home.

FINALLY GOT TO HUG MY FATTY!

Nowhere is better than home.

Ever since I've arrived, our house has been filled with NOISES. Literally. From my two cats' annoying meows, my brothers' girly sneezes going off at night, me singing at the top of my lungs to annoy my mother, to finally, my mother's desperate pleas and comments that begs for silence in the house that only gets laughter and more crazy comments from my brother and I. (My dad usually just sits in the living room with his Bose headphones on and PJs, already admitting defeat).

But these are the sounds I grew up with. Even twenty years later, nothing has changed. I would not trade anything back for any changes too. Under this roof, many secrets dwell but at the same time, it's the only  place where we all feel comfortable to be ourselves. It's the place we can escape to when the world doesn't have open arms for us to run to. Many fights occurs under this roof, but many tears has been shed over forgiveness and reconciliations. Many imperfections are birthed here, but it's because of these imperfections we call each other "family".

As I've mentioned before, moving around is a familiarity for my family and I. While I was unpacking and cleaning my room, I opened some old boxes tucked away and many memories poured out of there. One that I've held onto for the past twelve years was the ragged doll that my mom hand-sewed for me. We were so poor back then that we couldn't afford a doll for me. In its fragile state, I remember I treasured it. I remember it being a princess in its white, pink dress. I would be so careful with not bending the leftover toilet paper cardboard roll that held its body (have no clue where that went now).

We were poor but we had enough. We always have. Many sacrifices were made in this family in order to make sure money's always enough. Most of my friends in high school never understood why I lived the way I lived with my hand-me-downs, rejections to movie trips, malls, six flags, no license (not enough money for insurance), hand-sewn fixed pants, and lunchboxes from home that were always leftovers... And the look on their face when they found out my prom dress was $12 from goodwill! But it didn't matter. Money wasn't what kept my family happy or sad. We had enough and we had each other.


While my chapter in Taiwan has ended, another one will begin. God has provided and will continue to. What I asked myself four months ago, I can confidently answer now: why I have this faith, why I'm a Christian and why I live my life for Him is because of His faith in me. His faithfulness in His promises, in His providing, and in His love. While I stopped pursuing Him, He kept pursuing me. This love that nothing and no one else can replace will never end.

I also want to thank everyone who's kept up with me these five and a half months and with this blog. I loved getting FB comments on these, emails, and face to face discussions. Thank you for all those that has been praying for me and checking up on me. I will never forget any of this!


"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." 
Psalm 73:26

我的內體和我的心腸衰殘; 但神是我心裡的力量, 又是我的福分, 直到永遠.
詩篇 73:26

TO DO LIST: (remember?)

1) KTV 
2) Go to a beach and eat seafood
3) Eat a bowl of Taiwanese beef noodles
4) Thoroughly walk through Dream Mall
5) Go to night markets in any city I'm in 
6) Watch a movie at the theater
7) Walk in a rainy  day
8) Eat stinky tofu
9) Explore my university's campus
10) Meet up with old friends
11) Go to Kenting
12) Go to Taipei
13) Drink a Taiwanese beer
14) Ride on mo pads
15) Skype with someone from Chicago
16) Play those claw machines and win something (Jerry kind of did this for me...)
17) Go on an adventure with my DSLR
18) Eat exotic foods
19) Learn Taiwanese (um ... yeah... no)
20) See my old babysitter and family members

Noooooo only had two things left on my to do list! ):

再見!

Lunch with my aunty! 

Hanshin Mall with Xiaohan!

Goodbye to the class :'(

Goodbye lunch with the church

KTV night with the ladies/goodbye KTV Party

Breakfast with my nanny from 15 years ago

Last stroll in the Cultural Center

Lunch with Xinyi and Andrew

On the way to the location of their photoshoot!

Sugarcane Refinery location

Check out more of their pictures here!

(:

I've always loved "good bye" in Chinese (再見). If you literally translate it, it means "again meet".
Meet again.

For my last full day here in the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, I finally found myself attached to this place. It was my home for four months. The people, the school, the family, the stores and restaurants that I'm familiar with now.

It was my second home.

Well, the suitcase is all packed and my carry-ons are ready to spend the next 20+ hours with me as I travel to Taipei and then to home. God sent me on this adventure four months ago and He's closing in on this chapter of my life in a few hours.
Unfathomable.
My attachment to this place has come true because I have found myself finally comfortable with this place: the familiarity of the motorbikes' roars going up and down the streets below my window; the usual sound of my grandma's cane on the floor as she walks in front of my door in the mornings, waiting for me to wake up; the cars and motorbikes racing beside me, giving me that familiar polluted air smell as I ride my bike to church on Sunday mornings. I've finally found my comfort place and now He's taking me away. It's bittersweet because I know I'm in His hands and yet it's a mystery to where He's taking me now. But as one of my good friend/older brother back at Chicago once told me: "God never asked us to trust in Him about every single day; He asked us to trust in Him for the next five, ten minutes."

I think the question I'm asking myself right now isn't "when will I ever be back?", but "how soon?" I know in my heart I'll be back again. Don't know when but I'll be back.

"Again meet."

"再見", Taiwan.
Just you wait (:

and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Cor 13:2

I think I finally understand what Paul meant and felt when he wrote those words.

merely a tool.

Last day of tutoring with these two brothers from church

Hangout day with Bingguo and XiaoHan!

Finally got to try out a two persons bike!

Exploring!

Shaved Ice shop with past customers' writings on the walls...

... and ceiling!

Nightmarket

Last class with this girl!

Thanksgiving celebration day with the church!

"Honey and Bread" documentary showing

Hot pot dinner afterwards

As the countdown continues, my days seems more precious on this little island in the city of Kaohsiung. Anywhere I can go, I go; whoever I can meet up with, I would go and spend time with them.

God has been so faithful despite of the spontaneous life He's given me. These months are and will always be precious to me.

The church also gave me the opportunity to share a part of my Testimony today to the congregation for our Thanksgiving service, only given 15 minutes. It was my first time speaking to 200+ people! I gotta admit, I could not sleep at all the night before. I even google called one of my best friends, Sarah, so she can pray with me. But praise God! The moment I woke up this beautiful Sunday morning, I did not have any fear, even to the point when I stepped onto that stage. All of a sudden I didn't see a sea of people; I saw each individuals that were God's most beautiful creation. And I was merely a tool used by Him to speak to each of them. I questioned the night before if my testimony is fitting to share, would speak to anyone, would even glorify Him,

but I'm merely a tool.

What seems impossible with us, is a possibility for Him.


I may be weak, 
But Your spirit's strong in me
My flesh may fail
But my God, You never will.