Passing The Torch

Last Friday was the official graduation of the Discipleship Training Program that Sean and I have been leading. I think we both felt like proud parents that day. We, along with the rest of our team members, got to look out at all of our students with a sense of accomplishment. It’s one thing to look over a project that you have invested in, but when your investment is people…the reward is so much more fulfilling. These students carved out 5 months of “routine” life and are going home forever changed for the ordinary. Some are going back to normal jobs and to school, some are taking some time to rest and figure out a next step, and some would like to seek out ways to work in full time ministry…but ALL of them have learned how to persevere, how to fight for unity, how to authentically share their faith, how to consider others before self, and how to break free from unhealthy patterns in their life. It’s exciting to know that these students will go home and live different lives for the better of themselves and those around them, and that we had the privilege of walking along side these guys. We were vulnerable. They were vulnerable. We shared. They shared. We challenged and were challenged. We led by example, and we were also led by our students. This last 5 months is a season we are proud of and wouldn’t trade for anything. It was difficult to say goodbye, but we know that unless these young people are released back to their homes, then the fruit of their labor will never fully be known.

Almost all of the students left over the course of the weekend. So we as staff have been debriefing our experience. It’s been good to process and talk through our successes and the things we would do different. I think all of us are realizing that God has given us the grace to finish this season strong, because now that it is all done; it has hit us just how tired we really are! We’ll have some time to rest before we head into this next 6 months at Holmsted, but before I share our plans; I’d like to work backwards and give some details on our trip to Asia.

:: WHAT WE DID
We were busy! We did a lot of traveling and took all sorts of forms of transportation. We rode on buses, subways, sleeper trains, sleeper buses, boats, taxis, and of course we did a lot of walking. The first part of our trip was about 3 weeks and we served in HK. We did manual labor work with an organization that distributes donated goods to countries in need. They will distribute anything from rubber ducks to hospital beds. We visited with refugees, we helped some local youth with tutoring, we passed out flyers for free tutoring lessons, we worked with a sports outreach to young men trying to get off drugs, and we spent an afternoon working with Filipino domestic helpers. These women help in the home and many times are overworked and mistreated. They get one day off a week and thousands of them will gather to enjoy the day. We just went around to encourage them and chat with them. With each of these service projects, we would offer a listening ear and prayer. We also did a lot of prayer walking around the area we lived in. There are many idols around for ancestral worship. We learned that it’s not just paying homage to the deceased, but it is believed that if you don’t honor them in death and keep them appeased in the afterlife, that they can come and torment you. We prayed that they would be released from this fear.

After 3 weeks, we headed into the mainland. The first part of our trip was visiting 2 villages up in the mountains. It took about a 6 hour journey and 3 vehicle transfers. These villages are not “tourist” attractions. They are very rustic and everyone lives simply to say the least. We came out intentionally to pray that God would be known in such a way that life-change happens that effects the villages for the better, and that believing workers would come to serve these neglected areas. We also spent time serving the people by teaching English and playing with the local children. Village 1 was a bit more developed and that’s where we taught English. The students gave us a warm welcome, but the teaching environment was difficult. The teachers usually didn’t stay in the class, we only had one translator to share between 4 classes, the classroom size was usually 50-60 students per class, and the students were distracted because of their long school day. I believe they go to school for 12 hours a day! It’s no wonder we had students asleep in class!

Village 2 was a 45 minute ride away from Village 1. It was a beautiful landscape with mountains all around, valleys, and rice fields. In this village, there is no running water, so we went without showering for 3 days. We also got used to using the toilet (a hole in the ground) next to the pigs pen. We all slept in these houses that were basically barns with makeshift beds in them. It was so difficult because of our living conditions, but it was so rewarding to share life with these people. By our standards, the most they gave still didn’t meet the least of what we would give. But we quickly learned the depth of their giving because they weren’t giving out of their abundance as we do…they gave despite the fact that they had nothing! While we were in this village, our guide shared of the hopelessness these people live with. In a nutshell, the people spend all day plowing fields and doing strenuous manual labor. But there work isn’t to sell their crops…they work all day just to make enough food to survive off of for the year. The dynamic of the village is that it is filled with the elderly (working the fields) and young children (raising themselves) because all the middle aged have left to bigger cities to try and find a better job. So the hope for the children is education to help them find better jobs, but there isn’t anyone willing to come to these remote villages to teach because the conditions are so rustic. It is a sad and vicious cycle that leaves both the elderly and the children abandoned…both whom God specifically told us to look after! We spent a lot of time playing with the children and praying for the area…that people would feel called to come and serve these people in such a way that can help break this cycle of poverty.

After our village tours, we spent a few weeks doing a cultural exchange. It was an amazing program that allowed us the opportunity to learn about Asian culture while also helping their local university students practice their English. We learned a bit of the language and we also learned about tea art, traditional medicine, traditional music, paper cutting, calligraphy, and about their history. Throughout the course of our time there, we would make lunch appointments with students who showed us great hospitality. They loved sharing about their culture and taking us to eat local food (which by the way is AMAZING!) It was a privilege too because through the course of conversation, as the students would inquire, we were able to share our faith.

Lastly, we traveled on an overnight train to a new province and worked with 4 youth camps for special needs children. God’s timing was so perfect because we had all struggled a bit with seeing fruit from our labor. We had expectations of what fruit would look like (people coming to faith, being healed, etc.) So as we struggled with not seeing fruit, God put us on a fruit farm where the theme for the camps was the fruits of the spirit. Our time here was so rewarding. We learned so much about what it truly means to love unconditionally. The children we worked with all had either physical or mental disabilities and required a lot of attention. We were slapped, hugged, bitten, kissed, kicked, smiled at. To love them just felt so right. These are all kids who grow up hearing that they are nothing…even called trash because they have nothing to contribute to society. Some are even abandoned by parents because they need children who will be able to look after them when they’re older. Loving these children gave us a glimpse into the father heart of God.

One of the last bits of our trip was a once in a lifetime event. We were able to celebrate the passing of the Olympic Torch. We gathered with locals, we waved flags, and we were stopped by a security barricade. We didn’t actually get to see the torch itself because we were about a block away in distance, but we saw the motorcade that was following behind it. It was so special to be able to celebrate with the locals.

To end our time serving, we planned a bit of celebration by visiting HK Disneyland! We were able to stay at one of the Disney hotels and we visited the park for two days! It’s quite a bit smaller than the one we’re used to in Cali, but we still had just as much fun. That time was such a blessing to refuel and recharge by being silly!

Another major event that happened while we were in Asia was the earthquake. We want to say that we are so blessed to have friends and family like you who kept us in your thoughts and prayers. Because of our limitations on communication, we were unable to let you all know that we were not physically affected by this tragic event. We want to apologize for any grief this may have caused any of you. We can’t imagine what it’s like to have to sit and wait and hope for good news. It was a privilege to be in the nation and specifically pray for its people as they mourned the death of thousands. We grieved together.

:: WHAT’S NEXT
Now that the school is completed, Sean and I are really looking forward to this next season of first rest and then focusing on local ministries. Today we slept in and went and saw a movie. Admittedly, it was nice to only have to worry about us! We also had our 10 year anniversary while in Asia. We didn’t have a chance to really celebrate, but Sean has had that taken care of for a while. Unbeknownst to me, he has had a wonderful trip planned. We will be going for one day to Venice, Italy before we catch a cruise to the Greek Isles! I can’t wait! After we get back we plan on getting involved with local churches here in England. We plan on helping around Holmsted by being a part of a special events teams that connect Holmsted with the local community. Sean will also help lead another school in September that has a focus on worship music. Then in January, we plan on both leading another Discipleship Training School.

So that has been life for the last few months. It’s been hard work, it’s been tiring, there has been a lot of pouring out, and now the school is finished. But just as we tell the students, the journey is just starting. It doesn’t end. We now get to take these new experiences, these new learnings, and apply them to what lies ahead. It was very symbolic to be a part of the passing of the torch because that is exactly what we feel like we have done…both with our work in Asia and with our work in the lives of the students.

Cheers!
Sarah and Sean