Bangkok is a massive city. Founded 500 years ago it sprawls now over 600 square miles with a population of over 9 million. I first visited Bangkok eight years ago with my wife on a trip to do some teaching and visit friends of ours in Vietnam. We made a brief stopover in Bangkok for… Continue reading Bangkok
Category: Vocation
Representing
The nature of my work is fluid. A jack of all trades and master of none. A chameleon of sorts, able and willing to accommodate myself to a variety of situations and needs. Not perfectly, of course, but still it’s a gift I have been given that has served me well in a variety of… Continue reading Representing
Taiwan Workgroup Meeting
Last week was the annual Southeast Asia Workgroup meeting. All the workers in Southeast Asia are gathered together at LCMS headquarters in Chiayi, Taiwan for a week of training and other matters. It’s a time for learning as well as reconnecting with our fellow workers to receive updates on the work they’re doing in their… Continue reading Taiwan Workgroup Meeting
Almost Normal
Flexibility is the key to living overseas regardless of what brings you out of your homeland and to a new place, people, language and culture. Medan is still very much a developing city. Infrastructure in things we take for granted in the States like sidewalks is still very elusive. Other things are more familiar. There… Continue reading Almost Normal
Welcoming
When you live overseas you develop an awareness of newcomers and other folks making the transition from other lives and places to this new one. While we work hard to interact with locals, it’s just a reality that ex-pats also keep tabs on one another and we hear about new arrivals. SungHo is one of… Continue reading Welcoming
Baguio Seminary #2
For the second August in a row I’ve been privileged to be a guest instructor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) in Baguio, Philippines. This seminary serves the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP), a full altar-pulpit fellowship church with the LCMS. This year instead of two courses I taught three – one to each… Continue reading Baguio Seminary #2
Traveling Buddies
My job is to travel. But I usually do this alone. This month however, I was blessed to have two traveling buddies! Deaconess Sandra Rhein and teacher Melinda (Mindy) Thews met me in Manila, Philippines prior to our joint journey northwards to Baguio for a week-long Deaconess/Sunday School teacher training. Sandra and I have worked… Continue reading Traveling Buddies
Typhoon Chasing
Well, not intentionally! My longest trip this year (other than our time back in the US in the spring) will be this trip to the Philippines. I’ll be in-country for three weeks, not including travel time on either end. Initially I’ll be providing pastoral care and teaching during a deaconess review session for over 80… Continue reading Typhoon Chasing
A Morning Walk
This morning Gena and I went on a morning walk. We’re trying to push ourselves to be out and about more often, even though the heat and humidity in Medan is constantly oppressive and makes any outdoor foray an immediate opportunity for sweating profusely. But our dog benefits from the walks as well and she’s… Continue reading A Morning Walk
Transience
One of the many books we read before deploying overseas talked about the difficult nature of relationships amongst ex-pats. While it can be easier to make friends overseas, when people of a similar cultural background are fewer and more inclined to seek one another out, those relationships may not last very long. At least in… Continue reading Transience
The Nelson Family Indonesia 