A Taste of Siquijor

Hello My Dear Great Ones,
In the next couple of weeks I am going to share about the wonderful island of Siquijor, located in the Philippines.  Celia and I just spent a week with her family there.  Here is a taste of what I plan to report...

Have a great week.

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Merry Christmas

John 3:16New International Version (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Johannes 3:16Schlachter 2000 (SCH2000)

¹⁶ Denn so [sehr]^[a] hat Gott die Welt geliebt, dass er seinen eingeborenen Sohn gab, damit jeder, der an ihn glaubt, nicht verlorengeht, sondern ewiges Leben hat.

A Little Walk in the Woods

Hello My Dear Great Ones,

The other day I took a little walk, half hour, to stretch my bones.  Here are a few things that caught my eye:

Was great.  Have a great week.

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Self Reflection

Hello My Dear Great Ones,
I celebrated seven years in Hong Kong by getting my Permanent Resident card.  Now I can work and live here without a visa.  It is a great deal and I am pretty happy about it.  Getting the card caused me to pause for a moment and think about the last seven years.  Obviously the first year here in Hong Kong was rough for a number of reasons, but I am grateful to God for seeing me through.  I will never forget the morning when I, in a very despondent state, prayed, "God you better show me something."  A half hour later a kindergarten class came to me for PE.  The first kid who showed up ran up to me and gave me a hug, and before I knew it twenty kids were giving my legs a big group hug.  I looked up to heaven and smiled.  A few years later I met my lovely wife Celia and we enjoy a life serving one another and a heap of great kids at our school. We have great health, friends, support groups, and enjoy wonderful trips together.  There is so much to be thankful and grateful for.  Thank you to all have prayed and encouraged me.  I will always be indebted to you for that.  God is faithful, all the time, and my life is a testimony to that.

Thank you,

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk 

A Walk Around a Lake

Hello My Dear Great Ones,

A few weeks ago my school spent a Friday at Inspiration Lake.  It is a manmade lake built by Disney and near Hong Kong Disneyland.  It is quite beautiful, but on the day we went, there were at least three or four other schools staking claim to the limited territory.  So typical Asia to have tons of people compressed in a small area.  Still I later walked with Celia and a few of her students around the lake and even though it was November the foliage was beautiful.  And there weren't that many people.

A great day and break from the usual school routine.

Have a great week.  Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

A Few Plants To Make Your Day

Hello Great Ones,

I know it is snowy and cold back in Alberta and plants are dead or hibernating.  Here in HK its getting a little cooler, but plants are still thriving.  Here's some proof:

Have a great week everyone.

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Looking Up in HK

 Hello My Dear Great Ones,
Hong Kong is not all gleaming highrises.  There are actually a lot of worn out, gritty buildings in various stages of decay.  Wires, signs, and even drying clothes hang haphazardly from most of them. Yet these old buildings pulse with life as many have sub-divided flats, crammed with people eking out a living.  Here is a look at few at night, from below.

Have a great week everyone!

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Exercise in Hong Kong

Hello My Dear Great Ones,

Hong Kongers have one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world.  Genetics, family support, diet, education, parks, and weather all have their influences for a long life in Hong Kong.  Yet, I believe it is mainly the culture of getting together, in the morning, and  having exercise in groups that really adds years to a Hong Kongers life.  Socialising and exercising with friends in a well foliaged park, sharing a few laughs is great for mental and physical health.  Recently I was at a park at around 7:45 am and it was full of people doing a variety of physical activities.  Some  had swords, some had music playing in the background, (Chinese Opera,) while others just ran aroun a track.  It was awesome to see and makes Hong Kong one of the most unique cities in the World. 

Government support is great.

 Dancing.

 There is outdoor exercise equipment.  The old timers love it.

This track was full of people at 7:45 AM!

Have a great week everyone!

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk