Headed to Vietnam to Join Jim

(This was an update to Enc Inc a group of friends in Fullerton CA who keep in touch and are interested in what we're doing)

Jim leaves for Vietnam on Friday. I follow him on the 5th to stay with him and help out thru the 15th. I am so thrilled for him in the groups he has. So much potential through these men he meets with...for impacting the future of the church in Vietnam. I am always touched to see who God opens doors with for this humble man. He's trying to inspire them to get writing about the things they are learning so that as they grow, there will also be books published by Vietnamese on spiritual life and maturity. 

I will get to do a drama workshop there the 10th/11th. It's funny how these opportunities pop up from time to time, even though I don't seek them out. It's so easy for me, and they LOVE IT and LEARN so much! Last trip I did just a one evening thing with a group of 12. They were amazing!

Am also praying for a meeting to move forward with a partner on a book project for Vietnamese Christians based on the Sacred Pathways concept in Gary Thomas' book and Mrya Perrine's book that followed (after her dissertation) What's Your God Language? It's a stretch, but it's an idea that won't go away. So I'm acting on it.

The REAL LIFE drama for us recently was that March 31st Jim hurt his knee that has already been desperate for replacement. For much of April we've been assessing whether he needs to return to US immediately or if, with careful rest, it will get better enough to grit it out until our planned home assignment in mid-November. I'm happy to say we are staying put and marching forward with his planned trips. He's been telling those mentoring groups that he can't be as accommodating as previous trips...on motorcycles, up stairs, mountain paths, etc… the meetings have to come to him, cancelling the Hong Kong trip because there is TONS of walking/lugging luggage on public transportation…so, I'm really glad a decision has been made. And I'm relieved that we do not have to rush in goodbyes, or end anything abruptly.

I felt like I am on hold in some ways, just because I know we are moving back in November, and reluctant to dive in too wide relationally in Malaysia. I also don't want to wear out commuting in to Singapore multiple times a week. I get into Singapore on Mondays for meetings, and usually one or two other days. A mentoring group, who also helps me plan a monthly spiritual retreat for women. Jim's knee business had me pause even more. 

In this waiting time, I have a bit of new direction for my future: doing more writing and Speaking.  It came after 

• helping with an event where we hosted a Christian speaker/writer in January (I was underwhelmed), 
• a small speaking engagement I had in Feb for The Group.
• followed by a little sold out concert i had a 30  minute set for in march. 
• Then, there were two random exhortations that I need to be writing…specifically about one particular story. 

So, while waiting for Jim's knee to tell us whether it could get better, or needed to return to US, I started writing on one of my back burner book projects… transforming into a story a journal I kept in 2010. It was the first few months that the neighbour girl (stray child) Yi Hui started hanging out at our house.

After 4 weeks is already 130pages! It's really amazing to me how much happier and energetic I am when working on a creative project.