On the Movie: Les Miserables

I'm still ruminating over the movie version of Claude-Michel Schönberg's LES MISERABLES. I saw it this afternoon. I sat next to my mother-in-law who was seeing it for the first time and she wept through most of the 2 hours and 40 minutes. She was undone. 

I was reminded for the first time in a long while how much this story and these songs have shaped my life values and convictions. While we are living on this earth, the victims of temporal suffering and evil need hope that this isn't all there is. 

 "Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?" 

 I told my 16 year old, who was thumbs down after the credits had begun to roll, that "this movie is a big reason why I chose a career of volunteer service in Christian ministry." (I also told him, as he complained about it just being 'wrong' that his favorite action actors were singing through an entire movie, to not say another word. Well, actually, I think what I really said was, "Shut up and stop proving how small minded and shallow you still are.") 

That Bishop welcomed the homeless to his table. The Bishop made his generous offer of the silver candlesticks and told the thief "I have bought your soul for God." Jean Valjean, the thief wrestles with how to continue in his stone hearted life. 

The heart of anger born of despair chooses the hope of God's ability to make him a better man. 

I want to be that Bishop. 

To be generous in forgiveness. To offer hope. To speak genuine positivity that breeds courage. Even in the face of hardness and opposition. I want to stand firm in my belief that affirming and serving others is a costly but worthwhile way to invest my life. 

Even when it's toward my 16 year old who dares to mock such inspiration.

Doodling in Worship....

Thanks to my friends at Church of Our Saviour, and the ipad gift I was given...I have a new practice. I call it doodle worship. Stupid name, I know. Got suggestions for a better one?

What's New(s) in November

Like Forward Singapore. Vietnam. Hong Kong. Philippines. We're having so much fun ministering and traveling together and exploring what God has for us to do while our boys are now both in USA, we skipped a month writing to you! Praying in November Thank you Lord for our 13 years in Singapore. For all that you've done in here through your church and continue to do. We pray for your CRMS volunteers and staff as we are seeking you for your will for them in mentoring leaders here. In November: 13-19th Egypt Kimberly will be teaching drama skills for ministry and outreach to Coptic Christian Youth drama teams. This will be her 3rd trip to Egypt since 2008. There is great camraderie and trust with the two other trainers (women she met through CITA-Christians in Theatre Arts, back when leading drama ministry at Rolling Hills Covenant Church). The excitement of the Egyptian students once she gets there is more ministry to her than she can hope to bring in serving them! Lord, with all the changes this past year in Egypt, give the local staff and these 3 foreign trainers discernment. Help us draw out of these passionate young people what will work in the future as they hope to share the Gospel in Arabic through drama. 25th Join us for a Thanksgiving Open House 6-10PM RSVP! In years past we've had between 12 and 60+ show up for a taste of American tradition. We've no idea what the numbers will be this year, but there's always just enough!  Our neighbors hear who the Pilgrims were and why they were thankful (and especially who they gave thanks to). It's been a great opportunity to build community in our neighborhood. We then invite the guests share what they are thankful for; and then James prays for them before we dig in. Do you see the fake fire on the TV screen! What a hoot! The best news of the Month: First quarter grades from Chamberlain-Hunt Academy have come back and confirmed Cameron's potential, and the strength of this Christian boarding school. There were wonderful comments from his teachers, citizenship and work ethics "outstanding," along with the best grades I've seen on any Creasman High School report card since 1975: Straight A's! We're thrilled. We will see both boys in December and are looking forward to being together. We miss them, but are so thrilled they are thriving in their schools. Lord, bless those saints at CHA who are committed to building Godly young men in this generation. Provide the needed staff and funding they are seeking. Thank you that you have preserved such a school in these times and we pray your blessing, favor and provision for them. May your November be blessed.

Small, Wild, Significant Weed

Some have pointed out I don’t see the forest for the trees.

But on this weekend morning when I have some time alone

Trying to wrap my mind around the forest issues in my life,

There’s this 13 year old sapling

(Who’s more like a wild weed)

Outside my door.

She’s on her knees, looking under, through the crack.

3 times today I’ve already ignored her on caller ID

And it’s not yet 11AM.

Unable to succeed in breaking through to me on the phone

She comes to the apartment.

With her 6th sense that knows if I’m home.

She knocks, and knocks.

Her boredom and will are stronger than my ability to ignore.

I finally relent and open the door.

Greet her and ask a few questions.

Only to be stared at with stony silence.

Nevermind. I’ll say goodbye, shut the door,

And know another call is bound to come shortly.

Poor little weed has nothing to do but call and see if Auntykim

Will pick up and confirm –

“No, there’s no one home with her today.”

“Yes, the puppet show on Thursday was funny.”

“No, I’m not taking the dog to the dog park today.”

“Yes, I already took the dog for his walk.”

Pretty much the same conversation we have every time.

She just wants to check in.

Even if I end it after 60 seconds, “okay then, bye bye.”

She will happily repeat, “Okay, bye bye!”

God in heaven,

She’s just a sample child of tens of thousands around the world,

But not in my life.

Knocking on my door

Looking through my windows

Wearing out my cell phone battery.

You brought her in my life

As my shadow these 3+ years

Through her you’ve opened doors to others

who also need you, or need more of you,

And have seen you at work in the changes in her.

This relentless wild weed has re-defined “significance”

My desire for significance is now

On your terms.

But this morning,

She’s just irritating.

Oh that we all had a great and growing capacity to spend more of ourselves for the less fortunate, and show them, by your empowering, a genuine love and unselfish generosity. It wouldn’t change much. But life this side of heaven is but a breath, and we know your will is to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You oh God.God.

(The Photo above is from October 7th. After taking Jim to the airport (a big outing for her). I decided to pull off the highway for an ice cream at a public beach where loads of people flock to on Sunday afternoons. Once we got there, I realized that this was her first time there. The first time she put her feet in the ocean. Imagine! 13 years old, and she lives on a small island.)

Update on Yi Hui

How could it not be anything but a divine appointment?

After all, it was nearly 11pm on a long and very full commuter train running back to my neighborhood in the suburbs. It was the first train ride I'd taken since returning to Singapore on August 17th.

I'd been in the states for 2 1/2 months this summer. It was a full summer of conferences, and doctors appointments, and meeting with leaders in our supporting churches, soaking up time with my sons who are both now studying in USA, and time with our parents (who now in their 70's and 80's are not getting any younger).

But here I am, back in the Lion City of 6 million riding a train late at night. I'm getting my feet back under myself with relationships and figuring out My new life as an "empty nester" missionary.

At the very next train stop they board through the door where I'm standing:

Who? The parents of the neighbor girl I'd written about before. Yi Hui, the little stray child of our government housing apartment blocks. For the past 3 years she and I have had quite a journey together in navigating a vastly cross cultural relationship that has redefined my definition of significance and meaning. Knowing her has helped me learn better to hear God's voice of guidance (desperation helps us learn many important lessons), as well as grow charity in the hearts of my teenaged sons because of their personal sacrifice and the inconvenience having had her around much of the time. She's been a regular fixture by my side, in our home, and in our church these past few years. Once, two years ago, when he saw her sillouette in his doorway too early on a Saturday morning, my older son Tyler asked, "Where are the hidden cameras? I feel like my life is a reality TV show."

She has been our own little version of "The Blind Side," only she'll never turn out a professional football player. She's not likely to turn out to be a professional anything. But there had been no getting around that she was a direct answer to prayer for how we might tangibly and sacrificially love our neighbors and be a light for Christ in our neighborhood full of deep, but hidden, needs.

And here on my train, in my car, the only time I've taken public transportation all week, are her parents. Right there in front of me in the doorway of the crowded train proclaiming, "Wah! Aunty Kimberly!!" They are loud enough for everyone in the car to hear. Though the chance of bumping into them like this are incredibly slim, it's hardly a surprise to me. How many times these past 3 years, have I just bumped into the members of this family when running errands in our densely populated neighborhood? It's unreal really. But it has become my normal.

They enter the train lit up to see me. These, the mystery missing parents of Yi Hui. These absentee parents who, mostly out of ignorance and long working hours, have done a criminal's job of not raising their child. These same parents started out so hostile toward me. I was a strange foreigner whom their daughter was spending time with (and causing neighbor's tongues to wag). Now they've become Joshua and Chen Ping who were so happy to see me that they placed a call to Yi Hui while on the train to say, "Guess who is on the train right now?" Joshua handed me his phone to me to talk to her

We chatter in Chinese as best as I can manage, and I'm glad for the foundation I had investing 2 solid years in language study back in 1997 (even though the national language of Singapore is English, it sure comes in handy with immigrants and those who were Chinese educated or are not well educated).

"Yes," they agree. "Yi Hui has really sprouted up this summer." And she is still attending a special school. She is going to school, which is a huge improvement from the days I'd first seen her in school uniform hanging out on the downstairs playground. She'll turn 13 at the end of the month. She'd shown restraint not to call my phone much while I was in USA these weeks. She's been eager for my return, calling my husband instead, and checking with her parents daily, "Is it August 17th yet?"

I had seen her once this first week since my return. She'd been over to my house only yesterday afternoon. She'd been a little awkward to be with me after this long time apart. She's certainly not the feral wild child she used to be. You can tell she's slow, but she smiles most of the time now and answers when people speak to her. She is not wandering around all hours of the day and night. Though she hasn't yet learned to read in any language, she can play a few computer games. I have some preschool games loaded on my iPhone.

A few train stops later we exit the train together, like old friends. As we part ways when we get closer to our apartment blocks, they ask me in Chinese to feel free to come over more often, to zuo zuo, sit awhile. Afterall, with my kids both in USA now, I must be lonely. We could have some tea.

I don't know what's next in God's plan for my investment in their lives, but I'm sure he'll show us. It seems that he has every step of the way. All I know for now is that today Yi Hui came downstairs to see me while I was doing some Saturday marketing. At noon she came by the house while I threw together a tuna sandwich for my husband Jim. She said a shy hello to him, and then I sent her home. Sometimes she calls when she gets back to her house to let me know she did return safely (She'd not had any kind of accountability like this before, and we'd set up our little system a couple years ago).

She knows that we leave for church tomorrow at 10:15, and since she still can't tell time and has probably lost the digital watch we bought her, I encouraged her to ask her dad to wake her up on time.

It's still left to be seen whether she'll make it for church, or even if she will call our cell phones again, before we go to sleep tonight!

August eNews: Stats on Singapore

Like Forward Back to work. Back together. After a summer apart, Kimberly is back at her desk sweating and drinking a cup of local coffee.Jim is filling out forms for our visas to Vietnam where we'll both go in two weeks. We will meet with 3 separate groups for mentoring & coaching. It's good to be back together and stepping out into this new season where it's just... ...the two of us at home. Do you love stats? Here's a link to a short video about Singapore's current status in differing social arenas. As you look at percentages and numbers, the video asks: "What if Christ were King of our city?" Have a look and compare these stats on Singapore to what you know about your city or country's context. What is your individual role in bringing the Kingdom to your city? How are you partnering with others? This video, put together by a good friend here, is a booster shot to the Creasman's heart for Singapore, their adopted home country/home base. Thank you Lord that you've made clear to Jim that his ministry has now branched out (to Vietnam, Hong Kong/China and the Philippines). Thank you that you've affirmed for Kimberly that this is a season of being together with Jim in his regional ministry. Guide their steps in this transition time without children. It's been thrilling to be a part of a church plant for the first time in our lives, and God has blessed this 3 year old endeavor with an amazigng bunch of believers. Thank you Lord for the priviledge of serving alongside passionate and gifted people who long for you to work in and through them here in Singapore.  Family: 13 - Cameron started his first full semester at Chamberlain-Hunt Academy in Mississippi. Kimberly's dad and brother took the trip with her to drop him off, confirming he is loved and supported! Summer school in June was definitely a positive introduction to the school. Lord, bless those saints at CHA who are committed to building Godly young men in this generation. Provide the needed staff and funding they are seeking. Thank you that you have preserved such a school in these times and we pray your blessing, favor and provision for them.   I always feel a bit like a "conversational narcissist" with these monthly posts/emails. Every month talking about ourselves. We understand your life is full, but if you received the email, it's because we care about you, and you've cared for us, so we'd love to hear from you. It's not a platitude to offer prayer. It's our delight when news comes back this way. Donating to the Creasmans online: www.crmleaders.org Donation questions (in USA) 1(800) 777-6658 you may add "preferenced for Creasman-acct 5651" CHURCH RESOURCE MINISTRIES  120 N. Lakeview, Suite 120, Anaheim, CA 92807-1831 Jim's reading: Diary of a Westpoint Cadet We've both been reading: Can You Hear Me? Tuning in to the God Who Speaks (CRM International staff were encouraged to read this to prepare for our conference this summer) Kimberly's reading: Praying God's Word: Breaking Free from Spiritual Strongholds

Post[card] from Athens, Greece

Hearing the Voice of God Greetings from Athens, Greece! While the world watches the Olympics in London, we're spending a week with the Ethnê Collective of our organisation CRM. This time we're meeting in the birthplace of the games.  From time to time we do this. The weary frontliners in the cross cultural mission of bringing the Gospel gather somewhere for refreshment. We find this refreshment collectively worshipping and listening to God & his Word, and building up one another. I wish you could be here to experience it too. Our theme was Hearing the voice of God and the time was rich with listening...and hearing. Great teaching. Great times of prayer. What a blessed "shot in the arm" for our faith and courage! Those of you who are partners as donors, you are are behind us all the time and you have commented that you experience the adventure of serving Christ overseas vicariously through your investment with us. But it's not always "in the trenches." These Conferences are pretty wonderful, and this week you've been on my mind with more thanksgiving than usual. So, see this email, as an internet post card saying a genuine: WISH YOU WERE HERE! The Theatre of Dionysus An Orthodox chapel on Santorini The Acropolis in Athens Tuesday: Jim to Hong Kong, Kimberly to Atlanta As the conference wraps up, we take off tomorrow for Singaore (Jim) and back to USA (Kim). But we'll be back together again in Singapore by mid-month, and we'll travel together to Vietnam at the end of the month.  Lord, as Jim coaches and leads mentoring networks in Hong Kong next week, and Kimberly wraps up time with family, we listen to your Spirit for leading our transition to "empty nest."  Thank you that Cameron's June summer school experience at Chamberlain-Hunt Academy was successful and bless him as he starts a full semester August 13th. Thank you for the ways you have matured Tyler while working as a camp counselor at Yorba Linda Friends Church (and thank you for providing him a summer job!). Thank you for your provision for all of us, and our confidence that the boys and our parents are safe in your care so that we can serve you across the globe without regrets. Pour out your blessing and joy on our supporters who have partnered with us over these many years, and stand with us now as we step into a new seaon of life. King Jesus, we are yours. Use us for your glory. - Amen! CHURCH RESOURCE MINISTRIES  120 N. Lakeview, Suite 120, Anaheim, CA 92807-1831

LAUNCH

[from last April, 2011] Wrapped up in my ego That’s wrapped up in him I watch the 18 year old. A most perfect rocket In between the Lab and space Crafted and invested With all the explosive creative genius I had to impart. A high octane cocktail for fuel = Nurture + Nature + Free Will + Sovereignty. Elegantly, and with an air of casual He stands out of reach on the launching pad. Close to the final countdown that will launch him into his future. Yet, despite his vitality And talent And intellect The engine at his core Won’t yet ignite. What gravity has kept him so weighted to the ground? Afraid to dream Or work for a dream? The tools I had to tinker with To fine tune or tweak Are proving useless now. So I put them aside and dig out the binoculars. Breathless, I watch. 4-3-2-1. Addendum May 2012: Thank God the engine has ignited! He's soaring. It's been a good first year on his own at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The binoculars are put away and have to use a telescope now. I asked Tyler for his permission to publish, here is his response: "Fore sure. I've been out of the house for a year. Long as it ain't naked pictures of me as a baby, you can put it out there. You can add in a prologue about caffeine and power bars being the fuel of a sputtering space craft as it tries to maintain an orbit of sanity staying up late working on college papers... But yeah, it's a good poem! It's fun to read now that it's not about the present me. - Ty" Launch #2: A School in Mississippi for Cameron Everyone loves this kid, but he really needs some extreme structure so I'm here to get #2 launched in USA @ Chamberlain-Hunt Academy in Port Gibson, MS (a few posts below tell the journey). Port Gibson, in Clairborne County, MS. Population: 9,000. Cameron is there for summer school during June. The fall term starts 13 August. Cadets marching to church on Sunday mornings. "The food is great! And my speech teacher is awesome."   --First letter home