Friends

It's always amazing seeing what God is doing. The people He put in my life are so different yet have the same need. They all need God's love.
One time met a friend, at first, I thought she's a Christian she mentioned of not having enough faith on God and feeling that God wants her to grow and learn about Him now. However, when I asked how she became a Christian, she told me she's not a Christian. She had so many unhappy experiences in the past that she cannot understand why God let those happened if He really loves her. She's now starting to go to church, but still struggling. She said, "It's hard for me to convince myself that I was totally wrong since I grew up going to the temples, but now I'm told that's not right".
Another time met another friend, she was a Christian, but was hurt by her pastor. Since then she left that church and tried going to other churches, however, seeing the similar things happened, she was discouraged. She was afraid to talk to God about this, about her discouragement about the pastor because he is God's servant.
Regardless what they went through or what they are going through now, it hurts listening to them. I feel God is telling me to show them His love, show them who He is and how He sees them. God is waiting for them to open up to Him. They are precious in His sight.

Winter is finally here!

It finally gets cold here in Taiwan! Changed to a thicker blanket, long sleeves, and jeans. Now I can feel some breeze in my apartment. Thank God after moving to this apartment that I got some sun in, or else it'll be freezing later when it gets colder. Somehow, winter always connects with Christmas. Some stores are getting ready for Christmas. A bookstore has Christmas decoration right outside its main door as well as the windows, also selling Christmas cards and decoration stuff. However, as I look closer, Christmas cards are made with cute characters such as Winnie the Phooh, Santa Claus, Snow man... but Jesus is not found. Do they not know that Christmas is actually the celebration of Jesus' birth? My guess is most Taiwanese do not know, they might have heard of this but not clear of the real meaning. To them, it is a holiday came from the West, not a Chinese holiday. They are just adopting it as a day to spend with friends and families, exchanging cards and gifts. It's not a big day for everyone here since it's even not a national holiday. People still go to work and school as usual. Pray that soon they will know the true meaning behind this day! Let them all worship and praise our Lord Jesus Christ.

七堵

七堵位於台灣的東北, 屬基隆市的其中之一區. 一對來自美國的韓國宣道會宣教士受神的感動幾年前在那裡開始傳福音的工作. 他們每天到街市向人發單張, 每天為當地的人祈禱, 希望他們能早日歸向神. 每星期五更在街市裏租一個攤位擺放福音單張以及播放一些詩歌. 有時會放映耶穌傳. 差不多一年的時間, 那裡的人才慢慢的認識接納他們. 之後他們開始主日崇拜. 就這樣, 過去的兩三年當中, 不斷的有人來參加, 也有人離開. 現時固定的有十幾個大人, 十幾個小孩子, 也有十幾個年青人. 各自都有他們的聚會. 但他們對神的認識還尚淺. 宣教士再加上一個本地傳道現一方面努力傳福音, 另一方面希望訓練固定的能在基督裏扎根成長. 前個週末能在他們那裡親眼見到他們的事工. 真能感受到神的恩典, 也同時看到他們的需要. 真的需要更多人去幫忙. 不知神是要我去那裡還是去雲林. 要切切祈禱, 求神讓我能清楚明白衪的旨意.

"我患有對伊甸園的思鄉病"

"心靈對話" 裏的一段說話攫住了我的注意力, 就是:
"我渴望認識一個良善有力的人, 他會在我迷失或有麻煩時現身, 將我安全帶回家. 我患有對 伊甸園的思鄉病. 但 我無法回去. 所以我只得前進. "

當我第一次讀到 "我患有對 伊甸園的思鄉病", 就想起自己對家人朋友的思念. 這是差不多每個離家在異地生活的人都有的一種思念. 最近學校來了一位從澳洲來的新同學也分享到她在這邊的適應, 也同樣思念在澳洲的家人. 然而, 當我再指細看這句說話的時...伊甸園的思鄉病. 什麼是"伊甸園的思鄉病"? 這, 好像是追索到人起初在伊甸園的情況. 當時人與上帝的親密關係. 上帝與人的同在...上帝賜予人的福份...上帝賜予人管理萬物的權柄及智慧...以及人對上帝的依賴...這一切的一切, 卻在我們在世離家後對家人的思念反映出來. 原來我們心低裏有一個更大的渴望, 就是能回到我們原本的家. 原本的家那裡有創造我們以及宇宙萬物的上帝. 上帝才是我們最終的歸依. "我們渴望認識一個良善有力的人, 他會在我迷失或有麻煩時現身, 將我安全帶回家." 萬物所歸. 那位就是上帝!

在過去一年多認識不少的台灣人, 也嘗試了解他們, 發現的是同樣的渴望. 同樣渴望擁有一個穩定平安的生活. 渴望能有人帶領他們到一個安全的地方. 可是, 他們不住在不同的神明中打轉, 卻不能有真正的安息. 但若要他們相信萬物唯一的主宰, 又會耗一生的精力去否定真正上帝的存在.

話說回來, 雖然我們人都有這個回到伊甸園的渴望. "但我無法回去." 因人背棄了上帝, 選擇了不聽從上帝的話. 伊甸園不再存在. 我們的一生. 我們不能再回復以前的樣子, 不能再回到以前.我們所選擇了的道路, 就要繼續向前行. 其實唯有繼續向前行我才能步向那比伊甸園更美的家鄉. 我們所應渴望的, 不應是伊甸園, 因前面為我們已準備好的, 是又美又完善的天家.

First Try on 豆豉排骨

My first try on this dish, hmm... put too much garlic and black beans, not enough salt and sugar, but still taste good, hehe.

原料 ：排骨半斤、蒜蓉、豆豉、紅椒。
调味料 ：糖半茶匙，盐半茶匙，生粉一茶匙，要味浓者可加入味精或鸡精半茶匙，生油两茶匙。

做法 ：
1、選用上好腩排，要肥瘦均勻，可要求肉檔師傅代斬碎，要求剁小塊一點，這樣容易熟，也容易入味。
2、在蒸排骨之前先把蒜蓉、豆豉爆香，這樣做蒸出來的排骨特香，特好吃！ 豆豉放在碗里用汤匙用力砸，就可以。
3、洗淨排骨用毛巾吸乾水分，把調味料醃勻排骨放入冰箱冷藏三個小時，或備作明天用也可。
4、蒸排骨要用旺火蒸15至20分钟，最终要看分量大小而定。

羅宗湯: just mixed several different kinds of veggies...potato, tomato, carrot, celery, onion... with some pork, yes, I used pork instead of beef, add little salt, very sweet.

A really long talk...

Had a really long talk with a friend yesterday at her home. This was the second time we meet. She's a Taiwanese but went to Germany for ten years. So, she's now teaching German in school and at home. At first, we talk about ourselves, our lives and how we adjust to life in Taichung. Then, we talked about religion. It was obvious that she knows there's God and a God who can change one's life. She said that she does pray every night and begins with Heavenly Father. She has been doing this for the past twenty years. Then, I asked her to trust in Jesus Christ who's the God that she's been praying to. But then she added that she recites a scripture from the Buddhist book at the end of the prayer. Followed with more discussion of who the true God is. I prayed as I was talking with her. Asked God to speak to her. Though she did not believe that our God who created us in His image is the true and only God, I am very happy to be able to talk with her on topics so deep and to know her more. Pray God continue to speak to her.

Visit

Got a call yesterday. A friend from the States just came after attending a conference in HK. She said she's in Taipei and will be coming to TaiChung today. So, by the time I get off from school, she called saying that she arrived TaiChung. It was about 3 hours travel time. She brought along a friend from Taipei. We ate lunch and chatted. I showed them where I go to school and my apartment. Then, around 3:30pm they left. However, they weren't able to get bus tickets nor train tickets until 6:00pm. It was because of the massive riders taking both buses and trains preparing for the National Holiday tomorrow, named Double 10 Day. She was optimistic enough telling me what she did doing that long waiting time and thanking God that she had a good and relaxing time. It was encouraging seeing her and her friend, knowing what's going in the other side of the world from her mouth, and her bringing back my updates back to the States.

香港之旅

上星期能回港與父母見面, 實在很開心. 最初幾天都會到處走, 可是因為要走很多路, 後來就覺得很累. 變成只在住的地方的附近走一陣就回家. 這次與父母的相見, 發現他們身體沒有以前精神. 或者是因為已很累, 所以行動沒有以前那麼快. 要小心行路. 聽他們說到在美國現時的生活時心有些微心酸, 因哥哥姐姐都很忙, 所以他們很多時都自己坐巴士或行路出去. 不像以前有時我可以中午時分帶他們去飲茶或試食其他的食物. 現時的香港對他們來說已是天氣太熱. 可能以後他們會不會再回去將是一個問號. 所以這次我在香港也沒有找所有的朋友, 希望時間都能盡量陪我的父母.


在我回台那天, 竟遇到颱風. 當時還以為要留在香港機場等, 但航空公司竟讓我們上機. 快到台灣的時候, 機長廣播說因為颱風, 飛機將會在台灣的上空飛行半小時看能否降落. 要不然, 就要回港. 於是飛機在台灣的上空迴旋半小時後仍不能降落, 就回港. 回港後, 所有乘客都要留在飛機上等. 於是, 一等就是兩個小時. 飛機又再起飛往台灣去. 原本打算回台以後可以馬上坐巴士回台中. 豈知, 因為颱風, 巴士, 火車, 高鐵都停開. 唯一能坐的就是計程車. 我唯有坐計程車去住在機場附近的同工的家過一晚. 但卻等了差不多兩個小時才等到計程車. 不是因為沒有計程車, 而是太多人等. 終於, 我在零晨兩點到達同工家. 隔天下午才回台中.

Learning Mandarin

A new school term started at the beginning of this month and I felt like needing to improve my Mandarin. So, I talked with our language coach and she agreed having me to learn Mandarin 2 hours a week. It is decided that I start with bopomofo which is a Taiwanese punounciation, different from Romanized pinyin, what I had learned long time ago while I was in college. This system is believed to be more accurate, but they look like symbols with no meanings to me now. Probably in a month or two, I'll have them memorized and start reading Religious Conversation in Mandarin.

What a coincidence!

A friend told me that she has a relative who live close by where I live but not sure her exact address. My friend came to my apartment and then called her relative, an aunt of her mother, for address. You know what? Her relative lives in the same building that I live in. She is on the second floor and I am on the fourth floor. We went and visited her. She lives with her son, but most of the time, she’s home by herself. So, when I’m off from school, I can go visit her and practice my Taiwanese with her in the afternoon.

粟米紅籮蔔豬骨湯

Last night, I made this soup the second time. It took me more than two hours to have it done. Then, I served to a pastor and she really like it!
















材料: 粟米 - 500克, 紅蘿蔔 - 300克, 豬骨 - 300克, 蜜棗- 3粒, 南北杏 - 20克, 金華火腿肉 - 10克,切粒, 調味料 - 鹽1大匙

烹調: 豬骨汆水，洗淨。粟米洗淨，切段。蘿蔔洗淨，切粗塊。十（飯）碗水煲滾，加入所有材料，煲滾。轉小火，煲二小時，加鹽調味，即成。

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