Well, the end is here. It is with sadness that I write this final blog from Asia. The invasion is over, and I return home to become a regular student again, no more adventures. But, I am very excited to see everyone again! Today we had breakfast at a local hotel with all of the company teachers who are here in Indonesia. Eating here in Indonesia has been excellent, as the cost of food is dramatically lower than in the states. We have enjoyed the nice restaurants around here, at maybe ¼ of the cost of an equivalent meal in the states. Breakfast consisted of a multi-course offering of coffee, fruit, an assortment of breads, and a breakfast meat entrée, all for less than 10 dollars. It was excellent. Also, it was great to see the common bonds that the teachers had developed and the fun that they had spending time with each other. This morning was definitely a quality experience (and great food!).

The rest of my day was fairly sedentary. We were supposed to be leaving for the town that has the airport around two this afternoon, but this plan was disrupted. The man who was supposed to take us wasn’t able to go until around six, (he had some other engagement…) but we didn’t actually leave until seven. Culturally, many Asians in the South Pacific don’t have an understanding of commitments or being on time, so when he said six, it more reasonably meant around seven. We did, however, have a quiet afternoon at our guest house. My grandpa spent time with the field leaders here evaluating the work here and setting vision for the future. I, on the other hand, spent most of this afternoon finding the new blog template that you are savoring at this moment, as well as doing a little school reading for Gov’t/Econ.

My time here in Asia has been quite rewarding. Though I have been away from my schooling, there is no question that my education has continued. I have experienced many different cultures with different values and customs, but I have had great opportunities to spend time with people. Since my trip is not really from a tourist/sight-seeing perspective, I have been able to converse and spend time with all sorts of people, from government officials, to seminary presidents, to local residents. Not only have I had opportunities to experience culture, but I been able to contribute to God’s work in different countries. Blessed cannot begin to describe the way I have felt as we have visited so many different cultures and people during the past two weeks. Being able to see all that I have has touched me deeply, to see all that God has done in these people’s lives. Some of the people we have met with have worked or taught in their country for over 30 years and many are past retirement, yet continue to seek visa renewal each year. These individuals have made it their life’s purpose to show the love of our Father to the people of Hong Kong, Korea, East Asia, and Indonesia.

For me, in my idealistic bubble, it has been eye-opening to see and hear of the struggles of the work. The know that families in certain countries must be mindful of safety, especially in East Asia, has a whole different meaning once you have lived, for a few days, under the same constrictions. The blessing of American freedom of religion, as much as we bicker about that freedom, is all the more meaningful once you experience a country without freedom. When you see first-hand the effect that the DMZ has had on both Koreas, the news about the two nations is more understandable and impactful. If nothing else, this experience has most taught me how to empathize with those of different cultures. When I lived in their shoes, even just for a few days, I experienced their daily struggles and situations, and I have a better understanding of their relation to the international community. We cannot begin to become a nation that is respected internationally unless we are willing to step down off Mount Olympus and open our eyes to the cultures of different nations. America doesn’t have all the answers, and in some cases, we would do well to take note of different ways of thought. But, even if we don’t agree, we must understand. Then, and only then, can we truly be a “world power”.

I hope that y’all have enjoyed my daily updates; it has probably been more fun for me than for you. There are so many times that I have wished for a giant teleporter, to bring everyone over to see the sights and experience different elements of my trip. I have done my best to use my writing to convey these experiences, but some things transcend any description. Hopefully, you will continue to check my blog, even though it won’t be from across the world… and there might not be pictures. It is sad for me to write this, and it seems as though I am saying goodbye to someone dear. Then, however, I realize it is quite the opposite. I am returning to those who love me and have missed me (hopefully), and then I start to get excited. Jet-lag is not something I look forward too and cross-country this week will be rough, but I so look forward to seeing, and reconnecting with everyone. Facebook has kept me pretty involved, but some things just can’t be communicated by pictures and messages. If you have any questions about things, people, or places that I have experienced, feel free to send me an e-mail (nate.tilley@gmail.com). And, if you would like to hear more about anything, I’d love to spend some time talking with you, maybe over some coffee or across the phone. The next time that you will here from me, I’ll be in the land of the Free (hey that rhymes!!), so enjoy this last taste of Asia, for the Asian Invasion has ended.

To see picture from the trip, click on the pictures link at the top of the page

Nate.

The end is near. Today was our last full day of business activities, and tomorrow holds only one morning engagement. Then, on Sunday I begin my trek east back to the West. It is quite appropriate that today has been a full day, as Fridays represent the end of our American work week. This morning began quite early--a solid six o'clock. Waking at this time, we set off for the seminary's morning chapel where my grandpa and I were to be guest speakers. We entered to the familiar sound of a praise band, and I was intrigued to see how American-sounding praise music has even been accommodated to Indonesian lyrics. Worship was a touching experience, to see how other cultures and languages respond to the love of God. Singing this morning was not that different from the states, but they do clap on the off-beats. Erika would be hopelessly lost.

Following worship, I went up to give my testimony. It was difficult for me to describe the work that God has done in my life to a different culture, as much of it has been philosophical, and not necessarily drastic or flashy. Though, it is my story, and I think it was interesting for them to hear some about life in the states. Speaking, however, was a very interesting experience, as I spoke through a translator. I would speak one or two sentences, and the seminary president would translate for the congregation. Nothing I have ever done in public speaking has been like this, and it really changed the way that I planned and presented my testimony. My grandfather also spoke, but he had a larger role--he preached the sermon through the translator. One thing that has amazed me on this trip is how gifted my grandpa is as a speaker. I never have heard him preach until this trip, and I'm impressed. I must have been missing out on this secret for a number of years. He, being a pastor in the Phillipines for about 17 years, was quite comfortable with the translator, and it was interesting to see them become more and more in tune as the message progressed.

In the time before lunch, we took the opportunity to talk to one of the Americans from South Dakota who teaches in the school here. Lunch this afternoon was a family-style Indonesian meal with the faculty of the seminary. Again, as with everywhere else we have been, the food was great. We had a local form of sweet and sour chicken, a vegetable stir-fry, and some mystery ball of fish, breading, and who knows what else. It was good, and that's all I that I want to know. I enjoyed talking to the president of the seminary, as his daughter is also a senior in high school, and it was very interesting to hear her college plans. Being across the world, I thought I was away from the college craze, but his daughter is also looking at schools in the area, applying for scholarships, and everything else we all do as seniors back in the states.

This afternoon, I finished all of the calculus that I was required to do (PRAISE THE LORD..), so I was very happy, to say the least. Weather here has begun to cool slightly, as it is currently raining as I sit here typing away. What is cool here is more like... say 75ish degrees in the states. Not exactly my idea of "cool", but it is a welcome change. Dinner tonight was also a welcome change, as I had the first home-cooked meal since I left the States. Two teachers in the international school had my grandpa and me over for dinner, which one of them prepared. Barbecue chicken, corn, and green beans were the dishes of choice, and it felt more familiar, more like home. I guess they are weaning me off of Asian food, preparing me for America again. What will I ever do with normal utensils? I'm sure we can find some chopsticks for me to use. This blog post is sorta like the day before the day before tomorrow, the day that will be the beginning of my return to normalcy. So, enjoy these while they last! To any GDS friends back home who stumbled his or her way onto my blog, enjoy your nice fall break and I'll see you next Tuesday...

mOrE pIcTuReS @ picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatripnate.

nate.

Suprise! You have pictures again, isn't it heart-warming. But really, the very nice man that we are staying with took me to a nearby camera store where I obtained a card reader and an appropriate battery charger for about 15 dollars total. Inflation is unbelievable, but I'm not complaining. Today has been a very different day, simply because of our location. Indonesia is vastly different from every other location so far. My first hint was the open hallway and the giant screen window above my bed, and, in the morning, we saw all of the palm trees. The climate here is akin to our wonderful Greensboro summer humidity, but it is like this all year here. I was told today that we are seven degrees of latitude from the equator. As we were leaving, our hosts asked if I wanted some sunscreen, to whom I respectfully declined. Even with the heat, I'll pass on the slimescreen--it is just not my cup-o-tea.

A tropical country, Indonesia is a system of hundreds of islands that are mainly low-lying and filled with palm trees, amongst other tropical greenery. The roads are yet another experience from the last countries, because the roads are filled with pot-holes and motor-bikes. Traffic is nowhere near the amount we saw in Korea or in East Asia, but evidently the holiday time has taken many people out of the cities back to their family villages. Instead, the streets are packed with motor-bikes and scooters, and Indonesians also don't have a comprehension of "reckless driving". Here it is not so much the tight merges and traffic, but the absence of lanes that causes strange traffic patterns. I think when I return to the quaint metropolis that is Greensboro, driving will be simply a mundane activity, not so exciting anymore. Maybe I’ll have to ride with J.P. a few times, just to get that feeling of speed and adventure again. :)

First this morning, I did a little school work, and then we went to meet a British couple who teaches at the international school. We had a nice time visiting with them, and we went to a local restaurant for lunch with another teacher. Surprisingly enough, most of the food here in town is fairly American, and most of the beef is imported. There is no pork—the majority religion is not really big on pork. Another thing that I really miss from the states is water. They do have water here, thankfully, but the tap-water is not potable. I never realized how much water I drink, but I miss having my nalgene poking out of my backpack whenever I need hydration. All over Asia, the people here do not drink much fluid, mainly small amounts of tea throughout the day. Never in my life have I so wished for good, clean, non-bottled water.

This afternoon, we first stopped by the school to see the campus. It was a very nice and well-maintained campus, and you can see a view of the school in the left picture. We then spent some time in the newly constructed mall here in town, to see how much Indonesia has become modernized. With such a strong religious base, (atheism is essentially illegal), it is interesting to see how much of this country’s religion is simply cultural. The true values of the people can be seen in how they spend their time and their money. Following our people-watching excursion, I spent some more time back at the house slaving over my tedious calculus homework. It seems as though the long homeworks of the last week are intended as punishment for my absence from school. Today has been mainly an opportunity to experience the culture, and there is plenty to take in. My senses have been in overload from taking into account all of the new scenery, people, and cultures. It is, however, an incredible intriguing location, and I’m pumped for the rest of my time here. Adios, hasta luego…

(We're all psyched that there are once again...) More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Today has come to an interesting close. As we left East Asia this morning, we set off for the islands of Indonesia in the South Pacific. We took a very early flight from our previous location and we had to get up around 5 this morning. Long traveling plus early mornings equals a weary student attempting to finish his homework. After I cleared the sleepiness from my eyes around mid-morning, I buried my head in projectile motion equations and graphs of trigonometric functions with derivatives. Those made for a long day, let me tell you. The math for physics and the graphing we have done for math has convinced me that Calculus is straight from the devil. The TI-83 is the rebuke to said demons (thank you Texas Instruments!). Though math and physics consumed the majority of my day, it helped my sanity to make a nice dent in the pile of school work. We left Hong Kong after about 6 hours, and it was at the gate that we had our first glimpse of Indonesia.

As we began to line up for boarding, the line was filled with woman countless house maids from Hong Kong, all returning home for the end of Ramadan. It was incredible that at least three-quarters of the passengers were these women. After a short four hour flight, we arrived in Indonesia to an amazing welcome. From the air I could see fireworks shooting up across the city to celebrate the end of their month of fasting. It was quite a welcome. My first impressions of the country have been different than any other place. Since the majority religion is different, there are many more mosques and head coverings. Also, we drove by an area that has been covered by a gigantic mudslide originating from a drilling operation that penetrated a volcanic reserve (no bueno..). This happened back in 2006, but the mud is still bubbling up into homes and stores. It is a very unique problem. I am interested to see the city in daylight, but this country promises to be quite different than anything before. Until tomorrow…

On another note, there will be no more pictures temporarily for the blog. I know you are heart-broken, but I no longer have the cord to transfer these pictures, so I can’t see them either. It’s quite sad. Please speak to Father about this situation so hopefully I will get it back. Thanks.

nate.

Good Morning! We've reached a double digit title, maybe we should make a cake or something. To celebrate properly for today, the desert should be in the shape of a Giant Panda, as today we visited the largest Panda Center in the world. It was incredible! We arrived at about 10am and watched a short video on the care and breeding of the Pandas, which is extensive. The pandas are specially bred, according to their strange mating behavior, which often prevents good procreation. Having a successful birth is quite a feat, and this particular center has a very high success rate for deliveries. When a mother has its first cub, the action and the new creature is so frightening to the mother that she often harms the cub, so veterinarians sometimes have to protect the baby from the mother.

Following our video education, we set off into the vast expanse of the Panda Farm to see the Pandas. At first glance, the park was a lot of greenery and not many Pandas. We walked for some time through lush bamboo forest until we reached the first enclosure for the Adult Pandas. The park constructed various enclosures throughout the park that were essentially the ideal habitats for a Panda, and usually these habitats contain one to three Pandas each. There are all sorts of things to climb on, bamboo towers, trees, bamboo forts, and the occasional tourist.. It is so fun to watch these animals in action, because they make so little action. Every movement is significant, as their source of nutrition is limited. Bamboo is their only food, and it contains so few nutrients that they must consume it almost constantly and very quickly to obtain the needed nutrition. Eating is their full time job.

In their eating, they are quite diligent, as they sat constantly eating bamboo piece-by-piece, slowly consuming their meals. The only time they didn't eat was when they were moving or sleeping. What a life... Also, these animals seem to have such great personalities, as they are quite sluggish and simply plop down on piles of bamboo. Seeing a Panda sit up is a joyous experience; i smiled everytime the great balls of fat and fur dragged their bodies into the upright position. I was fascinated to watch the consumption of bamboo. For each piece of bamboo, the Panda peels off the outer skin and bites off the moist inner stalk. It is a tedious process, but they must do this to survive. Seeing these cuddly creatures live and in person was a rewarding experience and was much fun.

After leaving the Panda Farm, we ate lunch at a nearby McDonalds (America, thank you for your world contribution...), and I spent a little time walking around the area. I found an interesting book and music store, in which I acquired an East Asian version of John Mayer's Continuum, and an excellent Asian dance cd. I couldn't leave Asia without legitimate electronic music. Then, tonight, we met with another family from the company, this time from South Africa, and ate Chinese food with them. My chopstick skills are light-years ahead of last Monday, and this meal also may have been my favorite genuine Chinese meal. Talking with the family was encouraging and it was great to hear all that Father has been doing for them here. Tomorrow, we leave quite early for our next country, this time in the South Pacific. So until tomorrrow, hakuna matada. (which means no worries)

M o r e p i c t u r e s a t picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Good morning from East Asia! Tonight, I experienced a flash of homesickness as the residue of Fall Retreat began to leak onto facebook photo albums. My emotions began to swell as I looked back across the Atlantic to see all of my friends returning from such an awesome and rewarding trip. I have talked to our Father in the hope that Fall Retreat would be a great renewal of passions, and the little that I have heard confirms that He was listening. You all mean so much to me; I wish I could’ve been there with you. But, on another note, here I am across the world in East Asia, today setting off to see the sights. This morning we finally slept-in relatively late, at least later than the past two days of 5am wake-ups. First, we met with a local driver who was to take us around during the day, and we set off for Tian Fuguan Chang Square, a local attraction. The square held two uniquely designed spiral fountains, and a giant statue of Mao, the former leader.

The one feature that was most apparent in the city was the incredible amount of people. No where in the world have I ever seen such consistently large masses of Asians pervading an area of city. As you can see the in the above picture (click to enlarge), people filled the squares and moved throughout the city, going about their daily routine. Incredible. Also, taxi cabs in this city are an exciting exercise in adrenaline. It seems that all inhabitants of the city have created a mental block to all cohesive and orderly methods of driving. The streets are essentially a free-for-all, generally divided to the right and left sides (not necessarily always), with pedestrians constantly in the mix. When one must cross the street, he takes no heed to the color of the light, or to the position of traffic, he just goes. It really is a startling process at first. If nothing else, my invisible brake got some serious playing time today.

After lunch, we drove to a near-by Buddhist temple to see local beliefs in action. The structure and grounds of this establishment were impressive. The place was enormous; we walked through row after row of walkways and courtyards. Though its history goes back many years, the appearance was well-maintained. Especially the gardens, trees, and pathways are beautifully designed and maintained, and are filled with exotic plant life. Also, deep inside, the Buddhist priests had set up an area of incense and candles for anyone to use. It was so sad to see many young individuals come and try to speak to their divine one, but they were missing their Father, who loves them. Their devotion and respect were inspiring, as many Americans don’t experience that kind of passion for their Father. Also, I would love to have Westover come to observe the setting. Forget the new building; we need a temple like this.

Following our temple excursion, the driver took us to meet the family of one my Grandpa’s co-workers. The family consists of one daughter and three sons, one of whom cannot walk. By interacting with this individual, by helping him out of the car, by seeing his joy regardless of hard circumstances, I was humbled. I thank our Father that I have the use of my legs, and I can’t imagine what that boy must go through; I hurt for him. His happiness and laughter, however, were an inspiration to me and I’m so happy that I was able to spend time with him. Tonight was so much fun; to be a friend to younger ones who adore me as if I were their own brother. Giving piggy-back rides, getting pinched and tickled, and answering a thousand questions were small sacrifices for the reward of their love and admiration. Little kids are so much fun. Until tomorrow…


More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

My apologies for two things. First my tardiness with respect to the date of this post. Obviously it is not Day 8, as I have posted 8 & 9 both today (how can this be?!?). Also, this day was pretty bland. We are on a plan through Cathay Pacific in order to get a reduced rate, but we have to go back to HK before leaving for each new destination. So, today, we returned to HK and then sat in the nice red lounge chairs plugged into the nearby wall outlet for the next 7 hours. The most exciting thing that happened today (besides my calculus hw :) ) was our boarding pass for East Asia through DragonAir. Seeing as it is a only a partner to Cathay Pacific, they couldn't give us a boarding pass, but there was also no desk for DragonAir in the Seoul Airport... So, in Hong Kong we had to go out of the HK airport, get a boarding pass (which was an ordeal), then go back through security, and finally we could go to our gate.

For the next 6 hours, absolute max & mins with respect to the FDT & SDT, acceleration vectors, debate transcripts, and hours of music were the fillers for my time spent in the airport. Finally we were able to depart and we safely arrived at our next destination. A short taxi drive, and a long conversation away, we made it into our hotel room for the night. Our check-in at the front desk was an interesting exercise in gesturing and body language, eventually resulting in a white room key and two beds. The picture to the left is our intriguing balcony light, one of which accompanies each room in the hotel. Sounds like quite an interesting day, huh? It was about as intersting for me, but it is a small price to pay for an incredible experience in Eastern Culture. Hasta manana!....

More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Greetings from the free country of South Korea. Today I have spent time approaching, and eventually crossing into Communist North Korea, and, no, I did not attempt defection. Democracy and Capitalism have been great friends of mine, and I much prefer them to their red cousin. This morning, we set off to see the Korean De-militarized Zone at the 38th Parallel which separates the North from the South. The DMZ was established after the Armistice agreement, signed in 1953 by Kim
il-Sung and the S. Korean president after the Korean war. Today we first visited the area called the JSA, or Joint-Security Area, which can be seen in the picture of the blue buildings.


Buildings in blue are S. Korean, and the silver buildings are N. Korean, and the building named T-2 is the building where Armistice talks and formal meetings of N & S are held. Security inside the JSA is on perpetual high alert, as can be seen in the above picture of the N. Korean guard. We were able to enter T-2 and step across into Communist country. For today, we got to go red. When inside this area, we were not allowed to communicate in anyway, verbal or non-verbal, to the N. Koreans, as those actions could potentially be used as propaganda. When N. Koreans are within their safe-houses, we are are told, they, however, will guesture, taunt, and demean American military and visitors from the safety of their territory. Along with this childish interaction, the N. Koreans also have a superiority complex to always be bigger and better than the South.

At the JSA, the building on the southern side, called the Freedom Center, had been renovated and another level was added. Upon seeing this addition, the North added a layer to their building to be sure that it was taller. The U.N. quickly prohibited any further additions, in order to prevent a sky-scraper construction war at the JSA. Also, in the picture to the left, you can see the N. Korean village within the DMZ that is named "Propaganda Village", due to the loud speakers that used to play Northern propaganda convincing S. Koreans to defect. On the other side of the line, the S. Korean village is named "Freedom Village", and during the year that the Olympics were in Korea, a giant Korean flag was donated and sent to this village. To match this huge flagpole, the N. Koreans built the tallest flagpole in the world (as seen on the left), and it now holds a 31 meter long flag. Wow, really?.... come on guys, just let it go.

Leaving the JSA behind, our bus then went to visit the set of tunnels dug by the North in order to infiltrate the South. These tunnels were built after the creation of the DMZ and upon completion, would have allowed the passage of 35,000 troops to Seoul (the Southern capital) in one hour. We were able to walk down to the end of one of the tunnels where it had been blocked by the South upon its discovery. It is unbelievable how active the conflict is, even to today. I have always seen the DMZ as an out-dated fued that has mostly passed, similar to the Cold War. The oppression and division remain today. For those of you who are not intrigued by the subject of history and wars, you have my apologies. There was nothing else to write about today, as this trip took us from 6 am until about 4:45 pm, and then we just ate. But for all of you who love Kazakstan, at the end of our tour, since we made good time back to the origin, our guide said "it was great success!" I think I about cried. My best wishes go out to those at CWJ playing hard. I miss you guys and hope the retreat is fun and rewarding. Tomorrow, we are off to East Asia...

More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Hello again from Korea! Today has been a long day filled with people and meetings, but it has been encouraging. This morning, we set off for the MTC, the missionary training center associated with OMS's church here, to see their new group of missionaries. These individuals have each gone through about 7 months of training, interviews, and examinations. to come to the point that they are at today--commissioning. After intensive preparation, these families have received their country assignments and will be released to raise support and subsequently, enter the field. Today was quite exciting, especially for my Grandfather, as I could see he was touched by the service that these young families have offered to their Father.

The picture to the left shows all of the families who are heading to the mission field, along with their instructors and beneficiaries. It was a significant morning for the Korean church. After the ceremony, we ate a traditional Korean meal, and it was ok. Not awesome, but it was edible, and a little on the bitter/spicy side. I'm glad that they enjoyed it. From that point, we set off to Seoul Theological University (STU), which was started by OMS missionaries about 100 years ago. I was thoroughly impressed by the place, as the campus looked as though a small Christian college was transplanted from the U.S. and filled with Koreans. We first met with the Dean of Student Affairs to discuss the University's centennial celebration.

From there, we went to meet with the President and the Dean of Academic Affairs in the main offices. It is in this meeting that I realized how small the world really is. The president of the University did some time researching at Duke University and attended church in Greensboro! How cool is that? Also, another professor in the meeting had lived in Greensboro for a few years and one of his nephews started a Korean church in the 'boro. I love coincidence. After finishing the meeting, we took some time to walk around and see the campus. The picture to the left is the outside of the music building which houses not only classrooms and practice rooms, but two chapels. One of these chapels is small, but one is larger than Westover, seating over 3,000 people.

It is incredible to consider the masses of people that are in Asia. Seoul is a city of 14 million people, which is many times the population of dear-ole Greensboro. Though the size and quantity of everything here in Seoul is impressive, one thing I miss about America is our easier driving and shorter transit time. Traffic here is intense, disorganized, and incredibly dangerous. I was told today that Koreans only stop at a red light if there is traffic coming the other way. Hmmm.... And, the greatest parts about Korean roads are the scooters going between the cars. When you think it is safe to merge... VROOM, a kindly old Asian speeds past with a wooden crate strapped to the back of his Gold Winds. In fact, I snapped a picture of J.P. and his scooter on the road today (to the left). Anyways, until next time....

More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

For today's post, it is appropriate that I begin with this picture of an egg with Chinese writing, for today was a day of interesting food. Breakfast began with this organic product in a scrambled form, along with some toast. It was not until lunch that things started gettin' wild. We ate at a Korean restaurant, and I ate many new things including the following: jellyfish, chicken stomach, sea cucumber, (here come the best two) preserved duck egg, and spiced dirt snail. By the end of the meal, my stomach was confused at the variety of new visitors that had entered its lair. Then at dinner, in stark contrast to my lunch, we ate at a place named Bennigans, which is what it sounds like--an Irish-American establishment. I never thought I would be eating quesadillas and nachos in Korea, but hey, there's a first for everything. And, my digestive system could once again rest in peace.

My morning began with this view out of the car window, looking into the dense traffic of South Korean streets. The OMS missionary who is taking care of us came by this morning and we had a prayer meeting with two other Korean Christians. One of the most impacting things to me is the Korean people's dedication to prayer. Twice today, we have gathered to spend time on our knees talking to God together. It has been awesome. Once we arrived at the KEHC (the church that OMS started almost 100 years ago!), we met with the new general superintendent of the church. In this interaction, I was struck with the significance of the Word of God. As I watched my grandpa and the superintendent converse through a translator, I saw how faith connected these two very different men. Two men who cannot understand what each other are saying are able to work towards the common goal of furthering God's kingdom. Thats neat.
Also, though the translating of every comment took time, it was interesting to hear the commentary on North Korea and OMS's vision. Currently, the country is open only for one area of S. Korea business that has established a factory to use N. Korean workers. The sad part of this arrangement is that first the N. Koreans are not paid as much as if they were southern, but also the little that they receive is taken from them by the government. They eventually receive a tiny fraction of the already miniscule amount. I thank God that I was born in a free country where I can go to school and am able to eat every day. Thankfully, the country seems to be allowing more and more outside input, and within the tunnel of oppression, a light is in the distance.

Hopefully, as the country eventually allows many more individuals to enter the country, we will be able to provide these hurting people with food, medical attention, but most importantly, hope in a God who will never fail them. On a lighter note, my parents would laugh at the fact that Koreans like to sleep in the hottest temperature possible. I swear, even though it is cooler outside than Hong Kong, the insides of cars, apartments, and buildings are like a big system of saunas. I have decided that it is a conspiracy against westerners and the cult of air-conditioning. If they can take it, more power to them. Today has been very enlightening, as the roads and infrastructure seem more like America than Hong Kong, but the culture is drastically different. Hasta luego amigos...

m0r3 p1c7ures @ picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Good morning America! It is strange to say that, as I am now another hour ahead of the U.S., this time in Korea. This evening, we arrived in South Korea, after coming through a typhoon in Hong Kong. The picture from the left is the sky outside the airport before leaving this morning. It was raining pretty hard and was quite windy on the way to the airport, but the second picture below is when the typhoon was directly over the airport. There was a lot of rain, as you can see. We made it safely out of Hong Kong with about a two hour delay. While we were boarding the plane, there was lighting that was striking within a second of the thunder, and it was raining very hard. Needless to say, our skillful pilot got us out of there, but the take-off was less than smooth. I would say that is acceptable under such conditions.

Today, along with slaving over some more Calculus homework, I finished the book This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. After reading this book for the first time in a few years, I am amazed at the relevance it has to my life, and spiritual warfare. The way that the demons in the book spoke to their subjects and the subtlty of their seduction to sin reveals how little we attribute temptation to actual demons. For me, the book vividly portrayed the reality of geniune spiritual warfare and the importance of prayer to the community of believers and our well-being as Christ-followers. I tore through that book, as it is incredible well-written, action-filled, and fast-paced, but very pertinent to our culture. Props to Frank Peretti.

Upon arriving in Korea, a few things seemed akin to home, as opposed to Hong Kong. First, we drive on the right again. Woo! In Hong Kong, my driving reflexes screamed at me the entire time I rode in some vehicle on the roads. Also, the highways in Korea are very large, and the freeway resembles I-40, enough to be obvious to me. As we neared the city from the highway, the countryside resembled something that you might see driving along a highway in the mountains of North Carolina, until we actually reached the city. I think part of my cultural experience is not only going to a foreign countries, but also staying in large cities. After spending most of my life in small town NC and VA, even a small metropolis is something new to me.

The city, as you can see in the picture, looks as most large cities in the U.S. would, but all of the signs are in Korean. (Imagine that... ). My grandfather and I are staying in an apartment that is owned by OMS, and we are enjoying having our own rooms, instead of staying with someone as in HK. Today has been a grey day, as told in the title, not because it was a bad day, but because the storm was grey, the airport was grey, and the buildings in Korea are grey in the dark. Interesting. For me, however, it is time to enjoy the bed I have and to get some sleep.
Until tomorrow...


As always, more pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Well, here I am at the end of another day in Hong Kong, and I am tired. Jet lag is beginning to catch up to me, and I’m falling asleep as I type. Part of my fatigue comes from this morning, as I was offered the opportunity to “go running” with Cindy, one of the missionaries who has run about 6 marathons. Now when I’m offered a chance to “go running”, I figure there will be normal terrain, maybe 6-8 miles. When she thinks running, however, her running is more like hiking up a mountain, very quickly. We ended up going about 10-12 miles at a fast walk or a run, but after some of the huge sets of stairs, I was about to die. The run/trail walk this morning is one of the hardest workouts I have ever done, as jet lag, pollution, and intense climbs culminated to humble me and my supposed fitness. For me, I was eventually able to make it, but the most irksome detail was that Cindy was trucking along with no trouble, and I was about to die. I lose. But, there were some awesome views from the mountains that we traveled over. The below picture shows me in front of one of the peaks that we jogged straight up called Lion's Peak. It hurt.

The expedition started about 7 this morning, and we got back to the OMS offices around 10:30. From that time until lunch, I showered and spent some time doing some homework. Lunch was at a delicious Chinese restaurant close by. My chopstick abilities are developing fairly well, and I love genuine Chinese food, though it is strange sometimes. I have no idea what I have eaten, for the most part, except that it resembles some sort of meat and vegetables, sometimes wrapped in something clear, or mixed with rice or noodles. If you’re willing to try things, Chinese food can turn out to be excellent, just don’t think about what you might be eating. After lunch, I spent much of the afternoon struggling through Calculus work… Good times.

At about 5 that evening, the local directors, my grandfather, and I all left the offices to attend the Seminary Board meeting at a small hotel downtown. Small may be a slight understatement, as you can see by the picture. This is not usual practice for my grandpa’s meetings, but one of the individuals on the board is a regular at this restaurant and he fronted the bill for the evening. The dinner was a buffet; we ate as much food as we wanted from the extensive selections that were offered. The restaurant had everything from fried calamari, to salad, to Mongolian barbeque, to sushi. By the time that the group left the hotel, we were waddling to the parking lot, our stomachs filled with delicious Chinese dishes. Past the stir-fry and the vegetables hid another dimension of the buffet--the desert line. If the buffet was not enough, the desert line had over 20 different selections of custards, cakes, and fruit. Dinner was warming to heart and to the stomach.

Also tonight, we are in the middle of a typhoon. That’s right, a typhoon! As I sit here typing, the rain is pounding on the windows and the door is shaking. The worst of the typhoon, which is essentially a hurricane in the Pacific, was tonight at 9, and the rain was coming down so hard that my shirt was soaked during the 4 second walk from the car to the door. Being a category 8 typhoon, this means that the storm is a strong one. The picture on the left shows the storm cloud coming in over the city. Hopefully, enough of the storm will pass so that our flight can leave tomorrow, for tomorrow we’re off to Korea. I feel as though I have paid my jet lag dues and it is now time for my body to adjust, but we will see how it cooperates with that plan tomorrow. Until next time…

More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.