Biker Chic

I rode on the back of a bike today. Sounds really cool until you realize I mean a REAL bike and the bike was short and I am tall. Soooo it was really awkward cause I had to lift my feet up off the ground and balance myself on the back of the bike too. The woman who was driving said that we would be the silly girls and everyone would smile. I told her I was used to being funny and having people laugh at me. I imagine it was quite a site.

P & P

Today, 9/21/09, is my first real home sick day. I had tea with a young nurse like myself who has been here for one year and she was telling me about her school experiences. I was encouraged but also my anxiety returned. I know that this is going to be hard. I know that this is where I am supposed to be. I Choose to be obedient in this task. Yet the many different options of schools is making my head spin. I entreat you all to come before the one who does KNOW which school is best for me and ask Him to guide me as I visit them this week and give me wisdom and questions to ask. I am so thankful for you all.

Kunming

9/18/09

Here I am. Thankfully I arrived with amazingly minimal glitches. I did not have to transfer my luggage from LAX domestic to LAX international and in Denver no one even measured my luggage to make sure it fit the requirements. Customs was a breeze. Warren and Song met me at the gate and told me that if I just keep walking no one will stop you but if you stop at the x-ray machine then they question you. I am getting to know my team mates better and have been told countless times to take it easy take it slow. I slept really well last night and visited an apartment today with Scarlett. Mom and Dad will be relieved to know that I did not take that apartment because the guest bathroom had only a squatty potty. I am learning that life goes at a slower pace here and the life of one who must rely on others is even slower than slow. I am not complaining only reflecting on the amount of patience I will need to receive from above. Scarlett and I also visited a pet store today and I was amazed to see golden retrievers here for sale. Also took a walk through the park today on my way to see the apartment and there were tons of people doing morning exercises and dancing. One of these days I will take a video for you to see it. On my very first day I got a cell phone which was a very different task than when you get one in the US. The service is attached to a little chip that you buy separate from the actual phone. Anyway, dinner is about to be served and Ruth did all the work so I should go help her soon. Love you all. Denise

Hong Kong

Landed in Hong Kong around 6am HK time, which to most of you is about 5-7pm. There is a typhoon here and the whole area is at Typhoon Signal 8. Many flights are delayed and canceled. Because of the high winds we landed in Tai Pei and sat on the run way for some time before re-taking off and landing in HK. I was reminded of Father's great gift to control winds and stroms. I was comforted to remember that He works All Things for His glory and for the good of those who love Him. As we flew relatively close to the angry waves below us I just kept thinking that even in death men bring Him glory. Hong Kong is an island and right before you land it really looks like you are going to land in the ocean. But thankfully there was no such landing and I am now just waiting for my next flight. Love you all. Denise

Goodbye.

9/10/09
These past few months since I have started this Blog many of you have been faithful viewers and some have just checked it out for the first time. Thank you so very much. I am very excited to be leaving in only three days. I look forward to keeping you updated and hope that I am faithful enough at it to satisfy everyone. I wanted to tell you all how thankful and overwhelmed by your generosity and encouragement. Your emails, letters, cards, phone calls, invitations, and prayers mean the world to me. I love you all. Denise

Family Photos taken before I left.

Official News Update Sept. 2009

My dearest ones,
As I write this I am back in Colorado, going through what is called Transition Training, looking out from my cabin onto a mountain that is covered with pine trees. They declaim God’s creative and artistic heart. I have met one of my teammates and reconnected with another family who are on my team in Asia. It has been good to bond and ask them all my crazy questions. I came here not wanting to open my heart to any more people because it is so hard to say goodbye, but I am so glad and blessed that I continue to interact and desire friendships. I am learning how to best manage crises, what my personal culture style is and how it will or will not fit with the culture I will be entering, and that the number one way to be successful is to be continually connected with my Heavenly Father.
As you read this though, I have hopefully already departed for and landed in Asia. I imagine that as I unpack and get settled I will be going through many emotions. Transitions are never easy but ones to a different culture are even harder. Let me share with you some of my prayers.
*That God would provide an integral national woman who would befriend me-to assist me with cultural questions and to give me emotional and language encouragement.
*That I would quickly learn in culturally appropriate ways, how to say no, so that I don’t become overwhelmed and over stressed by doing too much.
*That I would strive to be Holy and not just Happy.
Your continual and faithful prayers for me are greatly appreciated and needed. As I begin to look for school, house sit, look for apartments, determine if I do or don’t want a roommate, discover where to buy vegetables, what places sell good quality meat, and get used to eating sea weed again; the knowledge that there is such a cloud of witnesses interceding for me when I am sleeping and when I wake will give me strength when I feel afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down.
Yet, let us rejoice in the Goodness of God our Father !!! He has taken me in and out and around to bring me to this right place at the right time with the right people doing the right thing to glorify His name and bring His kingdom come. Through out the years that He has been preparing me for this time I was nawing at the bit wanting to be there, doing the work I knew I could do for Him. However, I look back on the years and I see that He orchestrated and guided me in ways that at times felt like crawling, to bring me to this place now. For had things been done in the swiftness that I wanted to go out into the world many of you would not know me let alone be a large part of this ministry. Praise the LORD for fulfilling His promise to give me a hope and a future using you.
Love, Denise
P.S. For the safety of those I work with and myself I will no longer use Christian-ese. God=Father, Church=family, prayer=think or talk to, Holy Spirit=helper, Jesus=Teacher, Bible=the Book. Any future communication with me in anyway, needs to avoid Christian dialog and phrases. Thank you for your sensitivity and support. Please change my mailing address to oci. They will get any personal notes or letters to me in Asia. My skype name is denise.jasmer. My email is now DeniseJ@worksmail.net xoxo Dj