(Part 1) Monday 23 Nov 09 = Perfect timing, TYPICAL!!!

Just several hours ago I was hammered on the head (don´t worry, toy hammer) and covered in paper confetti. Above all my heart was filled with joy by the story of a blind man & his guide dog Leon that has learnt the command 'Starbucks'. Yes, Leon would take his master to Starbucks at a command - wherever they are in the world ...

And that´s where we met this afternoon - at Starbucks in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. The group of us arrived after a long drive from the Swiss Alps, where we had a picnic lunch of with Swiss mayo, mustard, guerrière cheese, Brie cheese, & prosciutto on baguette ... surrounded by glorious grandeur of snow capped mountains and clanging cow bells in the valleys beneath. After lunch we tried to hop on the chair lifts, but the lady who was manning the info desk said they weren't taking anyone up the mountain unless they were staying on the mountain. That wasn't part of our plan.

So our host went to the map and spontaneously decided to show us Bern. It was going to be a long drive to Bern so he was hoping he wouldn´t waste our time. Little did he/we know, the Lord had pleasant surprises lined up for us. Our objective was to grab a cuppa.

The first thing I noticed as we walked onto the main streets of Bern were the beige coloured buildings ... they were the same but didn´t look boring (like some parts of London looked). The design had an old world charm and carried an understated grandeur. There groups of teenagers walking about ... and a LOT of confetti scattered around the streets ... The number of people grew exponentially as we walked further into the streets. They were carrying bags of confetti ... and an increasing number of people THROWING the confetti at other people, including cute cuddly children. ´What planet have we just landed on??` Lo and behold, I would soon learn that we walked in on an Onion Festival!!!

'Por quoi? Vat iz diz?', you might ask. It is a festival that first started in the 1800s ... The village of Bern caught on fire, and they couldn't stop it. A neighbouring village (that starts with the letter F ... Okay, I don't recall this German village name, but I know it's about 20 minutes out of Bern by train today) came to the rescue. They carried men power and enough water to save the day. In return, Bern started an annual festival selling onions, a product of that neighbouring village. This tradition lasts till this day ... Hearing it blesses my heart.

Now I´m going to share the next bit in a bit of detail ... because detail´s important. Initially we walked into a cafe but realised it was going to take too long. So we walked out and continued on to its left. I saw a bunch of stalls / markets and thought, are they holding Christmas Markets like one of my colleagues from work said they might in Switzerland? Then we decided to find a Starbucks, and turned back from the way we came, and then turned off another direction. In the process, I got hammered by a kiddy on the head with a blow up hammer, and had some confetti thrown at me. I would liken myself to a giggling teenage girl. It was loads of fun.

Then we found Starbucks. I was the last team member to enter into the store. I noticed a blind man entering right behind me with a white stick and a black lab. My spirit was drawn to the man. I wanted to reach out to him and minister to him ... But I kept that to myself and our drinks came ...

I waited for our drinks to come while everyone else but our host took a bathroom break. Those that came out first headed upstairs to find seats ... I kept my eyes on the blind man and saw him pick up his drink after us. I hoped in my heart that he wouldn't disapper into the festivities outside, and began to walk upstairs. To my delight, he also started upstairs with his puppy and drink. Our gang sat on the balcony seats outside. He remained indoors. I told our leader that I wanted to minister to the blind man, but was afraid and didn't know how. He replied, ´Just go talk to him´. That simple.

I stalled for time. First, my bathroom break. I headed downstairs to the basement and had a lovely conversation with a local who explained the Onion Festival to me. I liked her and went and grabbed a ´LOVE from Australia´ bookmark for her. Then I returned upstairs ...

He was sitting in the middle of the room on an ottoman with his puppy lying on the floor. There were a group of three others young adults sitting on the other side of the coffee table. I thought they might be his friends, but I noticed that he was enjoying his drink whilst listening to his mp3 player. He wasn´t part of their world. His puppy was lying on the floor beside him. I stood at the doorway to the balcony looking in at the man. After a few moments of hesitation, I found myself walking across the room. I noticed a chair next to him and his pup and decided to sit down and go with the flow. As soon as I sat down his pup noticed & greeted me, and I naturally started patting him. He began to tell his pup to stop, when I told him that I was patting him and that it was okay.

I noticed that he had a gentle spirit about him and a contented, friendly, and pleasant manner. I asked him where he's from. He had really good English so we just chatted away. His name was Renée and his pup was Leon. Shortly into the conversation Renée asked me was where I was from and what I was doing in Bern. I explained that I was a missionary who had just witnessed with a team of six in France to street beggars and Muslims, and that the team leader had a friend who lived in Switzerland who was showing us around. (I also knew that the Lord told our leader that He had something for us to do here.) Renee immediately said, `You´re a YWAMer´ ... That opened our conversation right up.

Renee shared with me that he did his DTS in Mexico several years ago, and that he heard that the YWAM base in Newcastle, Australia ran a coffee shop from a friend in Newcastle and have been wanting to serve there as a baristar ...

But it´s almost 1am and I must go to sleep for now. Part 2 will come. Bon nuit :)

Step back to Monday night 16 Nov & Tuesday morning

I detest skipping my blogs. There're stories to tell everyday. But after a long day, the last thing I have energy for is to link up random pieces of information in eligible sentences!

So here you have it, a big catch up!

It all started on Monday night, when we were still waiting to hear from the Lord for directions for the followingday. I had a chat with USA missionaries (through common friends) and were inclined to join them for an outreach on Wednesday. We asked the Lord for confirmation. I got out a map and handed it to our leader. He asked the Lord for directions. The Lord said 'the yellow line'. I told him the metro stop where the missionaries would be doing outreach - it was also on the yellow line! We circled that stop. And to our delight, we found The Mosque of Paris and the Latin Quarter in the same area!!! The Lord showed our leader that the reason He's taking us there is because a lot of things take place in that area. Strategic!! Wohooo!!! I find it encouraging that that's the same area that the USA missionaries are focusing on.

Exiting the Metro, we arrived at the Museum of Natural History, parading Darwinism and theories on evolution ... On the lighter / brighter side of things, here was a massive garden parallel to a tree-lined path, a zoo featuring orangutan, a greenhouse, and people walking & jogging around leisurely.

Then we arrived at the Mosque of Paris. I had lies in my head telling me that we were being watched by evil spirits. I confessed it and gave it to the Lord. But I was more curious about what goes on inside than the outside. There's a restaurant within the complex, and we decided to go in for morning tea. Wohoo!!! We ordered coffee, chai (Arabic), and turkish delights. We got friendly with the staff working there. We gave several of the staff members a book mark each, watched their faces beam with nods & smiles of appreciation. In exchange (unexpected, of course) one of them gave us some take-home desserts! What a hoot! If you haven't ever experienced Arabic hospitality, now is the time!

On Sunday night 8 Nov ...

It's been more than a week since I've been able to blog! Some interesting retrospections ... that night in Cardiff,  Darryl let me rests in the car while he went for a walk about scout, I opened my eyes to a suspicious looking man hovering around the car. (It was dark & Darryl's GPS was still stuck to the windscreen.) I sat up a little and made my presence a little more pronounced. What was he thinking? I've got a car alarm! He wouldn't want to draw attention to himself, especially with someone in the car ... would he?

The man walked off as if nothing'd happened. At the same time, Darryl found the b&b he was scouting for derelict. He was planning to continue scouting when the Lord told him that this wasn't what He has in mind for us, and told him to turn back.

I closed my eyes again, confident that the Lord is watching over us. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Darryl returning to the car, AND again the suspicious looking man, who returned from the opposite direction and was hovering around the car again! But with Daryll's return, he walked off for good.

The Lord is GOOD and faithful. His faithfulness is beyond measure ... Those who listen to Him are blessed ...

Darryl & I found a hotel instead and went to McDonalds for dinner. So eventful, isn't it!

Sun 8 Nov - Hullo Wales!

I wrote this on Sunday arvie, but couldn't post it - and didn't want you to miss a thang!

It was a typical Sunday morning in cloudy London. Daryll & I arrived at Heathrow at 3.30pm UK time. My body was feeling the 2.30am exhaustion of AU time. Reminiscing our stop over in Seoul at Hyatt Regency the night before. I haven't felt this spoilt in a while ... Imagine me beaming over a Hyatt buffet dinner & breakfast!! We stopped over at a B&B on our first night in London. My room was just next to the reception ... they do maximise their space.

We picked up our Great Britain Heritage Pass just after 10am. It was just around the corner from where The Phantom & Breakfast at Tiffany's are being shown. *THEATRE!!!!!!* And oh, the gorgeous architecture of London! Daryll drove us to see the spectacular Stonehenge, then I drove us to Bath. I fell in love with the undulating plains (Daryll's words - I likIE) on the way! We're making our way to Cardiff now to find our accomodation for the night. I'm reflecting on the Pagan worship that's continued throughout the ages ... May the world come to know the ONE TRUE GOD, the one that saves.

This is Irene Kao, reporting on the passenger seat of our silver VW Setta, cruising on the M4.

Sat 7 Nov - Heathrow Airport

I wrote this on Sat arvie but couldn't post it ... Don't want you to miss a thang ;)

Finally in Europe! Waiting in the queue at Immigrations with Daryll, my travel buddy :) They're 'currently experiencing a high no. of inbound passengers' ... Enough said! Quite content in the wait though ... (I'm in Europe!!!!!!!!) Spent last night in Seoul. Korea Air put us up at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, one of those hotels that hang a bath robe at the back of the bathroom door and have a sauna & a 30 metre swimming pool. We also had complementary buffet dinner & breakfast, plus lunch at the airport prior departure. I haven't eaten this much food in ages!!! Plus it was a combo of Western & Asian food ... *Hmmm ... green tea ice-cream* ... Both Daryll & I were asking, 'Are we in heaven??'

Happy times :)

Prologue: The Promise

It's been a dramatic journey. Perhaps that's the only way He could get my attention ... I'm a sucker for adventures ... Not ALL 'adventures'. I've endured a month-long Labyrinthitis and possibly a follicle burst. The latter incident brought me on an excursion to Mater Hospital's Emergency Department on an ambulance from work last Wednesday. It was the day after the Lord gave me spiritual breakthroughs through prayer ... AND right after I led singing in 'worship' ... (Mind you, getting the 'worship team' together to sing was also dramatic in itself ... We lost the instrumentalist, and leading colleagues in A Capella singing isn't everyone's cup of tea.) You know the enemy doesn't like the journey God's taking you on when 'stuff' like this happens.

I received an email from a friend today who felt prompted to intercede for me after a bout of abdominal pain. And, having read my facebook update about a trip to Europe also asked whether the trip is ministry related. I'm humbled, humbled, HUMBLED by His love, mercy & grace ... He's not asking me to do anything but to receive His love and to abide in Him ... He's nothing but a GOOD God. He's always used what Satan intended for evil for my good. I've been able to soak in His presence and enjoy beautiful fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ... He's started showing me what the enemy's doing with increasing clarity, and remain in His peace ... I'm still imperfect, strive too much; a work in progress. But in my imperfection He gets all the more glory for good works that He produces through me ...

In the next three weeks I'll be travelling in UK, France and Switzerland (en route South Korea). I take off from Sydney tomorrow morning. France & Switzerland is a 'missions trip' with a team of six. I'm seeing UK before the 'missions' component with one of the team members. I'm stoked. I'm going to have so much fun with Almighty God who calls me His own ...

Lovely friends have been praying for me and I've been receiving promises and claiming them in Jesus' Name! :)

Isaiah 40:31 (AMP)

31But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)

28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will [a]ease and relieve and [b]refresh [c]your souls.]

29Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest ([d]relief and ease and refreshment and [e]recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.(A)

30For My yoke is wholesome (useful, [f]good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

If you'd like led to pray for me and the team, please pray for:
· Divine protection over the missions team (of six) … Psalm 91
· The powerful the testimony of Jesus, in particular His love, to shine through us … Acts 1:8
· Souls to be saved … Isaiah 54:3
· My continuous recovery (health has been under attack) and for His grace & strength to make me strong. Isaiah 54:16-17, 2 Thess 3:3

Father, thank you that You're good, yesterday, today, and always. Reveal yourself to me and show me what you're doing. Thank you Holy Spirit for Comforting me in my weaknesses ... Thank you Jesus for laying down your life for your sheep so that I may live life to the full ...

So let the journey begin~