Wednesday, June 15, 2011

america del sur

a few years back, i was interested in taking a few years off.  i wanted to find a vineyard some where in france to work as a vineyardist.  actually, they're called "viticulturists" (but i like vineyardist gooder.)  to show my seriousness in this endeavor, i even took a french class.  don't mess with me, i was serious!  can you imagine this guy in a vineyard?!  


the desire is still there, but the motivation fizzled away.  you think i lacked purpose and direction for my life? 

i then turned 29, went on a trip to japan and taiwan.  after which i decided to take one year off to see if God wanted me in full-time ministry.  i was then asking the Lord for a destination in south america to spend 9 - 10 months as a short-term missionary.  i contacted south america missions, met up with a missionary, and was in the process of filling out their application... but there was just no clear leading.  it was then time to head off to the ranch.  i figured these applications can be filled out in the summer while i sought after God's direction in His creation.  




being a slacker with little self control, those applications never saw the light of day.  however, i cut myself some slack... there just wasn't clear leading i told myself.  plus, wouldn't you rather guide a raft down the klamath or lead a low ropes course?  or in your spare time go squirrel hunting? 

head shot.
my grandfather passed away in late august, and i really desired to spend more time with my grandmother in taiwan.  without specific plans set in stone, taiwan was where i headed next.  i was still interested in serving the Lord as much as i could, so i checked with mr. jason wu from omf, to tag along for any ministry opportunities.  i also invited two white boys from the ranch to play in asia for a month.  after trevor & tomoko's wedding in september, i found myself in asia (hk & tw) with willis and ej, in various ministry opportunities, various funny situations and terrible living conditions for them (i still feel horrible for letting them sleep on hardwood beds).  


young school girls wanting a piece of the white man.



scooter day in chiayi.

taiwan's an entire entry in itself.  the time in taiwan for 3 months, was unbelievable.  it solidified a few convictions in my heart.  it healed a lot of how i felt about taiwan.  it drew me closer to my father and his family.  what a blessed 3 months.  my dad says i will probably never have a time like that in my life again.  hehe.  he is most likely right, but Lord willing, i'd like to prove him wrong some day.  (hi daddy!)  :P

we arrived in hk in early october, with willis & ej, and i met up with an old acquaintance - ms. lau!  over lunch, she heard of my year off and asked if i'd be interested to work for her in lima, peru.  where?  south america.  interestante.  to do what?  to manage a start-up importing company for the petroleum industry in south america.  to do what???  does the company provide housing?  yep, you'll have an ocean view apartment.  ms. lau, you know i have no experience in this area.  yep, i know.  you know i speak nada spanish.  yep, that's okay.

got it. 

*gulp*

my mind:  Lord, what is going on?!  did i want another job?  what happened to serving you full time?  why does my heart find this interesting and why am i drawn to this?  utter confusion.  while sitting on the kowloon side, looking at hk island praying and asking the Lord for direction, conviction and clarity, God didn't send a fleece to speak to me.  :( 

after 2 months of prayer, i decided to accept her proposal, with a few terms.  i was still technically employed by northrop grumman, so i was to go as a volunteer.  second, i was given a trial period of 2-3 months.  if things just weren't a good fit for her or for me, i could return to northrop grumman in may, or pursue other endeavors.

upon returning to los angeles in january, i fell sick and never thought i'd get a proper visa in time.  that came through, even when i needed more pages in my passport, cause i was out.  i was able to get plenty of hyperthyroid medicine to last me till may.  (i was to return to the states in may, cause of jack & pri's wedding, which was beautiful!!!)  i was able to pack.  and my church gave me a wonderful farewell by sending me to the airport. 
jack & pri's wedding
i arrived in lima, peru on monday, january 11, 2011.  (there sure are lots of 1s in that sentence.)  anyways, i was picked up by a mr. santiago ramirez (i think i can guess by the name as to where i'm at now...) and driven to my apartment and then to my office.  i met ana & a-zen for the first time.  a-zen decided to leave the company after three days of my arrival.  i had the runs for the following 2 months, daily.  haha.  and ppl say i lost weight, they must be seeing things!

i turned 30 9 days after arriving in lima.  by march/april of 2011, it is was clear in my heart that i was to stay beyond may.  if the Lord allows, my plan is to work here for 2-3 years.  if i am helpful to ms. lau and united america petroleum (uap), i will stay longer.  if uap is still around after 2-3 yrs, that means the Lord has guided me and provided for me.  up to 6 or 7 years, depending on where the company is, i will strongly desire to go into full-time ministry.  Lord willing to some missions organization doing specifically mobilization like mr. jason wu, or participating in some extent with missions.  maybe just to rub it in, to go back to taiwan and spend months with my father while helping out various ministries.  it'll complete a full cycle.  i will then be 36 or 37 years old.  will i be married?  will i have children?  will i only be able to last in peru for 1 year and jet?  as much as i can plan my life, He is in charge of it.  but, most importantly, i will know this ... God and i will be tight.  He will have led me through peaks and valleys, joys and pains, triumphs and failures that i will never have experienced if i stayed in my cubicle at northrop grumman.  whether there are more failures than triumphs, or more joys than pains, He will be my God and i will choose to follow Him.

please keep me in your prayers... for steadfastness and protection.  to be strong and secure in Him.  that i may gird up my loins and fight for the Lord.  and when the going gets tough, He will be my comfort and i will be strengthened by Him.   please pray for me, in terms of missing my family and friends back home.  i miss you guys dearly!  :'(



i'm 30 now, i definitely picked up a grand new adventure here in america del sur. 

8 comments:

  1. this is the 3rd blog post where you mention being 30. sorry if i freaked you out the other day!!!
    30 is so much better than cornrows :)

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  2. hi kenny! you're in our thoughts. you've definitely had a very interesting experience! i wonder how alert lou is doing!! haha :) you know he took a year off too right?
    ^.^b

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  3. hey bro! that's cool how you have this all logged in here now. it was an enjoyable read. its cool to hear about the desire in your heart to serve the LORD! blessings dude!

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  4. kenny, this was amazing and so encouraging to read through. i'm inspired and uplifted by the ways in which you've set apart your life for His calling. i will be praying for you, brother! :)

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  5. Wow!!!God is leading your life in such a way that some times we can´t undertand. However, He es good and faithful, and his Love and plan for you never change. So keep going cause now you are where you have to be, He sent you here and He will use you and show you his perfect will. Blessings!

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  6. Wow, I just checked the pictures of you in Taiwan. I know a lot of the people you seen there and the places you went, I know a lot of, especially the hiking picture. Also, it seems you meant Jonas Lin, my very good Taiwanese friend. Did you meet a guy named Jonas?

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  7. Chris, yeah, i met Jonas. He hung out with the guys in Kaohsiung! And yeah, I'm sure I met a lot of folks that you know in Taiwan.

    How was your trip?

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  8. Good stuff man! Thanks for posting :D

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