a good quote

"To come to the pleasure you have not you must go by a way in which you enjoy not."
~St. John of the Cross

familiar surroundings

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven"
~Ecclesiastes 3:1

I'm back in Ellel Pierrepont. Not as a student, however, but as a member of the team and staff here. I really didn't plan on this. In fact, some of my fellow NETS classmates can testify that if you had asked me two months ago if I would join team I would have completely dismissed the possibility. Yet, God had other plans and slowly changed my heart over the matter. I do believe, therefore, that this is the next step and a new season in my life.

I don't know how long I'll be serving here. It would be at least through January 2006. In the meanwhile, I'll continue to pray and discern where He wants me to be. For now, two days a week, I work in the multimedia department and for the other three, I work in systems.

One of the big confirmations for me coming back here was that my passport and visa application went through without a problem. I made an appointment several weeks ago to get my passport renewed and for some weird reason I thought that I could apply for a UK visa at the passport agency simultaneously. What the heck was I thinking? It only occurred to me the very day I was getting my passport renewed that I needed go through the British embassy. Unfortunately, the next available walk-in appointment was in October. Through mail, it takes at least five working days to get a visa. And my flight to back to England was the following Monday! Thankfully, God really came through in all this because I was still able to get my passport and visa in one day. When I got back here, people were surprised at how easy it was for me because there were others who were trying to get visas (some from the US) and were outright refused. So, I am really grateful that it all went so smoothly for me.

Still, being back here as a staff member is very strange and I am still adjusting. I have to get used to a whole new routine. For example, as a student, my day didn't start until 9:30. Now, as a team member, we have prayer or praise at 8:30 Monday through Friday. I no longer live in student housing, but with the rest of the team. We also have fewer and short breaks throughout the day. Here are some pics:

my new room (very orange)

my office space in the systems department

I'll update again when I have the chance. Have a good week!

The fat lady singeth

It's finally over. On Saturday September 17th, 45 of my classmates and I graduated from NETS. We all gave testimonies on what God has done during the last six months, given certificates of completion, and commissioned into whatever the next step God has planned for us.

receiving our certificate of completion

NETS concert

As I mentioned in my last entry, every NETS class must give a concert at the end of the term. Ours was an overwhelming success. Many of the team and staff at Pierrepont raved about it and some even claimed it was the best they had seen. Although it was very stressful at times, it was a fun experience and really brought some of us closer together. I am so blessed to have been a part of the production.

Darth Vader on a healing retreat (yes, that's me)

such talented dancers

Healing Retreat/Church visit

During the weekends of the 2nd and the 9th, half our NETS class took turns counseling at a healing retreat or going on a church visit. My group served at the healing retreat from the 2nd-4th and visited a church in Manchester from the 9th-11th. I was especially blessed by the family that hosted me during the church visit. Anyways, both experiences were incredible and God taught me so much through them.

unmerciful servant skit

teaching on generational blessings/curses

me and my host family... they were soooo awesome

I'll have a more detailed update next time... later!

Time is fun when you are having flies

flowers by the stream

Sorry for the delay in updating, but it's been a very action packed and trying month here at Pierrepont. Here are some updates on what has been going on. It's a long one, so get some caffeine into your system.

Serving

I've had the privilege to not only serve in the worship team this term, but I had to chance to lead a couple of times. It's been such a blessing being able to work with some extremely talented people here.

Classes

In the last month, we had classes on:

• Freedom from Fear
• Stress, Anxiety, Burnout & Failure
• Healing & Deliverance Workshop
• Freedom from New Age & Occult
• Heaping the Terminally Ill
• False Religions
• Living in the Kingdom
• Ministering into Disassociation
• Victims of Accident & Trauma
• Loss, Grief & Depression
• Pitfalls to Avoid in Ministry

Birthday

It was the first time that my birthday was celebrated away from home. Although we didn't have class that day, I got up early for breakfast and there were classmates who actually knew it was my birthday. Not many people were there, but they sang the b-day song two times: once in English and another in Chinese (a Taiwanese classmate made them sing it again in Mandarin). Throughout the day, people wished me a happy birthday, which was very nice. During lunch, they started singing happy birthday again.
In the afternoon, I went to town with some friends to watch a movie. I ended up treating them, which took them all by surprise. After the movie (around 6pm), I got a text message from a classmate telling me to go to the dining hall. We tried to hurry back, but we had to stop to get gas so we didn't arrive at back until 6:45pm. When I walked into the dining hall, almost everyone was gone and people were cleaning up. Over one of the tables was some balloons and ribbons. Two members of the young peoples team put up the decorations thinking I would be there for dinner. I felt so bad that we got back late. I also got a couple of cards. Afterwards, some of us went to the lounge to watch a movie.
So overall, it was one of my better birthdays. I also received some emails and e-cards from other people from home too. The next day, during one of the coffee breaks in between class, the school had two cakes ready for me (they do for every student) and once again... "happy b-day to you.."

NETS concert

At the end of the term, every NETS class must give a concert. The concert is essentially just the students putting together some skits and musical numbers. Having served in several areas of drama ministry in my life, I initially wanted to take a back seat and not play an active role. Being a perfectionist at times, I knew I could be very controlling if I was too involved. Well, through unforeseen circumstances, I wound up on the committee organizing the concert and have been helping with writing, acting, and shooting video. Although, it's been fun working with my classmates, it's also been difficult getting everyone together as well as motivating and having them sacrifice their free time (me included). It is very also tough finding time to work on the concert in between classes. We will all be busy for the next couple of weekends as well and there are only two weeks left before the end of the term.

Euro-trek

Spent 10 days traveling around Eastern Europe during my break. Here are some pictures I took. You can look at more of them by clicking here.

Old Town Square (Prague, Czech Republic)

Stained glass window of the Cathedral inside Prague Castle

Sunset at the Danube River (Budapest, Hungary)

Parliament along the Danube River

Statue of Mozart (Vienna, Austria)

See you again in a little while. God bless you all...

here and back again

stream running through Pierrepont ground

Sorry for the delay in updating. It's been a combination of busyness, laziness, and being a bit overwhelmed with all that's been happening. We were told by the staff that term two of NETS is supposed to be more intensive and with fewer days off. True to their word, it has been much busier and "packed" than last term.

Classes, as usual, have been good and enlightening. In the three weeks since coming back here to Pierrepont, we have already be instructed in:

• Addictions and Eating Disorders
• Godly Sex and Sexuality
• Deeper Level Deliverance
• Anger
• Physical Healing
• Healing the Human Spirit
• Ministering into Marriage/Family/Children
• Singleness

Other news

As some of you know, I'm now serving on the worship team here. During term two, we are encouraged to "step up," so I've been helping out with SongPro (much better than PowerPoint), singing, and playing guitar/bass. It's been a while since I've served in worship, so it's been great to be a part of a team again.

My fellow NETS students and I have begun "practicing" all the stuff we've learned in class. Half of my classmates and I were co-counselors during a healing retreat last weekend (7/22-7/24). Overall, it went very well. God did some amazing things in one of my counselees. I was really blessed by the experience and look forward to the next time I can co-counsel (which would be in early Sept.).

For all of you who have been praying for my sleep, I want to let you know that it's been getting better. On the advice of a staff member, I anointed my door, window, and the wall over my bed with oil. Once in a while, I also bind down any spirit that would interrupt my sleep before I hit the sack.

That's it for now. Here is a sneak preview of the next blog:

me at a section of the Berlin Wall

Bits and pieces

spider web on my door

Term one of NETS officially ended on Thursday (6/16). The ten weeks just seemed to fly by. We now have a three week break. I will be spending the first two weeks touring Eastern Europe. Here is my itinerary:

Teaching

As usual, we had lots of teaching good over the last month. Some of the topics were:
Standing on God's promises
Introduction to evangelism
The Father heart of God
Domination, manipulation & ungodly control
Acceptance and Belonging
Bitter Root Judgments
Understanding deception & discernment

The way to a man's heart...

In order to give the workers at Pierrepont a break, everyone gets "packed teas" (bagged dinners) Sunday nights. It's usually a sandwich, boxed juice, and fruit. Not that filling or tasty. Therefore, the Asian people here (staff and students) usually cook Sunday nights. I've had the wonderful privilege of sharing meals with them.

The term three NETS students left for Thailand earlier this week for a short term missions trip. By the time, term two begins, their term would be over and most of them would have gone home. So, all the Asian people got together for a BBQ before they left for Thailand. I will miss some of the term three students (and my stomach will miss them too).

Some of the NETS students will not come back for term two. The one I will miss the most is Yutai, who has been like a spiritual auntie to me:

So after two months, what's it like to live in England?

The language
I think we speak the same language. English, right? I think I have so gotten used to hearing British accents now that hearing American ones sometimes sound strange. There are certain nuances, however, that took some getting used to. What Americans call pants, they call trousers here. In England, pants are underwear. Restrooms are referred to as the loo. Instead of saying lines (such as waiting behind a cash registrar or in car traffic), they say queue. So if you spilled a drink on your trousers and it's a busy restaurant, you might have to wait on the queue in order to go to the loo. What rubbish...

Expensive
Because one British pound is about two dollars, you can imagine how expensive it is to buy stuff here. Ordinary things seem twice as costly here. For example, if you were to go to Mickey D's and buy a "value" meal, it would cost about 5 GBP (or $10). If a Brit went to the US, it would be like 50% sale for him/her. Gasoline (or petrol) is mad expensive here. To fill a tank, it costs about 30 GBP. That's $60!!! And most of the cars here are tiny.

Driving
Speaking of cars, I finally drove one last week. It was the first time in two months I had driven a car (a record for me). It was very strange driving on the left side of the road in the right side of the car (and changing gears with my left hand)! When I first came to England and I sat shotgun in a car, I would freak out whenever the driver made a right turn because I looked like we were turning into the left lane.

Final thoughts

God is so good. I've learned so much, experienced much healing, and made many good friends. This blog cannot do justice to what I've experienced here. It was more that I could have asked for (Eph. 3:20). And you know what, I have another 10 weeks to go when term two begins (July 11).

NETS 16 2005 (representing 18 nations) and some staff

Well, that's it my friends. I will be updating this blog once again sometime during the second week of July, when term two begins. Cheers!

Several thousand words

Free day at Pierrepont

Whew… Saturday was a long day. Ellel Pierrepont had one of its "free days" where we offer free teaching as well as prayer and healing ministry to the general public. The attendees received teaching on forgiveness, generational iniquity, Godly sex and sexuality, and inner healing. Over 400 people registered and attended. I helped out with registration in the morning. In the afternoon, many of my fellow NETS students and I were paired up with seasoned counselors and we prayed and provided healing and deliverance ministry to the attendees. It was a blessed day where a lot of people were healed and set free.

Getting out...

As I promised, here are some pictures of my trip to London, Seven Sisters County Park, and Bodiam Castle (both in Sussex).

London

David, Yutai, Yan, and Mei

Big Ben	behind Parliament
Trafalgar Square	striking a pose
lunch at Chinatown	bubble tea in England: BAD

view of Buckingham Palace from St. James Park

Seven Sisters County Park

chalk cliffs

on top of the cliffs

view of the English Channel from cliffs

Bodiam Castle

not all fun and games

There are about 70 plus staff who work at Pierrepont. Yet they need help from students from time to time. So to balance out all the fun pictures in this post, check these out:

Almost every NETS student is on a "wash-up rota." Mine is on Sunday after lunch. Normally it's not so bad (about 150 people who eat in the cafeteria). If there is a weekend course, however, there are a lot more dishes to clean.

Well, the first term of NETS ends this Thursday. I will post a "wrap-up" blog sometime this weekend.