Will there be a flood of joy?

Seeing the world, seeing the tears. "Flood of tears" literally written in red paint on the side of a damaged house. Damage everywhere. What remains? Temporary shelters set up by the UN, USAID, various other countries, Habitat, Relief orgs...but how temporary are they? It's been over a year now. Yesterday I rode by motorbike through the provinces, past the mass graves, stopped at a posting of children's pictures, children with no parents anymore, talked with some kids who live in a tent- alone. Beautiful beach, calm waves, newly planted mangroves. Sun shining in Aceh. Bought most delicious ear of roasted corn from a lady, a tsunami widow. She lost her husband and two sons. She told me she used to sell about 50 ears of corn a day. But that was before, when there were buyers. Many gone, but some preserved. And for what? For Whom? I think what's struck me the deepest in my first week here is how God will use brokenness to restore. This area was closed, absolutely isolated, shut off, guarded against, "protected from": LIGHT. Now, the land can't help but receive it - PRAY that it will sink in and take root in powerful, enduring ways.

These are some children who lost their parents. They live alone in this tent.


We've had some valuable interactions here. This is so different than my classroom learning! I often get introduced as a "Community Development specialist" - though I hardly feel capable; shyly smiling on the inside, but confident that God uses donkeys. Meeting in the home of local fish farmers to see their perspective, meeting with the local authorities responsible for organizing NGO activities for rehabilitation, watching and waiting, exploring in faith and resting in a power not our own. I'm being asked to do things I don't think I know how to do...draw plans for the fish farm, if not from an architectural perspective then from an artist perspective. How do I do this? Okay, Lord, you can. I've seen the preschool I'll be painting...wow. I can't wait. I feel inadequate in so many ways, but ever eager. I know that today is the day.

Dave and Dirk left today...I will be here for a few more days. My heart is glad that I am not alone, that you are with me in the Light. I long to return to you, to share more fully. Have read from Acts this week during team devotions - Paul, during the shipwreck, knew His God. He said, "Not one person will be lost." The question put to me, to us, "How are we going to go about the tasks God has given us? from our education, to our bank accounts, citizenship, relationships...Paul was a highly qualified and determined person, but ultimately it was his weakness that allowed Christ to be all. Are we willing to put ourselves on the life for our Lord Jesus? Am I? Pray for sustenance and a courage not my own. When Paul knew his clear call, he held nothing back. No matter where he found himself, he wanted to be used by God.

Celebrate Love...with Quintuplets!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to you all!
In case you may be wondering, we do celebrate Valentine's Day here in Singapore...in fact, the government actually promotes it! This morning as I drove to the office I was amazed to see huge red hearts strapped to almost every tree lining the road. Each heart read, "Celebrate Love". The authorities seem to be emphasizing the feelings of love and goodwill.

Here's how Paul describes "Love" in his letter to the Corinthians..."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

So you might be wondering about the quintuplets? If anyone isn't sure, that's FIVE babies born at one time! So, Dawn and I were scheduled to babysit these 5 precious little girls (15 months old and the only quints in Singapore!) so their parents could go out to dinner tonight...So we left the office early to come home and prepare. Our house looked like a preschool after we were done setting up all the cushions and toys. Then the entourage came...1, 2, 3, 4, 5 toddling petite Chinese baby girls, parents, grandma, and two helpers! We had quite the party, taking a walk in the gardens, watching the fish swim, and sliding and swinging for the first time! This was only the second time these babies had all left the house together...their lives are truly miracles.

Chinese New Year has officially come to a close with the second full moon (Sunday night). I enjoyed the Sunday evening with a really neat family, who has offered me their daughter's bedroom when she gets married in May. This timing is actually quite perfect, since it looks like I'm not even going to be in Singapore much until May. Thank you for praying for my housing - I have been offered many options. I think I would really like living with this family - a mother with her 2 grown children (21 and 19 years). But for now, my home will be elsewhere. I fly out to Banda Aceh, Indonesia on my birthday, February 20, for two weeks. I think this is one of the neatest gifts I could imagine from the Lord - the gift of seeing what He is doing to repair broken hearts in this land so torn by flooding. Please cover me in prayer during this journey.

Pictured here is one of our team members who will be leaving with her husband this Saturday to move longterm to Banda Aceh - they will be getting the fisheries up and running. You can see the boat atop the house behind her.

I discovered that the kindy (gotta be the New Zealand way of saying "kindergarten") we have built in Banda actually needs murals painted on the interior walls...so I volunteered, hoping that my oil painting class from college will somehow prepare me for painting animals and other kid stuff on tall walls in Indonesia. If you have any creative ideas, please let me know!!!

These past days in the office have been good ones; getting a feel for what my role can be here. My official title is "Communications Coordinator", and one of my main responsibilities at this point is to receive prayer requests and praise items from our field workers and share these with all the fields, volunteers, board members, and prayer partners on a weekly basis. We are

calling this bulletin: MTI Weekly. One of the highlights in the headquarter office is our time of intercession on Monday afternoons. You are most welcome to join us!

I will close for now, but know that I ask the Lord to keep you in HIS steadfast Love. I sat under the stars tonight, full of emotion, and gazed at the moon. I watched as white clouds streamed across the midnight blue sky; yet the whole time the moon stood still. It reminded me of how steady is our God's love for us.
Celebrate this love!
This photo was taken by Aaron Little

Isaiah's Cross

Zaybay! Thank you so much for the Cross necklace you gave me for Christmas. I want to tell you what your gift means to me in my new home.

(For my friends who don't know, my 7-year-old brother, Isaiah, found me the most beautiful silver cross at his school's Christmas "bizarre", and he wanted me to have it for Christmas. I wear it almost daily now that I have learned of its significance in this region.)

In Asia, the Cross of Christ is a very significant symbol to distinguish Christians from those practicing other religions; much different from the "stylistic" use of the cross shape in the West. The Buddhist and Hindu have their symbols, but when someone here wears a Cross, he or she is making a clear statement that Jesus is their God. Dave and Dawn have a wooden cross hanging on their front door, so that there is no question who is Lord of their house. The neighbors to the right of Dave and Dawn have an altar to Buddha outside their door. So, when I wear Isaiah's cross I ask the Lord to mark me with His grace, the grace of the Cross. Often Christians will begin conversations with other believers upon noticing their crosses. Maybe this will happen? Maybe an unbeliever will see Jesus' love in me and see the Cross? We who live because of the Cross now bear this Cross of Hope, which came through our Lord's suffering our penalty. He is great, and greatly to be praised! Brothers and sisters, let's share the light of the Cross, for our burden is now light!