Visit Hong Kong 30 Dec 2013 - 5 Jan 2014

Finally, we made it! My family went on a holiday together to Hong Kong over new year. It was such great fun spending time together, discovering places, eating - yes eating! and snuggled in small beds for a fews days...

  

It was the first time to have everyone in the family together. Glo's parents joined us too. So altogether, there were 10 of us.

Derek & I found a park and spent some time together while my family went sight seeing and before we met up with the LiFers...

and.... the great event in Hong Kong on New Year's Eve! We saw the fireworks at midnight. Great experience! 

We stayed with the LiFers at an apartment with 3 bedrooms. Really nice place and cheap... Had a great time together, sharing our joys and celebrations of 2013 and what we are looking forward to in 2014. Irene and Serena got us this nice breakfast...

and yes... lets see where we can go for a walk...

After a long walk, had a break at Starbucks. The girl at the counter asked Derek if he is a TVB artiste....

Sharing good time together by the seaside. Lots of laughter, lots of sharing of life and values... Finally had some time to catch up with Irene and Serena to listen to their SOM experience in New Zealand.

Visited a family who brought us around the Carmelite Monastery, Stanley Market and a retreat house filled with the nativity scene... 

They treated us for dinner at their house. So eager to share their faith... Sylvester and the rest had met some of them at a conference they were at before meeting us in Hong Kong.

Then it was time for our Retreat at St. Francis Xavier Spirituality Centre Cheung Chau, Hong Kong. 2 days of quiet... Meeting with our spiritual director, Fr Tong. Ended the retreat with a private mass at the chapel with him.

The 7 of us took this time to discern our next step with LIFE. Fr Tong found 3 elements we have in common. 

1. Mission
2. Trust - providence
3. Joy

It has given us more clarity in moving forward and stirred in us the desire to plunge into God's grace in his mission field, knowing that we can trust him with joy!

While waiting for the ferry to get back to Hong Kong, we had this dessert. It was sooooo nice and soft..... mmmmmmm. One of those things I remember best of Hong Kong:) really good food, anywhere, everywhere!

Then we landed in this apartment for 1 night. It was so small for the 6 of us. The nightmare was the toilet and bathroom. One cannot move when in it! So, as a remembrance, we all crowded in and took this picture. Lots of laughter! What a challenge to take a shower...

While we were at the retreat, my family was in Shenzen - shopping, eating.... They also visited Ocean Park on their last day in Hong Kong before flying back to KK.

God, thank you for this wonderful opportunity and for keeping us safe throughout the trip.