5 July 2006

San Jose Trip (29 June to 5 July 2006)

Christian Summer Conference “A kingdom that cannot be shaken”
No. of participates for this year: more than 1900 people from different parts of the world

Towards the end of this special trip in San Jose, I could finally find time to sit down and allow things to sink in. The conference ended on 4 July at around noontime and I thank Lord for giving me such a wise choice to stay in the hotel for one day before the departure to Philadelphia, the second part of the trip.

I did expect the trip is going to be rewarding but not that challenging. During my preparation for this significant trip, I did know that the last part of the trip is about campus transformation. However, I didn’t realize the transformation started right at the beginning.

Breezy and sunny, the weather in San Jose is quite nice. The temperature might be a little bit chilly for summer (around 14C at night) but the fresh air is truly invigorating. Friends told me that people working in this area lives in 24/7 world of stress and pressure. No doubt about it, this is the famous Silicon Valley of America where high tech companies located. I somehow got the “privilege” in experiencing that “area specialty” a bit, from a different source though. The fatigue at the first two days may due to the jet lag, the later part is a battle. A spiritual battle that fought non-stop and required unfailing courage to conquer. If you are a Christian, you probably understand what I mean. Tired and exhausted and yet rewarding and have joy. Complicated huh? The one I am fighting against is nobody but myself. First of all, the physical environment has already put me outside the comfort zone. Living with three other roommates was not something I am familiar with. They are all very nice, pleasant and accommodating. However, putting everyone’s needs in one hotel room required a substantially “small self”. Ever since I arrived San Jose, I could only managed to have a couple hours of sleep every night until the last night after the conference ends. The night before the last day of the conference, which probably was one of the most important parts – I went to bed at 1:30am and then got up at 5:00am. Tried so hard to get back to sleep and yet at no avail. As all my roommates were sleeping tightly except me. I couldn’t help but got dressed and went down to the hotel lobby. The taste of fresh dew and the obsolete USA Today has accompanied me for an hour before I headed back to the hotel room. I was starving but no where to eat. I didn’t realize one thing until that moment: What a blessing for one who can have meals at anytime they feel hungry! On the morning of 4th July while everybody was getting up late for the preparation of a night out for firework in the Independence Day public holiday, I barely could find one nearby coffee shop opened as early as 6:00pm. The cold air outside chilled me and I just managed myself to be able to walk back without catching a cold. The most important of all, I still remained the hope of getting one or two more hours of sleep before heading to the church.

Even among all these, Lord is faithful. He really is.

My birthday is during the conference period and I kept praying Lord in giving me a special birthday. Towards the dinner time, I realized one very important thing: Put down yourself! Why YOUR birthday has to be special? If you say you are willing to break your old self, why don’t start with a day that used to matter you? Oh Lord, this is a great lesson. I had so many unforgettable birthdays in the past, Lord. Ok, this is a special one – spend like a regular day. Lord said. OK, I then prepared myself a sandwich for my birthday dinner and then headed to the conference centre. Nothing really happened on my birthday – well, not exactly. I did tell my roommates about that near 4 Jul and they sang me a song, in Putonghua. Of course, I had hugs as gifts.

On 4 July morning and also the last section of the conference before noon time, I really wished to meet someone from the church here so that I could really experience the life here. Although I had some people in mind, I was so embarrassed to ask. Not even after the last section ended and everybody headed to the parking lot. I still couldn’t manage to ask someone. Alrighty then, it’s time to pack and head back to the hotel. But Lord really has his provision. While I was ready to leave, I met Maria at the entrance of the auditorium. Since the first day of the conference, I didn’t get the chance to talk to her again. The only thing I knew is that she is from Hong Kong. She was sitting with another Chinese young gentleman, Jay, outside the auditorium. While I said hello, he spoke to me in Cantonese! After spending the whole week talking and even sharing in-depth thoughts in Putonghua, how I desperate to meet someone whom I can express freely.# Jay moved to San Francisco for more than 19 years and they were just talking about taking the brothers and sisters touring around Downtown. Jay is a funny guy. He prayed with a language that he thought is Putonghua but literally is Cantonese. However, I admired his courage to use his “Putonghua” in leading others to pray. The San Francisco downtown tour ended up with 6 people: one from Philadelphia, one from Taipei, one from Argentina and the remaining three of us are from Hong Kong. There’s one thing we are in common: we all came here for a breakthrough in the spiritual life and we all are Chinese. Jay drove us to have lunch and then headed down to the SF downtown. We spent a wonderful 10 hours touring around the downtown. I realized at this point that the reason why I enjoy the time: not the Golden Gate Bridge that we visited, not the SF China town we visited, not the Japanese sushi we had for dinner but the time we prayed together, we spent and shared together: either praying together in the car for the neighborhood we passed by or during meal times. How Lord has transformed lives!

Toward the end of the trip, I have to say that I am at least in the process of conquering my own self – to be humble and completely in Lord for all times. Only by that can one makes the inner life being unshaken. It’s not easy and yet I am ready to be transformed in Lord – so that I can make myself ready to serve others.

The days in Philadelphia is going to be a different experience, I am sure.


# People participating in this conference are mostly Chinese from different parts of the world. As a Chinese, I feel ashamed in using English to communicate with them. Also, some of them couldn’t understand English. Therefore, I pushed myself to use Putonghua throughout the whole trip.