Hooray for International Getaway!

Hello, friends! 

I have said many times before that one of the best things that we do as a Region in InterVarsity is International Getaway. Every May, dozens of international and American students gather together to learn together, play together, eat together, and grow closer to Jesus together. It is always an amazing time and this year was no different. 

This year, we had 100 students from 28 countries attend International Getaway, which is the highest number we'd ever had both in terms of attendees and countries. I'm certainly not an expert when it comes to world geography, but I consider myself decently knowledgeable when it comes to countries, so it was a great delight to me when Megan said that a student from Eswatini was attending and I had no idea where that was (it borders South Africa). I was also excited because we had 5 students from UNO, 2 students from Bellevue, and 2 volunteers from our church attending as well! 

As usual, I wasn't actually staffing Getaway. My job was kid duty. We had our 3 kids, 3 other staff kids, and 3 kids from Getaway attendees. The youngest was 4 and I believe Ezra was the oldest at almost 10. Thankfully, the two staff who brought kids also brought a childcare helper, so between the 3 of us, we had everything covered pretty well. 

We were in a new spot this year, which in some ways was good and in other ways was tough. Clearwater Cove is a Younglife Camp and is absolutely gorgeous. The scenery is great, the beds were somewhat comfortable (not always a given), and the food was decent! The kids especially enjoyed the big sports area where they could play basketball, pickleball, volleyball, ping pong, air hockey, soccer, foosball, and corn hole, amongst other things. Still, with a space being that big, it also meant that there was a LOT of walking. Also, unfortunately, we weren't allowed to camp on site, which meant we needed to go out to go fish. Also, it was a 7 hour drive from Omaha, so there's that. 

Since I was with the kids the entire time, I'm not exactly sure of what happened during the content of Getaway but according to the students, it was really good (as always). There was small group bible study. There were testimonies. There was musical worship (the group from UNO actually led worship). The MC apparently did a really good job. The theme was Belonging. From what the Nebraska students told me, the theme hit really well. 

One thing that I did get to see was the Cultural Showcase. This is when students get to show off something from their culture. Some do demonstrations. Others do songs and some do dances. It is always the highlight of Getaway and was a hit again this year. 

Getaway was awesome, and I have the photos to prove it. =0). 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam 

Hooray for the Chinese Heritage Church!

Hello, friends! 

Last week, I had the pleasure of going to Dallas to participate in the Chinese Heritage Church Collaborative conference as a representative of InterVarsity. I joined InterVarsity's director of Asian American ministries and two other staff so we could network with church leaders and continue to build relationships with the Chinese Heritage Church. 

The Chinese Heritage Church (CHC) is one that has been very near and dear to my heart. I grew up in a CHC (hello to everyone at CBCOC!) and it was formative to my development as a follower of Jesus. The last 2 places that I've lived haven't had CHC's with English services, so I've been out of the CHC community for quite some time. Still, I hold the CHC is high regard and was so blessed to be invited to participate. Here are a few highlights: 

- Connecting with people! I had asked CBCOC if anyone was going to be at the conference but they said no. Imagine my surprise then when I saw my old Senior Pastor there! Apparently, he was one of the original founders of the Collaborative back in the day. What a small world! On top of that, I was able to connect with a guy who CBCOC played in an old high school church basketball league and a guy who dated (and married!) one of my sister's friends from college (#GoBears!).

My favorite story was from the last night. A bunch of us were sharing about where home was for us. I mentioned that I'm in Omaha now but that I grew up in Southern California. There were some California folk there and so they asked me where in SoCal. I told them Garden Grove but that our church was in Anaheim and how I could see the Disneyland Fireworks from our church on Friday nights. Another guy said, that his brother is law could also see the fireworks from his CHC growing up. Knowing that CBCOC was the only CHC in the area, I asked for the church name and his brother in law's name. As I suspected, I totally knew his brother in law and we were friends in high school.=0).

- Learning and Teaching! It was great learning from people who have been in the CHC context for years and decades even, about how to reach people through the CHC. Many of the challenges that the CHC faces are still present from when I attended a CHC but there are also new innovations and ways that the CHC is reaching Chinese folk in America. 

I was also able to be a resource. One of the first people I met was the Senior Pastor at one of the Chinese Churches in Kansas City. He came with his intern, who is hoping to reach out to Chinese international students in Kansas City. I had a great lunch with him, sharing about what I'd learned from watching Megan reach international students for so many years. I even was able to get him connected to the local IV staff. 

- Renewing Hope! Like I said earlier, I haven't regularly attended a CHC for over 20 years. When I visit my CHC every year, it's hard to not notice that the numbers are getting smaller and that many aunties and uncles have died. I've never doubted the good of the CHC, but I have wondered what the future of the CHC is going to be if the numbers and trends continue to move in the direction I was seeing. 

Hearing from folk who have been involved in the CHC for decades and the hope they still have for the CHC was so good for my soul. It's good to hear that God is still doing good work in the CHC and that there is still reason to hope that God will continue to use the CHC to bring the Gospel the Chinese folk in America! 

The CHC isn't perfect. No church is. Still, I'm glad that it's a part of my history and I'm glad that I was able to reconnect to my CHC roots. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Happy Birthday, Mama!

Hello, friends! 

Today, May 2, is Mama Leong's Birthday! I'd considered writing a list with one thing I love about Mama for every year that she's been alive, but then I'd have to tell you how old she is, and I don't think that she'd like that very much. So, I think I'll just have to pick a few of my favorite favorite things and go from there. 

One of the things that I've learned from Mama Leong is generosity. I'll say that this is a lesson that I didn't really pick up until later but both my parents are super generous and apparently I must have been watching because I can see myself doing some of the things that Mama did when I was growing up, especially with my own kids. I think there are two kinds of giving and generosity. There's the giving that says, "yes" when a request is made. "Can I have some ice cream?" "Yes." That sort of thing. There's also that generosity that gives freely without being asked. "Do you want some ice cream?" I'm blessed that Mama Leong exemplifies both types of generosity. 

Mama Leong's generosity shows up in how she grandparents. My kids love it when Ama comes to town because they know that no matter what happens, there will be a trip to Dairy Queen and a trip to a Chinese Buffet. Why? Because Mama Leong knows that the kids love going to Dairy Queen and the Chinese Buffet! That's enough for her. She gets so much joy from seeing them enjoy themselves. I know that my siblings would say the same with her other grandkids as well. There's something really beautiful about seeing grandparents and their grandchildren love each other so much. 

Recently, as in the past few years, I've come to see more of where I get my passion from. Between my parents, my mom is the one with the bigger emotions. Growing up, I was certain that I was more like my dad in terms of emotional expressiveness. However, over the past few years, I've seen how much of my passion about certain topics can actually be traced back to Mama Leong's personality. Mama Leong has a very deep sense of what is right and what is wrong and when that sense is violated, you'd best watch out. 

So, happiest of birthdays to Mama Leong, a wonderful mom, grandma, and all around person. Here's to many more years of Dilly Bars and deep emotions. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Camping!

Hello, friends! 

Earning my Eagle Scout is one of the proudest achievements of my life. It certainly wasn't without its stressors and things really came down to the wire, but we got it done and it's an honor that I will gladly represent for the rest of my life. Scouting, despite its many flaws, has been a positive influence in my life and once BSA decided to open scouting up to both girls and boys, I was really hopeful that the kids would join Cub Scouts and really like it. Honestly, I knew that given our time capacity and other commitments, there was a very real chance that kids wouldn't be in Scouts. Thankfully, one of Ezra's friends recruited him in the first grade and we've been a Scouting family ever since. 

In our pack, I serve on the leadership team (because, of course I do...) and I lead Thaliea's den (#481WolvesFTW). Since I coach Ezra's soccer team, this is my chance to be involved in an extracurricular that Thaliea enjoys. She loves being in Scouts and has even recruited two of her friends to join our den! It's so much fun leading the kids, seeing them grow, and teaching them new skills. Some of these kids I've led since Kindergarten, and I think I'll be leading them for years to come. 

Now here comes the confession: I love Scouts. I love Scouting. I love being involved and believe that Scouting is a net positive. With all that said... 

I hate camping. 

There, I said it. Whew, that feels good to get off my chest. 

Well, to be fair, I suppose "hate" is a strong word. I just really don't like camping, particularly car camping. Sleeping in a tent is not particularly comfortable. Camp food is not usually as tasty as something that is cooked in a kitchen. Outhouses and communal bathrooms are kind of gross. Camping is not my idea of a great time. 

That being said, I should note that backpacking is VERY different from camping in my eyes. The idea of packing as efficiently as possible and carrying all your stuff is exciting. Having to bring all your own cooking supplies makes the cooking more like a puzzle. Finding just the right spot to put together a shelter or hang your hammock/light tent is like a treasure hunt. Car camping? Not quite the same. 

Why am I telling you all this? Because, this weekend, we're finally camping with the Scouts. I've taken the kids to summer camp before a that was camping but usually we have avoided the Spring and Fall camping trips. This is mainly because it's sports season but also it wasn't something that I was really pushing for us to do. But, this weekend, the Leongs will be camping with the Pack! 

Friends, please pray for me. I'm mentally preparing myself for camping to be exactly as I expect it to be and exactly as I remember it to be from my days in the Scouts. Added to that, I hurt my back last week, which means sleeping on the ground is going to be even worse. Still, this is what we do for our kids, right? =0).

Just in case you don't see me here next week, the camping went terribly and we were eaten by bears... Just kidding... mostly... 

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Easter Reflections...

Hello, friends! 

Happy Good Friday to all those who celebrate. May you experience the great joy that comes from knowing that Jesus has defeated death. He is risen! He is risen indeed. =0). 

These past few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about Easter, specifically why Easter is important. Obviously, Jesus' death and resurrection are the point of Christianity. It is because of the atoning work of Jesus' death and the miraculous resurrection that makes Christianity and an eternity with God possible. 

Given all that, I can't help but think that the Church, especially the American evangelical church, to which I belong, has lost the plot when it comes to Easter. We've have over emphasized some parts of the Good News and under emphasized other. 

For starters, I think we've over emphasized heaven. Don't get me wrong; the idea of spending eternity with Christ sounds really good. I'm very much looking forward to a time when there will be no death, pain, or suffering. I have to many friends, family, and loved ones, who are going through too many things to not long for something better. Heaven is going to be great and it is only through the death and resurrection that we are able to have access to heaven and eternity with God. 

What makes me uncomfortable is when we make it the entirety of the story. It is true that Easter is important because Jesus died for my sins and because of his sacrifice, I can come to God without sin or blemish. It is absolutely crucial that we understand that. It's just not the whole story. 

See, when we put our trust in the resurrection power of the cross, we aren't just forgiven of our sins. We are made into new creations. We are no longer slaves to sin, death, and fear. Instead, we are made alive in Christ and decidedly on "Team Jesus." The kicker is, what the purpose of being on "Team Jesus" is. See, I don't think that the only reason we're saved is so that we can go to heaven when the end times come. When I look into scripture, what I see is that wherever the people of God are actually following Jesus, they are DOING THINGS. They are healing the sick. They are being generous. They are welcoming the poor, the widowed, the orphan, and the immigrant. They are not waiting for heaven. They are bringing heaven to earth, almost as if the call is to see, "thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven." 

I get really bothered when I look at the news and I see all the things that a supposed "Christian Nation" is doing to people made in the image of God, worthy of dignity and respect. The people of God are supposed to treat everyone with love and compassion. We are supposed to act in love. We are supposed to be humble and be willing to confess our shortcomings and sins. We are supposed to represent Jesus to the world. 

My hope for this Easter is that I will not just accept the free gift of salvation as a cheap trinket that I can keep in my pocket for comfort. I don't want my Christianity to be something that supposedly changes my life but doesn't inspire me to change the world around me for the better. Here's hoping I can live somewhat close to that ideal this week and every day ahead. Only by the power of the Cross. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

In the Defense of the University...

Hello, friends! 

For the past 17+ years, I have had the pleasure and honor of working for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I have lived in St. Louis, Columbia, and Omaha working at large state schools, small liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and HBCU's. I have worked with White, Black, AAPI, LatinX, and international students from all over the world. In every one of those situations, my theory of the case has been the same: give college students an opportunity to experience Jesus and they'll not only want to follow him, but tell all their friends about him too. I've yet to be proven wrong. =0). 

Lately, there has been an attack on higher education from the current presidential administration. While a distrust of higher education is nothing new, especially in conservative circles, the threatening of Universities who do not agree with the policy goals of the administration, the quelling of public speech, and the harassment and hostility towards international students feels different.

To be clear, academia does tend to lean to the "left." While my students and I have never personally experienced any hostility based on our religious beliefs, that doesn't mean that we're always welcomed with open arms. Still, even these disagreements have not been rooted in hatred towards Christianity as much as it has been rooted in a desire for everyone to feel welcome on the college campus. Higher education isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Nor is it the bogeyman that it's been made out to be. 

The assault on "DEI" has been especially egregious. The current administration's assault on DEI policies and departments has been nothing short of astounding. The current line is that the dismantling of DEI policies and departments is a return to fairness. The truth is that DEI in the university s a response to the erasure that students of color and other minorities often feel. Since its inception, the University was designed to privilege the privileged. As the University has grown in its mission, DEI policies and departments have allowed for more people to have access to higher education, which is a rising tide that will lift all boats. However, for the privileged, equity often feels like oppression. 

I think back especially to my time at Mizzou. When I was planting ACF, the first place I went was the Asian American Association (AAA). Mizzou was less than 3% Asian American, and the AAA meetings were a place where a critical mass of Asian Americans, students who had to spend most of their day, in class, in the dining hall, in their dorms, and even just around town, being reminded that they were the minority. AAA was a place for them to just be. Mizzou's Multi-Cultural Center (MCC) was a gathering space where AA students could gather and connect with other minorities on campus. I remember being the only campus minister allowed inside the Black Culture Center (BCC) on campus after there were threats of violence against Black Students following campus protests highlighting the University's lack of response to racism on campus. I was the only campus minster of color on campus spent hours there the previous year trying to build relationships. What I saw was students who were scared to be out on campus but felt safe because they were with their people. All that could be gone because according to the current administration, these spaces promote DEI and "woke ideology." I'm convinced that these spaces literally saved lives. 

Whenever I meet with ministry partners, I love telling this story. Megan led an international student group at Mizzou while we were living in CoMO. It was a wonderful community and I met a lot of great students. One of them was a Palestinian Muslim who was getting his Masters or his PhD. He came to everything, made friends with everyone, and even cooked and Easter meal for the group one year. He really was a great guy. 

When he finished his degree and was ready to return back to Palestine, we took him out to get some frozen custard. As we were chatting and saying our goodbyes, he said something that will always stick with me. He said, "When I go back home, and people talk about westerners or Christians, I will tell them, 'no. You have it wrong. Christians welcomed me into their homes. They bought me ice cream. Westerners and Christians are not who you think they are.'" 

The University has the power to change lives. The University has the power to change the world. The University isn't perfect but it also isn't the cesspool of radical leftism that is depicted in certain parts of the media. It's a place where students have the freedom to explore and think for themselves. It's a place where they build relationships that will last them the rest of their lives. Hopefully, it'll be a place where they find Jesus and choose to follow Him for years beyond their time in college. It's a place I love nd one that God has called me to invest in these past 17+ years. God loves college students. God loves the University. We should too. 

Have an excellent day! 

PS: If you'd like to call your representative in Congress, you can call the Capitol Switchboard and they will direct you to the correct office: (202) 224-3121.

Baptism!

Hello, friends!

Memory is a funny thing. I distinctly remember getting baptized when I was 11. I thought it was a special day because it was our church's Christmas baptism and that year it fell on Christmas Day itself. However, looking at the calendar, December 25, 1996 was a Thursday. This means either I wasn't 11 when I was baptized (maybe I was 9?!) or I wasn't baptized on Christmas Day. Either way, at some point in the 90's, I got dunked and it was a good thing. =0). 

Last Sunday (DEFINITELY March 30), our dear Thaliea was baptized at our church. It was a day filled with joy and emotion and we're so proud of her for taking that step. 

Baptism is one of those really interesting church traditions that really reveals a lot about your church background (or at least your church's theology). At CBCOC, where I was baptized, being baptized meant that you were officially a "member" of the church, which meant you were allowed to vote on church issues (once you turned 18). This made the decision to get baptized one that really emphasized the community aspect of baptism. You were making a decision to be part of this community. At Bridge, where we go now, since we don't have membership, it leans more towards the "public declaration of faith" side of things. Yes, the hope is that'll you'll stay to be a part of the community but it's not a requisite for baptism. I think there are pros and cons to both ways of doing things, and there are other ways to look at it as well. I just think it's interesting. 

Anyway, back to Thaliea... =0). 

Thaliea asked to be baptized last year but there were scheduling conflicts (we were going to be out of town on the baptism days). Added to that, in my conversations with her, it became pretty clear that she still wasn't totally sure of what the Gospel was, what baptism represented, and why she wanted to follow Jesus. This time, when she asked us about it again, I had the same conversation with her but she had a much better grasp of the Gospel and could explain it (or at least explain it in 7 year old terms) well enough for Megan and me to say, "why not?!" 

Friends, if there's one thing that our church does up, it's a baptism. We had 26 people getting baptized last Sunday! The kids ministry did a song and a dance and everyone had their faith story shared. One of the things I love about Bridge is how they walk people through how to write their testimonies. Thaliea was one of the first ones up, which was great because she invited some friends to see her and they had to leave when church ran long. We were honored to be up there with her and I was doubly honored to be the one to dunk her. 

We had a party afterwards and she got a few gifts from people to go along with many congratulatory phone calls. I think her favorite gift was the bible she got from us with her name engraved on it. She's been reading it every day. 

Ultimately, we'll see what Ezra and Jonah decide they want to do and when they want to do it. We aren't rushing the process and are just letting God do His thing. He's worked in the heart of Thaliea to the point where she wanted to make a public declaration of faith. For that, we are eternally grateful. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

 

Happy Lent!

Hello, friends! 

Happy Lent to those who observe (celebrate?) this season. I didn't grow up in a particularly liturgical church tradition, so a lot of this stuff is relatively new to me. 

Liturgy is something that I've really gotten to appreciate more and more as I've grown in my faith and learned more about the church traditions. While there is something to be said for the risk of legalism, I really believe that there is something powerful in thousands, if not millions of people all saying the same words and worshipping God in the same way at the same time. 

This year, I decided to take Lent a little more seriously and be a little more intentional about it. One of the things I chose to "give up" was anything that wasn't water for drinking. I'm not a big coffee drinker but I do enjoy soda, tea, and bubble tea. I'm also limiting my eating window (aka intermittent fasting). 

Friends, I have no problem telling you that the hardest thing has been the "water only" fast. I had no idea how much non-water I drank throughout the day. I drink a lot of water regularly but it's something else when it's the ONLY thing you have to drink.

Apparently, Sundays are considered "mini Easters" so the Lenten fasting doesn't apply. Megan reminded me of this and it was a LIFESAVER. This fast really has reminded me of how much I am dependent on things other than Jesus. It's been a good Lent. 

However you're celebrating (or not celebrating) Lent this year, I hope that it brings you closer to Jesus and gives you a better understanding of the sacrifice he made for us. As for me, I'm going to keep sucking down water and waiting for April 20th. 

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Spring Training!!!

Hello, friends! 

Last year, my dad turned 70 and as a bucket list item, he wanted to go to to Cardinals Spring Training with his boys. He's been to Spring Training in Arizona before but he'd never seen his St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter, Florida. The scheduling didn't work out last year but this year we were able to make the trip happen. 

Friends, I have no problem telling you that this trip was a TON of fun. I knew we were going to have a good time but I didn't know that it was going to be this good. From front to back, I really enjoyed myself and was so thankful for the trip. Here are a few highlights:

- BASEBALL. I think I've written about this before but baseball is still my first love. I don't watch baseball as much as I used to and Ezra is more of a soccer guy but whenever I get a chance to be around baseball, it's a really good time. Watching batting practice and seeing a live baseball game was objectively good for my soul. 

- BASEBALLS. We attended 2 games while we were there. During the first game, I achieved my own bucket list item: I got a foul ball! One of the Nationals players hit a foul ball down the third base line. The Cardinals left fielder grabbed the ball and flipped it over the fence, right into our area. The ball bounced and I was able to get a hand on it before anyone else could. Later, we played catch with it on the beach. It was pretty great.

- MORE BASEBALLS! Not to be outdone, both my brother and Dad got baseballs too! My brother got his foul ball during the next game and my dad got a ball from an umpire as they were leaving the second game. I don't think it was my dad's first ball but I know it was my brother's, which is great because he was working really hard to get it. 

- EATING TONS. Y'all, we ate a whole bunch on this trip. Most of it was good. Most of it was terrible for me. Most of it I don't regret. Our menu included pizza, fried chicken, diner food, hotel breakfast, mussels, pasta, nachos, burgers, shaved ice, Italian ice, and lots of French fries. My favorite meal was actually all the ballpark peanuts I ate. There's something so good about eating peanuts while watching live baseball. 

There were other great things too. I went for a run along the Atlantic Ocean, played Top Golf, and was able to connect with my brother, brother in law, and Dad. I'm very much looking forward to our next trip when my dad turns 80. =0).

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam