Steve’s comments

SEPTEMBER 2007 -

"God has taken the backseat in my life, and I've let it all happen, watched it happen, and continued living this way. I am ashamed. So today I make the commitment to make an effort."  This is an excerpt from blog a young person wrote after a youth service I spoke at on September 9th.  This is one of the major reasons I continue working with young people and resourcing the church in their work with young people – changed lives! 

It's been a busy but extremely rewarding year.  This semester I've been teaching Passion, Sex and the Teenager, Foundations of Youth Ministry and Homiletics.  I've been asked by an Asian publisher to write up the passion class in book form as they felt it would be helpful for churches.  Most of the materials on sexuality come out of the US and are addressing sexual issues in a non- Asian way.  I hope to complete this quickly as I'm getting tired of people calling me Dr Love. I've also been privileged to speak at or run 5 training seminars since July and preach often.  

The real joy however comes in working closely with students, many of whom have been involved in ministry for a number of years before attending Trinity Theological College.  They have experienced the joys and frustrations of ministry and have come to reflect on the work they do so that God might use them more effectively.  In our reflecting together I'm not sure who learns more… me or them. 

I ask that you continue to pray that God will call a Singaporean or Malaysian to pursue youth ministry academically.  Without this the youth ministry training in theological institutions is in doubt.  Also continue praying for our family in Hannah's final year of school before University.  It's a bit scary for all of us – Hannah moving back to England while we are still here.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support!

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Lorraine's new buddy Rowan Williams

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Ram from Napal inviting Steve to teach in Napal and Climb

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Lorraine’s Mission Letter July 2007

To view our photo's click the photo on the left

Building Bridges

We have now been here a complete year.

May 2007 saw the end of our first college year. It brought with it the inevitable sadness of saying goodbye to those we had drawn close to as they graduated. Those we had worked with, prayed with, worshipped with, shared parts of ourselves with, in general lived a full community life with. They returned to many countries including, Nepal, China, Vietnam, the Philippines etc. even the USA.

Through the break I found myself reflecting on my role here and how it has developed throughout this year. At our opening celebrations a third year student who is now in our family group said, "You have really done a good job Lorraine integrating yourself into college life." I really appreciated this compliment because I am rather on the periphery with regard to my position here. I am like a free lance English teacher not part of the paid staff. I am not a lecturer, not office staff, not maintenance, where do I fit?  The establishment is not quite sure, however the students really appreciate me and that's what counts. I have eked out my own niche.

Now as we commence a new college year there are a sea of new faces before us. Many have come from all over Asia and even one from Zambia. Each student is a precious person who has listened to God's will and believes that they have been led to this place. As do we. They are eager, may be nervous, some have left loved ones and children at home. They have a challenge before them. Amongst this sea of faces are some small waves who perhaps are more tentative, more nervous. They have an even greater challenge before them. They have to do a degree in a second language which is English and maybe their English is a struggle. Can you imagine having to study at a degree level in your second language if you have one? Yes they have to have reached a certain level to be here, but there are many areas of weakness. So suddenly to a few I become a life line. I who may not feel up to the task have to just get on and do it. I am their bridge. If their church has sponsored them to come and do this it is critical that they do not let their church down. It is not a purely personal goal for them it is a God led goal. Should they fail? It does not bear thinking about for them. Personally I have accepted the responsibility to help them to do the best they can. This is the role that has evolved for me and that I believe I have been called to do.

One of my ordained students who has been struggling greatly with his weak English this year is doing a Master of Theology. He has worked very hard and is very conscientious. He already has a first degree from Myanmar his home country. The situation there for Christians is very dangerous. They are indeed brave folk who stand up for Jesus. This student has a son several months old who he had not seen yet having been away a year. During the six week break he was going home to visit his family. It was going to take about a week to get home. First a flight from Singapore to Rangoon, then wait 3 days to get a ticket for the next flight (couldn't be bought in advance) Then a bus trip followed by 2 days in a canoe going up river to his home village. He was only going to be able to spend about a week there before returning to the capital where he had to do his research for his thesis before returning to college. Through his lessons and papers I have learnt a lot about his conditions growing up, a lot about his culture and how these influences have to be balanced respectfully with his Christian beliefs. I struggle to have a concept of what life has been like for him, for what life is like for his family still. How desperately poor they are and how they struggle to be Christians. 
 

Each person we meet has an amazing story to tell of experiences on the mission field of experiences they have had and how they work to improve the situation for their church and to spread the word. Steve and I have just returned from a week in Vietnam, third world country under communist struggle. Yes we had a relaxing time and were able to have a snapshot of a very poor country. My head is full of images, the roads where everything is carried on motorbikes - from pigs, huge blocks of ice, wood, to whole families. Are there any rules of the road? No - just an amazing dance of people going their own way, others giving way and trucks and buses honking. A bus ride where everyone was helpful. A walk around a fishing village where I felt as though I'd come from Mars (so off the beaten track were we), but every child said hello. The people were friendly and delightful.
 

Now I have a new challenge before me, another group of diverse students to get to know, to teach and to learn from. I look forward to the challenges as we travel along the journey of learning together guided by God.
 

Please pray for:

Our graduated students, their safety, their new ministries, and their ongoing mission in difficult circumstances.

Our new students that they will settle in quickly and be able to cope with the work load.

For the Church in Asia where the needs are so great,  that the leaders will be given Christ-like wisdom in making good decisions.

On a more personal level

For our families and friends everywhere

For my Mother that she may keep well

For my niece Cheryl in Fallujah, Iraq with the US army military police

For Hannah as she returns to school in August embarking on her final school year. May she be able to stay focused on her studies and still have a life.

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Mid Semester Blog

March 2007 Blog

Click of the photo on the left and then pics to view a few resent photos

Steve's

Much has happened since our last blog at Christmas.  The New Year started for me on an air flight to Heathrow.  The bi-annual conference for the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry in Cambridge was the purpose for the whirlwind tour but I squeezed in a 24 hour visit to my mother-in-law in Truro as well.  I am grateful to the Association and Trinity Theological College for making the trip financially possible.

Classes started on January 3^rd and I returned on the 6^th but due to scheduling only had to miss one class.  This semester I'm teaching Youth Discipleship and Pastoral Theology.  Teaching Pastoral Theology is like putting on a coat that is two sizes too big for me.  The student's questions and insights have helped me begin to grow into it and come to enjoy it in the process.  I also ran a lunch seminar on "MTV and Faith" and delivered a paper at the faculty colloquium entitled The Young Person as Practical Theologian, Hermeneutist, and Liturgist.

I continue to be active outside the college in supporting youth ministry.  In January I worked with the Methodist Students retreat on Sentosa Island (action discipleship and worship) and taught a course on "Family Based Youth Ministry" in a Presbyterian church.  I also spent two days teaching with the Anglican Serve program.    Serve is a two month mission and ministry training program for young people between the ages of 16-22.  The churches give the young people a living small wage to go and be trained for a life of ministry in whatever field they go into.  It was a great idea and a privilege for me to be a small part of it.  In February I preached on several Sundays and had the honor of leading TTC's monthly communion service.

March has been a month of catching up.  The college was off the second week of March for Chinese New Year and is now off two more weeks for the mid-semester break.  We used the Chinese New year break to do a bit more exploring in Malaysia with four days in the highlands.  I'm also trying to use the break to finish up lectures, write up research, and begin to prepare for the Homiletics 1 (preaching) and Homiletics 2 courses that I will be teaching (in addition to Foundations of Youth Ministry) next semester.

As you see life is busy but not insanely so.  Please pray for me as I prepare for the new courses, understand cultural differences and their implications for ministry, and as we as a family continue to adjust to life in Singapore. 

Lorraine's Perspective

February 2007

Asian Perspectives.

Having now been here for 7 months I am aware that every day living is becoming more familiar and comfortable.  Part of this is due to the fact that I am tuning in to some of the Asian perspectives and with awareness comes understanding and appreciation of the differences.

Thailand Holiday

Steve and I went to Krabi, Thailand the week before Christmas. This was a beautiful area with dramatic limestone cliffs and had been affected by the Tsunami. The people were delightful and very helpful and friendly. One of the connections we made was with a young man who was a "toot- toot" driver ( a type of motorbike taxi with a side attachment) who we used for a couple of outings. The day the Tsunami hit he had been working on the beach of one of the outer islands. He had owned a long boat which was his livelihood, his boat was snapped in half and he was thrown about 30 meters up the beach when a tree stopped him. This resulted in a broken back which took 6 months to heal,  the remains of his boat is still on the beach. The money he received later in compensation was only half of the value of the boat hence he had bought the toot- toot taxi in order to earn a living  for his family.

Christmas

We arrived back on Dec. 23^rd, so Christmas was suddenly upon us. On Christmas day we attended the church next door which had a 9 lesson and carol service.</P>

Then home for a fairly traditional roast dinner. We had 3 students who shared that with us and we appreciated their company.

Back to work

It has been very good to get back into the swing of the semester. College is not the same without the students. I continue to enjoy and be impressed by my students. I am constantly gaining insight into their varied cultural backgrounds and experiences. Their faith is so strong and the difficulties and dangers that they are prepared to face is awe inspiring. Here they live in luxury but those who are not Singaporean will return to their homes to follow their mission, their calling, many in very challenging situations.

Please pray for

The students in their final semester, that they will achieve their potential in their final exams in May.

That my teaching skills will meet the varied needs of the students.

For our woman's fellowship (which is comprised of the wives of overseas students and their children).

 For us as a family as we try to support Hannah in her cultural struggles.

For my mother who continues to be unwell.

The Chinese Year is nearly upon us and "Prosperity" appears to be the key word.

So in the coming year may you feel prosperous because of your relationship with the Lord  Jesus Christ,  because of the gifts God has given you and may you  feel able to pass this prosperity onto others in his name.

God bless

Lorraine.

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CHRISTMAS 06 AND LORRAINE'S POEM

The Emery-Wright's

Christmas Letter 2006

Dear Friends,

        The Christmas season is here and we have become even more conscious that we are on the equator. The Christmas trees feel incongruous, the plastic penguins far from their icy home. Whilst we focus on the true meaning of Christmas we are aware that we are in a very different place both physically and spiritually.  Christmas usually means treasuring those family traditions and being with family and friends.  However this year we have new friends who must become our extended family. We continue to remind ourselves that God wants us to be here at this moment in time and his gift to us represents a new found freedom, this year we have the opportunity to create new traditions and have a completely different experience and really put Jesus at the centre.

Writing this in November the college students have ended their semester.  Steve is busy preparing for next semesters new classes, writing up his research and trying to find a publisher for his academic book. Also he has been taking various preaching engagements. Tennis continues but the badminton with the students is on hold until next semester.

Lorraine has also ended her tutoring but is thinking about next semester and gathering more resources and planning how to regroup students. The good news is that she has found a wonderful piano teacher a lady from the Philippines, who she feels is far too qualified to teach her grade 3. So is determined to practise diligently. The ballet continues to be very enjoyable but is physically challenging.

Hannah bless her is doing really well. Last week we went to meet the teachers. A student as she was showing us the way asked if I was nervous.  I thought this was really sweet. My reply in a nutshell was that I had no need to be nervous because I had a wonderful daughter. True enough everyone sang her praises.  We also saw her production of Undermilkwood which was great and she did a super job with all her various parts.  She also MC'd the schools battle of the bands with a friend, I think they were rather off the wall, sounds like a chip off the old block.  She has THIMUN coming up which is the international model United Nations being held here and we have 2 girls from Belgium coming to stay for that.

On the 17th Dec. we are all off to Karabi which is on the West coast of Thailand, a beach resort area with fabulous limestone cliffs. We will have our anniversary there before returning on the 23^rd.  Just time for a quick bit of last minute shopping!

For Christmas day we will be based at home but have no plans as yet as we are not sure who will be still here.

Lorraine's e-mail is:  mrs.le-w@hotmail.com

Steve's      e-mail is:  sew@ttc.edu.sg

Hannah's   e-mail is:  dude_wheres_my_whale@hotmail.com

As always we wish you a warm and joyous Christmas and a safe and fulfilling year.

Lots of Love and God bless,

Lorraine, Steve and Hannah.

Emery-Wright October Update From Singaproe

October Newsletter 2006

Steve

It continues to be a joy to serve God and the people in Singapore. The first semester is finishing next week and the feedback from the students in the Foundations of Youth Ministry course has been positive.  The variety of nationalities in the class means that we are able to examine a number of issues from various cultural perspectives which usually makes for a lively discussion.  The difficulty with a foundations course is everyone especially the lecturer wishes we could have gone deeper.  Next semester I am teaching a course in youth discipleship and another in Pastoral Theology for second year students.

I continue the research began in June into the models of youth ministry and the moral of youth ministers in Singapore in the mainline churches.  So far I have conducted 32 face to face interviews with paid youth ministers and visited 17 different church youth programs.  In addition to this I spent a half day at Youth For Christ and a half day at Andrew and Grace Home – a house for 70 wayward teenage girls.  I am on a steep learning curve.  Hopefully the research will be written up and published early in the new-year.

I have met with all of the Methodist TRAC (English Language Conference) youth ministers on a three day retreat in Malacca Malaysia. I also had an evening meeting with the Methodist CAC (Chinese Language Conference) youth leadership team and an afternoon with all the Presbyterian youth ministers. Together we are working out a training program for both

volunteer and paid youth workers.  The goal is to join together and systemize the training in order to provide a qualification recognized by the participating denominations and accredited by Trinity Theological College.  This work continues forward with a meeting with the denominational youth leaders in two weeks to work out a curriculum.    

The book I've been writing entitled Worship4Youth (thanks to David Rogerson for the title) is nearing completion – or at least the first draft.  I'm now in the process of seeking a publisher.

Thank you for your prayers and support

Peace in Christ

Steve

Prayer requests:

Pray for me as I prepare lectures for two new courses.

Pray for guidance as we try to work out interdenominational training modules for youth workers.

Pray that the research project will be helpful to Singaporean churches and to me.

Lorraine and Hannah

We have now been here for 3 months and have achieved the initial settling in where day to day things have become familiar and more comfortable.  We have learnt some names but our tongues still stubbornly refuse to make some of the Chinese sounds.

Animals have been a highlight whether it has been a tree snake slithering between Steve's legs at the bottom of our stairs, or chasing lizards around the apartment.  The mourning doves tried to build their nest balanced on top of Hannah's open window.  Unfortunately we do have the rainy season coming soon so they couldn't stay, I did feel heartless.  Monitor lizards abound and to think when Steve saw his first one he thought it was a crocodile.  How quickly we become so blasé about such things.

Hannah has settled in really well at school. It has been very demanding. Her school day is long with travelling taking an hour each way.  She is doing drama for one of her higher subjects and there are many practices after school for the current production. Now she has been selected to be part of the model U.N. which is to be held here at the end of November. It is called THIMUN Singapore and can be found on the internet. This means a lot of extra research, writing and meetings.

She has a weeks break on 20th Oct. She has been going climbing with the school as part of her Action requirement.  She is attending Bukit Panjang church next door where there is a good youth department. She is doing as much socially as her studies will allow and is really thriving on the cultural mix.

I am now tutoring in English to college students. Mostly it's on a one to one basis. The needs are very varied, one is starting almost from scratch whilst others want to polish pronunciation or grammar.  As it is almost the end of term there are also many papers to help correct. I have found that the relationships that I am making are heartwarming and humbling.  They are very grateful for any help, they are enthusiastic and of course there are lots of humorous moments due to misunderstandings, such as yesterday when the rabbi became a rabbit. It is humbling because many of their homes to which they will return and towards which they have a real sense of mission are so poor.

I am really into my ballet class now and feeling accepted although everyone is much younger. It certainly is a challenge. 

For many of you it is autumn and our bodies tell us it needs to be whilst it remains 33 degrees daily. The only thing that is sympathising with me is my bamboo tree as it has suddenly decided to turn yellow.

 So while I struggle daily with the heat and the insect bites I thank God  that has lead me to this place to meet these wonderful people and given me the opportunity to serve them, it does feel very much like the ripple on the pond scenario because they will go out into all parts of Asia from here.

Please pray for the politicians to sort out the Haze problem in this area. (unbelievable pollution caused by forest burning which is affecting millions of people's health)

Please pray for Hannah that she will remain focused on her studies and that she will have the strength to be a witness in her school and to her peers where few are Christians.

For myself that I may consolidate my teaching programme effectively and continue to develop my own ministry.

Please pray for my friend Toong Yin (a Malaysian lady who lives below us, she is a wonderful Christian) who has cancer. Please pray for her healing and her sense of peace.

God's Blessing to you from this unique place,

 Love

Lorraine

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July's family blog

See below for Lorraine and Hannah's July Blog

Dear Friends

It's now July 25, six weeks after I've arrived and more has been accomplished than I could have ever expected.  The Youth Foundations class has begun with 15 signed up students and another 10 attending). I have spoken at a youth workers conference involving 200 Singaporean church youth workers (to explain about Trinity's new youth worker courses) and I'm well into formal research into youth ministry models and youth worker attitudes to be published in November. I've written the first three chapters of a book on youth worship and I'm speaking to Chinese Methodist youth workers and then the youth advisory committee in September.

I'm also running a half day program for ministers and alumni of TTC in October, and running a Saturday training day for youth workers in October. Next year I will be one of the main speakers at a national youth workers conference.  I'm trying not to take too many preaching assignments in the first five months so I can complete the research but after that I will be preaching a couple times per month.

All this raises prayer requests.  The youth ministry culture and the relationship between the church and young people is very different when compared to England . 

Please pray that I can grasp these differences and their implications for my teaching and attitudes.  I've have put a proposal in for a youth stream within the Master of Divinity and Bachelors of Divinity programs – please pray as I seek to develop these programs and other programs. Please continue to pray for the family as we seek to adjust, especially as Hannah builds new friendships and finds a new school.

P.S. I took the photo on the left of some of my Foundations of Youth Ministry class members – these are the good students who arrived early to class!

Lorraine's July 25 Blog

Family News from Lorraine & Hannah Emery-Wright

As Hannah and I came through customs we caught sight of Steve's smiling face through the glass, it was indeed good to be together as a family again.  The farewells had seemed to go on forever as we prepared to depart Launceston for we had so many friends to leave behind.

Hannah and I have now been here a month and are settling in.  We seem to already have done so much and each day zooms past, e.g. The Jurong Bird Park, the night safari, the zoo, ferry trip in the river, dinner at Raffles Marina watching the sunset over Malaysia , lunch at Raffles town club, day at Sentosa Island , not to mention many shopping expeditions to various malls. The highlights are the people we are meeting each day.  We have received a very warm welcome and as you can see from what Steve has written his feet have touched the ground running.

This morning I attended a Forum on Forms of Mission Engagement. The guest speaker was Rev. Dr. Andrew Kirk from England .  It was helpful in that it gave a good background into the areas of mission covered by the four denominations of T.T.C.

In September I shall be commencing some English Language teaching within thecollege and Hannah will be starting school, as yet nothing has been decided.

We have visited one school and are arranging to visit a couple more.

Hannah's July Blog

Well it been a challenge for me adapting to life in the big city? after having been a country girl for so many years. Singapore is certainly as different as you can get from the farming towns and fishing villages of Cornwall .

On first impressions Singapore is a vibrant and exciting place, and now first impressions have worn off, it still is. As Mum said we have visited a lot of the sites and explored local areas. I'm finding it all obviously difficult to take in but am now starting to get accustomed to the heat and local cuisine.

I was also impressed by all the local youth programs in the churches. They all seem to have a good structure and aim to facilitate the needs of young people today. However there is a large culture gap to. I have found that the Chinese have a different way of entering their young people into society. Although the worship is modern and what I am used to it is somewhat strange not to have any interaction of sexes. Males and females are in different groups for Discipleship and this extends to a gap within the youth group. I am sure I will get used to it eventually. Chinese parents are also stricter so I often don't understand the psychology behind the rules, but then I suppose they don't understand me either. Singapore is an exoticplace though and we are very lucky to have a large nature reserve behind the college, with an abundance of monkeys.

I am slightly apprehensive about starting school as there are some complications and there are lots of choices to be made, however it will be a relief to get out and start meeting people more. So far I have been welcomed by the youth group of the church next door and have been invited out with them a few times which makes me feel more settled and I'm excited to see what God's got in store.

God bless
Hannah

P.S. Feeding the wild animals is a real treat for all!

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