Updates: July 15th to Aug 25th 2008

Here are some of the major events that has happened since I touched down San Francisco on July 15th.

First week in US:
1. Friday: Had a God moment conversation with Mike (a co-worker from my previous startup). 1 hr conversation at the parking lot stretched to a >2hr dinner. Mike said the sinners prayer and accepted Christ to his life.
2. Saturday: Holy Spirit baptized a housemate's friend, who was visiting over the weekend. As a new believer, she has never encountered or heard prayers in tongues but was very led by the Spirit to investigate and receive the baptism.

Subsequent weeks:
3. Went to LA over the weekend on my first week in Stanford. Joined Hope North America camp. Met a Hope Bangkok sister working as a nanny in SJ. Was informed of a person who was attending Hope Portland who has now moved to SV and is unchurched. Met a friend of someone in Hope Seattle who is working in SV and told me she won't mind checking out the cg when we starting it. Ps Ben also made public announcement to North America congregation of plans to pioneer a grp in San Jose.

4. Brought Mod (Hope Bangkok sister working as nanny in San Jose) for dinner. Got to learn that she is keen to join us when the Hope cg starts. Got to know her "mom" aka employer as well.

5. Got informed that a sister from Hope Melbourne is coming to Berkeley for studies. Got in touched with her via email. Plans to meet her when she arrives Bay Area.

6. Beginning to meet up with people I serve together with in GRX to let them know personally about me phasing out of GRX. Most people are very encouraged to hear that I will be helping out on mission with my Singapore church. Some, I felt, were sceptical about holy spirit baptism and praying in tongues when we happen to talk about it.

Past 2 weeks:
7. Follow up with Mike. Very encouraged to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in him and how he is impressively calm despite the financial crisis he is going through now. Was only planning to spend time with him as friend and to share his burden. Did not want to talk about spiritual matters. Pleasantly surprised that he said he made a point to finish reading Matthew before he meets me and shared with me a few verses that touched him. I gave him an NIV bible and 2 CDs that I really liked as a gift to bless his walk. I also commited myself to help him build one of his house over the labor day weekend.

8. Met Dylan (a white american visiting Hope Singapore by accident while in SG for work who happens to be moving from Arizona to SV) for coffee at Great Mall, Milpitas. Dylan told me that he and many of his friends felt God has something in stall for him by sending him to SV. He felt speaking to me will be the first step in understanding his purpose here. I told him about the plans of pioneering a missionary small group here. Dylan was very excited to hear that.

9. Had a long spiritual conversation with a fellow Stanford Biodesign fellow, while we were on a 2.5hr bike ride event (Tour de Menlo Park). Invited him to John Ortberg's church on Sunday and got to understand more of his past as a Catholic church goer, and his spiritual stand.

10. Met up with Abel (young pastor from GRX whom I co-lead seeker small groups with) and told him about the calling in missions work and my plans to step down from GRX leadership. Abel was fully onboard and very encouraged. A spiritually bonding hour in starbucks in Sunnyvale.

11. Helped out an ex-teacher's daughter (Nicole) and her boyfriend (Jianwei), both just moved from SG to SV to attend community college (sth like Junior College / Polytechnic) Nicole voiced her encouragement on how she feel God was guiding her and helping her during first lonely week in a foreign land. Nicole has not been going to church for a while. Jianwei is not a believer.

12. Visited an Assembly of God church in Sunnyvale. Stayed for lunch with them and toured their new church building (very large and impressive) that is under construction. The pastor shared his heart for this church to grow as a seed church that plants other churches to reach the lost all over SV. The vision and philsophy of this church is very similar to Hope - move in the spirit, fulfilling Great Commission through church planting.
http://www.newhopeic.com/