Nan Kang, China. 

The very words warm my heart and invigorate my being. 

After returning from my time in China two years ago I had a bad attitude about the place. It is, no doubt, a hard place to be. One cannot express their faith in God fully because Christianity is squelched by the government. In prayer we could not close our eyes nor speak the name of Jesus ((or God, for that matter)). Our sole intent of going to China at all is not to preach the Gospel or put on a youth service, but merely to share Christ through relationship... relationship that, most of the time, takes years to build. It is not glamorous, instantaneous ministry but, perhaps, it is among the most rewarding things a person can do on this earth--to share Christ through action (and pray someday to share Him in word) to those very people who have been deprived of knowing His name... In a country where people are tortured and killed for knowing Christ and serving Him. 

Needless to say, God completely changed my attitude about China. 

I taught English for a week (for almost eight hours a day) at the high school in Nan Kang. The very campus itself was built on the same ground where a church once stood. God was so clearly at work there. I grew so close to the students and teachers in NK and would pretty much do anything to be back there in this very moment. I can safely say that my time at NK has turned out to be one of the best weeks of my entire 22 years of existence. 

There was one English teacher at NK that I spent every hour with, her name is Lily. God gave me such outstanding opportunities with her to speak about my faith. I know in my heart that someday she will have the freedom of knowing Christ. Pray for her. Pray for them. This school will, one day, stand for Christ and Christ alone. This I know. 

(Penny, a teacher at NK school)

 (Lily and I)

(Lily, Angela, Penny, and Kelly--English teachers at NK)

I cannot believe a month has come and gone and now I am back from SE Asia. 

To say time has flown this past school year would be an understatement. God has done so much in my life and is continually growing me and shaping me to be the person He desires me to be. I have had so many opportunities to grow my leadership, including this recent trip to Asia. 

On this amazing trip I was given the opportunity to lead three different teams. The first was into a small city in China called Nan Kang. Next, into the boarder of Thailand and Burma in a city called Mae Sot. And finally into the jungles of Chiang Mai, Thailand ((I also spent a week in Beijing touring)).

God has transformed my heart and my worldview through each place and each person I have grown to love. I truly saw the beauty of meeting my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who live on the other side of the world. It baffles me that Jesus can bring together so many people and give them a bond unlike any other. 

Over the coming days I want to share some stories and pictures with you. 

My hope is that you will see God at work all over the world.

 He was there before we went and He is still working there even though we left. 

I thank God for how far I have come in life and on my journey with Him. It is crazy to see His plans for my unfolding. He truly has a plan for His children, to prosper and not to harm them.