Home

It's been two weeks since I was back in Minnesota. In just under three years' time, it became home. It became the answer to the most common of questions in Hong Kong, "where are you from?" It's asked so often because no one considers Hong Kong home. Hong Kong is merely just another stop on the road to something better, at least that's the perception given.

That's gotten me thinking about my 6 days spent back "home" in Minnesota. Why would I call that place home? Especially now when so much is changing. Sparky's is now Backroads. My church is going through some of the traumas that can be attributed to new leadership and growth together. Someone else lives in the house we brought our first-born home to. Friendships have changed. Relationships now have a different dynamic. And I can honestly say that I think I am more popular now that I am gone than I ever was while there. Life is very different.

The other side of the coin is this. God has very clearly led us to serve in Hong Kong. My family is now here (honestly, they'll be back on Friday). We are building relationships that hope will be lasting while keenly aware of the nature of Hong Kong. People leave faster than anywhere else in the world. Life is dynamic, just like relationships. Change is the stabilizing factor here. And I have a peace in that.

My time in Minnesota was overwhelming. There were lots of great conversations, and some truly hard things to examine together. In all that, I learned that people are resilient. I felt the tension that I had heard about. I felt the changes in perception of life since we had been gone. Yet I sensed beyond a doubt what makes Minnesota the place we've called home. That little town of Nowthen is full of people that truly want to walk through their journey with God together with others. And they are excited to invite others to join the journey. It's a community. It's going through some growing pains right now, but they are growing and learning together.

Hong Kong is much the same. It is most definitely our home now. I don't want to fall into the trap of always considering somewhere else my home. We're here, and the old saying says home is where you hang your hat. We love the people here. We are learning much from them and have much to learn from them. And most of all, we see a community that is eagerly wanting to grow together in their journey. What an exciting time to be home in Hong Kong.

I think I'm saying all this more for my own good than anything. I'm trying desperately to flesh out feelings of fear and self-sufficiency and reimgaine what ministry could look like in a place I don't really understand. I want to understand how to make Hong Kong home. I want to understand what could allow people to feel safe enough to lay down roots. I want to understand how to serve this culture, these wonderful people, in love. I want to understand how live and teach the way of Christ (thanks Rob Bell). I want to understand.