Letters to friends

Dear Leigh,

I am so glad to hear from you and to see how things God has done in your

life. I am so grateful for your opening heart in sharing your spirituality

and love with me. Thank God for everything is taking place in your life.

I am realy touched by your sharing on about trust and obedience to God's

provision rather than things on earth such as money. Sometimes God want us

to walk by faith and not by sight. Just like the scripture says, for the

things can be seen are termporary, but for the things unseen are

everlasting. I think love from above can not be seen, but it is everlasting

and nobody can take it away from us. It is freely given by the big Giver, our father.

It is so wonderful to know that you had great time in Missouri. It is always

good to see long lost friends. I miss my time in university, too. Although I

am graduated, I am always a student in God's eyes, that I am given tests so

as to learn how to cling to him and only God has his mark and grades for me when I see him.

I am so excited about your encountering with the nice guy. I am sure God

will give him or the right one at the time planned by him. I met a nice guy I am attracted to his kindness on the patience and his life value.

I first know his father in my ministry while he was visitng HK last year. I

came to visit his father in March this year, and he introduced Andrew to me.

We didn't keep in touch that much throughout the past few months until last

month, I got Andrew's email telling that he was coming to HK. I thanked God

for having heard my prayer. Too bad, I checked my email too late and I failed to meet him while he was visiting here.

It seemed God wants me to learn patience. So one day, I prayed to God, I

give my heart to Him until my Mr. Right come. God knows I will be distracted

and tempted easily when I am in romance. He does not want me to

regret as if I am too dependent on earthly boyfriend rather than my heavenly

father. God is full wise and knows whether the one we met is right for us or

not. God is my most trustworthy friend, I know he will choose the best one for me. So does he for you.

I believe God has his purpose for letting something good or bad happen to us. He never makes error.

About work, I am appointed as team leader now. It is not a promotion but

just an extra work. I am learning a lot such as how to handle disputes

within the team and to support colleagues. It is a challenge as I will be

more open to criticism. People may not appreciate for our performance even we try my best.

I am still thank God for giving me such opportunity to pratice my leadership potential.

Finally, I wish you a good start for the new semester. I hope I can visit you some day. Take care.

Nicole

19 Jul 2003

Dear Leigh,

Sorry for so writing you so late. Glad to kow that you have break from

school and getting more time to spend on work as well as knowing different

work mates. I make sure God has his purpose on you as he place you to

someone or place someone around you. I am so grateful for reminding me that

things are impossible to men but possible to God, indeed.

SARS is finished now in HK. The sacrifice of the christian doctor has

impressed many HK people and awake many people think about the value of life

and love. She definitely has revealed the glory and love of Christ. God

always has his purpose for allowing difficulties come to us. He will sustain us.

My father started his own business since May (thanks God, he is supposed to

be jobless). My brother and mother also helped in the store. We have been

through many problems such as communication problems, different expectation

and shortage of money and human resources. But GOd is great, finally we

rented a responsible staff who can help much on the workload. God feeds us

enough with the profits. My relationship with my dad is much better. I sent

him a card on Father's day and told him I will keep praying for him and his business. Great is the Lord.

Annie is coming back to Melbourne for a week by the end of this month.

Crystal now is in mainland until end of Aug. Christine has started job. Amy

Chan was still unhappy with God, with her job, with the SARS (because she

could not come to Germany for training). I called her and greeted her on

birthday but it sounded she was not happy.

About my work, nothng special but heavier workload since the unemployment

rate has increased these months. God refresh me as I have wonderful cell

group with my co-workers. We are so frank to each other and open to share.

I hope to hear from you soon. Have great summer holidays! Nicole

Dear Leigh,

So glad to hear from you. Praise God for your heart in spreading the gospels in your ministry. Happy Easter!

I just want to share my joy with you. I had my baptism on Easter, i.e.

yesterday. Finally I did it. Before it, I faced some obstacles as I knew I

had to stand by to provide service to those people in home confinement on

Sunday. Nobody was willing to change the roster with me. My friends and I

prayed. At last, I received no call, so I could attend the worship and

baptised. Thank God. "If God be for us, who can be against us."

Well, sometimes it is a tough job to reach out people who are culturally or

socially different from us. They are so aware of our differences. Try your

best and pray to Lord. For he gives you this task, his grace will be sufficient.

I can understand the difficulties when you reach out the poor blacks. I am

not expert, but I want to share my experience with you. Do it with love and

from heart. Put your trust in Christ. He will work in you.

Through my counselling experience in my work, my main targets are poor

people too. At the very first beginning, they perceived us as enemy: rich

and poor, employed and jobless, educated and illiterated. They think we

never understand their situations. Usually I will try to build relationship

with them, smile and be friendly, then share my heart with them, let them

know I am care for them and are no different from them--we all are human,

though I have a job and they are unemployed, we all have happiness, sadness,

sickness and desires for peace and had wrong doing. Time goes by, my clients

trust me and will share their thoughts or worries with me.

In your situation, I think you can show your care for those people. Later

they will know that LOVE can breakthrough all differences of races, social

class, nationalities, etc. Just like God sent Jesus to die for all people,

all nations. The gospels is for those who are humble, and poor in spirit.

I will keep you in prayer. God bless you as you have to manage schools and work and ministry.

Crystal, Christine, Annie, Yvonne and I has begun a Bible study group in April.

We are still fixing the main topics and materials. I love it as we could

have more time to share our hearts and seek God's directions from the scriptures.

Annie has flyed to Singapore to meet Mark. Please pray for their

relationship as they are in different places. Hope the Lord will strengthen their faith.

I will be on duty to take care of people in home confinement, as the

separation camp is located in my work area recently. Please pray for the safety

of me and my co-workers.

Peace and joy be with you.

In Christ,

Nicole

21 Feb 2003 Dear Leigh,

I am so glad to hear from you. So sorry that I didn't write to you for such a

long time. Thanks for keeping me in touch and for your sharing.

1. Responding to your email

It is so great that you have done a testimony to the class. I think every piece

of our life experience could be used to show the love of God. It's worth us

to experience all the trials with God.

I will keep praying to God for a part-time job. I guess God wants to test

our faith especially when we are in darkness. It is not easy for human to

find a job but God has everything in control. I am so encouraged that you

keep seeing everything from God's perspective and by reading his words.

Everytime when I worry, I just start praying and then the next morning, the

sun still rise and set, the moon will still keep hanging on the sky, the

birds keep sings every morning; then I know God has make every day. He has the time in his hands.

2. With my family

Well, I finaly decide to stay with my family. Why? Because I still think I need

to save money for my future use. Also, some friends and sisters and brothers

remind me that once if I get married, I will not have much time to spend with

my parents, They think I should treasure these years that I can spend with my

parents. And God spoke to me through the Bible, I learned that I have to be willing

to give to my parents, I should not compare with my sister and brother as

they contribute less than I do. I prayed to God one day and I suddenly thought:

God has his will and his purpose for placing me in my family and for placing my

family around me. Maybe God didn't choose my brother or sister but me to supply

and support my family. This is the job God has given me. So, I learned to be

more patient and obedient. Of course, emotionaly, I still feel unfaired. But I

feel more peaceful now.

3. Work

I feel more meaningful with my job because I start preaching to some clients.

I found that some didn't know what and who is true God, some even didn't know

what are the differences between different religion. I remember a client he felt

very unpeaceful, I suggested him do the prayer at home, when he came to see

me next time, he said thank you to me and praised the power of prayer. He also

said I am different from the other workers as I show no discrimination toward

poor people and I always look kind and smile! Then I just said that is the work

of God.

I am really grateful for God placing me in my work as Jesus came to save all the

people, poor or rich, strong or weak. For most of my clients, they didn't

know Jesus since they were not educated, they didn't have the chance to know or

to understand the salvation of Christ. They worked hard throughout the

years and ignored their spiritual needs. Now they face economic difficulties

as welll as spiritual emptiness and struggle, and I have to chance to bring

them to Christ. I really hope God will sow the seeds of Love to all people.

4. Spiritual life and ministry

I keep serving the chapel and it is still growing up. We had some outing activities

such as Christmas party, watching the firework on the 2nd day of Chinese New Year,

and hiking and bbq at a couples' house. I met nice friends. Also, by leading

groups in language corner, I have built the relationship with some students.

When they had difficulites, they asked me for help. And I know that I need to

keep equiping myself in my faith so as to lead the others.

5. Grief

My grandfather passed away last Tuesday. Actually our relationship is not that

close. Because he has many grandsons and grand daughters. Also, my father

had been given as adopted son to the others. Our relationship was resumed 20

years ago. This is a long story. Anyway, I still feel sad about his death.

If there was no him, then no my father and no me. The funeral will be hold

on 11 March. It is a Budhhist funeral. Please pray for peace as when I am attending

the funeral.

6. Relaxe-travelling

I am travelling to Melbourne, Australia from 1 Mar to 9 Mar. Too short. Because

I have to go back to HK for the funeral. I will visit friends there. I guess it

is cool because it is summer there and I don't need to work. Please pray for

my safety.

6. About Amy

She has joined our chapel worship service for a couples of weeks. Sometimes she

also joins the language conrer on Thursday. She is looking for job actively.

And she may plan to travel with friends to mainland CHina. She has a social worker

to follow up her situation. So, I guess there is a big progression on her

faith in herself as well as in God.

7. Love??!

I did meet some nice guys but am not sure what I feel for them. Sometimes I doubt

is it just feeling or I really know their heart? Also, my best friend Michelle

and I both have good feeling to a guy, Bryan, who is exchange student of

Georgia Tech to HKBU.

This is a long email. Leigh, I still have a lot of share. And I am very

comfortable of hearing your words. I feel we are very close when I can tell you

what I feel. Hope to hear from you soon.

Hey, I had my birthday on 18 Feb. I had dinner with my the fellowship. I will

even be thankful when I can have a casual meeting with friends. I guess friends

are really important to me. By the way, when is your birthday, again?( I guess........I forgot???.....so sorry.......)

Take care. "God will make a way, where there seems to be no way".

Nicole

Dear Leigh,

I am so glad to hear from you. I think you might have a wonderful christmas and

Thansksgiving with your family, especially you have been away for a couple of years.

I didn't catch Amy recently. I don't know what is up with her. I only called her

once and she is jobless now. She said she lose her faith in God and even in herself.

She think if God love her, she will get a job in a month. I tried to ask

about her brain therapy, but she didn't want to talk about it. It seems only God

can change her heart.

Talk about myself, I had quarrel with my mom. It is a small issue. But the point

is I find always have my temper on my mom even it is just a small issue.

I don't know why! I decide to move out with a friend. I don't know it is right

or wrong. I think it is time for me to grow up and live independently.

I know this is not a solution. But it is a way to talk less and miss my family

more. Sometimes I expect

my mom understand me. I feel I am too burdened. I need pay back my grant loan

for university tuition fee, I contribute most part of household expenditure,

I save money hoping one day my father can own business instead of working

as labourer. My little brother always absent for his work and spend his money

on gambling. My sister only spend money on her own. I can't buy things that I

like and want. I am not asking for reward because I know I have the responsibility

to take care of my family. I just hope they can support me and understand my

feeling.

Also for my job, some divergence exist within my team due to different practice

and styles. Still, I am grateful because my new colleague is a Christian.

Now we have ogranized a small fellowship group with some Christian

colleagues during lunch time every Wednesday. It is really refreshing.

Annie and I are going to help organize the Christmas Feast. We will prepare food,

play drama and sing Christmas Carols. HOpe God will lead us.

May the Lord bless you and your family. HOpe to hear from you soon.

Nicole

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