Okay, I know that I'm over a week late; 10 days to be exact and today is my Baba's bday too! Happy 71st Birthday, Baba. However, I still wanted to list out some of my highlights of 2008. This list is definitely not everything and there are certainly much more to say about each, but what a crazy year it has been. What a year...
1. First time snowboarding and maybe my last. Okay, maybe not 'cause I still had fun down the slopes...but boy do I hate those ski lifts. :p
2. First egg van road trip to Seattle on Easter Monday.
3. I have faith that we'll be okay..."Bleeding Love"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-ctIC65PV0
To my beloved, Chummy: I will miss the way you stuffed tissue into your cheek pockets; the way you ran into walls whenever you were placed inside your ball; the way you sniffed my scent before climbing onto my palm; the way you entertained my family and friends; and the way you kept close to me whenever I let you ran free. Have fun playing with Mimi, Hammy, Brandy, Potato, and Jojo. R.I.P. Miss you, my beloved friend.
This year, I had the privilege to go out and serve Christ. Where did He place me to show His love? China, that's where. Going to China on a missions trip was such a wonderful experience. God has really blessed me and I was lucky to go with the other 4 people from my church. Before this started, I was informed that we were to go and run a summer camp for the orphans in China. This was just one of the ways to show how great God's love is for His children. I was told to go in with an open mind and to allow God to use me in anyways possible.
It wasn't until we got off the plane and bussed down to the rural city in China did it finally hit me that we were on a mission's trip to serve God. The minute we arrived at the summer camp location, I felt at home. I had received the same feeling DG had when he first stepped foot into China. At the camps, we prepared for games, crafts, refreshments, and drama skits with a wonderful team that I** had put together along with the help of E**.
When it was time to finally meet the first set of campers, God had really opened my eyes. The first time I cried was when I saw that bus full of China orphans pull up to the summer camp location with their arms stretched outside their window and waving their hands at us. It was such a wonderful sight to see how excited they were. What I didn't expect at the camp was that many of the orphans were disabled physically, mentally, and/or emotionally. I also did not expect such a huge age range within the groups of campers. My first "buddy" was 24 years old; she was the same age as me. Those 3 days spent closely together really sprung up a good friendship blessed by God.
I knew we had to look after an individual, but I didn't realize that we were to be actual child care workers and supporters for those in need. With God's grace and mercy, He gave each of the I** helpers' strength and patience. Everyone was very supportive of each other and if we needed time out, God provided extra helping hands so that we would have the rest we needed. It was amazing to see some of the campers actually say the prayer to God and accepting Him as their personal Savior. It was amazing to see some of the campers ask for the Bible or to want to know more about Jesus. It was amazing that even though we were singing praise songs in mandarin loud enough for the local people to hear and locals would ask why foreigners were around the area, God still protected our identity to keep these camps going. The difficult times came during our goodbyes when it was time for the campers to head back to their homes at the orphanage. It was painful to watch the campers leave in tears and it was quite an emotional time for everyone. I felt bad for saying goodbye because it felt like I was abandoning them and they had to relive their own story of abandonment all over again. However, I learned that the summer camp was a place where they could hear about the Gospel. Stepping outside of the orphanage building allowed the campers to freely express themselves. Having close contact with a Christian camp helper really allowed them to experience God's love, hope, and freedom. It also allowed me to experience that as well being with my Buddy. I am truly blessed by God with parents who supports me with the decisions that I make in my life.
I really want to thank all the supporters who had us in mind while were on this mission's trip. Thanks to those who supported us through funding and prayers. God's love was definitely shown in my life much bigger than what I could ever imagine and really,nothing is impossible through Him.
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)
Working in the fitting room of a retail store really allows you to get to know the people who walk in. As
a sales associate, it's my job to provide them the best service
possible by creating a welcoming environment and to be attentive to
their needs.
Today, a young boy (about 12 years old) came into the changing room
alone while the rest of his family shopped within the store. Later he
popped his head out of his room hoping to seek for an opinion. I
looked at him and asked:
Me: Hi, are you looking for someone? Boy: Yes, my mom. Me: Oh, I can go find her. What does she look like? Boy: Like me! (...and with his index finger, he proudly pointed to his face.)
I couldn't help but think about my Baba. Growing up, my dad always called me, Bebe or A-Beng. For the longest time, my sister and I thought he called me A-Beng because I kept falling on my head; hence the pronunciation, "A-Bang".
However, just a few years ago we had discovered that the translation of it really meant, carbon copy. Well, sorta, it's missing another Chinese character to fully complete the meaning.
My
dad and I are very similar in looks and personality. I looked so much
like him when I was little. The only difference was the fact that I
was a girl. Ya, I was a pretty ugly baby...not to say that my dad is
ugly! Haha...but ya, I wasn't exactly the kid you would call, Princess.
Anyhoo, there are many similar traits my dad and I share: the way we
eat; the amount we eat ; sleep (or lack of); drive (crazy road rage...and just plain crazy), talk, think, act,
and do.
There are many times where I find it hard to get along with my
dad...many many times. But I know that it's probably because he and
I are pretty much the same person. At the same time, I'm very proud of who he has become and I'm proud to be
his daughter. He is my Baba and I am his Bebe.
However, I still wanted to list out some of my highlights of 2008. This list is definitely not everything and there are certainly much more to say about each, but what a crazy year it has been. What a year...
