Wherever You Are – Be All There

It has been a busy summer for us – we enjoyed spending most of June and July connecting with family, friends and supporters across the USA.  Whenever we could, we soaked up all the ‘things’ we usually don’t get to enjoy in Hong Kong – walking on a fresh cut lawn; sitting on a porch watching the squirrels and birds play in a backyard; a picnic at the lake with our son & his wife; riding the roller coasters with family and friends; watching highlights on ESPN’s Sportscenter … to name just a few! In many ways it was difficult to leave all those things behind and return to Hong Kong, but when the time came for us to return, we knew it was the right thing to do.

Debbie returned to Hong Kong a couple weeks ahead of me, and so as I headed off to the airport for my return flight in mid-August, I commented on Facebook “I’m leaving for the airport and heading back to Hong Kong. It’ll be good to be back ‘home’ with Debbie again.”  One of our good friends asked me “Why the brackets on “home”? Do you not feel at home in Hong Kong after all these years?”  After thinking about it for a few minutes, I responded – “I feel at home in Hong Kong – but I’m still trying to figure out where my home is!”

As I have reflected on this, I realized that somehow we have been able to feel at ‘home’ wherever we have lived – whether it’s been Canada, USA, Taiwan or now here in Hong Kong. That quote from Jim Elliot, ‘Wherever you are – be all there’, has helped us over all these years remain focused on what’s important, even when we were living far away from family and friends. It has kept us from spending too much time thinking about what we miss the most from home, to the extent where we miss out on the exciting things God wants us to do or discover in the place He has sent us to live and work.

I will admit that there have been times when it has been difficult being so far away from our parents, children and family. But we remain engaged in our work here because we believe this is God’s will for us.  Do we miss seeing our family and friends back in Canada and the USA – of course!  But to focus on those things that we’re missing would only distract us from doing the work we have been called to do.

We are so thankful for the friends we have made back in the Salem, Oregon area and look forward to the time when we will be able to move back there.  But for now, we will remain engaged here – we will keep our focus on the ministries that God has led us to here in Hong Kong and in China.  So Debbie has begun another year of teaching Bible to middle school students at ICS (International Christian School), while I will resume my travels into China to assist and help extend the ministries of provincial and local church leaders wherever possible.

It’s not always easy to do that – to keep our focus on the right things – but it’s a choice we make. No matter where you find yourself right now, remain focused on what God has called you to do – ‘Wherever you are – be all there.’

Until next time,

Joel & Debbie

PRAY WITH US:
Pray for Debbie’s dad, who will have surgery on Sept. 4^th (a 2^nd colostomy after 8 yrs).  He is much weaker than the first time this was done, so pray for strength, and also patience during his recovery period.

Pray for continued adjustment to the change in leadership at International Christian School. Pray for wisdom for John Nelson (our new headmaster) and for a unified spirit across the school.

Joel will be traveling to Guangxi the first part of September and meeting with pastors there. Pray for his safety traveling across that province by bus, and then back to Hong Kong by overnight train.