Before things at Grace Baptist really got started this past Sunday, A-Fan shared with us that the doctors had given the OK for her to be baptized. Her back is almost completely healed and she no longer has to wear a bandage. Very good news. But then she asked us if we could postpone the baptism for one week to 9 July. The reason took us back a bit. It turns out that this coming weekend is the anniversary of her mother's death. The family will be going to the grave site on Sunday to worship. This activity is distinctly non-Christian in nature and intent. A-Fan assured us that while she is committed to Jesus and wants to be baptized, she also wants to worship at her mother's grave one last time.

By the time she had shared this a few other people had joined us. Her desire to participate in such a clear act of idolatry received a strong negative reaction from others in the room. What to do? How to help A-Fan honor her mother and yet move away from a spiritually crippling practice? What would you say to such a person at a time like that? Lay down the law? Say, "OK, but this has to be the last time."

Whether inspired or not I posed a new question to A-Fan. I asked her to consider this scenario: It's Friday afternoon and a man and woman are excited about their wedding ceremony schedule for the next day. They talk about the arrangements, the guests who have been invited and their new life together. Then the woman says to the man, "Honey, I was wondering if it would be OK for me to spend the night with an old boyfriend of mine? It will just be one night and I promise it will be the last time I spend the night with him. Is that OK with you?"

"What sort of reaction do you think that man will have? What reaction would you have? What sort of man would be 'OK' with such a thing?" I asked A-Fan. Straight away the point was clear. A-Fan decided that she would have to tell her family that she couldn't join them in worshipping at the mother's grave any more. We then spent some time sharing with her about how other people in Macau have taken a stand at this very same point in their families life. And we talked about how she could honor the memory of her mother in ways that put her mother in a proper perspective as she (A-Fan) gave her life to worshipping Jesus alone.

Afterwards I thought about how seldom it seems that this choice is so clear. I was challenged to examine my own life to see where I am being unfaithful - in small or big ways - to the exclusive relationship that comes with being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I hope you will pray for A-Fan and for her family as she takes this step of faith. May the example of her obedience to Jesus result in blessings untold for her family and others.

One of the first things that everyone notices when arriving in Macau these days is the the way the city is being transformed by the new construction. Casinos and hotels are going up everywhere. Many roads are unusable because of the need to install new sewer lines that can handle the new hotels. The promise of "Grand Openings" to come has people feeling as giddy as a child before Christmas. But it has also been our experience that reality rarely matches the hype.

A couple nights ago we were wandering through the ghost town of Macau's Fisherman's Wharf "Theme Park" when I was struck by this notice:

Delifrance is a upscale fast-food chain popular in Hong Kong

The signs of opening soon have been up for 4 or 5 months. I told the friends we were with that I would believe it the first day I bit down on a piece of baguette. The promise of "Opening Soon" has started to leave me flat. There are signs that many others in Macau are feeling the same way. As the economy helps the rich to get richer, the poor and even the middle class are being left behind. These are heady days indeed for Macau, but the jury is still out as to whether or not the reality can even come close to the hype.

This weekend we received word that our friend, supporter and advocate Dale Long passed on to Heaven after a years long battle with cancer. Dale is a life-long friend of Sarah's family. She related to him more as an uncle than friend. He had been a tireless advocate for us over the years. His influence runs through an untold number of lives. He was one of those guys who could "Get 'r done" when something needed doing. He was a man I greatly respected. He will be sorely missed by family and friends.

To read more about this servants life, you can visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/dalelong

While we mourn his passing as our loss, we are comforted by his great gain. For now he is cancer free, united with the Lord of all peace and grace for eternity. Please pray for his wife, 2 sons and their familes as they deal with the loss of their husband, father and friend.

On 6 June, 1996 4 weary travelers landed at the Macau International Airport. Nathanael, who was not yet 2 years old started crying while we stood in line at the Immigration counter. We were later teased about pinching him at just the right time so that the Immigration officers, always eager to move screaming kids along as fast as possible, would speed us along. The reality is that he was simply exhausted from the nearly 28 hours we had been in transit.

We hauled about 500 pounds of luggage off the conveyer belts and through customs. You might think 500 pounds is an exaggeration but it may have been more. We had 13 pieces of checked luggage, all packed to the maximum weight. Weary travelers.

As we exited the sliding glass doors we were met by a group of people we had never seen before - the Mission family. They were only the first of many, many people who would become family to us in Macau. We have been richly blessed and helped by scores of people in Macau and in the USA over the years. You can't travel this far without help.

Today we mark the 10th anniversary of our arrival. Here's an interesting thought. These past 10 years are the longest that I have ever lived in one place. And even here I have lived in 3 different apartments. After 10 years, I can honestly say that I couldn't have chosen any better place to live. I'm very grateful for the years we've had in Macau. I look forward to the years we still have in Macau.

Then

Now

I wanted to introduce you to some friends of ours. They have been living and working in Macau for about 2 years. They are moving back to the USA later this month. They have been a great encouragement to us and a blessing to the people of Macau. We will miss them tremendously. Recently they shared a perspective on Macau in a creative form that I think you will find interesting. If this catches your attention, you can find more of their work here:

http://www.xanga.com/ChinandBao

Here's their take on Macau