It is amusing to unearth what lies within the thoughts we have in our heads, while reading and taking a sip of hot tea, the thoughts of a surrendered heart, appeared out of nowhere and completely unrelated to what I was reading! I could choose to shake off the thoughts and define it as random, but I do enjoy chasing my random thoughts and realized it was beautiful enough for me to pen it down.

A surrendered heart is one that has decided to submit fully to a notion, person or a thing that is greater than itself. Possessing the full ability to trust willingly at all times and cost, without any doubts, in full confidence and security that whoever you are giving your heart to, is worth every bit of the “dying to self” moments, for more of the greater things and less of your own desires and ambitions.

A heart that is completely surrendered to a cause is utter foolishness or insanity to some, as they count their costs and wonder if being possessed by a mere thought or a idea is worth losing your “sanity”, as the battle begins in the mind, for one to decide how much to push or give themselves up towards an idea, or to stay within the certain boundaries of what is defined as safe and sane.

All things or actions done out of a surrendered heart, is deemed as brash, emotional and irrational to the logical and rationals. A laid down lover has no qualms in trusting or in pushing the logical boundaries that so bind our minds, because they are assured in the nature of the receiver of their love, regardless of the process or outcome, they know it will always be good.

Faith and obedience comes easy to a surrendered heart, for it is always trusting and rooted in love, there are barely any rooms for fears, doubts or negativities to grow. Steadfast, passionate and persevering is the nature of a surrendered heart, who does not sway at circumstances or in rough times, because it always trusts and obeys.

Perhaps it is the transformation of our hearts and minds, a realization of who we really are, after the initial rude shock of just how ugly one can be, that is masked within the worldly definitions of “greatness” or “helping one another”, to the realization of a need of finding someone out there who is affirming or loving enough to see past all these flaws of ours and to know that we are loved.

Does this Lover exist at all or possessing a surrendered heart a possibility or is it a mere fragment of my own vivid imagination - It is a choice we all make, to decide which world we intend to live in and from. Perhaps to some, I’m only a dreamer but I certainly do enjoy chasing down the roads of my random thoughts, to realize the way I was made, designed and to enjoy the way I am! How everyone was made unique and different, I came to a conclusion that once again left me in awe and splendor of this great and grand weaver, who is ever so visionary.

I think about this oncoming wave of laid down lovers, one can’t wait but to marvel, behold and get all excited about discovering what lies within each of us - every single one of us and it is exciting times indeed!

Whoops, I just checked the last update, and realized Iʼve been not updating since the New Year, so Iʼve been asked what is life is like up in the village or how does East Timor actually looks like.

Life in Liquicia is a little different from life back at Dili. (Top left: A house in the village and the mountains/hills in the background)
Market Day is once a week, unlike how it was in Dili, where it was way more convenient where I could get my vegetables on demand, a stone throwʼs away.

Teaching English remains, from the youths and young adults to these Sec 1 students in school. Tables and chairs are better here and I actually have “special guests” that follows me around school. This is Blacknose (I have doggie company here), he actually walked me from home to the school and into the classroom, which was hilarious as I introduced myself and him to the class, on my first day of lesson to the students, like a prop?

Kids program is also conducted for the children in the community, where they sing songs and learn some English through stories or through pictures and drawings.

One of the most fulfilling part of teaching English that I love apart from creating my funny cartoon drawings, is teaching young toddlers how to hold a pencil and to write. It is totally empowering to watch how these tods how the pencil in complete concentration, in attempt to complete a “Aa” exercise.












Iʼve actually picked up a new hobby here while attempting to cook my 48 meals here and have finally perfected my art of my “veggie/minestrone soup” copy in Uncle Kim Chyeʼs kitchen that Iʼve discovered the joy in cooking (with good knives and Tefal pans and great pots and stove), is quite like music - practice till you get it right and be creative in your ingredients mix eh?

My housemates (ཬն๨ included) for a week, we relived good old classic times of playing board games - Mastermind anyone? If you ever intend to get SY to talk more, play Mastermind with him.

Life in the village goes back to a little good old classic days. Blasting “Jacky Cheung” on the speakers to bring a little Chinese feel in another land, wishing everyone a Blessed Chinese New Year!

Some things to pray for:

- Pray for continual strength, good health (there is a flu bug going around back in Dili :/) (Iʼve got a 4.5 hrs of lessons straight for my first lessons to 3 classes for me and Luis tomorrow!), grace and love to unite us (the bunch of Indonesian missionaries and a local here), as we go about continue serving the community through the English and Children Programs.

- Pray for the remaining time in Liquicia, though a short one, to be a time where people will be able to catch a glimpse or experience His love for the people and children here.

- Pray for less power outages, it can be quite disabling living without lights and electricity due to the long periods of outages or the frequency of it.

Thank yous and with love, Joy Joy

PS: The title suppose to be in Chinese, didn't appear.

Greetings and a Happy 2012, with the start of another year, I should start the updates again, after December 2011 came in a jiffy and I was on my way to Liquicia on Boxing Day.

December had tons of visitors, with teams from both Kum Yan Methodist and COOS and with my sister, appearing as special guest of a speech judge and a prize presenter to the coloring contest, Shih Yang as the guest photographer for the kids graduation ceremony, it was really good to see how everyone contributed and served the kids around the community, regardless of where we were from.

The children had programs focused upon the theme of “I am Special” while the teens had the theme of “Princes and Princesses” for the boys and girls respectively.

The highlights of the program had to be the segment of a reconciliation between the bigger brothers and the younger boys, where there was a time of healing and forgiveness, as our male teachers stood in proxy of the younger kidsʼs older brothers, as they hugged the younger kids.

The younger boys tend to get picked on or treated roughly by their older brothers, and I heard so much stories and testimonies about it, such a wonderful time!

The girls managed to get dressed up as princesses, and a time for them to feel and look good about themselves!







New Yearʼs Eve was spent with a feast at Uncle Kim Chye/Aunty Jennyʼs (yeap, thatʼs him holding the Ketupats), together with the Indonesian missionaries who are working in Liquicia, sharing a meal together and watching Thor projected on a big screen and a great Skype/call sessions I had with my beloveds.








So what am I doing over at Liquicia if some of you are wondering?! Children and teaching English still remains, as I now work with the Liquicia team over here. Interestingly, I finally got a chance to observe, study and use the Cocoon Module that they have developed, to teach English at an introductory level, since Iʼm now teaching the Indonesian Missionaries with the module too. It does make me wonder from time to time, how on earth did I pick up my English, that learning it and trying to now teach the concepts of it is another ball game altogether - but all is good :)

Will update more with pictures of how Liquicia looks like and some of the cute

Meanwhile, prayer pointers continues!

- Please do pray for continued good health and good rest (yes, again! the dogs/chickens are quite something here!) I have just recovered from another bout of fever/flu again!

- Grace, favor and wisdom as I work with the Indonesian Missionaries that are here, as we share our lives, teach, learn and work together, pray for a spirit of love, humility and unity to bind us altogether, even though Iʼm here for just a month!

- Pray for the children and people of the community, that as they come into contact with the team, that they will experience His love and see a transformation take place in Liquicia

- Will be teaching English to the Liquicia youths soon, pray for good bilingualism (Tetun- English, English-Tetun) and a good time together!

That will it for now, thank you for praying! Loves,
Joy Joy