Hi everyone,



It's Michelle again. So, I have been MIA for awhile. You're probably wondering whether or not I'm actually enjoying life here in HK. Surprisingly, I have been liking it. The smog, crowdedness and the busyness don't phase me much anymore. Maybe, I'm just used to people shoving me on the MTR stations or used to finding black boogers because of the air pollution. Or maybe it's because I am finally finding a routine in my week. 

This is how my day looks if you're interested:
6:15 - Wake Up. Brush my teeth. Make my peanut butter and ham (yes, ham, not jam) sandwich and wear teacher-looking clothes.
6:45 - Speed-walk to the mini-bus stop and wait for #13. Some days, I phone my parents on their HK line while I"m on the bus. On the bus, I also eat my sandwich quickly because my school is a nut-free zone.
7:20 - Arrive at school.
7:40 - Attend staff devotions and prayer time. I really value this time every morning.
8:05 - The day of teaching my class of 24 sweet kids begin. 
3:15 - Teaching ends.I stand at the door to give kids their daily "high fives."
3:15-7 - Planning happens!
8:30 pm - I am back at home and eating home-cooked food made by my wonderful sister! She has a knack in cooking!!!!!!!
9:30 - 10:00 - Phone Tintin Time.
10:30 - 11:00 - Sleep Time.


  The weekends have been relaxing too. I really want to leave work at school, so I make an effort to finish everything before the weekend comes along. And I have been able to keep it up for 2 weeks. I just want to rest and sabbath. I need to walk the talk, especially when I told my students to do likewise. I told them that's why I don't give out homework over the weekends. (It's also a school policy that we have not to give out homework for the weekend, so that quality time can be spent with family). So, weekends have been great.  Last weekend, Tintin and I attended a four-day conference given Gary Thomas, the author of "Sacred Marriage." His talks on marriage and how the spouse can influence the husband positively were all very convicting to both Tintin and I. Hopefully we can apply what we have learned in our imminent marriage. We have also enjoyed going to church at Island ECC, even though it's quite like a mega-church. The sermons are stimulating and the worship is so reviving to the Spirit. I have yet to find a small groups to get plugged into though. It'll take time.

So, all in all, it has been an positive experience. God has really paved the way for me and is affirming me that I am supposed to be here in this point of my life. There are lots of people in HK who need to know God, even at my school. Actually, I had a neat conversation with a janitor lady the past week. She usually comes into my room to clean. They love talking to anyone who can speak Cantonese.  However, our conversations went from her ranting about how she wants to be served in  the next life to me sharing about the hope of heaven. She is a Buddhist. One thing led to another and I ended up sharing my testimony to her. All this was spoken in Cantonese as she didn't understand a word of English. I thanked her for listening to my story and she left the room with a smile. Looking back, I realized that it was totally the Spirit speaking and using me to reach out to her. It was in such most unlikely of times that God spoke through me to her. So, I was really encouraged by this divine appointment to just continue to love and make connections with all types of people, from my students to the janitorial staff.


That's it from me...for now! =)


Lots of love to you all in the 604. I miss you all. Send me an email to see how everything's going.

-Michi