Not Driving today

This isn't a prayer request, just a story. A little background might be helpful before I tell it... I don't currently have any ambition to buy a car here, but last year I got the idea that it might be an educational experience to try to get a drivers license here. Cars are available for rent, and who knows when it might be useful to be able to legally drive one? US/International licenses cannot be used to operate a vehicle because of a treaty that is or not in place, however one must have a license from their own country in order to apply for a license here.

Today was the big day. I convinced my teacher to take me to the place where licenses are obtained, although neither one of us were certain of its exact location. As she drove along, I mentioned that in America people can take drivers education at the age of 15 and so I had been driving for 14 years. Then I asked her how long she had been driving. She looked pensive for a moment and then said, "Well, I bought my car in March, and got my license after that." "March of THIS year??" I said, probably a little too incredulously, and she said yes. She is over 40.

"Now, let me think... ah yes, I'm sure that the drivers license place is in this direction," she said as she turned onto the elevated highway--not exactly the directions that had been given to me by a friend who had been earlier. She said she wasn't sure of the exact location because she wasn't driving when she went to take her test (did I mention that was in March of this year?!). When she exited the highway, she again seemed to be guessing at which way to go, but a minute later we were turning into the largest drivers license facility I've ever seen. Proud of myself for being smart enough to bring a local along with me, I was sure it would be smooth sailing from there.

When we got into the building, there was a reception table with two ladies sitting at it. They were surrounded with people asking questions about licenses (and I mean literally on all sides--folks were even around the other side of the table tapping them on the shoulder while they were trying to answer the ones in front of them). My teacher squeezed through the crowd like a pro and asked one of the ladies what we needed to do. "I need to see his passport," said the lady. I quickly produced the passport. She looked at it, probably not understanding very much of it. I gathered that as she handed it back and said "What country is he from?" For those of you who are passport holders, you'll know that "United States of America" is printed on the front of our passports. Step one: check.

Then she asked to see my American license. She looked at it, still with the blank stare, and handed it back. Step two: check.

Then she said I would need to have a health exam. On inspection of the very thorough (everything from AIDS test to ultrasound--I am not kidding ) health exam papers I had brought along from my most recent visa application, she said those would be insufficient. I would need to have an exam there. It would cost $1.50US. "No problem," I said, although I wasn't sure exactly what else they could examine me for.

"Oh, and we need his ...mingzheng." I'd been understanding everything that the lady was saying up to this point, although the lady was directing all comments to my teacher. "Huh?" was all I could manage. "Do you have your ...mingzheng?" my teacher asked. Turns out that my ...mingzheng was a piece of paper verifying that I had registered to live in my apartment from the police station. I had brought a big plastic folder full of all kinds of documents, but I was pretty sure that the ...mingzheng wasn't among them.

"Well, he can still take the health exam, but we must have the ...mingzheng," the lady said to my teacher. So off we went to the next building for the health exam. The exam turned out to consist of two men sitting at a desk. One man entered my license info into a computer and asked me if I could see an object on one of those pieces of paper with a lot of colors and shapes on it. I told him it was a panda, and with that I passed the health exam.

After that, we went back to the lady and asked if a nearby police station might be able to provide me with a copy of the document I needed (the one I registered at was 40 minutes away). "Maybe," she answered in a noncommital tone. "Where can we find a police station?"-teacher-"Go ask the guard,"-lady.

At this point, I could type a lot more about the six people who each gave us incorrect directions and the three people in the police station whom it took to direct us to the lady who in the end could not help but I'll wrap this up.

After being rejected at the police station, I asked if we could go back to the drivers license place and see if they would just let me take the test today and bring the paper back later to get my license. I could have come back on my own later except 1. I needed my teacher to help translate the test (all in characters) and 2. Foreigners are only allowed to take the test on Wednesday and Thursday.

When we got inside and my teacher fought her way to the desk and asked about the test, the lady looked at her like she was crazy. "NO! the ...mingzheng is the most important document. If we don't have that, we can't do anything. All the other documents are not important. We could do it without them. But we cannot do anything without the ...mingzheng." As we walked out, I asked my teacher if she really thought that I had brought my ...mingzheng and forgotten my passport and US license if they would have given me a license. "No, then your passport and US license would have been the most important documents!" she said. At least she was keeping her sense of humor :)

And that was that. I felt so bad for my teacher, who had taken the time to drive me to this place on the outskirts of town in her own car. I offered to buy her gas numerous times on the way home, but of course she adamantly refused to accept any money. As I got out of the car over two hours from the time we started the adventure, she waved goodbye and said "We'll try again next week!"

Well, that's the story of the afternoon. Hope you enjoyed it. Everything else here going great. Hope all is well wherever you are!

Brian

The table in the window... 

Every Knee

Dear friends,

Well, I have come to realize (probably later than most of you have) that I am not so good at keeping up with this blog. I have good intentions to update it more often, but it will probably be something that I write on either as I have time or as big things come up (like I said, you all probably already figured that out, and I am finally coming to terms with reality :).

Today's post is really more personal than ministry related (I'll tie it back in at the end), but I just wanted to share with you something that the Lord really impressed on my heart this morning. It starts with a little background (if background bores you, just skip down three or four paragraphs)...

For those of you who know me pretty well, you'll know that I really like old furniture. That works well for me here, because folks here really like new furniture. You would not believe some of the pieces of furniture that people throw out to be sold at 'junk' stores (and that they replace it with new furniture made of particle board). So I have a lot of old furniture in my apartment that I bought for cheap at the 'junk' furniture market (I mean like $3US for a table). It's kind of a hobby for me to go over there every so often and just see what they have. The people there know me at this point and it has really helped my language to be able to talk to them. I know that probably sounds like a weird idea of fun to most people...

When I first arrived in this city, I found three 'bar stools' that I really liked at the market for $2 each. I thought that if I ever got an apartment with a breakfast bar, they would be really cool to have. Well, over two years later, still no breakfast bar--and funny story about the stools too: After I had had them for about a year, some students were at my house one night and asked me about the stools. I said, 'Oh yes, those are bar stools. Don't you like them?' And they just continued to giggle. Finally, one of them told me that my 'bar stools' were actually the chairs that teachers used to make elementary school students sit in when they were being punished.

Although my current apartment doesn't have a breakfast bar, it does have a bay window. So when I moved in, having nowhere else to put the 'dunce' stools, I just sat them in the window. I thought about getting a table so I would actually use them, but just never found anything I liked. Then one day last month, I was over at the furniture market and found this really short table ($3.75) and had the idea that I could take it to the carpenter and have him make it taller for the 'dunce' stools.

>>That is another story in itself... it is really cool getting to live here because there are a lot of different ministries to different kinds of people. Our ministry focuses on students, but there is also a ministry that focuses on working with deaf people: the carpenters. My first time visiting their workshop was when I took my little table over there, but it was quite amazing to see that 1. No one in there spoke a word out loud and 2. They were doing a fantastic job of building furniture. You could see the joy in their faces because someone had cared enough about them, some of the lowest members of society here, to share the LOVE of Christ with them AND teach them skills that actually make them useful in a society that mostly says that they are useless.<<

Fast forward a month... the table came back, the carpenters did an excellent job, and the bay window is now my favorite place in my apartment to sit in the mornings to spend some time in the Word and have a cup of coffee. I'm usually doing that around the time that a lot of people are leaving for work (sometime between 6:30-7:30AM) and the sun is also rising at that time--in general, its just a great little place to start the day.

And that's where I was this morning when I read Philippians chapter 2. To be fair, I also read Philippians 2 yesterday to the students during our May holiday trip. It was kind of funny because I had been reading up to Philippians chapter 1 in my quiet time, and I could quote the verse that I wanted to share with the students but could not remember for the life of me where it was at. So after 15 minutes of skimming the New Testament and with the help of a friend, I finally found it in Philippians 2. It was meaningful and relevant then, but somehow as I was sitting at my little table in the window reading it this morning, it hit me in a new way. Let me type out what I read for you:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Wow! What a power packed paragraph of scripture. Two things really hit me while I was reading it this morning, although I know that there is much more depth and richness in it than I have explored at this point.

1. Jesus made himself nothing. How often do I really seek to do that? I have to confess that it's not very often. Pride, selfishness, sin in general often precludes any ideas about making myself nothing. And for sure, the students that I work with are not told to make themselves nothing. They are told that they are all they've got. That there's nothing else besides what they do for themselves. That they just need to believe in themselves. Servanthood is looked down on so much that I recently read that people in the capital who have jobs as house helpers will lie to their friends and family about their occupation. So this is something that people here especially need modeled to them, and I haven't been doing such a great job. Please pray that the Lord would make me more like Christ in modeling being a servant.

2. At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Some will do this willingly. But everyone will do it. EVERYONE. Every human being, every angel, every demon, ALL CREATED BEINGS. There are over a billion people in the country I live in. That is a lot of knees bowing and tongues confessing. But that will just be the beginning. AND, right now, for this tiny spec in eternity, maybe even just today, or just this hour for some people, they have the opportunity to choose to bow their knee to Christ and confess that He is Lord willingly. And that hit me as I sat at my little table in the window, watching all the people ride out on their bikes to work. They will all bow their knee. They will all confess that Jesus is Lord. Propaganda will not matter then. Tradition will not matter on that day. Pride will be crushed, and Jesus will be exalted. I don't know about you, but this motivates me to think outside the box a little. My ministry focus here is students, and that has not changed. But what about people that I come in contact with outside of students? What about guards and shopkeepers, and the people at the junk furniture market? Maybe somebody else here has a ministry already set up for these people. But maybe not. And how long does it really even take to share the Gospel withe somebody? When you get right down to it, it takes as little as about ten or fifteen minutes. So pray for me that I will have the courage to do just that with more people that I come in contact with. Not because its my job, or because its part of our ministry focus, but because the God of the universe cared enough about me to let me hear the Gospel and that out of the immeasurable love that He has shown me, overflows a love for those around me. And I'll pray the same thing for you. Maybe there are people around you who you pass by every day, maybe speak to for a moment, but have never really thought about sharing the gospel with. Their knee will bow one day, maybe one day soon. Their tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Will it be willingly? Will they know Christ on that day?

Thanks for taking a few moments to read about my morning and what God has been teaching me. I hope that in some way, He can use what I have learned in your life too. And thank you for praying for me. Never doubt that He uses your prayers and support for me and the ministry here in mighty ways.

Until the next post :)

Brian

Friends and fellow laborers pose for a picture on the observation deck in the Petronas Towers, which was the tallest building in Asia (before the completion of Taipei 101) 

Friend and former teammate Graham with his new fiance Ashlei. They got engaged during our vacation time. I'm hoping to be able to make it back to the US this summer to be in their wedding! 

Beautiful sunset in Thailand 

Rested and ready...

Dear friend,

Last month, I asked you to pray that me and my team would have a good time of rest and really be refreshed in the Lord during our vacation and conference time in Thailand. I am so thankful to let you know that the Lord has answered those prayers. Our vacation time was a wonderful mix of fun, fellowship with people from other cities in our country and rest. The Lord really blessed that time as we were able to catch up with old friends and make new friends too.

Our conference time was also a great time of getting perspective regarding where we are at now as a ministry and where we are heading. As more and more nationals join us, more talks at the conference are in the language we are learning. It was fun this year to be able to understand more of what was said without translation, and encouraging to hear the hearts of the nationals for the Lord and for His ministry in their country.

I was also able to participate in a leadership class led by our national director after the conference. Even though I was only temporarily serving in a leadership position in Steve's absence, I believe that the lessons I learned during that week will be invaluable to my future here. Email me if you'd like to hear more about that.

Finally, our team is changing yet again- Erin Ashley and Andy Huffman joined us in Thailand. They served here as singles for two years ('03-05) and were married this summer. They are joining us as long term staff (which I especially welcome!) Additionally, Steve (our director) and his family (including their five week old son and mother-in-law) will be returning tonight. Please pray that they will be able to rest when they get here, and be ready to jump in to the new semester.

The following are some prayer requests for the next couple of weeks:

*Pray that I will be able to find a suitable language learning situation. I would like to change from the situation that I was in last semester and perhaps begin studying more intensely for the national language certification exam. Pray that the Lord would lead me (quickly) to exactly the situation that He has planned.

*Pray for us as we begin the two hour round trip commute to the campus where we do ministry again. The trip can quickly become draining; please ask the Lord for energy for us and fruitful times while we are on campus.

*Please pray for creative ways for us to get into the lives of the students who live a good ways from us and also for creative ways that we can involve them in our lives beyond planned Bible study/discipleship times.

*Pray for Erin Ashley and Andy as they start ministry from scratch on this campus that the Lord would quickly provide students who are willing to meet with them and that students would come to know the Lord through them.

*Please begin to pray now for my summer plans. Ideally, my sister and brother-in-law would like to come visit in June, I would like to return to the US for two weeks for a wedding, and participate in a three week summer project with students to a country in central Asia. All of that is subject to approval/change right now; please pray that the Lord's perfect will be done as I seek to serve Him this summer.

Thanks as always for your prayers and support. You are such an important part of what the Lord is doing here!

In His love,

Brian

November/December Update

Hi Friend,

These past couple of months around here have been busy and exciting times. Things got especially busy at the end of November when Steve and Tamara returned to the US to have a baby (they are still waiting on the baby, who is due around Jan. 20th).

Steve and I had been the only guys on this campus this semester, so when he left, it was me and four women. I assumed his role as campus director, in addition to maintaining campus ministry responsibilities. The beginning of December was an especially trying time as I felt the burden and weight of that responsibility. Towards the end of last month, I really had to take some time with the Lord and get my own heart right with Him and trust Him that He had not made a mistake putting me in this situation and that He would accomplish His purposes in His strength, not mine.

During the Christmas season, we had two Christmas evangelistic parties. One was mostly for guys, and we did that at my house. I invited about five people and one of the students I work with invited five. Altogether, we had eleven people (some folks couldn't come, but some folks brought friends, so it worked out pretty well). That was an encouraging time to get to watch my friend take a step of courage and share his testimony and a gospel presentation with those who came to the party.

Our team also hosted party together. Praise the Lord that we saw three girls come to know the Lord through that party!

Finally, last week we had another 'Exam Study Break' talk by one of our national staff who is in seminary in the US but was back here visiting his family and wanted to help us. Although only our national staff could attend because of security precautions, we all spent a lot of time preparing and praying for this event during the month of November. Praise the Lord for the 40 students who came and heard the gospel at that talk and especially for the four girls who came to know the Lord on that day.

Right now, our students are in the middle of exams and it is difficult to get time with them (although the guy I mentioned from the Christmas party above remains faithful in meeting with me even during exams, also praise the Lord for him). Our team is winding down the semester by taking some time to evaluate how the semester has gone, wrap up some administrative details and prepare for some classes that we will be taking after our conference in Thailand next month. We will be leaving for Thailand for our vacation time next week. Please pray that Brooke, Kelley (my two American teammates) and I will get good rest during that time. Pray for our two national staff as they travel home for a traditional festival time that that they would have good times with their family and friends in their hometowns.

Finally, please begin praying for next semester now. Our team is going to face a lot of changes as we begin the new semester. A newly married couple, Andy and Erin Ashley, will be joining us, and Steve and Tamara will be back with a new baby. We also continue to look at solutions to do ministry more effectively at our freshmen/sophomore campus (the junior class will also be there next year, and in fall of 2007 all undergraduate students will be there).

Thanks so much for your prayers and support!

In Him,

Brian

LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN BE PRAYING FOR OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS:

*Pray for my friend 'Mike' from the Christmas party I mentioned above. He will be going home to a place where he also has little to no Christian fellowship. Also, when he told his parents that he had become a Christian last summer, they were very worried that he had joined a cult. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would enlighten their hearts and that they would use Mike in seeing his parents come to know the Lord.

*Pray for Steve and Tamara (Steve is our campus director) that their little boy (who will be named William Tyler Dortch, William after Tamara's dad who passed away in May '05) would be born healthy and without complication.

*Pray that our team would use our time wisely as we finish up our last week in country before vacation/conference time. Pray that we would be refreshed during that time in Thailand and that the Lord would bring us back here ready and excited to do ministry in the new semester.

*Pray for Andy and Erin Ashley as they make final preparations in the US to leave and join us here next month.

*Pray especially for the seven girls who came to faith in Christ during December, that they would remain faithful and grow in their relationships with Him even over the next month that they are away from school and home with their families.

My friend Alex competes in the long jump event at the campus Sports Meeting in early December 

The 'Courtyard' friends--we all opened our present from home together at my apartment on Christmas morning and then joined others for breakfast. Later that evening, our team had dinner together, read the Christmas story and had a time of prayer. 

Picture of former teammate Matt and new daughter Julianna Faith, who was born on December 23, 2005 

Teammates Brooke and Kelley pose by the Christmas tree 

Picture of river walk in a nearby town where we went for an overnight retreat/team evaluation time