Hand in Hand Global Mission Support Blog Digest

Christa VonZychlin, an ELCA missionary in Hong Kong, started 2012 with a visit to Cambodia. More of her photos from the trip can be viewed online. To support Christa, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

The Mekong River.

Finally, a set of pictures from my first visit to Cambodia New Year’s 2012. In 2012 you will be hearing more about my new job as Mekong mission forum assistant coordinator. Our family trip to Cambodia was my first trip to the country and my first chance to see the Mekong River (from whence comes my fancy new job title).

Cambodia was beautiful. We landed in Phnom Penh. We saw some LTS graduates and took a river boat down to Siem Reap. We also visited the amazing temples of Angkor Wat.

ELCA missionaries Wayne Nieminen and Christa VonZychlin in Cambodia.

Later in the year I will visit again (I think), and one of our LTS alumni has promised me a motorcycle ride to her home and a home-cooked meal, which will include home-grown snails from her family’s pond. I love my life and can’t wait to see what else the new year will bring! I do know I have an upcoming trip to Myanmar (Burma) very soon. And what hopeful news we are hearing from that country lately.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”  – God, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah

Christa VonZychlin
Jan. 13, 2012

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The Rev. Wayne Nieminen and the Rev. Christa VonZychlin are ELCA missionaries in Hong Kong. To support Wayne and Christa, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

Some of the members of the Truth English Bible Club.

Five weeks of Truth English Bible Club — count them five long weeks. Almost all of the kids came back every week. They loved the crafts and didn’t want to leave. In fact, I think we might be in trouble with the school because they were late for their bus back to China so often. I think. I don’t actually know. Sometimes it’s good not to know.

You can’t help but love these kids but they are rowdy! Maybe, for just a moment, they contemplated the God of the universe who created jewels of all colors, and children with all kinds of interests, curiosities, and capabilities — maybe, maybe.

So that’s what I did on Thursdays these past couple of months. We had 24 kids enrolled, six adults and bedlam. It makes me appreciate my “real” job (or my paying one, anyway) which is now with international seminary students, who are calm, interested and glad to be at school! And they don’t jump on the chairs and tables (or at least not as much)!

Who knows which of the things we work for are worthwhile, which are of lasting significance, which are worth our time and talents and treasures?  I love the season of Advent because it reminds me, in the midst of the world’s frenzy, that there’s power and strength in toughing things out (for a season), waiting them out, watch and see, which things show signs of fruition.

“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” – I Corinthians 4:5

Christa

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Ted and Janey Zimmerman are ELCA missionaries in Hong Kong. To support the Zimmermans, or another of the ELCA’s nearly 250 missionaries, go to www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.

The Meridian Star at the Central Star Ferry Pier in Hong Kong.

Greetings!

Members of Ping An Tang (Peace Lutheran Church) worshiping in a third-floor apartment every Sunday read together Luke 2:17. In response, on Christmas Eve they plan to go to Hong Kong’s famous Star Ferry Pier and “spread the word concerning what has been told to them about this child (Jesus).” Even the youngest children will go with their parents after Christmas Eve services to sing together and share with strangers the joyful story of Jesus come to earth for us. It is an adventure indeed!

Christmas morning, the families will come again to church with the children weary from being out so late but happy that they are fulfilling their shared understanding of God’s word.

Our own family will not go along to the Star Ferry Pier. After services, we will come back to our own apartment and share our special traditions with our beloved family. Perhaps it is our daughter-in-law who grew up in China who loves our Christmas traditions the most! She never had toys as a child and is delighted with Christmas gifts — and now toys for their child, our granddaughter.

We missionaries live on the periphery of cultures keeping what is special to us, yet respecting and rejoicing in the differing perspectives and responses to our common faith. It is our common faith that is deepest and joins us all here in Hong Kong with you all, making it a small world indeed.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom his favor rests” Luke 2:14.

May the hope of Christmas give you peace and joy,

Janey and Ted Zimmerman

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Fast food in Hong Kong

ELCA Missionary the Rev. Christa von Zychlin and her husband, the Rev. Wayne Nieminen, are in the U.S. this summer to visit sponsors.  Long-term missionaries return for “home-assignment” visits every 22 months.  Learn more about ELCA Missionary Sponsorship opportunities by visiting www.elca.org/missionarysponsorship.  Find “missionary stories” and bulletin inserts at www.elca.org/handinhand.   Here is an edited excerpt from Pr. von Zychlin’s blog, MarathonAngel.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;  with singing lips my mouth will praise you
(Psalm 63:5).

Fast food in Wisconsin

It’s been a week already since our fifteen hour direct flight from Hong Kong to Detroit, followed by a one-hour flight from Detroit to Green Bay.  It was wonderful to fall into the waiting arms of my (one and only) sister, niece, Middle Son and  Eldest Son.

First order of business, before driving on to our home in Sister Bay and getting to see my 86 year old mother, the really important thing we had been looking forward to was a stop at Culver’s, home of the butterburger!

So here’s the first of my mini-series on comparisons & contrasts between our life in Hong Kong and our life in Wisconsin.

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 The following is drawn from a recent blog post by the Rev. Christa Von Zychlin, an ELCA missionary serving in Hong Kong.–Sue Edison-Swift

 The Thursday before Easter I got a phone call from my 86 year old mother back in the United States. It was just past midnight her time in the U.S., even though it was in the early afternoon here in Hong Kong. It was a very unusual time for her to be calling me. She said something to me on the telephone but all I heard was “Torsten” (my son’s name), “hospital” and “car accident”

My mother very quickly added, “He’s okay! He’s okay!” “I picked him up from the hospital…the cars are both destroyed, but it’s a miracle, Torsten and his friend and the other driver, they all had their seatbelts on. They all had airbags in the cars. And they all only have cuts and bruises from this big accident.”

My son is alive and well.

She went on to say that Torsten’s friend was driving the car, and the other car had pulled out right in front of them.

Because of the time difference between us, I had to wait the whole day before I could speak with my son personally. Meanwhile, though, he sent me pictures of the crumpled cars.

If I thought it was all a bad dream, now I had evidence that this accident was very real.

The next day, I was finally able to call my son, using Skype, so that I was able to see him, and hear from him personally about what had happened. And do you know what nearly the first thing he said was?

Do you want to see my scars and bruises?

And my grown son pulls up his shirt to show where the seatbelt had left a dark purple bruise across his shoulder, and he pushes down his belt to show where the airbags had left a big red welt on his hip.

My son looked at me and smiled. “It’s a miracle I’m alive,” he says.

In just that same way, but of course a hundred times more intense, does Jesus show the disciples his hands, and pulls aside his robe to show them his side, where the spear had made a deep ugly gash in his skin.

Peace be with you, he says.

My guess is that Jesus smiles as he says this.

It’s such a human thing to do, to show your scars after a near escape from death. But in Jesus’ case, he hasn’t just escaped death, he has defeated death.

“When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.”– John 20:19-20

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