Macau Update #2 (11/16-20/09)

It's been really hard to get any time to write any updates. I don't even have much time tonight, but here's a try:

1) General

Here' s an old video the guys threw together here in Macau to introduce to the people who were following their establishment in Macau where they are staying. This is where I'm staying with them:

There's been a few changes since they made this video a month ago, such as that they have hot water now, and that it's a little messier (to be polite!). I'm staying in Robert's room on the floor there with some blankets and an inflatable ground pad I brought just in case I needed it:

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2) Catch-up

Monday (11/16/09)

I walked around with Robert and checked out Macau, and it's very diverse culture. Later that day we celebrated Kyle's birthday at a missionaries' high-rise apartment. Here's a video up to the end of this day that I threw together on Wednesday, and a few photos of the party (The video dates read that the footage is updated until the 17th, but that's not true. I wanted to get in all the footage up till that day in this video, but didn't because I just don't have the time. I want to finish the song with more footage later. The slideshow at the end is Sunday and Monday as well):

The 3 missionaries and the 2 Timothys

Tuesday (11/17/09)

THANKSGIVING! Prayer in the morning with Rusty, Tim (a wonderful man who has come alongside Rusty here locally to help him with the church. A deacon/elder if you will...), some of the church's flock, the 3 guys, Jen, and myself. That was about 2 hours as we prayed for needs within the church, and did a mini Bible study which was very open-ended but so good out of Acts. Then Rusty and his assistant Tim took us 5 out to lunch at a very authentic Thai food place where I got the best curry of my life! Did some more money exchanging at a bank, and relaxed until Thanksgiving dinner later that night at Rusty's apartment. Kitty (his wife) cooked a mean feast which was very American - turkey, mashed potatoes, applesauce(homemade because they don't have any here), ect. and brownies ^_^

A greatly cherished memory representing a joke make about boogers! Yup.

It was such a blessing to be able to just relax with his family which included 4 children. Just to converse for hours, tell jokes, get to know one another, and have genuine fellowship.

Wednesday (11/18/09)

Jen, Seth, and I left early in the morning packed up for 3 days of traveling. Rusty picked us 3 up at the guy's apartment, and dropped us off at the Macau harbor to go to Hong Kong! In Hong Kong we had 3 objectives: to visit a missionary from America named Wylan who is currently going through cancer and kimo therapy, in order to give her winter clothes that she didn't have; To deliver about 150-200lbs. of Christian audio material for children and adults (sermons, Bible studies, ect.) to Christian Bible smugglers for Bible courier work (which we bought all the way over there in LARGE bags; and lastly, to look into a potential business for the 3 guys here in Macau - power-washing. In Hong Kong they had power-washing supplies Seth was interested in learning about.

Another reason why we went to Hong Kong, was to on Friday go into mainland China via Bible smuggling! There, we would meet with a man named George who owns multiple businesses in China. He trusts Seth and they have been friends for a while now. Jen and Seth prodded at possible job opportunities so that they could obtain Macau residency with a business visa which is better than visitor's visas. (I believe that's how it worked...).

We were able to lug the heavy products to a man named Al who we met in Hong Kong after a long and very uncomfortably queazy boat ride. We were able to get from the boat stating to the heart of Hong Kong where Al's hotel room was via subway. 81 years old, for the past 18 years he had been smuggling Christian material into mainland China and hand-delivering it to God's people in China where it was requested. He is an independent courier without any organization sending him. In his hotel room I had the amazing opportunity to interview him with my video camera! I quickly placed the camera onto the dresser with children's Bible DVD's meticulously placed underneath it to frame him properly in the shot haha. After we lost 200lbs, we hopped back onto the subway and got settled into our apartment many miles away. The apartments were provided by Christians, who facilitate rooms for short-term missionaries for about $15 USD/night to simply pay for expenses and cleaning. Much nicer than Macau's pad for sure. Our day was coming to a quick end as dinner at a japanese restaurant, and boba tea for dessert settled in our tummies.

Thursday (11/19/09)

My first "American" breakfast which consisted of two pieces of bread called "french toast" and two stripps of bacon. They eat pretty lightly for breakfast here, Seth said. The hot lemon tea soothed my throat as it felt raw. I had come down with a pretty heavy cold and was trying to keep myself together as we were following through with our plans for our time in Hong Kong/China. We hopped onto the subway after breakfast and met Wylan - delivering to her the warm clothes she needed, and taking the summer clothes she didn't need anymore for storage. This skinny, short, humble Asian woman had such a beaming face. You could see the light of Christ through her eyes. We had the opportunity to pray for her and ask for God to comfort her as she walks in the path He has for her. She didn't look like she had my sniffles, none-the-less cancer...

After meeting with her, it just so happens Seth and Jen knew where we were. A district of Hong Kong that I forgot the name of where all fake products were sold haha! I was able to buy new leather converse for $13 USD, a beanie for $5, gloves for $4, ect. It was so fun bartering and working on those skills. By this point though I was very achey all around my hips and up my spine from the cold, and was having alot of trouble being myself. They both were asking me to be sure to mention at any point to go back to the apartment, but I decided to stay until Seth got his power-washing objective accomplished.

He left Jen and I to rest while he took care of business. 45 minutes later, and a faithless ingestion of 2 advil, I was able and willing and desirous to travel to see the light show across the river which separates Hong Kong in half. It was really pretty as we arrived by subway to the pier's edge overlooking the other half of the entire city! Lasers and lights, all programmed to music, entertained tourists and locals as Seth and I bit into our Micky-D's dinner. Tired and ready for bed, the three of us took the subway home. After meeting a missionary who was just in for the night named John and politely spoke with him until he was ready for bed, we all passed out. zzzzz...

Friday (11/20/09)

(okay getting pretty tired now so I need to hurry)

Woke up sicker, met with a Bible courier organization. Was educated about the facts in China and their need for Bibles and the laws of them, ect. Was handed 1.5hours later about 150lbs of Bibles in a roller bag and shoulder bag. Seth, Jen, another experienced courier named David, and myself took the train to the Hong Kong border where we walked the Bibles into the Chinese boarder. Then, Seth, Jen, another David, and I dropped them off in a specified van owned by a Christian man who would ship them out elsewhere. SUCH A RUSH! (The speedy version cuz i'm tired & sick & need sleep... ask me later!!) From there we took the Chinese train to a hotel where we met up with George. He took us out to lunch and he didn't end up being a good solution to Seth's needs, and wasn't an answer to Jen's prayers. (Ask about this later for sure too!!) So we got a taxi back to the boarder, walked back into Hong Kong, took the train to the harbor. Missed our boat and literally begged the ticket manager for another ticket for the next boat, got on the next boat for free (Praise GOD!), and were picked up by church members of Horizon Macau and dropped off to the place that I can call home: the guy's apartment.

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So as you can tell, not a day wasted! My prayer has been answered thus far! Please pray for Jesus to continue to give me strength and to sustain me as I press in to the good work He has for me to do here in Macau. Big day tomorrow of interviews and traveling back to China with Rusty for visits to secret home churches in Christian unfriendly areas. We should be back in Macau later tomorrow night. Please be in prayer for those things too! He is so good... Goooooood night!

P.S. there's a video i'll add to the top of this post later.