Besides the big one of finding the apartment (story below) there are little things which have been treats from the Lord in our first 9 days:
A new USA phone number through the computer to call home for free, and the line is clear and easy to use.
There is American Football up at the Singapore American School! It's the only league like it for kids in all of Asia! We went up there and met the commissioner and they said they'll put any kids from ICS who sign up on the same team so that we can share the commuting up there 5 days a week. (Conditioning starts this Wednesday and the seasons runs through November 3)
Cameron had only been able to contact one friend since coming back. One of the boys, Ruslan, we'd lost the number for, and the school couldn't find him in their directory either. Then, on an island of more than 4 million, I BUMP INTO HIM and his mom at the mall. He was free to come with me to surprise Cameron back at the apartment. He ended up staying with him all afternoon and evening!
Tyler's best friend from primary school, who is now living in Bangkok, was here the week we came back. The boys had a great chance to catch up and Reuel spent the night with Tyler to have a good long time catching up.
8/05/2008
Finding the Next Home
Wednesday, July 30
From day one, we've been in an apartment in Bukit Batok West (near West Mall Up a stop from the Jurong interchange on MRT). Generously offered by the man who is warehousing our stuff, and the apartment where our bedroom furniture and couches are. It was so sweet, in preparing for us he'd partially renovated the bathroom. In it's incomplete state it's been a gift we're grateful for, but not a place we've been able to feel entirely "at home." Not for big reasons, but a number of little things (like eating out at Hawker centers 7 days in a row because we didn't want to buy groceries and cook in the kitchen with all the roaches and the cupboards full of open bags of potato chips and odds and ends of broken appliance parts. Or maybe the piles of junk from the renovation in the hall, or a mould filled cupboard in the boys room that's made Cameron be congested and sneezing)The other big surprise was that we have two Filipino guys we've never met sharing the flat with us. Nice guys, but it has meant we lock our bedroom doors when not home, and can't be sure whether we can use more than the one shelf in the fridge for all the other stuff in there...
Each morning we've gotten up and walked downstairs to a kopitiam and purchased a coffee and a newspaper to see what's new in the housing market and if there are any deals on cell phones.
Friday, August 1st
In our first 3 days back to Singapore, there wasn't much advertised in the Clementi area, which is walking distance or a short bus from the kids' school. We've said this is our greatest priority since it's our last home before Tyler goes off to university. We want to be convenient for their school friends to come to our house, rather than going somewhere else that's more convenient. It also makes it nice not to have to send them and pick them up everyday after school or spend a lot of time commuting by public transportation!The hardest part of this housing search is coming to terms with the fact that prices, which were about equal to the high cost of LA rentals, have doubled in the year we've been away. And we know we should get realistic about what we can afford. However, we know that nothing is impossible with God. So, while waiting to see if the Lord would drop an affordable condominium, duplex/terraced house, or landed property in our laps (oh! wouldn't it be nice to have a pool on the grounds again, or -sigh- a patch of garden where we could have a little of our own outdoor space?).
We started looking at the few places in our budget and tried to keep from getting too depressed. If you don't know, or remember, the last place we stayed was a spacious penthouse on the 23 and 24th floor with a breathtaking view of downtown and the ocean! We knew at the time it was an amazing gift from God and might very well be the nicest place we ever live this side of heaven. We had a year in missionary housing this past year to bring us back to reality, but there's still a part of me that knows if He did it once, he can do it again....On this Friday, nothing was advertised, so we just did some walking around the Clementi neighborhood to check out what the more-in-our-budget, but still too expensive government housing apartments (HDBs) looked like. We figured there are about 75 HDB buildings within walking distance of the school.
In the whole of Clementi, we found ONE that we thought would be perfect.
It was the only block within a few miles around the school which we found having a combination of a number things on our wish list:- older (so designed with bigger rooms)
- 3 bedrooms
- not surrounded and blocked in by other tall concrete apartments
- away from the loud noises and dirt of traffic or the trains
- pretty grounds and not all concrete
- a quick walk to shopping and a hawker center
In Ephesians 3:20 Paul prayed, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine!" We've prayed this prayer more than once and know that he is able if he wills.
Saturday, August 2nd
I wasn't going to let the housing market dampen my intention to trust that God is going to provide for our needs. He always has, he already knows where we're going to live, and he is not going to let us be homeless! Though I'm dreaming for a garden and convenient pool, Jim says he'd actually prefer an HDB over the condos or anything larger or nicer. It's what we lived in our first 6 years here. He says even if we got a condo on our budget, which is very unlikely, he'd be more comfortable in and HDB because then we're living like 95% of the rest of Singaporeans. He feels it makes him have more common ground with those he serves. I know I can be content in just about anything after our two years in a Chinese dorm and 6 years in HDBs. I'm open to anything that the Lord shows us to be his will for us.With Jim's encouragement, I went off to join a 24 hour playwright competition hosted by one of the Theatre companies in town. This is something I did 8 years ago - a highlight of our first difficult year here. It was my first time writing a play and I won "Special Mention." Since then I've been studying more, and even teaching playwriting a few times. So, I thought spending 24 hours in some uniquely Singaporean venue, with other Singaporeans who are also writing a play in 24 hours might be a good way to celebrate coming back to Singapore!
Sunday, August 3rd
Sunday afternoon, as the competition was winding down, I was spell checking and formatting my masterpiece, and I got a text from the real estate agent. She had found a rental in block 356, the very block we'd wished for, and we were set to go see it in 2 hours! AMAZING.I met Jim, the kids, and the realtor at the same common area from 2 days before. She called the owners agent to let him know we were there and he told her he'd just signed an agreement with anther renter the hour before and hadn't called her to cancel our appointment.
Sigh.
Well, she told him, we were already there. She asked him if he'd let us see the place anyway since we'd come all the way down to see it.
The 5th floor apartment had everything on our wish list above and more:
- Space enough for an office/desk for me in the hall area
- air conditioned bedrooms (we hadn't even dared to wish for air con in the hall/living room but this one had it)
- Fridge and washer dryer, but mostly unfurnished (okay, we needed a twin bed and closets - called "wardrobes" which were here)
- a short walk to the public pool, train station, bus interchange and grocery shopping.
- Built in cabinets and flooring in a style we actually like!
We went downstairs after seeing the place. All of us amazed at the timing, how perfect the place seemed, and yet none of us discouraged. God knows and we can trust him.
"Lord," I said my wish and prayer aloud. "If you want us to live here, then you make a way. If this place is meant for us, then let the other deal fall through." We all chuckled at the improbability and suggested a prayer walk around the grounds.
Tuesday, August 5
Tuesday at noon the realtor called again to tell me of a small miracle:The deal did in fact fall through, and the place is available for us if we'd like it.
How about that?
By 5:00PM yesterday we'd signed the intent to lease, we'd called our movers to get a date, and the wheels are in motion for us to move in August 15th once the owner does some repairs and puts a fresh coat of paint on the place.
The owner even agreed to the last item on our wish list
(one that is rarely agreed to for rentals):
He will allow us to keep a pet!
We had told the boys that when we returned to Singapore we'd get them a dog to replace "Rascal" who died under anesthesia for a tooth extraction the week before we left last year; but only if the landlord allows it. I've been offered TWO Golden Retrievers, but that's not really workable in a small apartment! So, the next installment in this blog will be either how God provides for the dog, or how we find a car...
7/31/2008
Back in Singapore: Impressions *
After a year in Los Angeles, we’ve been back in Singapore for 2 days. Like waves upon the shore, or maybe Chinese water torture, I’m reminded of all the things we’ve grown to love here or the idiosyncrasies we find annoying. People are amazingly helpful and kind.
• Three friends picked us up with a truck for our luggage, even though we came in at 11:30 PM. They drive us across the island to our place and take us out for Indian bread called roti prata and the yummy gravy we couldn’t find anywhere in multi-cultural Los Angeles.
• The owner of this apartment renovated the bathroom and purchased new mattresses, sheets and towels for us. The beds were made and looking like a guest house when we got here.
• After being gone a year, I couldn’t remember my bank PIN number when buying stamps at the Post Office and the woman across the counter patiently says, “take your time, you’ll remember.” (I did).
• I have a little trouble buying a train ticket at the automated machine and the woman next to me volunteers to show me how.
• In the neighborhood shops I try out my rusty Chinese and instead of scolding or snickering to themselves about my bad pronunciation or my wrong choice of words (which is what I overheard or witnessed people in USA doing to immigrants), the “uncle” or “auntie” will praise me with some comment about how good my Chinese is (when I know undoubtedly it isn’t).
We are living in limbo until we find an apartment, until we decide if we’ll be able to afford a car, hire a helper, or have a dog.
We are grateful for the offer of a free apartment where our furniture has been stored for free this past year. This meant from the first night back I was sleeping on my own bed. It is a huge gift to stay here, with some familiar surroundings, but still, I don’t know the neighborhood yet, can’t figure out how to use the washing machine, and there are strange odds and ends in all the kitchen cupboards.
There was also a surprise: we’re sharing the place with 2 Filipino single guys. It may be jet lag, but I feel a bit numb. There is expectation without excitement. After having spent 25 hours last week scrubbing down our missionary housing in Pasadena, I am not sure how much energy I have to clean up here, but I am not comfortable enough to cook at home in these conditions? I wonder how long can we eat every meal out. How soon and how much should I attack the ramshackle kitchen that’s in desperate need of cleaning and renovation when it may send me into depression and there are so many other uplifting activities I could make a priority over scrubbing the greasy burners of an old cooking range? Why do I feel this compulsion to clean?
I’ve told the boys to put their things in drawers. It will help us feel more “at home” even if we have to move out in 2 weeks. The bottom falls out of one drawer. Then we find one cabinet in their room is full of wet books and papers. They are all covered in thick mould from a drippy air conditioner.
Exiting the standard steel elevator of this apartment block, I am also very glad that we are staying on the 6th floor since it only stops at the 6th and 11th storey.
I walk down a hot concrete corridor, looking out over the groves of high rises painted orange, yellow and beige. I smell a familiar scent. The mixture of incence to ancestors wafting from home altars, mixed with the sour stench of mildew from the wet washed clothes. It had gone a little "off" from sitting in the humidity before getting dried in the blazing sun.
I smell what I think is the stale and dusty cooking grease coating every kitchen. I’m wishing that this aroma give me a warm fuzzy feeling about being back.
I want to have the old “home sweet home” feeling after investing 8 years of my life here.
But it doesn’t, and I don't.
However, I am walking beside Tyler (15) and Cameron (11) and I watch them take it in. I know that their reactions to all of this are happily and completely different from mine. To them this constant sticky sweaty feel, and the hum of fans, and escaping to an air conditioned bedroom is familiar. These dark security bars across all of the apartment windows seems normal. Instead of these bars making it feel a bit like a prison, like it does for me, it adds to everything that is making the boys happy to return.
• Three friends picked us up with a truck for our luggage, even though we came in at 11:30 PM. They drive us across the island to our place and take us out for Indian bread called roti prata and the yummy gravy we couldn’t find anywhere in multi-cultural Los Angeles.
• The owner of this apartment renovated the bathroom and purchased new mattresses, sheets and towels for us. The beds were made and looking like a guest house when we got here.
• After being gone a year, I couldn’t remember my bank PIN number when buying stamps at the Post Office and the woman across the counter patiently says, “take your time, you’ll remember.” (I did).
• I have a little trouble buying a train ticket at the automated machine and the woman next to me volunteers to show me how.
• In the neighborhood shops I try out my rusty Chinese and instead of scolding or snickering to themselves about my bad pronunciation or my wrong choice of words (which is what I overheard or witnessed people in USA doing to immigrants), the “uncle” or “auntie” will praise me with some comment about how good my Chinese is (when I know undoubtedly it isn’t).
We are living in limbo until we find an apartment, until we decide if we’ll be able to afford a car, hire a helper, or have a dog.
We are grateful for the offer of a free apartment where our furniture has been stored for free this past year. This meant from the first night back I was sleeping on my own bed. It is a huge gift to stay here, with some familiar surroundings, but still, I don’t know the neighborhood yet, can’t figure out how to use the washing machine, and there are strange odds and ends in all the kitchen cupboards.
There was also a surprise: we’re sharing the place with 2 Filipino single guys. It may be jet lag, but I feel a bit numb. There is expectation without excitement. After having spent 25 hours last week scrubbing down our missionary housing in Pasadena, I am not sure how much energy I have to clean up here, but I am not comfortable enough to cook at home in these conditions? I wonder how long can we eat every meal out. How soon and how much should I attack the ramshackle kitchen that’s in desperate need of cleaning and renovation when it may send me into depression and there are so many other uplifting activities I could make a priority over scrubbing the greasy burners of an old cooking range? Why do I feel this compulsion to clean?
I’ve told the boys to put their things in drawers. It will help us feel more “at home” even if we have to move out in 2 weeks. The bottom falls out of one drawer. Then we find one cabinet in their room is full of wet books and papers. They are all covered in thick mould from a drippy air conditioner.
Exiting the standard steel elevator of this apartment block, I am also very glad that we are staying on the 6th floor since it only stops at the 6th and 11th storey.
I walk down a hot concrete corridor, looking out over the groves of high rises painted orange, yellow and beige. I smell a familiar scent. The mixture of incence to ancestors wafting from home altars, mixed with the sour stench of mildew from the wet washed clothes. It had gone a little "off" from sitting in the humidity before getting dried in the blazing sun.
I smell what I think is the stale and dusty cooking grease coating every kitchen. I’m wishing that this aroma give me a warm fuzzy feeling about being back.
I want to have the old “home sweet home” feeling after investing 8 years of my life here.
But it doesn’t, and I don't.
However, I am walking beside Tyler (15) and Cameron (11) and I watch them take it in. I know that their reactions to all of this are happily and completely different from mine. To them this constant sticky sweaty feel, and the hum of fans, and escaping to an air conditioned bedroom is familiar. These dark security bars across all of the apartment windows seems normal. Instead of these bars making it feel a bit like a prison, like it does for me, it adds to everything that is making the boys happy to return.
7/19/2008
Qualities of an Excellent Woman *
Summer Reading for 10th Grade Honors English.
As I did last summer with Lord of the Flies, I'm sharing Tyler's burden of wading through the verbose Victorian text of his assigned summer reading. There are so many good books I missed when I was in school, I find it a good way to share in his life, and build my own cultural literacy.
But I'm also being mentored by fictional characters.
I didn't catch this important list and learn from this description of a young Nancy Lammeter when I first read Silas Marner in 10th Grade.
1. High veracity
2. Delicate honor
3. Deference to others
4. Refined Personal habits
A description of this woman in part 2 as she sat to read her Bible jumped out and bit me too:
Still, why a teacher would choose this particular book to burden any modern 15 year old with over summer is beyond me! I am enjoying the story as a nice diversion to packing & moving, even though I find the text tedious. When there are so many classic books not requiring such concentrated mental effort to decipher the author's meanings, I'd wish the teacher had assigned something different for these days of summer when there are so many distractions to keep a kid from knuckling down with a Victorian novel!
As I did last summer with Lord of the Flies, I'm sharing Tyler's burden of wading through the verbose Victorian text of his assigned summer reading. There are so many good books I missed when I was in school, I find it a good way to share in his life, and build my own cultural literacy.
But I'm also being mentored by fictional characters.
I didn't catch this important list and learn from this description of a young Nancy Lammeter when I first read Silas Marner in 10th Grade.
1. High veracity
2. Delicate honor
3. Deference to others
4. Refined Personal habits
A description of this woman in part 2 as she sat to read her Bible jumped out and bit me too:
She was not theologically instructed enough to discern very clearly the relation between the sacred documents of the past which she opened without method, and her own obscure simple life; but the spirit of rectitude, and the sense of responsibility for the effect of her conduct on others, which were strong elements in Nancy's character, had made it a habit with her to scrutinize her past feelings and actions with self-questioning solicitude.
Still, why a teacher would choose this particular book to burden any modern 15 year old with over summer is beyond me! I am enjoying the story as a nice diversion to packing & moving, even though I find the text tedious. When there are so many classic books not requiring such concentrated mental effort to decipher the author's meanings, I'd wish the teacher had assigned something different for these days of summer when there are so many distractions to keep a kid from knuckling down with a Victorian novel!
7/14/2008
Reality Check: Housing Options
We're returning to Singapore later this month and my realtor has sent me photos of the only option she can find in our budget that is walking distance from the kids' school (Oh, my...this is kinda depressing! We're going to keep looking).
I was looking at these photos above of kitchen cabinets whose colors only belong in a 50/50 ice cream bar, while staying in a luxury cabin with my family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. Above are photos of the housing option in Clementi neighborhood of Singapore, and below is where I was sitting when I was looking at the emailed photos.
But it could be worse! Below that is pictures from a visit to where our friend Loonni lives (a village in rural Thailand).
7/10/2008
11 YEARS a Photo History of July Highlights
For the last 11 years,
what we were doing in the month of July
July 1997
We were briefly living among Chinese immigrants in Monterey Park,
preparing for our move to China.
July 1998
We'd lived 10 months in Kunming, China studying language & culture
having loads of opportunities for sharing good new
while preparing for long term in Singapore.
July 2000
We'd finished our first half year living in Singapore.
Kimberly participated in a 24 hour playwright competition,
wrote an award winning play & sang for Children's Day.
July 2001
Jim was coordinating one of the conferences for building ministry partnerships for China
July 2002
Our friends from a Marriage Mentoring small group prepare for long term move to China.
CRM First Pastor's Network goes on their first retreat.
CRM Singapore's first Executive Committee
July 2003
Outreach to Thai workers living in Singapore.
We all were finally feeling settled and thriving.
July 2004
First CRMS Pastor's Mentoring Network - Facilitator Training
"Five Stars" Actors Mentoring Group celebrate a birthday.
July 2005
Jim stays behind in China for the summer, Kim and kids spend time on both coasts for reunions and time with grandparents & friends.
July 2006
After a full year of expanding ministry, we found ourselves back in California again, namely Santa Barbara for the CRM worldwide conference.
Tyler went to DC with grandparents. Cameron met his birth family. We all scouted out Pasadena praying for wisdom for 2007-08.
July 2007
We started our year back in USA by driving across 12 states in 10 days. Here is Sgt. Light Brown on his US tour.
Tyler's last football practice, the Maranatha High School Football JV team prays for him and gives a cheer for Singapore.
We Praise You God for guiding, providing, and protecting in these many Julys (and the other 11 months each year too).
We humbly ask for your wisdom & will to be done in our lives as we continue to live for & follow you.
AMEN.
6/30/2008
I should be packing
but instead i'm reading this wonderful book. a refresher theology course as well as inspiration for new ways to approach our life of faith and following Christ. I HIGHLY recommend it!
6/29/2008
6/27/2008
The Irrational Season
C'havala Crawley, an amazing younger woman I've come to know in CRM has been prolific on her blog regarding TCK issues (see below for a definition). She makes my head spin at how much reading she does. But I'm glad, and my children are blessed that she has a calling to advising and encouraging and raising third culture kids who embrace their unique identity. I'm reviewing what makes for a good/healthy transition from one country to the next as she reminds me of a RAFT acronym. Reconcilliation, Affirmation, Farewells, Think Destination.
"A TCK is an individual who, after having spent a significant part of the developmental years in a culture other than that of their parents,develops a sense of relationship to all of the cultures while not having full ownership in any. Elements from each culture are incorporated into the life experience, but the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar experience."
Third Culture Kids- The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds
David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken
6/13/2008
For My Dad CHUCK COVENTON
Last night I watched a play, DANCING WITH MY FATHER, featuring 5 women of Actors Co-op who told of and dramatized their relationships with their fathers. It was a sweet show, but full of a whole bunch of disappointments and unrealized dreams. I sat there as women around me (and men) wept with strong identification.
Throughout the show there were segments in which they'd tell of dreamed for scenes with their "fantasy dad." And through everyone of those scenes I sat their blessed to know that those scenes have been a reality for me. I've always thought you were a wonderful father, dad, but I never as profoundly grateful for you as I was last night as I watched the show.
Thank you for the time, the tickling, the talks (mostly you listening to me talk) and your tender care for me all of these years. You've shown your love for me, my husband, your grandkids in COUNTLESS ways. And though I've complained about it in recent years, your grandsons would add another T that they like about you: teasing! (Go figure!). But for me, I'm especially grateful for the time you've taken to write special notes and letters to me. I cherish those notes. Have scanned them all (even the notes you wrote for what you were going to say for our wedding...a speech that didn't get made, but I've read the words over and over!) I don't tell you enough how much I appreciate and love you.
You pour your life out and come alongside so many others to build them up and encourage them. You balance all that helping with your quiet walk with Jesus, and he gives you the energy and connections to be the right person at the right time for so, so many people!
How blessed I am to be your daughter. You're the "fantasy dad" that all the kids wish they had!
Happy Father's Day.
5/30/2008
"Gotta Dance, Gotta Sing..."
Not sure what time I'll be on, but I'll be singing Come Rain or Come Shine, and I Could Write a Book. Then I'll be dancing in a Dance Recital June 6&7th...but that info is more classified. Not sure I want to give the details about this 46 year old body who is dancing in her first recital.
5/07/2008
Spring News from the Creasmans in Pasadena
The highlights of our Spring
* Tyler's still carrying his football everywhere.
* Cameron's moved on to shooting hoops everyday.
* Kimberly's living a heaven on earth teaching, performing, taking dance, theatre, vocal music and set design classes.
Also, being part of a major donor event in San Francisco last weekend was altogether inspiring! If you're one of our friends who fit that profile, we'd love to invite you to the next one they have. We're so very blessed to be part of this mission organization, and surrounded by such passionate, Godly colleagues.
* Jim continues his work on a ThM. Courses with Bobby Clinton, in this last year before he retires, has been Jim's highlight.
Oh YES!!
Jim's February trip to Singapore was terrific. Thank you for praying about that! Read more about it.
April: Hello Dolly at Maranatha High School, Tyler's the blonde on right, off Dolly's left shoulder.
How did he get in the show?
I enjoyed teaching Playback Theatre to the drama classes during tech week for the show
(it was my spring break so I had some extra time)
It's been a terrific year surpassing our expectations in what we're taking away from it.
The only down side is that there is still a long list of what we haven't had a chance to do.
(Most of it being the names of friends we've not yet had a chance to see.)
Last week the four of us sat around the living room before bedtime and started having the discussion:
What do we need to do to have good closure on the year,
and prepare well for our return to Singapore?
We've not settled on a date to purchase the tickets back to Singapore, but are still looking at dates in later July.
Three months!
All four of us have reasons to look forward to our return, and to feel sad about having to say goodbyes again soon.
If you pray for us in the coming weeks, here are some requests...
May 9-16
CRM Women of Influence Conference. Kimberly travels to Austria for a leadership meeting with 28 other CRM women from around the world. It's part of a mentoring series of three gatherings over 2 years. Besides the opportunity to be getting to know these other women, we'll be joined by Dr. Betsy Glanville who leads the Intercultural Studies PhD students at Fuller, and one of my favorite Biola professors, Dr. Judith Lingenfelter. I'm especially spoiled to travel with both of them on the 4 flights to get to and from our castle in Klagenfurt! I know what you're thinking..."there are sure some unusual 'perks' to being a missionary!" Lord, I pray that the connections we make, the prayers we offer, and the learning we do this coming week in Austria will serve to strengthen us as your daughters. I pray it will reverberate through women's lives around the world as we all return to our places of ministry and apply what you've taught us through these terrific mentors, and this blessed time together.
During May, Kimberly will be on stage a number of times for various performing arts classes. This spring semester has felt like one long but thrilling full-court press. Spiritually, Relationally, Academically and Artistically very rich and rewarding! Details will follow here! (and through Facebook)
May 23
Tyler's last day of school. He's had a great year (and will continue practicing with the football team until we leave). Lord we pray for Tyler and Cameron that they'll know your care as they make another transition back to Singapore. Thank you for the opportunities you've given them this year, and in this unique life they have as missionary kids. Lead Tyler and Cameron in their activities these last months here.
June 10-13 Christians in Theatre Arts, National Networking Conference, Azusa Pacific University
With two other inspiring/experienced dramatists Lin Sexton and Gil Elvgren, Kimberly will be facilitating the Theatre in Missions track. A first for this annual conference. Lord, may what is shared here inspire participants to fruitfully using drama in cross cultural ministry. May our tools and ideas inspire more, and be multiplied around the world as we use theatre arts to share your good news.
July 18
Jim's last day of school. This quarter he has classes in mentoring, cross-cultural leadership issues, and forming healthy relationships cross-culturally. When we head back to Singapore, he will still have two courses to take long distance and then a thesis to work on at his own pace. Father, please use the insights Jim has gained in his studies this year to make him a more fruitful mentor to Christian leaders in Asia, who will multiply their influence through their churches and societies.
Also Pray with us about...
The cost of living in Singapore. Housing costs, which were about = to LA prices when we left, have doubled this year while we've been away. That, plus the drastic devaluation of our dollar gives us reason to be concerned, and turning anxiety about that over to Jesus! Lord we pray that your will be done in this economy! We trust you for your continued provision, but we also dare to ask that you turn the tide on the cost of living in Singapore!
Join me in praying for the opportunity to talk with classmates and teachers about their spiritual journey and an appropriate chance to ask them if they'd like to know and follow Jesus. Cameron has one friend who's going to come to church with him in 2 weeks, and I've peppered my music lessons (with the 5th graders) with many stories about faith in my loving Lord. I've had the MOST interesting conversations with faculty at PCC, and have had many opportunities to pray with students. As we end our year, please pray that Cameron and I (the ones who are not attending a Christian school) will make the most of opportunities to show our new friends how they can have a relationship with a personal God, Heavenly Father and Savior.
from a cozy apartment in Pasadena,
jim@worldcreasmans.com, 626 688 1578
tyler@worldcreasmans.com 626 348 3363
cameron@worldcreasmans.com 626 584 9076
Kimberly@worldcreasmans.com: 626 688 1581
www.worldcreasmans.com
Address: 627 N. Mentor Ave. #205, Pasadena, 91106
CRM Charitable Giving www.crmleaders.org -
More photo highlights from our Spring in California
March: U of Hawaii campus tour with prospective students Cameron & Tyler. Spring Break
March: Cameron reads to the neighbor boys, MKs from Uganda, China and Nepal
April: Backstage OC Performing Arts Center, Cameron is Alvin Ailey's great grand-nephew and he's posing with dancers & 2 from his birthfamily
April: Jim's 51st. Fun to celebrate all our birthdays this year with our families!
April: LA Arboretum. Kim's family from Georgia & Grandparents came out for Tyler's show.
School Show: Hello Dolly, Tyler's on the right, in the olive coat and dark pants.
April: a "white model" of the set for PCC spring show BUS STOP, Designer: Kimberly C.
April: Pepperdine
Graduation. Good friends from China, and dear friends from Singapore both had daughters graduating.
April: UCLA spring scrimmage. Afterward, the 15,000 fans were invited on the field of the RoseBowl to get autographs from the players.
* Tyler's still carrying his football everywhere.
* Cameron's moved on to shooting hoops everyday.
* Kimberly's living a heaven on earth teaching, performing, taking dance, theatre, vocal music and set design classes.
Also, being part of a major donor event in San Francisco last weekend was altogether inspiring! If you're one of our friends who fit that profile, we'd love to invite you to the next one they have. We're so very blessed to be part of this mission organization, and surrounded by such passionate, Godly colleagues.
* Jim continues his work on a ThM. Courses with Bobby Clinton, in this last year before he retires, has been Jim's highlight.
Oh YES!!
Jim's February trip to Singapore was terrific. Thank you for praying about that! Read more about it.
How did he get in the show?
I enjoyed teaching Playback Theatre to the drama classes during tech week for the show
(it was my spring break so I had some extra time)
It's been a terrific year surpassing our expectations in what we're taking away from it.
The only down side is that there is still a long list of what we haven't had a chance to do.
(Most of it being the names of friends we've not yet had a chance to see.)
Last week the four of us sat around the living room before bedtime and started having the discussion:
What do we need to do to have good closure on the year,
and prepare well for our return to Singapore?
We've not settled on a date to purchase the tickets back to Singapore, but are still looking at dates in later July.
Three months!
All four of us have reasons to look forward to our return, and to feel sad about having to say goodbyes again soon.
If you pray for us in the coming weeks, here are some requests...
May 9-16
CRM Women of Influence Conference. Kimberly travels to Austria for a leadership meeting with 28 other CRM women from around the world. It's part of a mentoring series of three gatherings over 2 years. Besides the opportunity to be getting to know these other women, we'll be joined by Dr. Betsy Glanville who leads the Intercultural Studies PhD students at Fuller, and one of my favorite Biola professors, Dr. Judith Lingenfelter. I'm especially spoiled to travel with both of them on the 4 flights to get to and from our castle in Klagenfurt! I know what you're thinking..."there are sure some unusual 'perks' to being a missionary!" Lord, I pray that the connections we make, the prayers we offer, and the learning we do this coming week in Austria will serve to strengthen us as your daughters. I pray it will reverberate through women's lives around the world as we all return to our places of ministry and apply what you've taught us through these terrific mentors, and this blessed time together.
During May, Kimberly will be on stage a number of times for various performing arts classes. This spring semester has felt like one long but thrilling full-court press. Spiritually, Relationally, Academically and Artistically very rich and rewarding! Details will follow here! (and through Facebook)
May 23
Tyler's last day of school. He's had a great year (and will continue practicing with the football team until we leave). Lord we pray for Tyler and Cameron that they'll know your care as they make another transition back to Singapore. Thank you for the opportunities you've given them this year, and in this unique life they have as missionary kids. Lead Tyler and Cameron in their activities these last months here.
June 10-13 Christians in Theatre Arts, National Networking Conference, Azusa Pacific University
With two other inspiring/experienced dramatists Lin Sexton and Gil Elvgren, Kimberly will be facilitating the Theatre in Missions track. A first for this annual conference. Lord, may what is shared here inspire participants to fruitfully using drama in cross cultural ministry. May our tools and ideas inspire more, and be multiplied around the world as we use theatre arts to share your good news.
July 18
Jim's last day of school. This quarter he has classes in mentoring, cross-cultural leadership issues, and forming healthy relationships cross-culturally. When we head back to Singapore, he will still have two courses to take long distance and then a thesis to work on at his own pace. Father, please use the insights Jim has gained in his studies this year to make him a more fruitful mentor to Christian leaders in Asia, who will multiply their influence through their churches and societies.
Also Pray with us about...
The cost of living in Singapore. Housing costs, which were about = to LA prices when we left, have doubled this year while we've been away. That, plus the drastic devaluation of our dollar gives us reason to be concerned, and turning anxiety about that over to Jesus! Lord we pray that your will be done in this economy! We trust you for your continued provision, but we also dare to ask that you turn the tide on the cost of living in Singapore!
Join me in praying for the opportunity to talk with classmates and teachers about their spiritual journey and an appropriate chance to ask them if they'd like to know and follow Jesus. Cameron has one friend who's going to come to church with him in 2 weeks, and I've peppered my music lessons (with the 5th graders) with many stories about faith in my loving Lord. I've had the MOST interesting conversations with faculty at PCC, and have had many opportunities to pray with students. As we end our year, please pray that Cameron and I (the ones who are not attending a Christian school) will make the most of opportunities to show our new friends how they can have a relationship with a personal God, Heavenly Father and Savior.
from a cozy apartment in Pasadena,
jim@worldcreasmans.com, 626 688 1578
tyler@worldcreasmans.com 626 348 3363
cameron@worldcreasmans.com 626 584 9076
Kimberly@worldcreasmans.com: 626 688 1581
www.worldcreasmans.com
Address: 627 N. Mentor Ave. #205, Pasadena, 91106
CRM Charitable Giving www.crmleaders.org -
More photo highlights from our Spring in California
March: U of Hawaii campus tour with prospective students Cameron & Tyler. Spring BreakMarch: Cameron reads to the neighbor boys, MKs from Uganda, China and Nepal
April: Backstage OC Performing Arts Center, Cameron is Alvin Ailey's great grand-nephew and he's posing with dancers & 2 from his birthfamily
April: Jim's 51st. Fun to celebrate all our birthdays this year with our families!
April: LA Arboretum. Kim's family from Georgia & Grandparents came out for Tyler's show.School Show: Hello Dolly, Tyler's on the right, in the olive coat and dark pants.
April: a "white model" of the set for PCC spring show BUS STOP, Designer: Kimberly C.April: PepperdineGraduation. Good friends from China, and dear friends from Singapore both had daughters graduating.
April: UCLA spring scrimmage. Afterward, the 15,000 fans were invited on the field of the RoseBowl to get autographs from the players.
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