In less than 24 hours we will be leaving our home for the past four months. Our NWA flight will take us to Tokyo where we will spend six hours in the airport before heading to Honolulu, Hawaii for five days. We were told it is best to break up the trip east so that jet lag doesn’t incapacitate us too much when we get home; thus a stop to celebrate my 65th birthday at the site of the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. As we make our final plans for departure a few parting thoughts:
| I look forward to: |
BUT Will miss: |
- Having an oven and a dishwasher
- Being able to recognize the cut of meat
- The quiet of 119th St.
- Our cat meowing in the AM
- Our big backyard
- Worshipping at St. John’s
- Seeing familiar faces
- Driving my Saturn
- Exploring the changes in Milwaukee
- Afternoon Tea at WLC
- The smell of fresh air
- Being called “Grammy” in person
- Having more than 3 Eng. TV channels
- Light switches where up is on/down off
- And the switch is inside the room not out
- Foods that are familiar
- Seeing local news on TV
- Getting back into the WLC classroom
- Wearing some different clothes
- A quiet night in front of the fireplace
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- The challenge of cooking in this kitchen
- The short walk to get the groceries
- All the action just under my balcony
- The security guard’s cheery “Jo San”
- Lai Chi Kok Park across the street
- The small English worship services here
- All those Chinese chatting, oblivious to me
- Letting the driving to the MTR
- Phoebe’s adventuresome tours of HK
- All day tea and dim sum in HK
- That unique scent that is Hong Kong
- Being addressed as Dr. Heins & Prof. Mary
- The half hour of Chinese Culture Express
- The Ikea “milk jug” lamp I bought for this apt.
- The wide variety of food available in HK
- The truly world-wide news on CCTV
- The “sisters/brothers” in Christ here in HK
- Wearing shorts/going barefoot in Dec.
- The night guard’s “Welcome back smile”
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We thank the Lord we were given this opportunity to serve the Lord in Hong Kong. It has been a wonderful experience and we have learned far more than we have taught. We thank all of you for your prayers on our behalf. We ask that even though we will be coming home, that you remember in your prayers our mission team, Asia Lutheran Seminary, Southeast Asia Lutheran Evangelical Mission, our Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ, and the many millions of people in China who this Christmas season have no knowledge of the baby born in Bethlehem.Thank you, readers, for allowing me to share this experience with you. This will be the last blog from Hong Kong.
