Life Loving Jesus

Only if you’re curious… I know why I am here and now. Hong Kong is a place much like other major cities, unique though, is the land’s natural beauty, and abundance of fresh fruits. I live near the ocean on the jungle mountainside, in a tiny flat where I cook, sleep, write, and store my things. It’s simple, functional, and cozy. I have 3 options for escaping the jungle, all the options take me to various parts of the city in between 15 minutes to 1 hour. It’s so sweet to not drive, but instead take public transportation everywhere. Usually I take a book with me to read, or listen to some music on the way. I’ve recently learned a lot about the amazing human brain, living by the principal of non-violence, and embracing a life of freedom where work is something natural instead of modern slavery. Reading on trains and busses and in parks has grown me more in the last few months than I can say. I frequently find myself walking the city streets with friends, exploring nature with my aunts, playing with my cousins, and eating with everyone, all the time. Zai Chinese, Indian, Korean, Turkish, Egyptian, Nepalese, Japanese, and ALL THE FRUITS. Pineapple, mango, logan, egg fruit, papaya, mangosteen, durian, persimmon, jackfruit, plum, pear, pomelo, mulberry, star fruit, cherry, grape, strawberry, lychee, dragon fruit etc… I usually have some as a snack after school. I often stay till 4 or 5pm to plan lessons, contact parents, and enter grades. Its in these moments that I am able to relax a bit from the challenge that I face from 8am Monday through Friday – teaching my class of 20 students, 6 core subjects, and principles of life and interaction with others. These activities are special ones God is using to shape and refine me. 5 of my cute 9 year olds are unpredictably active and keep me engaged and alert. 5 of them constantly daydream and need reminders to get moving and stay focused. My classroom has seen it all – kids hitting and kicking, cursing, discrimination, screaming meltdowns. My coworkers and principal think I’m some kind of magical superhuman, I have no idea how I’m doing it. The only explanation I have is that God is doing it through me. I’m learning, alongside the children, how to trust and know God in ways I never thought were possible. It’s insane and yet really fun because I’m learning that people, children, are not the enemy. It isn’t the kid’s fault, we’re all broken. Suffering because deception exists. Learning and practicing good habits because it’s natural for us to respond with hitting and yelling, but that doesn’t mean we’re stuck in that forever. We can learn new things, if we’re open. Like children. I’m learning about the many many many chances and opportunities that God gives us to follow THE WAY. Today I had an amazing conversation with my kids about good and evil and how evil uses people and things to make us confused about who the enemy is. I don’t know the whole story, but I know this part. I am here and now to shine light in the space around me. To encourage my emotionally and behaviorally challenging students to do their best. To positively impact the environment by practicing consciousness and active speaking when prompted by the SPIRIT of LOVE.

I know that my purpose is many things, mostly through relationships with people, and that in order to fulfill my purpose I may continue to explore deep waters. Even though I don’t know all the details, I know that as the time passes, everything will be revealed. I’m learning to swim, and float, and walk on water in the meantime, because I believe the reality of HEAVEN can be manifest with perspective that comes from new eyes.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see the hearts of the bodies that carry them?

May peace and gratitude fill your heart as you continuously discover more and more the KINGDOM of GOD which is HERE and NOW, in this moment, when we ASK and RECEIVE LIFE by believing in JESUS as the ONE who leads us into RELATIONSHIP with the ONE WHO IS.