I am a happy man with my Internet ministry relaunched on May 31st, this time with a new face in Chinese and an English version link, which is fitting since I have relocated to Asia. Come to think of it, I have not sent a message out, Chinese or English, for more than nine months I have been in Hong Kong. It's been so long I had even forgotten the password to one of my group lists. The group list's breif malfunction did nothing to dampen my joy.
The kick-off sermon is none other than Job, which is one of my favorites. The feedback is gratifying. A good pastor friend alerted me: "Your sermon got recommended by one of our brothers to the fellowship group -- last Saturday, they discussed the topic of suffering and then Philip saw your sermon... which probably touched him much and so he recommended that to others. This is really something!" Mike
Other heartfelt responses include:
"Thank you Prof. Yap, You are sooooo great! I hope I can learn more from you. How's going out there? May God use you to bring an abundant blessings to all the students you teach there ." Maria
"Dear Pastor Yap, I like your sermon. The truth comforts my heart. Blessings." Zoe
"謝謝葉牧師，信息給我很好的Rhema 與鼓勵，在我目前服事的困難中。您好嗎？忙不忙呢？願神祝福您！謝謝您想到我們。" Alice
"Dear Rev. Yap, Thank you for your message. Thank you for being consistent in preaching His word and preparing good messages. You have set us a great model and you have really inspired me. I am thankful to the Lord that I had a chance to be one of your students. Thank you and may God bless you." Boon Har
"Hi Rev. Yap,Thank you very much to email this to me in Chinese, thanks again for your faithfullness to help us!" Ellen
The kick-off sermon is none other than Job, which is one of my favorites. The feedback is gratifying. A good pastor friend alerted me: "Your sermon got recommended by one of our brothers to the fellowship group -- last Saturday, they discussed the topic of suffering and then Philip saw your sermon... which probably touched him much and so he recommended that to others. This is really something!" Mike
Other heartfelt responses include:
"Thank you Prof. Yap, You are sooooo great! I hope I can learn more from you. How's going out there? May God use you to bring an abundant blessings to all the students you teach there ." Maria
"Dear Pastor Yap, I like your sermon. The truth comforts my heart. Blessings." Zoe
"謝謝葉牧師，信息給我很好的Rhema 與鼓勵，在我目前服事的困難中。您好嗎？忙不忙呢？願神祝福您！謝謝您想到我們。" Alice
"Dear Rev. Yap, Thank you for your message. Thank you for being consistent in preaching His word and preparing good messages. You have set us a great model and you have really inspired me. I am thankful to the Lord that I had a chance to be one of your students. Thank you and may God bless you." Boon Har
"Hi Rev. Yap,Thank you very much to email this to me in Chinese, thanks again for your faithfullness to help us!" Ellen
"葉牧師：多謝你愛心的預備，使我們在網上得很多聖經資料，在聖經上更深認識。但願神加能力給你，在事奉上得勝有餘。阿們。" Ann
Any bit of cheerleading helps. Internet writing is worth something and worth doing. The only snag is Yahoo Groups cannot display the Chinese font, so I have to send mail to 1,400 recipients manually 15 times over two days because Yahoo has limits on daily mail!
The weather is strange lately, but who am I to say so in my first year here? Last week it was so hot that staff persuaded me to use an umbrella, which I am sure I can never live it down. Today (June 8th) it is raining but the humidity has not changed much. I am looking forward to my bimonthly haircut at the end of the month.
The next day I was caught in the rain in Yuen Long without an umbrella, which I refused to carry indefinitely. I stopped in the omnipresent 7/11 store but the price did not change from the HK$44 umbrella I last bought there two months ago. Crossing the street I found a road store that sold one for HK$20. I had no choice since I have a long way to travel to my appointment in Mongkok. Within two months, I had bought two umbrellas, but the rainy season has just started. It is so stuffy, humid and hot in HK that the air doesn't go anywhere even when it is raining nowadays.
This quarter's layman night class at Tsim Sha Tsui ended today. It is the most satisfying night class yet because I found the lay students most eager to learn - far more hungry than day students. Believe me, they did the as much coursework in their 2-unit course as seminary students did with me in a 3-unit course of the same name last quarter. They took turns to take pictures with me, which seminary students had never done. One student - Charles - did not require the class for graduation but audited it upon the recommendation of a fellow student. He even brought a durian for the last class. I think I am most effective with working professionals and older students.
The hot and humid weather is taking a toll on most Hongkongers. I was sweating shortly before bedtime. When I told a colleague I finally gave up and initiated turning the air conditioning on to sleep yesterday (19th) - for the first time, she replied, "Wow, you have strong endurance. We already turned it on days ago." Wife gave up and cut her hair in response but I will hold on for another week, to stick to my bimonthly haircut at the end of the month. Last night we open the windows and turned the fan on and we survived another night without turning it on. Wife's sister admitted she turned the a/c on finally last night (20th).
Finally graduation was over yesterday (20th). The ceremony was a huge success and the speaker Rev. Morley Lee of CCCOWE gave an inspiring address. This year's graduates were quite a handful. Many of them are in their 40s and are parents themselves, so they come with experience, ideas and opinion. The conservative and traditional spirit at school was quite a learning curve for them. Nevertheless I am quite proud of them. I have no choice since this is my first graduating class. My only regret is having them for one year only. I could have done more with more time, but at least I have done my part. Hope they will return for the master's degree.
Any bit of cheerleading helps. Internet writing is worth something and worth doing. The only snag is Yahoo Groups cannot display the Chinese font, so I have to send mail to 1,400 recipients manually 15 times over two days because Yahoo has limits on daily mail!
The weather is strange lately, but who am I to say so in my first year here? Last week it was so hot that staff persuaded me to use an umbrella, which I am sure I can never live it down. Today (June 8th) it is raining but the humidity has not changed much. I am looking forward to my bimonthly haircut at the end of the month.
The next day I was caught in the rain in Yuen Long without an umbrella, which I refused to carry indefinitely. I stopped in the omnipresent 7/11 store but the price did not change from the HK$44 umbrella I last bought there two months ago. Crossing the street I found a road store that sold one for HK$20. I had no choice since I have a long way to travel to my appointment in Mongkok. Within two months, I had bought two umbrellas, but the rainy season has just started. It is so stuffy, humid and hot in HK that the air doesn't go anywhere even when it is raining nowadays.
This quarter's layman night class at Tsim Sha Tsui ended today. It is the most satisfying night class yet because I found the lay students most eager to learn - far more hungry than day students. Believe me, they did the as much coursework in their 2-unit course as seminary students did with me in a 3-unit course of the same name last quarter. They took turns to take pictures with me, which seminary students had never done. One student - Charles - did not require the class for graduation but audited it upon the recommendation of a fellow student. He even brought a durian for the last class. I think I am most effective with working professionals and older students.
The hot and humid weather is taking a toll on most Hongkongers. I was sweating shortly before bedtime. When I told a colleague I finally gave up and initiated turning the air conditioning on to sleep yesterday (19th) - for the first time, she replied, "Wow, you have strong endurance. We already turned it on days ago." Wife gave up and cut her hair in response but I will hold on for another week, to stick to my bimonthly haircut at the end of the month. Last night we open the windows and turned the fan on and we survived another night without turning it on. Wife's sister admitted she turned the a/c on finally last night (20th).
Finally graduation was over yesterday (20th). The ceremony was a huge success and the speaker Rev. Morley Lee of CCCOWE gave an inspiring address. This year's graduates were quite a handful. Many of them are in their 40s and are parents themselves, so they come with experience, ideas and opinion. The conservative and traditional spirit at school was quite a learning curve for them. Nevertheless I am quite proud of them. I have no choice since this is my first graduating class. My only regret is having them for one year only. I could have done more with more time, but at least I have done my part. Hope they will return for the master's degree.
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