jamie and I have been more in depth discussions about our future and we are at a standstill regarding what will happen next, my heart and my desire is to come back to the city to continue ministry work, she is thinking of some overseas work but we are truly praying this through and wondering what this will all mean. A lot of factors are at hand...our families, starting a family, but overall, we want it to be focused on prayer and on the leading of God. Pray for our sincere surrender to His loving and perfect will.

MISC Prayers

Special Happy Birthdays to Amy, Glennis and Linda ! I hope that your birthday is filled with such wonder and reminders of God's grace. Jamie's birthday is coming soon!!! I have some ideas...but I will keep them on the down low for now.

Special congratulations to Carlton and Lauren on their new season as husband and wife. Special praises to Kuz and Peggy for their new marriage. These weddings serve as reminders of the beauty of marriage and to appreciate this institution that God has given us.

I am taking my Chinese final exam at Syracuse University next week...pray that I be diligent and pursue excellence for this opportunity to learn this language.

Pray for the Herald Youth Center as I have found out that another staff is leaving after the summer. Pray for this ministry to be supplied to the fullest for the appointed servant.

Pray for PaLM Worship Conference this coming weekend. Pray for those who come will be blessed and engaged as they seek their role as worshippers. I might make a surprise visit there...hmm....

Pray for some of my friends who have parents who are fighting cancer, diagnosed with cancer and/or awaiting results. Please pray for healing and for peace for their times of trouble.