let it snow

we had our first real snowfall in detroit today. it was more like flurries, but some of it stayed on the ground and it was pretty : ) it reminded me that Christmas is just around the corner! and this year i'm going to spain and morocco with my parents for the second time! i am so lucky. we're also stopping in frankfurt on the way home and i've been put in charge of that day's activities, so if anyone knows anything about sightseeing there, do share. anyhow, it'll be just the three of us since char will be at urbana 06.

this brings me to urbana 03. i attended the last urbana with hannah and doreen and the most random thing happened: we were interviewed for the conference's daily newspaper! apparently students from asian canadian churches made up a large proportion of delegates that year. we happened to be in the canadian lounge one afternoon and someone approached us for the article. it was hilarious. see picture below:


earlier today i looked over some of my notes and reflections from that conference and i thought i'd share little snippets with you:

The multicultural worship was amazing. We sang Spanish songs, we sang Gospel style, there was a performance by the First Nations group Broken Walls, and so on. What particularly moved me was seeing the deaf and hearing impaired delegates. Because they were unable to sing the songs, they signed the lyrics instead, and it was so beautiful to see the many different ways people can worship. The worship leader mentioned that it was a taste of heaven, and it really was. --Personal reflection

If we understand that every person that has ever lived [and ever will live] has been planned and has existed in God's mind for eternity, we come to realize each person's significance, how much they are loved by God, and how important it is to reach them for God's kingdom. It is so urgent to reap the harvest right now because the field is ready for harvest and a crop that is not reaped will rot. --Notes from a large group session. I forget who the speaker was : S

The Asian American [or Canadian] style of evangelism has many strengths, such as its others-centredness, hospitality, service and indirect communication style using gentle persuasion. However, one of our weaknesses is a fear of confrontation, our unwillingness to put others on the spot. We love and serve, but we don't outright ask The Question: What is stopping you from following Jesus? because we fear awkwardness in the relationship. In a postmodern age where people are offended by pushy, arrogant, confrontational evangelism, is it not time for Asians to step it up? --Notes from seminar by Allen Wakabayashi