Goodbye Australia, Hello China

Well, for 3 months anyway.

Been a hectic week. Just came back from attending the Annual Chinese Methodist Church of Australia Youth Convention (what a mouthful). It was attended by youths from all the different CMC's from around Australia (both English & Chinese congregations), I think there were around 14-15 different youth groups, and a few were missing.

Other than getting sick, I had an absolute blast, learnt alot and was greatly encouraged during the time. The theme was 'Out of this world, into the world' - a very fitting title, for as Christians, we are out of this world and set apart by God, but we are to go into the world, to spread the message of Jesus and build God's kingdom.

Next year, the convention is in Sydney, so there'll be busy times next year, but very exciting and fulfilling times too.

Well, after all of that, I'm off to China tomorrow, very early in the morning! It's been a hectic time of packing, making sure all the little details are backed up in various places, and savouring the last few things that one can get in Australia (clean toilets, clean water, clean air, etc - I'm probably overestimating the poorness of hygiene in China, but it's better than underestimating)!

But for some reason, I'm not thinking too much about China, the excitement level hasn't really peaked. That'll probably happen once the jet flies out of Sydney airport. My mind is still buzzing from the youth convention.

I'll be in Beijing from December 10th until February 4th and I'll be studying Chinese here.

One thing that I've been preparing myself for and have been prayerful about is how my quiet time and relationship with God will develop (or recede) whilst I'm in China. I won't be surrounded by family and will have little time to attend any churches (which I won't understand). Also I won't have the chance to meet up with Christian brothers and sisters and just be encouraged in fellowship. To prepare, I've brought along a few books, a Bible and my iPod (loaded up with sermons in mp3 format). It'll be quite easy to just lose myself in the foreign country and forget about keeping that regular QT going.

There will also be many temptations over in China, and I'm wary of them (and have been warned by many people). I heard and was reminded of God's power and grace at the convention through Paul's words in 2 Corinthians. They were food for thought in the light of the trip to China and the potential pitfalls.

But he said to me, "My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong".

Now I doubt that I'd face persecutions or much hardship (relative) in China, but this verse reminds me that in a time when I may face spiritual dryness, that I can rely on Christ's power. Please pray for me!

Anyways, I'd love to hear from you guys, email me at : blasterlim at gmail dot com (I didn't put it in regular format so won't get majorly spammed by those annoying net bots).