Month: November 2013
It is better as a married couple :)
It was our FIRST Thanksgiving as a married couple! I mean, we still did things that people typically do on Thanksgiving such as eat and spent time with family, but there’s just something special about doing it together as a married couple, especially your FIRST. It’s a feeling I can’t explain but it’s exciting! I know there’ll also be a FIRST CHRISTMAS, FIRST VALENTINE DAY, ETC. and I can’t wait to experience it all together with my husband (yes, it’s still weird to called him my husband, lol).
I believe that we should be thankful everyday and not just on Thanksgiving. Why do we need a “day” out of the entire year to remind us to be thankful for what we have? That’s something I remind myself of daily. God has blessed me with so much this year-my family and friends, good health, marriage to my amazing husband, working and serving the refuges in the “backyard ministry” and so much more! I am beyond blessed!
-Selina
Thanksgiving at the Backyard
Through Jesus, we have accomplished the Thanksgiving dinner for the backyard church community. We had quite some kids and parents from the apartment complex. Our church served with many great thanksgiving food. I made friend whose name is Mohammed from Iraq. He had just moved to the U.S. about 7 months ago as a refugee due to war. It was great talking to him, and hopefully I can invite him for Ultimate frisbee or other outings. I know he’s Muslim, and I respect that. I just hope I can build relationship with him.
Even though the event was not what the team and I envisioned, still it turned out great. I realized that, it’s not always our vision that we should settled for, because who knows, it’s probably God’s vision!!
I love the kids. We are building more and more relationship with them. One time they asked for a hug. I don’t know about you, but that was just joy to me. At the end, we played musical chair with the kids. I know they had a great time. It’s a game where they love playing.
May God be glorified through all of this. It is because of Jesus that we’re able to serve, give thanks, serve, and just love. May God continue to guide us through this backyard ministry.
Did you know, I kinda enjoy walking around the apartment complex, backyard of the church. It’s scary, but it’s exciting to know where all of them live.
Please pray that we’re able to host a mini event (operation Christmas) in December to provide gifts for these children and share the spirit of Christmas what it’s truly all about!
-Sobe
What a dream.
Last night I had a dream about Cambodia.
One of my Water of Life brothers from Cambodia named Michael asked me why I wasn’t going to Cambodia to serve. He said that I was comfortable in the United States and that I didn’t want to go. That broke my heart. In the dream I told him that I will have to wait on God’s timing. There’s a lot of stuff going on.
I woke up feeling sad.
Lately I haven’t had a burden of oversea. My heart seemed comfortable with having a house and a job and being settled. I really think God placed that dream to tell me to not forget my purpose. Lately I’ve been ignoring my purpose or it seems it’s fading away.
Pray for Selina and I to be strong to keep pursing God’s heart.
-Sobe
Joy
Aside Posted on Updated on
After Sunday services today, we went out to the apartment complex behind the church to pass out flyers for our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner (next Saturday) that we will be hosting for those in the backyard. As we walked around passing out flyers, two of the kids we tutored on Tuesday joined us and helped us pass out and translate the flyers to others. It bought me joy to just walk around with them and see their eagerness to help us out. Without them, things would be a lot harder. Thank you God for blessing us with such wonderful helpers!
-Selina
Training for Trainer
Ultimate frisbee was great. I was exhausted. My back started aching. I think I am reaching my limit here. I am getting old old. 🙂 I came home to my wife who made lunch me. It was stir fried beef with green pepper, potatoes, onions, and rice. :). It’s that feeling of being married. Then I washed the dishes for her :), but hey I did cook her breakfast. 😛 Later we went to T4T (training for trainer) with Mr Ed Conrad from Desiring God ministry to learn more about discipleship, because we want to build relationship with the backyard community and also share the good news per our commission. I hope this will also help us into long term mission oversea. Please pray for us as God is pressing our hearts for overseas or wherever … as we are picking our crosses daily. -Sobe
Tuesday Tutoring
Our first sight of snow today. Every Tuesday we tutor kids from the backyard and help them with homework. We showed up as usual to tutor but no one was there. We figured it was because of day light saving (we lost an hour of daylight) and because of the snow and cold weather. Nevertheless, we had 3 families showed up and we were able to focus more attention on them individually vs. big groups. It’s a joy to see these families show up regardless of the weather condition outside.
We are preparing to host our first Thanksgiving dinner for those in the backyard in less than 2 weeks. Feel so unprepared right now because there is so much more to do. Planning on feeding about 65 people but there is limited funds and hands. Praying that we will get everything ready in time and that we’ll be able to host a Thanksgiving meal for those in the backyard. Many of these are refugees so this will probably be their first real Thanksgiving meal. Lord, help us to serve them and love on them like you love us.
-Selina
This is where it starts
Reason for this blog:
We want to share stories of us serving each other and in the community where God has placed us. As you know our hearts yearn for long-term oversea mission.
We are very delighted to be married. Let’s just say it was tough throughout the years. But with prayer and patience, God opened the door. We had a great wedding in the Lord. Our purpose for the wedding was to glorify God. We’ve made every effort to put God in the center of the wedding. All I can think about is Jesus coming for His bride.
June 12, 2010 – Selina and Sobe confirm relationship
Summer of 2011 – First mission trip together: Cambodia
Summer of 2012 – Second mission trip together: Nicaragua
December 29, 2012 – Engagement
March 28, 2012 – God provided new car
July 24, 2013 – God’s gift to us, closed on a house together
October 5, 2013 – Wedding
October 26, 2013 – Fall festival with Burmese (backyard church ministry)
November 11: The start of our ministry blog
We want to let you guys know our hearts. Even though we passionately yearn to go oversea to serve God, we believe God has not given us a confirmation to go. Our ministry that God has brought to our attention is the backyard ministry of St. John UMC. We believe there are a lot of refugees behind the church. This is our opportunity to show the love of Jesus Christ. Next event is hosting a thanksgiving dinner for Burmese refugees. We want to serve them. Please pray for us and the team.
Thank you and God bless.
Sobelina 