We're in a new cell group here with 2 other families (Invited by the USC docrtoral grad who's a communications professor here - the friend of Jim's through the China connections who'd go out for coffee with him during Cameron's AWANA program on Sunday afternoons this spring). The other family is Finnish, but they'll be moving to Jakarta in July. Finnish! He workds for Nokia. I've never met anyone from Finland before!!! They've lived in Uzbeckistand, India, Australia... and they seem so NORMAL! Anyway, when she was asking us last night to pray for her about leaving her Bible study with unsaved Japanese women, and their needing a new leader that she could trust, I said, "Too bad the Webbs aren't considerring moving here until next year [a CRM couple who we adore who currently live in Indonesia]. Lori Webb speaks fluent Japanese and is the life of the party!" Can you believe that the world is so small that this Finnish woman KNEW Lori? Lori had come here for a conference last fall and SAT next to the Finnish couple!!! She'd even met some of the Japanese women from the Bible study!
Today a young woman came up to me while I was studying with Tyler in the public library. I didn't recognize her, though I've known her pretty well: she's the teenaged daughter of a good friend of Liu Yi Yan - my best friend from Kunming. He communist parents are very wealthy and have had her studying in Singapore for a few years now. We've only seen her a couple of times. We've tried to hook up with her more, but, ya'know, we're friends of her PARENTS....that's not too cool. I've known her as a very spoiled, uninteresting, and self-absorbed brat. Today she was this LOVELY young woman. She recognized me first and told me that she's become a Christian! Wow. Her school friends had started taking her to church with them when she was feeling blue at Chinese New Year. That made my day (well, that and having a great time studying with Tyler in a beautiful spot).
Kids are excited that this is the 3rd weekend Bob and Louis (their friends who are brothers) came to church with us. The mini-van is starting to come in handy!
Kids practices for their English composition exams by writing you letters, so look for them in your mailbox in about 10 days! Tests were all put off as long as possible. I love their school - many schools just made the kids cram to keep on schedule. THey've had their oral exams and 2 English Composition exams. They have Math tomorrow, Chinese on Tuesday and Tyler has Science on Wedensday. Neither boy is nervous about it and have prayed that they can encourage their classmates who are stressed out about their scores. The last day of the term is Friday, but we think we'll skip it! Tyler has to be back for extra classes the first week of the "holiday" 8am-12...at least it's a shorter day!
5/07/2003
Chinese Pizza, SARS, & A Friend Who Gave Away a Kidney
----- Original Message -----
From: Jan Charlin
To: "K!Mberly Creasman"
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: Hello again!
Hello Kimberly...
We have a lady around the block who is wearing the mask. There is a lot of fear but very unfounded. It's sad, some people have stopped buying things made in Asia.
Your days are full. Mine have slowed down this year. I think I started back to fast after surgury last year and my body is kind of rejecting life right now. So, Dan and I descided I should slow down a lot this year and just let my body heal. It was one of those things that was so God, I still am amazed. Each doctor I go to always asks if it was a relative and when I say it was someone from my church, they can't believe we actually matched. It makes me realize that nothing is by chance and God planned this before time. It is still a very aahh thing and God's love is so amazing. I still don't know why God used me, He could have used anyone, yet He allowed me to give. I feel so blessed. Anyway talk about more than you ever wanted to know.
What kind of food do you eat. Pizza, but is it pizza like here or pizza with corn and fish on it(Japanesse like pizza) or something in the middle.
Isn't it amazing how fast children pick up other languages? Did your children speak with an accent? I know people are amazed when they learn English is Daniel's second language but he learned it in school at such a young age.
Well this has gotten long, I hope you don't mind. Thank you for answering all my questions.
Love, jan
MY REPLY...
We have a California Pizza Kitchen here! (not that I eat there!) When we were in China it took us awhile to get used to the style of pizza made by the pizza place we had in Kunming...Chinese pizza...thin crust..not too tasty, but close enough.
And then we had to go to Italy for some meetings in 1998. In going out for pizza there, we discovered that "Chinese pizza" was the authentic kind - ITALIAN!
Loved hearing your testimony (below). Life is full of seasons isn't it? Of the many books I'm enjoying, today it's the books TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE and THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK...two non-C books that encourage us to be grateful and full of love for others and life.
As for my Wednesday, I'm cruising through my day fully aware that I am completely dependent on Jesus(even with both my kidneys!),
K!M
From: Jan Charlin
To: "K!Mberly Creasman"
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: Hello again!
Hello Kimberly...
We have a lady around the block who is wearing the mask. There is a lot of fear but very unfounded. It's sad, some people have stopped buying things made in Asia.
Your days are full. Mine have slowed down this year. I think I started back to fast after surgury last year and my body is kind of rejecting life right now. So, Dan and I descided I should slow down a lot this year and just let my body heal. It was one of those things that was so God, I still am amazed. Each doctor I go to always asks if it was a relative and when I say it was someone from my church, they can't believe we actually matched. It makes me realize that nothing is by chance and God planned this before time. It is still a very aahh thing and God's love is so amazing. I still don't know why God used me, He could have used anyone, yet He allowed me to give. I feel so blessed. Anyway talk about more than you ever wanted to know.
What kind of food do you eat. Pizza, but is it pizza like here or pizza with corn and fish on it(Japanesse like pizza) or something in the middle.
Isn't it amazing how fast children pick up other languages? Did your children speak with an accent? I know people are amazed when they learn English is Daniel's second language but he learned it in school at such a young age.
Well this has gotten long, I hope you don't mind. Thank you for answering all my questions.
Love, jan
MY REPLY...
We have a California Pizza Kitchen here! (not that I eat there!) When we were in China it took us awhile to get used to the style of pizza made by the pizza place we had in Kunming...Chinese pizza...thin crust..not too tasty, but close enough.
And then we had to go to Italy for some meetings in 1998. In going out for pizza there, we discovered that "Chinese pizza" was the authentic kind - ITALIAN!
Loved hearing your testimony (below). Life is full of seasons isn't it? Of the many books I'm enjoying, today it's the books TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE and THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK...two non-C books that encourage us to be grateful and full of love for others and life.
As for my Wednesday, I'm cruising through my day fully aware that I am completely dependent on Jesus(even with both my kidneys!),
K!M
5/06/2003
A DAY in the LIFE of...
K!mberly's days are always different - probably like most moms! So far today has been:
This is probably more than you need to know. Ah me, I do love avoiding work
by writing! That'll teach you to ask me questions!
Love, K!M
! Rolling over in bed for some extra sleep while Jim sent kids to school (I
was at an artists prayer meeting last night until 12...oh, I'm not as young
as I used to be!)
! devotions over breakfast
! taking our little dog in to get fixed (ouch)
! grocery shopping (with our maid - I love that part!!!)
! following up emails with pastors who may host a play I'm casting this month
! a phone call with Juwanda the production manager of a concert I'm singing in later this month. He's stressed, muslim, and gay; so our phone
conversation included a prayer over the phone for him: that God would prove
He's real and loves him today by giving him a supernatural measure of peace
and joy in his work. He said, "Kim, I wish you could be part of every show I
do!" He is a sweetheart who really needs Jesus!
! coordinating emails with some Christian women in theatre. I'm doing a half day retreat with 5 gals later this month to talk over half of the book THE
HEART OF THE ARTIST. I'm really looking forward to it!
! kids home soon. We'll work on homework together (I'm hopelessly behind Tyler in Chinese!). Get the chores done. Practice piano...
! it's 2 for 1 pizza night at our pizza shop across the street and we're having dinner guests. Cameron calls Dick Soo, "my best big friend" and
Dick's girlfriend Neelam. Both are young professional actors who've been
dating since the end of last year. Both come from really dysfunctional
families (I know that both are still emotionally and verbally abused at
home). He's a professed Christian, she's a professed atheist. But I think
that's only temporary! :-).
! kids'll go to be at 8:30 and we'll see what God has in store for our
conversation after!
This is probably more than you need to know. Ah me, I do love avoiding work
by writing! That'll teach you to ask me questions!
Love, K!M
5/04/2003
SARS Scare...Are We Safe???
I can certainly understand people's concern given that the number of cases here (a little more than 200) still represent a high percentage of the total population (4 million) compared with other places that have been hit.
We feel very safe here for several reasons.
For one, almost all the cases have been traced to a few people that brought the virus into the country. The secondary and tertiary infections have for the most part been hospital staff.
For another, the government has done an excellent job of taking swift and thorough measures to contain the spread of the disease. Everyone infected has been isolated in one hospital, and for every one of them, another 10-20 people who had contact with them has been quarantined for 10 days. Those that break quarantine are now being isolated in jail.
As you probably know, all schools were closed for three weeks, and now every school child has a thermometer and must log their temperature two times a day. Parents are no longer allowed on campus. Most government buildings now require a screening for fever in order to enter. We are in many ways blessed to live in an environment that is strongly controlled by the government.
Thirdly, voluntary precautions are being taken by lots of people. Many people are staying at home and avoiding crowds. Many places are now going to start logging in with your entrance times and contact numbers (such as movie theatres and clubs) so that people can be traced in case an infection shows up. Our church of nearly 3000 people took everyone's temperature last Sunday morning to get into the service!
Fourthly, these measures seem to be working. The growth in cases stopped a few weeks ago, and for the past two days there have been no new cases.
And fifthly, but not last and not to be preachy, we know the Lord wants us to be strong and courageous. We have sensed his leading in decisions like this over and over, when he gives us confidence in his sovereignty over our situations, even during the times when we get apprehensive about the consequences. We believe Christians can have a great witness, especially in times like these, by walking by faith in the true sense of getting our direction from the Lord and resting in him.
Hope this is helpful. I'll pray the Lord gives you all a clear sense of his leading in this situation, and what would be right for the team, families, church, and mission.
Blessings!
written by Jim Creasman to friends at Fullerton Evangelical Free Church, CA
"Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD." Ps 27:14
We feel very safe here for several reasons.
For one, almost all the cases have been traced to a few people that brought the virus into the country. The secondary and tertiary infections have for the most part been hospital staff.
For another, the government has done an excellent job of taking swift and thorough measures to contain the spread of the disease. Everyone infected has been isolated in one hospital, and for every one of them, another 10-20 people who had contact with them has been quarantined for 10 days. Those that break quarantine are now being isolated in jail.
As you probably know, all schools were closed for three weeks, and now every school child has a thermometer and must log their temperature two times a day. Parents are no longer allowed on campus. Most government buildings now require a screening for fever in order to enter. We are in many ways blessed to live in an environment that is strongly controlled by the government.
Thirdly, voluntary precautions are being taken by lots of people. Many people are staying at home and avoiding crowds. Many places are now going to start logging in with your entrance times and contact numbers (such as movie theatres and clubs) so that people can be traced in case an infection shows up. Our church of nearly 3000 people took everyone's temperature last Sunday morning to get into the service!
Fourthly, these measures seem to be working. The growth in cases stopped a few weeks ago, and for the past two days there have been no new cases.
And fifthly, but not last and not to be preachy, we know the Lord wants us to be strong and courageous. We have sensed his leading in decisions like this over and over, when he gives us confidence in his sovereignty over our situations, even during the times when we get apprehensive about the consequences. We believe Christians can have a great witness, especially in times like these, by walking by faith in the true sense of getting our direction from the Lord and resting in him.
Hope this is helpful. I'll pray the Lord gives you all a clear sense of his leading in this situation, and what would be right for the team, families, church, and mission.
Blessings!
written by Jim Creasman to friends at Fullerton Evangelical Free Church, CA
"Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD." Ps 27:14
4/25/2003
4/19/2003
Tyler's April Adventuress
April 2003
Telling the Story with "Resurrection Eggs"
April 2003 Tyler was in a tv show with classmates
April 2003 Yellow Box studio where I've done some recording. They wanted to get Ty and Cam in their demo files too.
4/02/2003
April Fools joke during SARS
from an email to Cyndi Davis
Thank you for your note. We are feeling safe as anyone (and probably more
safe than most since we're not worriers and there are no air raids or bombs
dropping or orange alerts here!) God is good and still in control even when
things seem to be going crazy, and the enemy seems to be having a field day!
Our kids have an extra 10 days of vacation since they shut down schools due
to a deadly highly contagious pneumonia that they haven't got a handle on
how to treat. A few people have died but there's still a few million of us
unaffected! Gives us a chance to catch up since we'd fallen a bit behind in
our Chinese studies! We played a great April fools joke on the boys - we
called our home phone at 7 am from our cell phone and then went in and told
the boys is was their teacher calling to say the epidemic was over early and
they had to go to school. We had them get up, get dressed in their school
uniform, and walk 1/2 way to school until they could see for themselves
there were no other kids on the playground... they got a real kick out of
that and laughed all day (Tyler called all his friends to tell them how
crazy his parents were!)
Gotta keep your sense of humor....
Thank you for your note. We are feeling safe as anyone (and probably more
safe than most since we're not worriers and there are no air raids or bombs
dropping or orange alerts here!) God is good and still in control even when
things seem to be going crazy, and the enemy seems to be having a field day!
Our kids have an extra 10 days of vacation since they shut down schools due
to a deadly highly contagious pneumonia that they haven't got a handle on
how to treat. A few people have died but there's still a few million of us
unaffected! Gives us a chance to catch up since we'd fallen a bit behind in
our Chinese studies! We played a great April fools joke on the boys - we
called our home phone at 7 am from our cell phone and then went in and told
the boys is was their teacher calling to say the epidemic was over early and
they had to go to school. We had them get up, get dressed in their school
uniform, and walk 1/2 way to school until they could see for themselves
there were no other kids on the playground... they got a real kick out of
that and laughed all day (Tyler called all his friends to tell them how
crazy his parents were!)
Gotta keep your sense of humor....
Frequently Asked Questions...
from and email to Donna Cole
D: I so appreciated getting your e-mail to know your prayer requests. You said that Jim's work is keeping him in Singapore these days. Is that why his pace is slower--because he is at home? Does he travel a lot normally?
K: Part of why it is slower is that we are purposefully taking it slower this year. Jim and I both enjoy working, but we can be on the driven side. We are learning to slow down a bit and take better care of ourselves. We've been through some tough things emotionally since coming to Singapore (which the letter will allude to), and now, with the Burchells leaving, we are working at some healing, growing from the experience, and filling up our reserves. I've even started working out with Jim at the gym 3 times a week! A first for us! I feel great! Carving more time out for reading and growing through the Word, and other books. Journaling and praying more.
Jim traveled A LOT last fall, and had WAY too much to do. It was a season of overload, since different areas he leads all had events in the fall. Sometimes it just happens that way, and it is do-able, but not as a way of life!!!
Since some of his work deals outside Singapore, in helping workers in networking/developing "strategic partnerships" for the Gspl in a big country to the north of us, he travels quite a bit for that. From time to time there are meetings as a CRM director that he travels to be a part of too. He normally takes a couple trips a quarter, somewhere. It is neat living in Singapore too, we are very close to so many Asian countries. As a family we sometimes take trips to nearby countries during our school breaks. This year, I get to do some Christian drama training in Malaysia, and perhaps Cambodia too! Jim will stay home and guard the home front then!
D: The focus here has been so much on the war that I remember hearing of SARS, but I did not realize that it was stopping attendance at schools. Is that pretty much all around you? Forgive me. I don't have a lot of time to watch the news!
K: We all enjoyed the time off, spending more time together, though it will be sad that our summer break, which is usually only 4 weeks, is now cut to 2 weeks! I feel like I got to know the boys better because of having them home all day everyday and their normal playmates weren't being allowed to leave their houses to come over or allow the kids to go to their houses to play (there were 2 exceptions) I'd listened well to the Spirit's leading to say "no" to a couple of things ahead of the SARS outbreak, so I was free to give them my attention!
Kids are back in school as of last week, but there is a lot of control and news and fear. Filling out forms nearly everyday stating whether we've been in SARS affected areas/hospitals/countries. The kids are questioned everyday when they arrive to school whether they are feeling well, etc. Next week they are saying they will institute giving all the children thermometers to check their temperatures a couple times a day! They still don't know whether the virus is contagious before symptoms are seen, so people who aren't quarantined could be passing it around too. I just say, we gotta live our lives as long as God ordains, and so let's get on with living them!
D: I KNOW that your parents were very proud of seeing you in LITTLE VIOLET AND THE ANGEL! Your mom said it was a different role for you. I got the impression that you were the bad guy! Were you?
K: YES! I was AWFUL!!! Not in a characatured sort of way, but in the way that made some people (adults!) in the audience cry because I was too much like the unloving mothers/women in their lives (no one sets out to be a villain, we all have our reasons for meanness - for this lady, it was being wrapped up in her grief). It all worked out in the end...I got what I deserved - I realized I'd been awful...and then I died!
D: I just didn't get that impression from what I read. I felt that you were the grief-stricken mom--period. Can you tell me more about it? Were you exhausted from your schedule of performance? It seemed that once you started, you didn't quit! How did YOU feel about your performance? How about Jim? and the boys?--Did they see you perform?
K: Jim and the boys loved it. Jim was traveling when the show opened, but the boys and our helper came a few times. I was able to get them backstage passes (which is a big thing since this arts center only opened in January, and it's pretty shwanky). THey liked meeting and hanging out with the other actors and being backstage and playing with the puppet VIOLET. Cameron (6) was troubled that I died. He wished I could have been one of the puppeteers giving voice and life to the child instead. But Cameron really liked the song I sang (a real tear jerker - showed the lady's soft side!) and he often sings it to me now. I felt happily and thoroughly exhausted when the show was over. I slept a lot more the first week after. It was weird getting back to my "real" life of being an unknown mom and going to parent meetings and sitting through piano class with the boys after having been in the spotlights for a solid week. Seemed like I was two people for a few days as I kept wondering, "Did that really happen?" I've been asked to do a few more projects this year. Singing in a concert next month as a "guest" of the three men who are putting on the show. I'll sing You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel. The 3 men are all definitely NOT Christians, but Jesus loves them, through me. I find it neat here that these very outspoken gay guys will be interested in being my friend - when they know I'm a pastor's wife and am a Christian. I've had some good conversations about their understanding of God and spirituality with 2 of them...we'll see how it goes with this next "gig."
D: Are the boys grateful for a break in school? It sounds like they are both pretty great students!
K: Tyler's EXTREMELY smart and works hard. We're fortunate that he hasn't had to take extra tutoring in Chinese yet (nearly all his classmates have had tuition since first grade). I was able to do the studying with him until I started getting more involved in projects outside the house last fall. Now, I try to study with him a little - which means him trying to teach me some of what he's learned in class. Cameron is youngest in his class, so he's a bit behind the rest, though he's bright, though a squirrely challenge. I had a single friend over to hang out yesterday. As she listened and observed my afternoon routine with Cameron, she said, "I am going to have to pray for you more! I had no idea what your life was like!"
D: Reading that Tyler had first-quarter exams in English, Math, Chinese and Science sounds like he's in high school or college! Do you think school is taken much more seriously there? I can't believe Cameron is in 1st grade already! (Does the new school year start in January?) It wasn't that long ago, when he was a baby!!!! Time is flying!
K: YES. YES. YES!
D: Are there any things that you really miss from here that you cannot get there?
K: NOPE! Partly because we have been away and gotten used to the things here, and mostly because so much is available here (even some of the obscure junk food like poptarts!)
D: I hope you don't mind me asking so many questions; I know you must be busy, so respond whenever you can. In the meantime, please know that I pray for you every day.
K: For the churches here, Jim helps them hook up with in-country works that the particular church could give some short term support to, or "adopt" as a church project. He helps them strategize what their unique contributions can be to partnering with existing work going on rather than starting their own thing from scratch and competing with other mssnaries.
With the incountry networking, he works with many different ministries/groups who's ends are focused on bringing the good news to different Unreached People Groups in a large country to the north of us. Their govt. has said there are 56 major classifications of what they call "Minority Peoples." But truly, there are more than 200 groups, the govt has just bunched similar groups together. Many of these groups have no known Xns or chchs in them.)
D: Thank you for your ministry to honor Jesus Christ globally. You and your family are heroes/heroine of the faith! YOU TOO! If we're all doing God's will, we are all his heros!
K: Thank you so much for supporting our lives and efforts with your prayers. It really feels like we have partners even when you aren't with us physically. We feel cared for, and strong in the LORD's mighty power!
D: I so appreciated getting your e-mail to know your prayer requests. You said that Jim's work is keeping him in Singapore these days. Is that why his pace is slower--because he is at home? Does he travel a lot normally?
K: Part of why it is slower is that we are purposefully taking it slower this year. Jim and I both enjoy working, but we can be on the driven side. We are learning to slow down a bit and take better care of ourselves. We've been through some tough things emotionally since coming to Singapore (which the letter will allude to), and now, with the Burchells leaving, we are working at some healing, growing from the experience, and filling up our reserves. I've even started working out with Jim at the gym 3 times a week! A first for us! I feel great! Carving more time out for reading and growing through the Word, and other books. Journaling and praying more.
Jim traveled A LOT last fall, and had WAY too much to do. It was a season of overload, since different areas he leads all had events in the fall. Sometimes it just happens that way, and it is do-able, but not as a way of life!!!
Since some of his work deals outside Singapore, in helping workers in networking/developing "strategic partnerships" for the Gspl in a big country to the north of us, he travels quite a bit for that. From time to time there are meetings as a CRM director that he travels to be a part of too. He normally takes a couple trips a quarter, somewhere. It is neat living in Singapore too, we are very close to so many Asian countries. As a family we sometimes take trips to nearby countries during our school breaks. This year, I get to do some Christian drama training in Malaysia, and perhaps Cambodia too! Jim will stay home and guard the home front then!
D: The focus here has been so much on the war that I remember hearing of SARS, but I did not realize that it was stopping attendance at schools. Is that pretty much all around you? Forgive me. I don't have a lot of time to watch the news!
K: We all enjoyed the time off, spending more time together, though it will be sad that our summer break, which is usually only 4 weeks, is now cut to 2 weeks! I feel like I got to know the boys better because of having them home all day everyday and their normal playmates weren't being allowed to leave their houses to come over or allow the kids to go to their houses to play (there were 2 exceptions) I'd listened well to the Spirit's leading to say "no" to a couple of things ahead of the SARS outbreak, so I was free to give them my attention!
Kids are back in school as of last week, but there is a lot of control and news and fear. Filling out forms nearly everyday stating whether we've been in SARS affected areas/hospitals/countries. The kids are questioned everyday when they arrive to school whether they are feeling well, etc. Next week they are saying they will institute giving all the children thermometers to check their temperatures a couple times a day! They still don't know whether the virus is contagious before symptoms are seen, so people who aren't quarantined could be passing it around too. I just say, we gotta live our lives as long as God ordains, and so let's get on with living them!
D: I KNOW that your parents were very proud of seeing you in LITTLE VIOLET AND THE ANGEL! Your mom said it was a different role for you. I got the impression that you were the bad guy! Were you?
K: YES! I was AWFUL!!! Not in a characatured sort of way, but in the way that made some people (adults!) in the audience cry because I was too much like the unloving mothers/women in their lives (no one sets out to be a villain, we all have our reasons for meanness - for this lady, it was being wrapped up in her grief). It all worked out in the end...I got what I deserved - I realized I'd been awful...and then I died!
D: I just didn't get that impression from what I read. I felt that you were the grief-stricken mom--period. Can you tell me more about it? Were you exhausted from your schedule of performance? It seemed that once you started, you didn't quit! How did YOU feel about your performance? How about Jim? and the boys?--Did they see you perform?
K: Jim and the boys loved it. Jim was traveling when the show opened, but the boys and our helper came a few times. I was able to get them backstage passes (which is a big thing since this arts center only opened in January, and it's pretty shwanky). THey liked meeting and hanging out with the other actors and being backstage and playing with the puppet VIOLET. Cameron (6) was troubled that I died. He wished I could have been one of the puppeteers giving voice and life to the child instead. But Cameron really liked the song I sang (a real tear jerker - showed the lady's soft side!) and he often sings it to me now. I felt happily and thoroughly exhausted when the show was over. I slept a lot more the first week after. It was weird getting back to my "real" life of being an unknown mom and going to parent meetings and sitting through piano class with the boys after having been in the spotlights for a solid week. Seemed like I was two people for a few days as I kept wondering, "Did that really happen?" I've been asked to do a few more projects this year. Singing in a concert next month as a "guest" of the three men who are putting on the show. I'll sing You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel. The 3 men are all definitely NOT Christians, but Jesus loves them, through me. I find it neat here that these very outspoken gay guys will be interested in being my friend - when they know I'm a pastor's wife and am a Christian. I've had some good conversations about their understanding of God and spirituality with 2 of them...we'll see how it goes with this next "gig."
D: Are the boys grateful for a break in school? It sounds like they are both pretty great students!
K: Tyler's EXTREMELY smart and works hard. We're fortunate that he hasn't had to take extra tutoring in Chinese yet (nearly all his classmates have had tuition since first grade). I was able to do the studying with him until I started getting more involved in projects outside the house last fall. Now, I try to study with him a little - which means him trying to teach me some of what he's learned in class. Cameron is youngest in his class, so he's a bit behind the rest, though he's bright, though a squirrely challenge. I had a single friend over to hang out yesterday. As she listened and observed my afternoon routine with Cameron, she said, "I am going to have to pray for you more! I had no idea what your life was like!"
D: Reading that Tyler had first-quarter exams in English, Math, Chinese and Science sounds like he's in high school or college! Do you think school is taken much more seriously there? I can't believe Cameron is in 1st grade already! (Does the new school year start in January?) It wasn't that long ago, when he was a baby!!!! Time is flying!
K: YES. YES. YES!
D: Are there any things that you really miss from here that you cannot get there?
K: NOPE! Partly because we have been away and gotten used to the things here, and mostly because so much is available here (even some of the obscure junk food like poptarts!)
D: I hope you don't mind me asking so many questions; I know you must be busy, so respond whenever you can. In the meantime, please know that I pray for you every day.
K: For the churches here, Jim helps them hook up with in-country works that the particular church could give some short term support to, or "adopt" as a church project. He helps them strategize what their unique contributions can be to partnering with existing work going on rather than starting their own thing from scratch and competing with other mssnaries.
With the incountry networking, he works with many different ministries/groups who's ends are focused on bringing the good news to different Unreached People Groups in a large country to the north of us. Their govt. has said there are 56 major classifications of what they call "Minority Peoples." But truly, there are more than 200 groups, the govt has just bunched similar groups together. Many of these groups have no known Xns or chchs in them.)
D: Thank you for your ministry to honor Jesus Christ globally. You and your family are heroes/heroine of the faith! YOU TOO! If we're all doing God's will, we are all his heros!
K: Thank you so much for supporting our lives and efforts with your prayers. It really feels like we have partners even when you aren't with us physically. We feel cared for, and strong in the LORD's mighty power!
4/01/2003
AWANA kids often write asking Questions...
My son Cameron has started going to AWANA here in Singapore this year. He's in Sparks. There is one church that has it and it is such a good program.
My job as a missionary is different from what my husband does...but since you asked me, I'll just tell you what I do. My job as a missionary is using drama to help spread Jesus' love and the truths of Scripture for living an abundant life in Christ. I get to do this in many ways.
I taught a course to a group of Sunday school and kindergarten teachers on how to use drama in their classrooms. I've taught a playwriting class to Christian adults who want to use drama in their churches for worship and special events. I've done some writing and other training, and this year will start discipling some of the women I have met through my training times. I have done some drama training for a group of churches in Malaysia and meet with other Christian artists from neighboring countries as they come through town. This year I will go to another city in Malaysia and may
go to Cambodia as well. Our family is thinking of going to Thailand to pass out the Jesus Film to tourists from Mainland China, since we all speak Chinese and mainlanders are very facinated with us (and it would not be against the law to give out the Jesus film in Thailand!!!)
Last year I was in a show for children that was sponsored primarily by a church. The show was not a salvation message, but a few thousand school children, including many special needs children were blessed by getting to see a show teaching them good values about sharing and friendship. Most of the cast were Christians. The church has this vision for using the arts in Jesus name to bring blessing and joy to their community. I was able to build trust and friendship with the cast members who are not yet Christians.
In February, I was in a professional production where I had opportunities to share my personal faith in Jesus with the cast and crew as I build relationships with them. The story was about a guardian angel. One day our lead actor (who is this famous actor here in Singapore) came into rehearsal with a terrible pain in his back. I took him aside and asked him if I could pray for him. He was glad for that, and then told me that the pain disappeared when I prayed for him. We were interviewed on radio and he
shared with the DJ a very theologically correct description of the purpose of angels (he's been reading!) I think God is doing something in his heart. It has been a great opportunity to develop sweet friendships with non-Christians (who are actually a bit anti-Christian), I trust God will use me in their lives to draw them to Himself.
On the last day of the show I took each person in the cast and crew aside to pray over their lives and that God would show them how much he loves them and that they would see the value of loving him back and living for him. Everyone liked being prayed for...even the athiests!!! We'll see if I get to eventually lead some of them to their decision to follow Jesus. Since the show ended I've been making "dates" to have lunch with different ones. You can pray for me that I would ask good questions like Jesus did of people, and would avoid preaching. This way people come to their realization of
their need for God just by talking about themselves.
What I like about Singapore is how God is teaching me that I'm not superwoman - and he's watned me to realize that he loves me whether I am just doing the laundry, or helping my kids study Chinese. It doesn't matter what I do, he just wants me to love him with my whole heart. It's funny when in USA, missionaries are often put on a pedestal as being SuperChristian, but it is in my going overseas that I am learning about my frailty and dependence on God. I am learning to see Him do things through my weaknessess instead of my competence. This is a good and HARD lesson to learn!
Love,
Mrs. Creasman
My job as a missionary is different from what my husband does...but since you asked me, I'll just tell you what I do. My job as a missionary is using drama to help spread Jesus' love and the truths of Scripture for living an abundant life in Christ. I get to do this in many ways.
I taught a course to a group of Sunday school and kindergarten teachers on how to use drama in their classrooms. I've taught a playwriting class to Christian adults who want to use drama in their churches for worship and special events. I've done some writing and other training, and this year will start discipling some of the women I have met through my training times. I have done some drama training for a group of churches in Malaysia and meet with other Christian artists from neighboring countries as they come through town. This year I will go to another city in Malaysia and may
go to Cambodia as well. Our family is thinking of going to Thailand to pass out the Jesus Film to tourists from Mainland China, since we all speak Chinese and mainlanders are very facinated with us (and it would not be against the law to give out the Jesus film in Thailand!!!)
Last year I was in a show for children that was sponsored primarily by a church. The show was not a salvation message, but a few thousand school children, including many special needs children were blessed by getting to see a show teaching them good values about sharing and friendship. Most of the cast were Christians. The church has this vision for using the arts in Jesus name to bring blessing and joy to their community. I was able to build trust and friendship with the cast members who are not yet Christians.
In February, I was in a professional production where I had opportunities to share my personal faith in Jesus with the cast and crew as I build relationships with them. The story was about a guardian angel. One day our lead actor (who is this famous actor here in Singapore) came into rehearsal with a terrible pain in his back. I took him aside and asked him if I could pray for him. He was glad for that, and then told me that the pain disappeared when I prayed for him. We were interviewed on radio and he
shared with the DJ a very theologically correct description of the purpose of angels (he's been reading!) I think God is doing something in his heart. It has been a great opportunity to develop sweet friendships with non-Christians (who are actually a bit anti-Christian), I trust God will use me in their lives to draw them to Himself.
On the last day of the show I took each person in the cast and crew aside to pray over their lives and that God would show them how much he loves them and that they would see the value of loving him back and living for him. Everyone liked being prayed for...even the athiests!!! We'll see if I get to eventually lead some of them to their decision to follow Jesus. Since the show ended I've been making "dates" to have lunch with different ones. You can pray for me that I would ask good questions like Jesus did of people, and would avoid preaching. This way people come to their realization of
their need for God just by talking about themselves.
What I like about Singapore is how God is teaching me that I'm not superwoman - and he's watned me to realize that he loves me whether I am just doing the laundry, or helping my kids study Chinese. It doesn't matter what I do, he just wants me to love him with my whole heart. It's funny when in USA, missionaries are often put on a pedestal as being SuperChristian, but it is in my going overseas that I am learning about my frailty and dependence on God. I am learning to see Him do things through my weaknessess instead of my competence. This is a good and HARD lesson to learn!
Love,
Mrs. Creasman
3/29/2003
3/13/2003
Latest News
From email to Elaine Bent in Dallas, TX
I've caught up on my sleep and some of the piles in the office...all that home administrivia that got shelved for the back to back run of Rainbow Fish-trip to USA-Little Violet.
Attending parent meetings at school and Cameron's music class at Yamaha last Saturday I had to marvel at the different worlds I was a part of...Back to "normal life" it's hard to imagine that the week before I'd been going through security with my pass to get backstage of the Esplanade, and hanging out with local TV stars...ha!
I've been asked to do a guest appearance in a show/concert in May. Three local actor/singers are doing a variety show and want me to come do a musical theatre number with them - I think the plan is that they'll back me up with accappella, When You Walk Through a Storm from Carousel.
Paul Seow also asked me last week to direct his children's production for May, but after praying about it, said no. I told him if I said YES it would be for all the wrong reasons. So I'll help them out in a smaller capacity, and have my days more free for other things. I've agreed to write for two shows for schools and the scripts need attention.
But most important, I feel that I want to begin being more intentional about discipleship and mentoring some of these younger women I've come to know through these shows. I have been suprised by the way some of the guys have opened up to me about their spirituality too - even the homosexuals in the cast. I am meeting one of them for tea today - so we'll just have to see why God has brought these dear ones into my life too.
Have you read THE SACRED ROMANCE, Drawing Nearer to the Heart of God by John Eldridge and Brent Curtis? Wow, I am LOVING IT. It is playing my heartstrings and speaking to my soul like no Christian book I've read...just what I needed to hear as I've been longing for more passion in my relationship with Christ. Something I read in the book yesterday had me going to bed lst night thinking how much I truly LOVE GOD with feelings and not just my head. Loads of theatre analogies in it too because John was an actor in LA for part of his career...
Well thats enough for now. It was great to get your news about CITA. Do stay in touch. I pray you'll know his joy and favour on your life today.
I've caught up on my sleep and some of the piles in the office...all that home administrivia that got shelved for the back to back run of Rainbow Fish-trip to USA-Little Violet.
Attending parent meetings at school and Cameron's music class at Yamaha last Saturday I had to marvel at the different worlds I was a part of...Back to "normal life" it's hard to imagine that the week before I'd been going through security with my pass to get backstage of the Esplanade, and hanging out with local TV stars...ha!
I've been asked to do a guest appearance in a show/concert in May. Three local actor/singers are doing a variety show and want me to come do a musical theatre number with them - I think the plan is that they'll back me up with accappella, When You Walk Through a Storm from Carousel.
Paul Seow also asked me last week to direct his children's production for May, but after praying about it, said no. I told him if I said YES it would be for all the wrong reasons. So I'll help them out in a smaller capacity, and have my days more free for other things. I've agreed to write for two shows for schools and the scripts need attention.
But most important, I feel that I want to begin being more intentional about discipleship and mentoring some of these younger women I've come to know through these shows. I have been suprised by the way some of the guys have opened up to me about their spirituality too - even the homosexuals in the cast. I am meeting one of them for tea today - so we'll just have to see why God has brought these dear ones into my life too.
Have you read THE SACRED ROMANCE, Drawing Nearer to the Heart of God by John Eldridge and Brent Curtis? Wow, I am LOVING IT. It is playing my heartstrings and speaking to my soul like no Christian book I've read...just what I needed to hear as I've been longing for more passion in my relationship with Christ. Something I read in the book yesterday had me going to bed lst night thinking how much I truly LOVE GOD with feelings and not just my head. Loads of theatre analogies in it too because John was an actor in LA for part of his career...
Well thats enough for now. It was great to get your news about CITA. Do stay in touch. I pray you'll know his joy and favour on your life today.
2/27/2003
Little Violet and the Angel
Anna Maria & Vlad
2003 Feb/March Curtain Call for Little Violet and the Angel at the Esplanade Studio Theatre.
2003 March: My dada, mom and their friend Jan came for a weekend from California to see Little Violet!
1/11/2003
Tyler's 10th
January 12, 2003: 10 year old Tyler's friends with his STITCH cake
January 2003: Making a pinata (Lilo & Stitch's house) for Tyler's birthday party.
12/14/2002
Cameron's 6th Birthday(s)
2002 December: Cameron's birthday party in California CHECK E CHEESE! Cousin Cade, Cody and Karissa Mitchell there to celebrate too.
2002 November: Celebrating Cameron's 6th birthday early at his kindergarten - Rainbow Fish and Star Fish come for a visit!
10/30/2002
9/11/2002
Reflections on 9/11 in Singapore
What hurt so badly those days was that in the FIRST week of September 2001 I'd had
neighbors and their children in my home making lanterns for lantern festival, and having tea, and getting a group together to go swimming. Then 2 days later, nothing but the twin towers collapsing was in the news and I felt like we were invisible in our neighborhood.
EVERYONE in the world was watching it on TV and talking about it for days on end, and watching and reading how the world was reaching out to their American friends around the world in this time of pain...
Everyone in this town knows we're Americans (They also know how much rent we pay, and that our boys speak Chinese, etc.). Yet NO ONE in Tampines looked at or spoke to me, for a week! On a National scale, when something was put together publically to memorialize those who died (held at National Stadium), it was the American Association who organized it. The Singaporeans did not know how to or didn't value responding with compassion.
At first, because of how painful it was personally, I was angry. Almost hateful. We were so pitifully needy, we all wore t-shirts that said AMERICA to church the following weekend. We wanted people to know we were Americans, hoping someone would speak to us after the service, but no one did. NO ONE! I wanted someone to bake me a casserole, or at least say, "Wow, I'm so sorry about what happened in your country. It's really tragic." But there was just this icky SILENCE.
When people finally said something it was,
"Did you know anyone who died?...NO? Oh, that's good."
(GOOD???)
or
"I'm sorry I didn't say anything, we were all THINKING ABOUT you, I just
didn't know what to say."
Over the months, my anger turned to pity, to compassion. I started looking out my HDB windows to the hundreds of windows within my view, thinking about what kinds of unprocessed pain hides behind these doors. It has grown in me a deeper compassion for the people of Singapore. Going through this painful expereince taught me in a deep way how people are emotionally and socially incabable of handling greif. Mine was deep, but still not entirely personal, or life changing, BUT how much more painful, and "disfunctional" for those who live ALL around us who cannot process the Japanese occupation, or poverty, or loss of a loved one, or abuse, or miscarriage, or infidelity, or retrenchement, or, or, or.... I think I'm much more compassionate for having gone through the post 9/11 experience in a cold country.
To be completely fair: I'll have you know that two friends did call the day of the tragedy, and when I was talking with dear Nora Neo about a week later, she made me a pie! I am so thankful they did. I think if NO ONE had, I may have given up! I may have forced Jim to take me back to the comforts of home (or Tarshish, like Jonah and run from His clear call to be here).
I believe that in time, we are going to LOVE Singapore, not just from our WILL, but by the grace of God with ALL our HEARTS.
neighbors and their children in my home making lanterns for lantern festival, and having tea, and getting a group together to go swimming. Then 2 days later, nothing but the twin towers collapsing was in the news and I felt like we were invisible in our neighborhood.
EVERYONE in the world was watching it on TV and talking about it for days on end, and watching and reading how the world was reaching out to their American friends around the world in this time of pain...
Everyone in this town knows we're Americans (They also know how much rent we pay, and that our boys speak Chinese, etc.). Yet NO ONE in Tampines looked at or spoke to me, for a week! On a National scale, when something was put together publically to memorialize those who died (held at National Stadium), it was the American Association who organized it. The Singaporeans did not know how to or didn't value responding with compassion.
At first, because of how painful it was personally, I was angry. Almost hateful. We were so pitifully needy, we all wore t-shirts that said AMERICA to church the following weekend. We wanted people to know we were Americans, hoping someone would speak to us after the service, but no one did. NO ONE! I wanted someone to bake me a casserole, or at least say, "Wow, I'm so sorry about what happened in your country. It's really tragic." But there was just this icky SILENCE.
When people finally said something it was,
"Did you know anyone who died?...NO? Oh, that's good."
(GOOD???)
or
"I'm sorry I didn't say anything, we were all THINKING ABOUT you, I just
didn't know what to say."
Over the months, my anger turned to pity, to compassion. I started looking out my HDB windows to the hundreds of windows within my view, thinking about what kinds of unprocessed pain hides behind these doors. It has grown in me a deeper compassion for the people of Singapore. Going through this painful expereince taught me in a deep way how people are emotionally and socially incabable of handling greif. Mine was deep, but still not entirely personal, or life changing, BUT how much more painful, and "disfunctional" for those who live ALL around us who cannot process the Japanese occupation, or poverty, or loss of a loved one, or abuse, or miscarriage, or infidelity, or retrenchement, or, or, or.... I think I'm much more compassionate for having gone through the post 9/11 experience in a cold country.
To be completely fair: I'll have you know that two friends did call the day of the tragedy, and when I was talking with dear Nora Neo about a week later, she made me a pie! I am so thankful they did. I think if NO ONE had, I may have given up! I may have forced Jim to take me back to the comforts of home (or Tarshish, like Jonah and run from His clear call to be here).
I believe that in time, we are going to LOVE Singapore, not just from our WILL, but by the grace of God with ALL our HEARTS.
9/10/2002
What I'm Looking For in a Cell Group
to a friend we've been meeting with bi-weekly
You've done SO MUCH to help Jen and Lawrence in their whirlwind of getting to China, and setting up their life there... Come to think of it, seems like you help everyone you know! I can't help but thank God for you everyday when I look around my home at all the beautiful things you gave or loaned to help us settle. I imagine that all the work, and leading, and helping you do is exhausting. Not to mention that you've pushed on after the emotionally and spiritually draining & disappointing stuff with the staff couple you had to let go last year (and probably heaps of other interpersonal issues I don't know about). You are often in my thoughts and then prayers about juggling your competing demands.
We'll need to pow wow about what to do with our GREAT MARRIAGES cell group since Lawrence and Jen are gone. Important to talk aboutyour thoughts, as well as Cheng and Craig's needs. Bless them, they said a while back, this is the first time in their Christian lives that they've actually looked forward to going to cell... I have loved seeing Craig warm up to you two. When they were dating, they had a bunch of negative comments from 'friends' at church about their hopes of staying together. He's such a new Christian and has so much to learn...and yet has a lot of pride covering up his lack of spiritual maturity. I know that he has never had an older male Christian friend. You and Cheng are my dearest Singaporean sisters in Christ, so it has been an indulgent joy for me that you have gotten to know her a little.
Here's where we're coming from: As we started this group, our thoughts/needs were, first deepening friendships in a context of our common faith and being married. Starting with a low-key (not lots of reading or homework), pretty safe subject that will help us gel as a group -- build trust, history, memories, and an ability to get below the surface with one another.
Jim and I are at a place in our marriage where processing our "timeline," "purpose statement" or thinking about the future are helping us get reaquainted and better understand each other. We guessed that each of us as couples would even learn some things about our mates for the first time. We thought that this might be a good exercise for all of the 4 couples in starting out, before deciding if we want to stay together to tackle a tougher subjects like what it take for each of us to have a great and Godly marriage.
I think I can understand what you listed about what you want in a small group, and I think that your statement that you're not a "people person" makes our felt needs so very different. For Jim and I, it's been a long 5+ years of not having much fellowship with any long term, deep, meaningful, enjoyable and transparent friendships.
In these 5 years, we have been (in different settings) praising, worshiping, praying, and hearing from the word with people who always feel like strangers. The superficiality of hundreds of acquaintances here, added to our long term loss of deep friendships from a lifetime in LA, was the "method to our madness" in having our GREAT MARRIAGE times together be so relational. I've been growing in my understanding of the practice of the presence of God, so even though we haven't spent great amounts of time dedicated to prayer or worship, our times of joking around the meal have an awareness of the presence of the Lord in our midst. For me, and the way I'm wired, it isn't a matter of "either/or," spiritual, academic or a party, it's less dichotomized...
I get worship, I get times devoted to prayer and I get Bible study on my own...but it's been through our small group, that I finally am feeling that koinonia, that I have local brothers and sisters who I care enough about to be praying for regularly through the week, OR I feel may care about me enough to think of me, and maybe pray for me, past the greet-your-neighbor moment in a worship service. Admittedly, hearing from other friends that they have been in a typical Friday-sing-pray-study small group since coming to Singapore, and they don't feel any real bonds of kinship with their group, has made me desperate that we NOT be like that.
OKAY...enough about this...we can talk when we meet!
You've done SO MUCH to help Jen and Lawrence in their whirlwind of getting to China, and setting up their life there... Come to think of it, seems like you help everyone you know! I can't help but thank God for you everyday when I look around my home at all the beautiful things you gave or loaned to help us settle. I imagine that all the work, and leading, and helping you do is exhausting. Not to mention that you've pushed on after the emotionally and spiritually draining & disappointing stuff with the staff couple you had to let go last year (and probably heaps of other interpersonal issues I don't know about). You are often in my thoughts and then prayers about juggling your competing demands.
We'll need to pow wow about what to do with our GREAT MARRIAGES cell group since Lawrence and Jen are gone. Important to talk aboutyour thoughts, as well as Cheng and Craig's needs. Bless them, they said a while back, this is the first time in their Christian lives that they've actually looked forward to going to cell... I have loved seeing Craig warm up to you two. When they were dating, they had a bunch of negative comments from 'friends' at church about their hopes of staying together. He's such a new Christian and has so much to learn...and yet has a lot of pride covering up his lack of spiritual maturity. I know that he has never had an older male Christian friend. You and Cheng are my dearest Singaporean sisters in Christ, so it has been an indulgent joy for me that you have gotten to know her a little.
Here's where we're coming from: As we started this group, our thoughts/needs were, first deepening friendships in a context of our common faith and being married. Starting with a low-key (not lots of reading or homework), pretty safe subject that will help us gel as a group -- build trust, history, memories, and an ability to get below the surface with one another.
Jim and I are at a place in our marriage where processing our "timeline," "purpose statement" or thinking about the future are helping us get reaquainted and better understand each other. We guessed that each of us as couples would even learn some things about our mates for the first time. We thought that this might be a good exercise for all of the 4 couples in starting out, before deciding if we want to stay together to tackle a tougher subjects like what it take for each of us to have a great and Godly marriage.
I think I can understand what you listed about what you want in a small group, and I think that your statement that you're not a "people person" makes our felt needs so very different. For Jim and I, it's been a long 5+ years of not having much fellowship with any long term, deep, meaningful, enjoyable and transparent friendships.
In these 5 years, we have been (in different settings) praising, worshiping, praying, and hearing from the word with people who always feel like strangers. The superficiality of hundreds of acquaintances here, added to our long term loss of deep friendships from a lifetime in LA, was the "method to our madness" in having our GREAT MARRIAGE times together be so relational. I've been growing in my understanding of the practice of the presence of God, so even though we haven't spent great amounts of time dedicated to prayer or worship, our times of joking around the meal have an awareness of the presence of the Lord in our midst. For me, and the way I'm wired, it isn't a matter of "either/or," spiritual, academic or a party, it's less dichotomized...
I get worship, I get times devoted to prayer and I get Bible study on my own...but it's been through our small group, that I finally am feeling that koinonia, that I have local brothers and sisters who I care enough about to be praying for regularly through the week, OR I feel may care about me enough to think of me, and maybe pray for me, past the greet-your-neighbor moment in a worship service. Admittedly, hearing from other friends that they have been in a typical Friday-sing-pray-study small group since coming to Singapore, and they don't feel any real bonds of kinship with their group, has made me desperate that we NOT be like that.
OKAY...enough about this...we can talk when we meet!
8/22/2002
7/21/2002
Can't Say "I WANT" Until November
To Grammy Lynn:
A few weeks ago he was desperate for a certain toy that was more than he wanted to spend of his own money, and more than we'd pay just for the fun of it. You know how Tyler gets OBSESSED about wanting stuff. And he'd just come back from getting some goodies from the Coventons the week before.
The thought crossed my mind that if you were around you'd be driving him to Toys R Us the next day and buying both he AND Cameron one! I even thought of calling you, and then a day or two later I realized that it was only days until Tyler's half birthday...what a great excuse to spoil him! I suggested we'd pay 1/2...he thought that was agood idea but ended up we settled on him paying about $10 US. We even had a cake! Took some pictures. Made it a family DATE NIGHT. Cameron even got the dreamed of little star wars action figure he'd been dreaming of.
But the deal is, that neither of them can use the word "WANT" with us, or with the grandparents, about any toy until November (when it's time to write a Christmas list). If they find there is something they begin to want they have to write it down and save it until November!
SO, all that said, both boys would be tickled at any small amount of cash you'd want to "reward" them with. With Cameron not getting allowance yet, and the toys they like being the same, I'd say make it the same amount.
Cameron is tackling some pretty hard Chinese (he writes quite a few, and reads more than 75 words - more than Tyler had to at this age because Tyler was oldest in his classes and Cameron is the youngest so he's more stretched, and not the top student like his brother. In fact, the way Cameron sees it, he's just glad he's not THE worst in class!). He will soon finish his 100 reading lessons, and knows he will get a bike for that!
A few weeks ago he was desperate for a certain toy that was more than he wanted to spend of his own money, and more than we'd pay just for the fun of it. You know how Tyler gets OBSESSED about wanting stuff. And he'd just come back from getting some goodies from the Coventons the week before.
The thought crossed my mind that if you were around you'd be driving him to Toys R Us the next day and buying both he AND Cameron one! I even thought of calling you, and then a day or two later I realized that it was only days until Tyler's half birthday...what a great excuse to spoil him! I suggested we'd pay 1/2...he thought that was agood idea but ended up we settled on him paying about $10 US. We even had a cake! Took some pictures. Made it a family DATE NIGHT. Cameron even got the dreamed of little star wars action figure he'd been dreaming of.
But the deal is, that neither of them can use the word "WANT" with us, or with the grandparents, about any toy until November (when it's time to write a Christmas list). If they find there is something they begin to want they have to write it down and save it until November!
SO, all that said, both boys would be tickled at any small amount of cash you'd want to "reward" them with. With Cameron not getting allowance yet, and the toys they like being the same, I'd say make it the same amount.
Cameron is tackling some pretty hard Chinese (he writes quite a few, and reads more than 75 words - more than Tyler had to at this age because Tyler was oldest in his classes and Cameron is the youngest so he's more stretched, and not the top student like his brother. In fact, the way Cameron sees it, he's just glad he's not THE worst in class!). He will soon finish his 100 reading lessons, and knows he will get a bike for that!
7/17/2002
MAKING FRIENDS: A Dog Helps in Meeting People
Virtually all the Christian ministry expats send their children to the International Community School. We do spend a lot of effort connecting with "referrals;" friends of friends who are here only a short while. I must say, it is easier to make these connections with a car. I found myself questioning whether I wanted to spend $35+ on taxi fair to just go meet up with someone I'll never see or hear from again since most of these connections never turn into real friendships. These connections rarely come to much more than another name in the address list. Guess it's the nature of being an ex-pat. So many people are transient and you treat most of your relationships like a cocktail party. Jim doesn't seem to mind it, but for the kids and I it's gotten really old.
I have had a once a month prayer group with Kim Burchell and a few other American women - that has been great. And occassionally we see the Griffiths- the family who did the baseball league last year, as well as this new Australian family across the street. We see them a couple times a week now!
August 2002 National Day celebrations in the park across the street.
Thanks to the dog Rascal, who needs a walk in the park 2 times a day, we're starting to recognize familar faces of people in our broader neighborhood who are also out exercising regularly. I've made a decision to look as many in the eye as I can make eye contact with and say, "Good morning" in English or Chinese. Try and get them to smile back. It usually works. And now, a few familiar faces light up and initiate a greeting when they see us!
I was just visiting last night with my artist friend from England. She's caucasian I met here in Tampines early on while I was grocery shopping. She's a bit rough around the edges and I'm always very bold about where my opinions about how we live come from (the Bible and a faith in Jesus). It's nice to have someone here who initiates with me. Her children are grown and she just married her Muslim Singaporean boyfriend who is 15 years younger than she is! She's been here 12 years and has a really bad attitude about the gossipy unfriendly locals, so I was lecturing her: "You can't let them get to you, you must "get to them." Go overboard in being nice and friendly. There's no way these people will ever change unless someone shows them a different way to treat people!"
I've had 2 calls in the past week about acting opprotunities for Tyler and I. One a TV production company that does children's shows and another one that produces short shows that are shown in hospital waiting rooms - Health TV. Supposed to be shows with local humor about hospitals...lighten up the atmosphere. The producers are thrilled that Tyler can speak Chinese and are thinking up ways to use him.
(from an email to Grammy Lynn)
I have had a once a month prayer group with Kim Burchell and a few other American women - that has been great. And occassionally we see the Griffiths- the family who did the baseball league last year, as well as this new Australian family across the street. We see them a couple times a week now!
August 2002 National Day celebrations in the park across the street.
Thanks to the dog Rascal, who needs a walk in the park 2 times a day, we're starting to recognize familar faces of people in our broader neighborhood who are also out exercising regularly. I've made a decision to look as many in the eye as I can make eye contact with and say, "Good morning" in English or Chinese. Try and get them to smile back. It usually works. And now, a few familiar faces light up and initiate a greeting when they see us!
I was just visiting last night with my artist friend from England. She's caucasian I met here in Tampines early on while I was grocery shopping. She's a bit rough around the edges and I'm always very bold about where my opinions about how we live come from (the Bible and a faith in Jesus). It's nice to have someone here who initiates with me. Her children are grown and she just married her Muslim Singaporean boyfriend who is 15 years younger than she is! She's been here 12 years and has a really bad attitude about the gossipy unfriendly locals, so I was lecturing her: "You can't let them get to you, you must "get to them." Go overboard in being nice and friendly. There's no way these people will ever change unless someone shows them a different way to treat people!"
I've had 2 calls in the past week about acting opprotunities for Tyler and I. One a TV production company that does children's shows and another one that produces short shows that are shown in hospital waiting rooms - Health TV. Supposed to be shows with local humor about hospitals...lighten up the atmosphere. The producers are thrilled that Tyler can speak Chinese and are thinking up ways to use him.
(from an email to Grammy Lynn)
7/10/2002
CRM Worldwide Conference, Venezuela
What a Godward organization we've joined! I am always amazed when I get to know others with CRM. Very humbling to have fellowship with and be a part of such a gifted, saintly group of peers!
The speaker was captivating - John Piper - inspiring and pointed us to passion in worshipping God as the ONLY thing that will give us satisfaction in this vapour we call our life; and how He doesn't need us; and a fresh perspective on serving him from our weakenss (sessions were refreshing and thought provoking - and convicting as well!). I was really honoured and a little stressed when the CRM president asked me ahead of time to coordinate 4 dramas to set up these teaching times for such a preacher (I've read 2 of his books this year - A Hunger for God and Desiring God . If you haven't read them...add them to your list!)...I only had a little more than a week ahead of time with notes he'd emailed on what he'd preach about, and didn't have a clue who my "talent pool" was. But it was entirely Divine how it all came together flawlessly and beautifully with just the right people for every piece.
Like Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire), I sensed God's pleasure in the process of doing what I love to do, and the execution of it too. I know that He was guiding and inspiring in the preparations for it. It was a gift to me to be asked, when no one in the organization has ever seen my work - AND so very personally rewarding for me since I love integrating the theatrical in worship, know how to, and I really haven't had an opportunity for the 5 years I've been gone from California. I know more times will come in the future, but this opportunity was very special.
Remember the old hymn FOLLOW ME? "I travelled down a weary road and no one seemed to care. The burden on my weary back had bowed me with despair...." Wow. Many at the conference got sick from the food, or the water, and I wasn't spared. The last morning when I was set to sing this hymn dressed as a pilgrim...set up as starting from a seat in the house and walking down an aisle to the stage in front, across and out a side stage door at the end of the song... I was so sick, dizzy and weak, that when an extrememly gifted violinist started her Applalachian style accompaniment, I didn't know if I would stay standing when it came time for me to get up and sing. Jim told me later he had never heard me sound better. I felt so much power in my voice. When I got to the last verse and was kneeling on the stage belting out, "These are the words I hear him speak to me: If just a cup of water, I place within your hands, then just a cup of water is all that I demand, so if by death to living they can thy glory see, I'll lift my cross and follow close to thee..."
No one needed to tell me later that God spoke to them in that song. His presence was evident. What a tangible application to the lessons God is teaching me!
The speaker was captivating - John Piper - inspiring and pointed us to passion in worshipping God as the ONLY thing that will give us satisfaction in this vapour we call our life; and how He doesn't need us; and a fresh perspective on serving him from our weakenss (sessions were refreshing and thought provoking - and convicting as well!). I was really honoured and a little stressed when the CRM president asked me ahead of time to coordinate 4 dramas to set up these teaching times for such a preacher (I've read 2 of his books this year - A Hunger for God and Desiring God . If you haven't read them...add them to your list!)...I only had a little more than a week ahead of time with notes he'd emailed on what he'd preach about, and didn't have a clue who my "talent pool" was. But it was entirely Divine how it all came together flawlessly and beautifully with just the right people for every piece.
Like Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire), I sensed God's pleasure in the process of doing what I love to do, and the execution of it too. I know that He was guiding and inspiring in the preparations for it. It was a gift to me to be asked, when no one in the organization has ever seen my work - AND so very personally rewarding for me since I love integrating the theatrical in worship, know how to, and I really haven't had an opportunity for the 5 years I've been gone from California. I know more times will come in the future, but this opportunity was very special.
Remember the old hymn FOLLOW ME? "I travelled down a weary road and no one seemed to care. The burden on my weary back had bowed me with despair...." Wow. Many at the conference got sick from the food, or the water, and I wasn't spared. The last morning when I was set to sing this hymn dressed as a pilgrim...set up as starting from a seat in the house and walking down an aisle to the stage in front, across and out a side stage door at the end of the song... I was so sick, dizzy and weak, that when an extrememly gifted violinist started her Applalachian style accompaniment, I didn't know if I would stay standing when it came time for me to get up and sing. Jim told me later he had never heard me sound better. I felt so much power in my voice. When I got to the last verse and was kneeling on the stage belting out, "These are the words I hear him speak to me: If just a cup of water, I place within your hands, then just a cup of water is all that I demand, so if by death to living they can thy glory see, I'll lift my cross and follow close to thee..."
No one needed to tell me later that God spoke to them in that song. His presence was evident. What a tangible application to the lessons God is teaching me!
7/08/2002
BREATH: Psalm 39:5
by k!mberly
I read in the Bible that
"Life is a but a breath."
A vapour.
The breath that rests on the cold air of a frosty morning.
Puuhhhffffff.
And in seconds is gone.
I hope the breath of my life will be
Good breath.
Not bad breath.
Seconds
Only.
And I'm prone to the
Halitosis of self absorption.
I hold my empty cup
To you God.
I'm ready to gargle again.
I want
Breath
That won't be wasted
On complaints or criticism.
I want
Breath
That will waft a blessing
On those few other vapours
Who are sharing these seconds with me.
I want my
Puuhhhffffff
To raise a delighted eyebrow
Not wrinkle up a nose.
Oh God!
Fill my cup with
That sweet fragrance of Christ.
His vapour was even shorter than most.
Yet,
For the joy set
Before him,
Endured the CROSS.
No complaints.
Puuhhhffffff.
His vapour on earth
Now long gone.
Ascended.
But his fragrance
Remains.
Spread by my joy.
By your joy.
In the seconds we have left.
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."
II Corinthians 2:14,15
I read in the Bible that
"Life is a but a breath."
A vapour.
The breath that rests on the cold air of a frosty morning.
Puuhhhffffff.
And in seconds is gone.
I hope the breath of my life will be
Good breath.
Not bad breath.
Seconds
Only.
And I'm prone to the
Halitosis of self absorption.
I hold my empty cup
To you God.
I'm ready to gargle again.
I want
Breath
That won't be wasted
On complaints or criticism.
I want
Breath
That will waft a blessing
On those few other vapours
Who are sharing these seconds with me.
I want my
Puuhhhffffff
To raise a delighted eyebrow
Not wrinkle up a nose.
Oh God!
Fill my cup with
That sweet fragrance of Christ.
His vapour was even shorter than most.
Yet,
For the joy set
Before him,
Endured the CROSS.
No complaints.
Puuhhhffffff.
His vapour on earth
Now long gone.
Ascended.
But his fragrance
Remains.
Spread by my joy.
By your joy.
In the seconds we have left.
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."
II Corinthians 2:14,15
7/03/2002
Love/Hate on the 4th of July
July 2002: Our "Great Marriages" cell group celebrates the 4th of July with us.
Happy 4th of July!
I'm having a love/hate day with Singapore today.
Had a beautiful time last night with 3 Singaporean couples, our closest friends here, to celebrate our 4th -- they were all very game and festive. I told them all when they greeted me they had to say, "God bless America!" Since it was the first 4th of July since 9/11, which, as I've written about before made me terribly homesick, and which was why I was feeling extrememly patriotic. Loads of red/white/and blue, a BBQ, we all sang the National Anthem and God Bless America etc.. Pretty fun.
Then we got home at 10:15PM to our little suburb of highrises, parked our car in a loading area, and in the 4 minutes while we were taking the sleeping Creasmans up from the car, some good-for-nothing-that-God-loves-as-much-as-me walked by and stole 2 bags we'd set by the car - containing Jim's work clothes & shoes, house keys, his cellphone, a couple of treasured coffeetable books about America (one new one from my mom on the heros of 9/11), and a silly pair of size 11 wooden shoes (Cameron's souvenier from our layover in Holland last week). I immediately took the dog for a walk -- partly to blow off steam, partly seaching for the offending terrorist (well, ok, "petty theif") so I could get back my stuff (I was confident that I am bigger than whoever it was that took it), and partly asking God to give me a heart that wants to pray for this person and all the people who live by the "finders-keepers" rule in life.
I know it's just stuff, but it makes me SO mad sometimes. We've had more than enough of this kind of petty theft in a nation that's known for it's low crime rate. We have an unseen Enemy who doesn't want us to like it here!
Hit by a Motorcyclist
I was hit by a speeding motorcyclist yesterday - with his girlfriend on the back. Malay muslim kids. The way they flew and rolled in front of my car I thought they'd for sure be dead, but after hainging around at the site for all the police reports we went to find them at the hospital...only abrasions. I shared merely that God loves them and surely has a plan for keeping them alive, and that the instant of the crash, I prayed for their protection as I saw them rolling. It is illegal to share "Christ" with Muslims in Singapore, but I have heard stories of conversions when Jesus appears to people in dreams...so as they are in the hospital and recovering, pray that Jesus introduce himself as the one who saved them...twice. Once yesterday and once 2 thousand years ago.
I'm a bit shook up too. This is the 3rd auto accident in owning our car for 9 months (and cars are about 4xs the price here), I've had a robbery (the 4th of July), been served for a law suit (the 10th), a parking ticket when I was not parking illegally (last week), and had a man practice a lewd act on me while studying in the library the day before yesterday...then the accident yesterday where I was sure for an instant that my car had caused 2 people to die...hmmm. With our influence growing in the circles we've come to serve, it just makes me convinced that we're making the enemy angry...and with this encouragement and God's grace, I can keep my head on straight during the day. But last night I had trouble sleeping...
I'm a bit shook up too. This is the 3rd auto accident in owning our car for 9 months (and cars are about 4xs the price here), I've had a robbery (the 4th of July), been served for a law suit (the 10th), a parking ticket when I was not parking illegally (last week), and had a man practice a lewd act on me while studying in the library the day before yesterday...then the accident yesterday where I was sure for an instant that my car had caused 2 people to die...hmmm. With our influence growing in the circles we've come to serve, it just makes me convinced that we're making the enemy angry...and with this encouragement and God's grace, I can keep my head on straight during the day. But last night I had trouble sleeping...
7/01/2002
Psalm 39:5
I read in the Bible that
"Life is a but a breath."
A vapour.
The breath
That rests on the cold air of a frosty morning.
Puuhhhffffff.
And in seconds is gone.
I hope the breath of my life will be
Good breath.
Not bad breath.
Seconds
Only.
And I'm prone to the
Halitosis of self absorption.
I hold my empty cup
To you God.
I'm ready to gargle again.
I want
Breath
That won't be wasted
On complaints or criticism.
I want
Breath
That will waft a blessing
On those few other vapours
Who are sharing these seconds with me.
I want my
Puuhhhffffff
To raise a delighted eyebrow
not wrinkle up a nose.
Oh God!
Fill my cup with
That sweet fragrance of Christ.
His vapour was even shorter than most.
Yet,
For the joy set
Before him,
Endured the CROSS.
No complaints.
Puuhhhffffff.
His vapour on earth
Now long gone.
Ascended.
But his fragrance
Remains.
Spread by my joy.
By your joy.
In the seconds we have left.
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."
II Corinthians 2:14,15
"Life is a but a breath."
A vapour.
The breath
That rests on the cold air of a frosty morning.
Puuhhhffffff.
And in seconds is gone.
I hope the breath of my life will be
Good breath.
Not bad breath.
Seconds
Only.
And I'm prone to the
Halitosis of self absorption.
I hold my empty cup
To you God.
I'm ready to gargle again.
I want
Breath
That won't be wasted
On complaints or criticism.
I want
Breath
That will waft a blessing
On those few other vapours
Who are sharing these seconds with me.
I want my
Puuhhhffffff
To raise a delighted eyebrow
not wrinkle up a nose.
Oh God!
Fill my cup with
That sweet fragrance of Christ.
His vapour was even shorter than most.
Yet,
For the joy set
Before him,
Endured the CROSS.
No complaints.
Puuhhhffffff.
His vapour on earth
Now long gone.
Ascended.
But his fragrance
Remains.
Spread by my joy.
By your joy.
In the seconds we have left.
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."
II Corinthians 2:14,15
6/27/2002
6/19/2002
Layover in Europe on the way to South America
JUne 2002: Tyler and Cameron in Brugge, Belgium
June 2002: With friends in Belgium
Abigail, Oliver and Brock Wells
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