Yesterday was our first day to see the city of Hong Kong. It is truly a beautiful city, one of the most unique places I have ever visited.

The city of Hong Kong is made up of different islands, and we are staying on an island in the part of the city known as Kowloon, so first we took a ferry across the harbor to the main island of Hong Kong.

Then we rode a bus, one of the red, open air buses reminiscent of the British tourist buses.

 

The day started as cloudy and overcast –

 

But by the time we made our way around the peak, the clouds had cleared and we could see Hong Kong and her outlying islands in all of her glory –

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(I am hoping it comes through, but the above clip is a video I took of the view at the top of Victoria Peak.  Click on it and let me know if you can actually see it!)

The highlight of our day, though, was seeing Samuel and Robbi Chang, friends of ours from The Seed Company, a Bible translation ministry we have been involved with for the past six or seven years.  They have lived in Hong Kong for 25 years and move in just a few days to Arlington, Texas, to join The Seed Company staff.  It was beyond kind and gracious of them to give us their time, and seeing just a glimpse of their city reminded us of how thankful we are for their willingness to leave all that is familiar in order to serve the Bibleless peoples of the world.

By mid-afternoon, all of us were pretty pooped and doing our best to stay awake and keep moving.  We did a force-march with the girls down to the harbor to soak in a little more of the sea and salty air.

Our blonde headed girls stuck out like sore thumbs, and Jason and I got a kick out of six or seven people coming up and asking if they could take their picture with L, L, and C.  The first few pictures, the girls were pretty shy, but by the end, Lillian was downright posing!

Our goal was for everyone to stay awake and make it until 8pm.  At 7pm, I laid down beside the girls to read to them, and by 7:10pm, we were all asleep.  Caroline made it until 4am, so it still might be a long day, but 4am sure is better than no sleep at all the night before!

We are off to do a little more exploring this morning while all of friends in America are getting ready to head to bed.

It is hard for us to think of much else at this point besides getting Mia Grace, but we know that Monday will be here before we know it.

I woke up at 5am this morning and was comforted by the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 62:8-12:

“Trust in God at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Men of low degree are only vanity, and men of rank are a lie; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than breath.

Do not trust in oppression, and do not vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God; and lovingkindess is Thine, O Lord, for You recompense a man according to his work.”

Halfway across the other side of the world, God’s character still remains the same. Power always belongs to Him, and His lovingkindness always holds us together. As we walk through the streets of Hong Kong today, we walk in the power of His Hand and the strength of His love, a love that deeply desires to draw all people to Himself…the people of Hong Kong, the people of Houston, the orpans of Guangzhou, Mia Grace, my family, you and me.

Wherever you walk today, walk in the strength of His love.

His love and ours,

The Bakers