2009 Retreat

Hi all my children:

I promise Jaime that I will write today right after the retreat. Summer had been long every year for the last 3 or 4 years. It is because Daddy had basketball practice every Saturday and games during the weeks in July. So, going to the retreat every year is almost like our vacation every year. I and Daddy just came back this afternoon from Redwood Christian Camp. As usual the only adults there from the English service are me and Daddy, Dianne and Stephen and Mary. I always felt that we have to be there but I just realized that we had not been to the retreat for 3 years.....2006 CC and Garrett's wedding...2007 Valene and Dustin's wedding......2008 our family China trip. So, we really don't have to be there. They can do it without us. But I found out that at the retreat I talked to more people from all three congregations that I would never have the chance on Sundays. It is really a relationship building time, although this years was a little too long.....Sunday through Thursday.

Initially, we went to the retreat because we want to support Pastor Louis Lee who was our speaker. But, it turned out that he hurt his back and could not come. He was hoping that he would be healed in 2 weeks and finally he had to call Mary on the Monday before the retreat. As you can tell, we were all a little concerned and panicky. We all prayed hard and asked God to heal Pastor Louis. In the mean time, Pastor William was trying to find someone to fill his place. So, by Friday, Mary emailed us that Pastor Louis had a really bad back but our Chinese reatreat speaker had found someone to come. Pastor Fung called up the youth misinter who was in a youth camp and would finish on Saturday. God really tested our faith before the retreat for our theme was "Faith". God had another plan for us. Pastor Mark turned out to be a little younger and better fit for our campers.

I did a workshop on "How to grow in Faith". At the end, I have them made an origami frog which stands for FullyRelyOnGod.....frog. Daddy, as usual, have us doing skits. He gave the beginning of a skit entitled "The Case of a Zuchini" and we have to finish it. Melanie, yes little Melanie, gave a workshop on "Encouragement"...simple and yet has substance. Stephen took us outside to meditate on John 3:16-18. The kids took care of all the worship sets and the campfire. I would say half of them shared about their struggles in their walk with Christ, their education, their career, their love and hate of their parents' demands, and just a lot of heartfelt sharing. I was so happy and proud of them. I knew them when they were just little kids. And now, they are all growing up. The next generation is coming up. Jaime, in God's time, you WILL have someone to work with you. I can see the closeness between them and their serving hearts. After that, Daddy presented the love feast and of course the night ended with roasting marshmellows, s'mores and smokies. Oh, as we were doing all these things, there was a wild fire burning 10 miles away from us. Praise the Lord, it was burning away from us. It is still burning right now and I pray that it will be okay for the people who have to be evacuated and the fire will be ended soon.

I want to write some more about Pastor Mark's messages or I should say stories. But I think I am writing too much. Anyway, there is one illustration Pastor Mark made really stuck in my mind is "what is the difference between committed and involved?" You see a bacon and an egg on a plate. The bacon is committed and the egg is involved. That really spoke to me that serving the Lord is costly. We need to make sacrifices. Pastor Mark told a story about her mother. I will write about her later. The story really tells us about God's sovereignty. God is love and He is in control.

I pray that you all will be safe in wherever you are and whatever you do wll bring glory to God.

I love you and take care,
Mom

p.s. Valene, I know the person whose class you took over after she retired. She is Gayle Kong. She asked me if I am Dustin's mom. She forgot your name. That was so surreal. We had a very good talk.

CC, it was so nice to know you are safe and hope Garrett and you have a good time together at Korea.