You Are So Core!

Hello, friends!

This semester has a sort of "Get back to basics" feel to it for ACF. We've stripped down a lot of the structures, eliminated a lot of the labels, and we are trying to get back to the idea of sharing Christ's love with this generation of Asian and Asian Americans. One of the changes that we've made is taking a step back from formal leadership positions and going back to having a "Core" of students who act more like a family than a leaders team. It's only been a few weeks but it already feels like things are coming together better than last semester.

One problem that we had with the old labels of Leader and Apprentice is that those terms were hard to define. What makes a leader a leader? What makes an apprentice an apprentice? Do those labels work when you have a hierarchical culture but have older students with less ministry experience than younger students? While the leader and apprentice model is definitely something that works and is a good thing, it works best with larger chapters. Last semester, we weren't big enough to sustain that model well (or as I implemented it).

With the Core, qualifications are simple.

Do you love Jesus?
Do you want your friends to love Jesus?
Are you willing to sacrifice (time, energy, money, etc.) so that your friends can love Jesus?

If you answer yes to those 3 questions, then you should be part of the ACF Core. It's really that simple! =0).

A few weeks ago we got together as a Core and set out our family rules. These are the things that we want to live by as a family. We got a lot of great suggestions but ultimately it came down to 4 major themes. We need to be pursuing love, relationship, growth, and communication. Just like any family, there will be conflicts and there will be disagreements, but I do believe that if we pursue those 4 things, we're going to be just fine.

So, friends, please be praying for our Core. Please pray that it will grow, not just in love, but also in people. Pray that we will come together as a family and that we will make this semester the best one ACF has ever seen.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Happy Australia Day!!!

Hello, friends!

Ok, so I'm a day late but I wanted to blog about a very special day that we celebrated yesterday. Of course, it was Australia Day, which is kind of like the 4th of July for the cool kids down under. But, it was also my sister T's birthday!

Tracie "T" Chuang is my older sister and one pretty cool gal. There are a few of my favorite things about my dearest older sister.

- She's pretty artsy! This is one of those things that I didn't actually notice until a few months ago. T is always posting photos on Facebook and videos and such, usually of my absolutely adorable niece (and now nephew too). I honestly didn't think anything of it until I saw her draw a penguin for my niece on Google Hangout. V wanted a penguin, T drew a penguin, and then it hit me, "Dang, the gal has some artistic talent!" I don't know how long she's had it but I think that's pretty cool.

- She's super caring. T is always taking care of the family. It could be her husband. It could be her kids. It could be her parents and siblings. Either way, T, is always looking for a way to care for those around her. I'm definitely a fan.

- She's loads of fun! One time we siblings were having a conversation about which of us was the "funny one." I forget who ended up winning the battle (it was probably Phuzz) but we all agreed that T is the most fun to be around. It's probably because she doesn't make fun of us like the rest of us do to each other. Or maybe because she's the best cook and eating deliciousness is always fun. Either way, I'm cool with it.

So, to my lovely older sister, Happy Australia Day! Put another shrimp on the barby for me, will you?

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Scouting Lincoln

Hello, friends!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending some time at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO, home of the Blue Tigers. Just 30 minutes south of CoMO, Lincoln is an hbcu where we are thinking about potentially planting next year. It was a pretty great trip! Here are a few highlights:

- I met with a contact that I'd been given by a friend and it was a really great conversation. She is a professor on campus who very much has a heart for Jesus and said that she would be more than happy to help us get started.
- Every student I talked to told me that I needed to talk to Pastor Howard, who works in the bookstore and apparently is the spiritual advisor for the whole campus. We only spoke briefly but I'm looking forward to more conversations with him to get a feel for the campus.
- Most of the students I talked to were really receptive to the idea of having a Christian group on campus. There appears to be one Christian group on campus and one or two bible studies but there was still the sense that there could be something more.
- Fun fact! The residential population of Lincoln is about 900 students and over 90% ethnic minority students, including about 100 international students. HOWEVER, when you include the commuter students, the percentage of ethnic minority students that makes up the school drops to below 45%. What that means is that we may have a tale of 2 universities.

Friends, please pray for me as I continue to visit, meet students, and scout out the land. Pray that God will give us a really good sense of what he is already doing there and how we can partner with Him.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

ReCenter, ReNew, ReFocus, ReStart

Hello, friends!

We are officially in semester mode now! Students have begun to move back into their apartments, church was absolutely packed today, and generally, you can tell that the city is just a little more crowded.

For the past few years, ACF has started the semester, both Spring and Fall, with Re:Center. Every semester, Re:Center has a different focus. Some semesters it has been a "come one come all" that allowed students to reconnect with each other after spending a month away. Other semesters it has been just for students who are leading in some capacity so we can plan for the semester to come. This semester, it was a hybrid of sort. Our core students from last semester came together to recapture the vision of ACF and spend time praying about their role in the chapter this year.

I'm super excited about this semester for ACF. I'm not sure if it's my optimism or what but I think it's going to be spectaular. Of course, I have no idea what is going to happen in terms of numbers, conversions, or anything like that. All I know is that God is good and that he is going to show us his goodness this semester. I can't wait!

Here's a photo of our ACF team to start the semester. We're missing 2 students in the photo but I think we're a pretty good looking bunch. Here are a few ways to be praying for our team as we get ready to go:

- Growing our family. Why can't this photo be twice as full at the end of the semester. Please pray that God will bring more students into our midst who love Jesus and want to see his love shared with every Asian and Asian American on campus.
- Working as a family. We have 3 staff and 8 students, all with different gifts and flat sides. Please pray that our team will be blessed with a spirit of cooperation.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

The Big 3-0

Hello, friends!

First of all, thank you all so much for the well wishes and happy birthday greetings I received yesterday. It was definitely a great day and I'm excited to now have entered my fourth decade on Earth. =0). Here's to (at least) 30 more, right?

One of the things that I've noticed about myself these past few years is that because my birthday is so close to the New Year, I don't actually consider the New Year a really big deal from a resolution/get my life in order standpoint. I consider my birthday to be the real start of a new year for me. Maybe it has something to do with my Chinese roots and my birthday being a midway point between the calendar year and the Lunar New Year too. I don't know. What I do know, is that this year is going to be great.

A friend of mine introduced me to the idea of having each year be the year of "something." It could be a word or phrase but some way that you are going to frame the upcoming year. I like that idea because it allows me to focus and build my life around a common theme. Last year was the year of "Rejoicing." I tried to focus on seeing God's hand in everything and rejoicing in His goodness instead of my own failures. Given everything that happened last semester, I'm glad that I was choosing rejoicing instead of criticism because if not, that would have been a little rough.

This year, after spending some time hanging out with Jesus, looking over the year that was, and generally taking stock of life, I've decided that this year is going to be ther year of "listening and dependence." My original plan was for this year to be the year of "fitness." I was going to get in shape physically, emotionally, relationally, mentally, and spiritually. But, as I spent more time looking back on the year that was, I saw that one thing that was really lacking from my life last year was intentional time depending on Jesus. I love systems and structures in my life. They give me a sense of peace and a sense of balance because I know what is coming next. The flat side to that is that oftentimes, I put more trust in the system than I do on hearing from Jesus and having him guide my steps. This year, I hope to correct that a little bit.

How does that look? At this point, I have no idea. The only thing that I really know for sure is that it is going to mean more prayer. The need for more prayer seems to be a constant theme in my life. Some seasons are better than others. This last season wasn't great in that department.

So, friends, here's hoping that 30 is a banner year for me in terms of ministry, family life, and my walk with Jesus. I'm so thankful to have friends like you who will be walking with me along this journey.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

A New Semester!

Hello, friends!

It's time, it's time, it's time! After a month of break, we are just a few days away from the beginning of a new semester awaits! Today I met with the ACF staff team, and friends, I am excited about the new semester and all the cool things that God is going to do. I can already tell you, it's going to be sweet.

Of course, Mizzou ACF isn't the only thing that's happening this semester. This semester is also going to see us continue the work that we're already doing at Mizzou ICF (Megan) and Columbia College (Charis). But wait, there's more! This semester I'm going to be scouting a few new areas of Mizzou as well as a new campus in Mid-Missouri. We've got all sorts of fun stuff happening and it all starts Monday with Mizzou's International Student Orientation.

Friends, please be praying for our team as we make the final preparations for the beginning of the semester. Here are a few specifics:

- Like I said, Megan is going to be helping at the International Student Orientation on Monday and Tuesday. Please pray that God will connect her with students both Christian and non-Christian.

- ACF is going to have its pre-semester retreat on Friday and Saturday of next week. Please pray for our Core students and that God will meet them where they are as the new semester gets underway.

- The harvest is plentiful and the workers are increasing! We have a few potential new hires as volunteers and interns. Please pray for both us and the applicants as we try to discern what God may have for them.

- There is still much work to be done on the fundraising department too. We still have about $10,000 left to raise in order for us to end the year "in the black." Please pray that as the semester gets under way, we will not neglect this part of our job as well.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Megan's Thoughts on New Years Resolutions

Hello, friends!

Happy 2015 to you all! Here's praying that 2015 kicks 2014's butt in every possible way. =0).

This is about the time of the year when folk start their New Year's resolutions. Last year, Megan and I decided that we would only buy clothing that was fair trade/ethically made. Here are Megan's thoughts on the year that was. Enjoy!

What happens when you intentionally refrain from buying clothing that wasn’t ethically made for an entire year? I didn’t quite know what to expect when we ventured into this a year ago. Adam and I made the decision to as we were preparing for a trip to another country where last year at this time there were protests from garment factory workers for their payment. Ultimately there wages weren’t raised and they were silenced to keep the peace. It left us with the question though of how we would respond. Before we dig in, I just want to say that I know that this method of advocacy and action isn’t perfect. People still need jobs regardless of how much they are paid. Although the system is completely jacked up and unfair, there is still a high demand for these jobs because there are people who need them. I want to share a few lessons we learned along the way on this journey:

1.     Exposure of idolatry and greed in my heart:

a.       I love Target. No matter what I come in there for my eyes & legs are somehow immediately drawn to the clearance clothing section. It doesn’t matter if I need that new sweater, there is an intense longing to own it. Knowing that Target is rated a D for clothing on the ethical rating (betterworldshopper.com) forced me to check these desires at the dollar section before I made my way over to the clothing. I realized that just because I felt like I wanted something, doesn’t mean I need it or can get it somewhere better.

2.     “I wear your granddad’s clothes, I look incredible” – Thrift Shops are the best

a.       I was already a fan of thrift shops before, but even more this year. I had a friend get married and had a fancy wedding where cocktail attire was required. This was a little harder for me in thinking of where to find something fancy enough for cheap. Luckily in Columbia there are lots of sororities – meaning lots of fancy dresses at the Goodwill. I found a nice dress and got many compliments on it.  I also found my entire winter wardrobe at thrift stores or garage sales. The best part is that no one can tell that these clothes aren’t new. Thrift shops come with an A+ on the ethical rating because they are reusing decent clothing that we cast aside for new things.

3.     People may think you are Crazy

a.       I love shopping just like most girls. It is a bonding thing that I grew up doing. We didn’t always buy stuff, but we had fun window shopping. I found it hard to shop with others because honestly, who likes the shopper that doesn’t want anything and points out how things are made? No one. You end up being Debbie Downer. It was also hard to explain why I wasn’t buying something. I didn’t want to make other people feel guilty for their purchases, yet knew I couldn’t buy it myself. The other reality is that living this way is counter-cultural. We live in a world where what you wear defines who you are. Wearing cloths I wore in college isn’t always in style.

4.     New Cloths are Expensive

a.       About halfway through the year Adam needed new socks and underwear. It was a challenge to find them fairtrade and at a decent price. Sometimes choosing fairtrade means sacrificing something else. There were other instances where I needed to find new clothing and thrift store didn't have what I needed. Instead I found a local store that choses to purchase fairtrade clothes. By God’s grace I was able to find some decent (although not that decently) priced leggings and pants.

5.     God provides abundantly

a.       Before I even knew I needed clothing, people were offering me boxes of clothes out of nowhere. It was such a blessing to see God provide before I even knew I was in need. 

6.     It is worth it

a.       When we went overseas we saw 15-20 people loaded into small trucks to head out to the garment factory. There people get 80-100 dollars per month to work 12 + hours a day in the factory. This isn’t nearly enough to survive in any country. Some even turn to the sex industry in order to make enough money to support their family. Meanwhile companies are charging us $30 for a sweater while all of it goes to the company and not the people making them. We also witnessed local non-profits helping give people a decent wage for the same job. I would love to support these kinds of businesses even if it means more money.

In the end, I don’t know if we will always buy fairtrade. But I do know that our eyes are opened to our own sense of need for stuff as well as what it means to use our money intentionally. I encourage you to consider, is there one thing that you regularly purchase that you can find out how it is manufactured? Consider thinking intentionally about what you purchase for a year. It is sure to change you and those around you.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam