Friday, December 17, 2010

Imaginary Feast Slideshow

Slideshow for PATH (click on this)

This is a project I am doing for PATH fundraising event.  This project is about Mayra and Wilbur who is staying at Path's family center.  Its just a min and 25 sec video.  Check it out!
: )  Maybe you could donate some money toward this fundraising event.

People's faith and taste buds changes.

I am eating cucumbers, dipping chips in guacamoledrinking egg nog, and my relationship with God have gotten closer after the last 4 months in LA.  In the previous blogs, I have mentioned how I am so thankful that God gave me opportunity to serve him and be a witness to others and he is teaching me new stuff that I never thought of.  I never though in this mission (YAV) program that I will do mission work and design work together and I have been told it was very unlikely to find that dream in this program.  I never lost faith in God but I allowed to listen to negative information from people. God proved us all wrong. I am doing the dream.  God listens and God already knows what best for you in HIS own time and HIS way, not our own time or our own way.  I have listened to people's stories and God opened the gates for me to understand what they are saying. For some reason, I still have a hard time understanding my roommates, but have no problems understanding the people outside the apartment from homeless people to the people I  just met randomly. God opened my ears.  God knows blueprint of my life, I don't. My faith have grown stronger from the lessons I have learned from God for the last 4 months. Nobody and I will never will understand the entire mystery of God but we can gain stronger relationship with him through our daily lives. My friends back home have asked me "Am I scared, homesick, bored in LA?" The answer is No.  Of course I miss my family and friends back home.  But I have been welcomed since I have arrived in LA.  God had this plan  and he gave me a trail to meet and form friendships with people. I have a LA family, church friends, and  friends from work or sport games. They have offered help if I needed it. I am so happy here.  I have always been independent back home and here that have tested my boundaries in a foreign land  that I never been before. God gave me directions and a mouth to speak clear to ask people for advice if I got stuck. I am truly comfortable in this environment. God gave me opportunities to enjoy and have fun while I am here in LA.  I never thought I would talk to Robert Dowery Jr or shook hands with Denzel Washington 2 months ago. But the real celebrities are the people who have prayed for me, supported for me, and leaned a hand.  My director, his family, my family, my LA family, my prayer partner, my church from home and in LA, my friends in LA and back home.  The number one celebrity is God of all times. He listened and still listens. In the first sentence, of this paragraph, I mentioned cucumbers, dipping chips in guacamole and drinking egg nog, I hate those things but since I been in LA, my taste buds have changed.  I love guacamole, egg nog, and cucumbers now. So 2 things changed for me, a closer relationship with God and taste buds. 

Monday, December 6, 2010

God knows best.

Matthew 21:16-22 KJV


19And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
 20And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
 21Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
 22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

At Hollywood First Presbyterian church, I started to get involved with the youth group about in late October. Well me and youth pastors decided it was right time to tell my story to kids after they seen me few times.  I gave my testimony to the middle school and high school kids along with adults in the room on Sunday morning. I had a power point set up and was little nervous of the kids might not understand me. I done lot of praying before this, asking God to speak his words, not mine and teach me to speak slow as I talk. After I gave my testimony, I asked if there was any questions? Kids and adults started to raise their hands and asked me about my hearing, mission work, what I am learning so far from God in LA, and etc.  It was all great questions.  I understood everyone's questions. : )  There was some answers that came out of my mouth that I never thought of it before I spoke as I was answering their questions.  I didn't realize that during the testimony.  I truly knew it was from words of God. My director Matt asked some good questions about my hearing so I could explain clearly about differences of hearing aids and implants and my struggles with it in the past and how God helped me with it.  Some asked me missionary questions. At the end, David (co-youth pastor) asked to pray for me and kids surrounded me and put their hands on me as David prayed. I will keep on being a helper and christian leader throughout the year with the high and middle school kids of the church. I enjoy every minute!    Oh yea, David told me that a boy came up to him and asked why do I talk funny?  David thought of telling him in his own words  about it but then he said Kyle will be talking that today and you can ask him questions. Then David said to me it was the right time for you to tell your story to the kids. The kids are noticing you more at events and on Sunday mornings.  God is Good and God knows what is best. 

POSADA (A Christmas festival originating in Latin America that dramatizes the search of Joseph and Mary for lodging.)
On December the 13th we are having POSADA event. 
So we and neighbors will go to 3 houses in the neighborhood and knock on their doors and ask if there is room available for us? (All the 3 owners of their houses will say no) The fourth house we show up will be the community house and the host will let us in. We will see 2 of our neighbors dress up as Mary and Joseph and plastic baby Jesus. (we reenacting the birth of the baby Jesus) 
We will have desserts and sing Christmas carols in Spanish afterward.  The dwellers from the past years, done that every year. Last year, they had over 40 neighbors showed up and walked with them as they knock on the doors. I am really looking forward to that. 


Gift Store 


We are having a gift store at the community house for kids to buy something for their parents on Dec. 14, 15, and 16 in the afternoon. We are purchasing many of these items, and will open a store for the kids to buy them at a reduced price or with service. We are asking for volunteers to help us out to help the kids wrap presents, make sweet letters from the kids to the parents, and help with the budget. Last week, we talked to the kids and been finding out what they want to give to their family if they could afford it. So we going shopping this week to get the stuff and have it at the store when the kids come. 


I ask that will you please pray that POSADA and Gift store event go well and bring this neighborhood closer together for Christmas and bring joys to their families. Also please pray for me, my housemates , Matthew, and volunteers as we try to get all of this ready to go before the deadline. 

Saturday night, Me and my housemates went to Matthew and Darcie's Christmas party. A lot of my church friends was there. We chatted, sang songs, told jokes. Good times!   About a month ago, we discovered that Matthew (our director) was in a music video few years ago with Five For Fighting on youtube.  So we been planning on what will be the best way to tell Matt that we seen it. So on that night at the party, Josh played his guitar and I played the bongos and rest of the housemates sang 100 years by Five For Fighting in front of Matt. It went great. Matt was laughing about us singing the whole song. The adults was asking about why we were singing that song to Matt and we told them. LOL

Just click on it and at 0:44, 0:59 you can see Matt on the tree. 

I hope y'all are doing well!  God bless!