Basketball and Middle Schoolers

So this morning, I had a really humbling experience. Okay, it's not that big of a deal, but reflecting back on what happened, I can't help but smile.

Basically, before camp starts, we let some of the kids just hang around outside or inside. The kids outside were playing basketball and they were all really big 8th graders who are just really good at basketball. There was a decent amount of people outside too. I just happened to be standing off to the side when a kid named Denny says, "Ms. Wong! Take a shot!" (kids call their senior counselors by Ms. or Mr. here). And because I am HORRIBLE at basketball, I said, "Yeah ok.. only if everyone outside closes their eyes" Of course, Denny's friend Shihua overheard and he wanted me to take a shot as well. Soon enough, Macklin joins in and he says, "Everyone freeze! Ms. Wong is going to shoot a basketball!" And of course, Charles joins in and next thing I know, EVERYONE is standing there watching me nervously hold a basketball. (Story of my life?) Tammy even offered to compete against me, but really I think she was trying to encourage me. And, because I have zero confidence, I miss the first two shots and then Tammy shoves me under the hoop pretty much and tells me that there's no way I can miss from there. And she was right, I finally got it in! Everyone was clapping and laughing (with or at me, I couldn't tell). Then, I facepalmed my way out of the basketball court. Haha I couldn't believe that happened, but then I thought about it further. Why was I so bothered by it? I think it was because I went into camp today thinking "I'm the counselor. I have something to offer to these kids." Which, I mean I guess I do. But I never really thought that they could teach me anything or force me to really step outside of my comfort zone. Looking back, it was really cool and encouraging to me that these kids would cheer me on and believe in me! It took something so simple yet so .. uncomfortable to make me feel vulnerable. And it was so humbling! I think from that I learned that my identity shouldn't be in how well I can shoot hoops or what people think of me when I miss. I also learned that middle schoolers can be just as encouraging, if not more than their counselors! Mostly, I realized that we all have something to learn from each other.

Anyway, gotta go. Last day of camp tomorrow!

Project Destiny Update... and More

You can think of this post as two separate halves. Here's the first half:

The first thing I need to do is to write my PD mid-camp update. Steve (director) sent us a template to let us copy and paste, so here it is:

                It has been an exciting camp so far. To recap some of what we’ve done: In the first week, we met our campers and got to know them better. One of the first things that helped small groups bond was the Chinatown Scavenger Hunt field trip, where we looked for frequently unnoticed “landmarks” in the neighborhood and took pictures as a group. On that Friday, we also went to George’s Island in the Boston Harbor Islands to explore the fort, skip some rocks, and enjoy the seaside. In our morning Charting lessons, we put on skits about the life of Abraham and learned about how God has a plan for people, but we sin and want to do things our own way. While it had only been a few days, by the end of that week, it felt like we had been going for a long time.

                The second week went by quickly too. We took a trip to the USS Constitution to see how the navy ran its ships more than 200 years ago. We also went to the New England Aquarium and got to visit a shark and ray touch-tank. That Friday, we took a full day field trip to Overlook Farm, where we got to milk goats and make yarn while learning about sustainable agriculture. During this week for charting, through more Abraham skits and sermons from Genesis,  we learned that even though we turn away from God and leave messes in our lives because of sin, God has mercy on us and comes to rescue us—that is what salvation means.

                By the third week, campers are really comfortable with us. We’ve been continuing to bond over field trips like the Institute of Contemporary Art and whale-watching. It was a little tough on everyone this week because of some of our staff got sick (perhaps a little sicker from being on a boat!) and because of the heat wave that hit us. We tried to stay cool while dealing with new challenges that came from campers being more comfortable with us and planning for big events. Just yesterday, after that whale-watch, some of the counselors from TWR and PD came together to put on an “All Around the World” event where kids built replicas of famous world monuments. We were hoping and praying that this would provide an opportunity for PD kids to integrate into TWR. Please pray for this important continuing goal of our camp.

 So for my own personal updates on Project Destiny. I've certainly been learning a lot through spending time with the girls in my small group and with the team as a whole. The girls in my group are great and there are times where it's harder to be patient, but God's been teaching me some really valuable lessons for community groups next year. He's showing me what it really means to be available and how to just listen and be there for someone.

Another major theme that God has been showing me is discipline. (And here begins the second half). How God allows us to go through really tough times because He loves us. For some reason, Hebrews 12 has been popping up so much it's on the verge of freaky.

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:7-11

Sometimes, I feel as though this entire summer has been one huge discipline (hm for some reason what sounds really awkward, but I hope you're catching my drift). I think I came into this summer thinking it was going to be somewhat easy, especially since I did PD last year. But I was so so so wrong. This has been the hardest summer ever.

I don't know exactly how your summer's been. (Actually, this goes beyond summer too!) Whether tough times are happening now, or if they are to come, we have to realize that God is disciplining us, and not because He just feels like it, but because it's for our good. That we may share in his holiness. He's making us holy and more like Him through these tough times. Isn't that something to look forward to? Like the light at the end of the tunnel? And the thing that should give us hope and perseverance in tough times is that God knows what we are going through-- He knows it's not easy. After all, the writer of Hebrews says that no discipline is pleasant at the time, but painful. But God allows for this because only through discipline will we produce the fruit of righteousness and peace.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I'm at the place right now where I am at peace with everything that's going on this summer. In fact, I'm still dealing with painful experiences (emotionally and physically), weariness, a horrible attitude (referring to my own), and severe nostalgia. But if I really sit down and reflect (especially on this passage), I have hope and I know that God's letting all of this happen for my good. I can't wait to see how He's changing me and everyone else this summer through not only the good times, but also the really really really hard times as well.

Pastor Enoch always says this thing that I really like. He says that there's a difference between a 'memorable' summer and a 'life-changing' summer. A memorable summer is filled with fun times, good memories that make your heart feel warm and fuzzy. But a life changing summer is one filled not only with the good times, but also with heart ache and painful experiences, but you come out of the summer with more perseverance, peace, and more like Jesus. Which one would you rather have?

Anyway, sorry that was so long! I've been meaning to blog about something for a while. 2.5 more weeks of Project Destiny, 3 weeks until I leave Massachusetts, 3.5 weeks until I arrive back in Indiana, and 4 (?) more weeks until classes start! Time is moving by so fast.

And here is a picture of whales from our whale watching trip on Friday :)

Boston Project Destiny

So yesterday I had a really cool opportunity. I got to visit the Boston Project Ministries in Dorchester, MA! I got to see Esther, Keith, Liz, Nathan, and Meghan! It was really awesome to see how they're doing and what they're up to, especially since I hadn't seen Meghan or Liz in a really long time. I also got to meet the rest of their team which was super fun because they had such a lively, tight-knit, and diverse group. It was so different from what Project Destiny has been like. (Not that PD has been bad!)

Nathan and Meghan!

Keith, their director, let me sit in on their debriefing/prep meeting and we were asked to answer two questions. One of them was "How have you been able to see God's love?" And as I was sitting there, I felt an overwhelming sense of God's love because recently, I had been stuck in a 'PD bubble' where everything and everyone around me was all about PD. But being able to see another ministry and how God is also at work there made me realize how big He is but also how personal He is. It was incredible to see just the way He provides for them and how He carefully handpicked that team in the same way that He picked the PD team. It made me realize that God is such a big God and that He's not limited to what I'm doing this summer. In fact, He's doing work all over-- in Boston, Indiana, Illinois, Jamaica, Haiti.... He loves and cares for all of us, no matter what we're doing, and where we're at. God's love is all around!

Anyway, if you're from CBCGL and you're reading this-- (er, probably not), don't forget to pray for the LYFers this week! Pray that God will change them through this and that they can gain more knowledge on poverty in the city and that they'll really know what it means to serve the poor.

Well, just entered into my second week of PD. Definitely been learning a lot and seeing the ways in which God really provides. More on that at a later time... Thanks for all the support and prayers!

Project Destiny Update

Hi everyone!

So I figured since Project Destiny is taking over so much of my time (and life...) I should do a quick background information blurb on it and a quick update on how it's going.

 Project Destiny is a 5-week day camp based in Chinatown Boston. The purpose of Project Destiny is to glorify God through serving the Chinatown community, bringing campers to know more of Christ, and to offer life-changing urban ministry experience to its staff. During these 5 weeks, not only do we provide really cheap day care for these middle schoolers, we also teach classes, bring them on field trips, play games with them, but most importantly, we get the privilege of getting to know them and loving them!

Camp for the campers officially starts this Tuesday. Up until now, we've been having staff training, learning about things ranging from how to teach a class, how to lead a small group, conflict management, first aid, to where the cleaning supplies are. I have had such a great time getting to know this awesomely talented team. Besides sitting in the basement or 2nd floor of 249, we have also been camping and having a really fun time doing things together. Here are some photos:

And I present to you, ladies and gents, staff camping trip 2011.

The DNA of a strawberry!

The planning team doing/teaching us Thriller (in our not-so intimidating blue polos).

Shopping day with the SC girls!

 Yup. As for prayer requests, please please please continue to pray for our team. We've been living and working together for 2 weeks already. 5.5 more weeks to go! Pray for team unity. Pray that campers will see Christ in the way that we love each other. And lastly, pray that we will trust in God to provide strength for us mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Thank you for all who have been praying for me and supporting me this summer! I can't wait to hear about what He's doing in your lives as well :)

Have a great July 4th weekend! I know I'll be celebrating with fireworks and colonial soldiers.

Ruth

One of my (new) favorite books of the Bible: Ruth. I've been told the story of Ruth many times as a kid, but I never really understood it/gave it much thought. Maybe it was because there was a slight language barrier between the person telling me (Chinese church and Asian adults with heavy Chinese accents..) and/or I just didn't care... but recently I've been reading through Ruth and it was as if I had never read it or heard it before.

I encourage you to take a look at it as well, but I'm going to summarize it anyway. Basically it starts off about a woman named Naomi and her husband and two sons. They had to leave Judah and move to the land of the Moabites because of a famine. However, her husband dies. Then, her two sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. But eventually, her sons die as well and Naomi is left alone with her two daughter-in-laws. With nothing left, Naomi decides to return to her homeland of Judah alone. Orpah and Ruth try to convince her to bring them with her, but Naomi insists that they return to their own families and Orpah eventually gives in. Ruth, however, is adamant about staying with Naomi. So Naomi lets her stay and they both return to Judah together. When they reach Judah, Ruth went out into the fields to glean wheat behind the harvesters. Turns out, the field she worked in belonged to Boaz. Boaz showed her extreme kindness. He even elevated her to the status of one of his servant girls because he has heard about her and what she's done for Naomi. When Ruth returned to Naomi that night, she told Naomi all that had happened and Naomi told her that Boaz is their kinsman-redeemer. In chapter 3, Naomi gives Ruth really specific (and kind of strange..) instructions on how to approach Boaz. Boaz offers to be their kinsman-redeemer, even though there may be someone closer to their family than he is. Later on, Boaz gathers 10 elders and asks if the first kinsman-redeemer would like to 'redeem' Naomi's family, but he doesn't. So Boaz is able to redeem her family. In the end, Boaz marries Ruth. And eventually, Ruth becomes the great (x2309843) grandmother of Jesus!

Wow ok, sorry that was kind of long. There is so much in this short book, and so I'm probably only touching the surface of it all, but this is what I got from it when I read it. First, what stood out to me was the contrast between Naomi and Ruth and their reactions to what is going on in their lives. Both of them has led hard lives, no doubt about it. Both of them lost their husbands and are widows. When Naomi and Ruth return to Judah, Naomi tells her people who recognize her, to call her "Mara" which means "bitter" because "the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; The Almighty has brought misfortune upon me." I don't know about you, but it seems to me as if Naomi is kind of dwelling on how awful her situation was. But Ruth, Ruth showed Naomi an incredible amount of sacrificial love, in spite of her circumstances. When she was widowed, she could have returned home to her family, to the Moabites, to everything that may have been familiar to her. But instead, she begs of Naomi, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." (1:16-17). I mean, if we think about it, Ruth's situation in life was hard. It seemed like everything was against her-- not only would she have been treated poorly because she was a widow, she could have been harmed because she was a foreigner. What stands out to me is that Ruth actually took refuge in God, rather than becoming bitter at Him! In 2:11, Boaz says to her, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband-- how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge" This is crazy to me. Naomi was familiar with the God of Israel, after all she wasn't a pagan. She was from Judah! But Ruth was the one who trusted God, and she was from Moab, which is a land averse to the God of Israel, pagans. Because she trusted God, and took refuge under His wings, God rewarded her way beyond what she could have ever imagined. Boaz comes and redeems and restores Naomi's family by marrying Ruth and through marrying Ruth, God rewards them further because eventually, she becomes the great (x2309843)-grandmother of Jesus, and what an honor that is!

The second thing that stands out to me is "kinsman-redeemer". I don't think I've ever heard of this phrase before, and honestly, it sounded kind of silly to me at first. But basically, a kinsman-redeemer is the closest related male of a family who comes in and restores a family in poverty. For Naomi, her kinsman-redeemer was Boaz. A kinsman-redeemer would restore the family by getting all the property and marrying the widow, who in this case was Ruth. A kinsman-redeemer is kind of like Jesus. Jesus comes in and restores our lives because no matter how much we have, we are in poverty. In fact, not only are we in poverty, but we are in sin... and Jesus comes and restores us to who we were originally created to be!

There's so much more to this book that I don't have time to write/think about, like unconditional love, God's sovereignty, etc etc. But, I think one thing I took from reading this is that even when things get tough, when I feel like I'm being pulled into a rip tide of injustice, when everything and everyone is against me, to trust God and to take refuge under His wings. Because He has a bigger plan for me than I could ever imagine and if I just let Him take control, then He will restore me and make me new. I guess that's also my prayer for this summer. When little middle schoolers prefer wandering off on their own, when my teammates and I don't get along, when I get my finger slammed in a door... I need to remember that God has everything under control, and to trust Him, because who knows what He has in store for me throughout this summer!

Wah, no more time! Have to head back to the dorms now. I hope that wasn't thoroughly confusing... maybe I will add a part two. Who knows. But I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Later!