0901NL

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=120 BGCOLOR="#FFCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0443f781egdyul.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#009900" FACE="Arial" ><B>Proclaim His Praise in the Islands - the Hallowells</B></FONT> <B> </B><B>|    </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proclaim His Praise in the Islands the "><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=360 BGCOLOR="#CCFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> 0901NL</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="35b8f730.jpg" border=0 width="399" height="371" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> We mentor these six BSOP students each week.  The smiles are because we had just enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Party. (The smiling faces of the students are blurred because of our <A HREF="id42_securityprivacy_policy.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Plans, purposes, policies, parameters, "><U>website security policy</U></A>.)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> February 3, 2009</div> <bR> <div> Dear Friend, </div> <bR> <div> Happy Chinese New Year of the Ox!  (January 26)</div> <bR> <div> While the Chinese New Year is interesting culturally and important spiritually (<A HREF="#chinese_new_year" TITLE="0901NL"><U>please see below</U></A>), the end of the last academic quarter last December (think of days of grading papers and projects) and the beginning of the new quarter this January (think of days of preparation in December) has had more impact on our schedules and lives.  </div> <bR> <div> We did get to shift gears for a few days during the holiday period from focusing on grading, preparation and study to spending more time socially in various Christmas and other activities, including time with Amor´s family.  In addition, there were a surprisingly large number of weddings, memorial services, and funerals.  </div> <bR> <div> One nice thing about the social events was the opportunity to see and hear from various graduates who we helped train at the Biblical Seminary of the Philippines (BSOP).  The workers you prayed for and trained through us are reaping fruit, to the glory of God.  <A HREF="#fruitful_bsop_graduates" TITLE="0901NL"><U>Please see below </U></A>for a few brief news items about our alumni.</div> <bR> <div> The new year and the new quarter is off to a very fast pace.  We continue to teach and mentor seminary students.  In addition, both of us are working on our doctoral studies, though Amor is currently getting more time for that than Jay.  Yes, it all feels heavy.  </div> <bR> <div> We value your partnership in this strategic ministry of preparing this batch of new workers for the harvest.  It is strategic!</div> <bR> <div> It is His strategy!  For His kingdom!</div> <div> Jay and Amor</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Page 2 & 3</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B> <A NAME="chinese_new_year"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Chinese New Year</B></div> <div> <B>Tradition, Superstition, or Idolatry?</B></div> <bR> <div> One joy of working with Filipino-Chinese students is that we get to celebrate two new years each year.  Along with most Filipinos we get to experience New Year´s Eve each December 31 and New Year´s Day each January 1.  </div> <bR> <div> The Chinese traditionally follow a lunar calendar.  Thus we have to find out each year when the Chinese or Lunar New Year will be.  (We have to do the same for Good Friday and Easter, for the same reason.)  This year, the Chinese Year of the Rat ended on Sunday, January 25, 2009.  The Year of the Ox began on Monday, January 26, 2009.  </div> <bR> <div> Our Filipino-Chinese students have a diverse range of experience of the Chinese New Year, depending on their families.  Some of their families do not consider the Chinese New Year to be special, having already celebrated the New Year on Dec. 31/Jan. 1.  Others just enjoy various Chinese New Year traditions.  For the families of other students, though, it is very important to start the new Chinese year right.</div> <bR> <div> Our students can struggle as Christians with understanding the differences between tradition, superstition, and idolatry.  Tradition can be a fun or nice way to celebrate the Chinese New Year.  Superstition can be idolatry or syncretism or tradition.  Idolatry, they all understand, is completely wrong.  Let us give some recent examples from our own lives.</div> <bR> <div> On Sunday afternoon January 25, New Year´s Eve, Jay spoke to a group of young people in an area of Manila where many Chinese live.  While he was there several groups of Dragon dancers paraded down the street in their gorgeous costumes and with their loud drums.  The drums were so loud Jay had to stop speaking until they passed.  Jay, though, did enjoy the costumes.  For some, the dragon dance is just an interesting and fun tradition.  For others, though, the purpose of the dragon (or lion) costume and dance and the noise of the drums is to scare away evil spirits</div> <div> or any force that might hinder prosperity, health, long life, and happiness from finding one in the new year.  This would be superstition.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="35f0aa40.jpg" border=0 width="266" height="164" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> From: <A HREF="http://yeinjee.com/asianpop/chinese-new-year-worldwide-celebration-2008" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://yeinjee.com/asianpop/chinese-new-"><U>http://yeinjee.com/asianpop/chinese-new-year-worldwide-celebration-2008</U></A>.  Downloaded 01/24/09.</div> <bR> <div> At midnight Sunday evening, still New Year´s Eve, we were awakened by the explosions of firecrackers and fireworks by Chinese neighbors.  For some, this is just a fun tradition.  For others, the purpose of the noise is to scare away evil spirits or forces that might cause harm in the new year.</div> <bR> <div> On Monday January 26, New Year´s Day, some students gave us round fruit (see photo below).  The roundness of the fruit is supposed to symbolize coins or wealth or prosperity.  Giving round fruit is a wish for material prosperity for the new year.  Superstition or tradition?  We took it as a nice tradition.  We like fruit.  It is nice when students give gifts to honor their teachers.*  </div> <bR> <div> Also on Monday, January 26, one of our Chinese students from the Philippines really had a hard day.  His father expected him to go with him to a temple to pray to the gods or spirits there for prosperity, health, happiness, etc. for the new year.  When this student explained to his father that he had a class his father got angry at him and the seminary.  The father felt that he and the family were being shamed by this student´s lack of filial piety and family togetherness.  This student returned to the seminary and is in the dorm now.  He is afraid to go home again on the</div> <div> weekend.  Please pray for him.  Cases like his, fortunately, are relatively rare among our students.  </div> <bR> <div> The question, "Tradition, superstition, or idolatry?" remains a very important one to ask and answer, not only at the New Year, but every day.</div> <bR> <div> * This reminds Jay of the American custom of students giving an apple (a round fruit!) to their teacher.  Do students still do this?  Our students did!  (Well, an apple, an orange, some sweet kiet (Mandarin orange?), and two pitaya.  See photo on pg. 2)  See also Gal. 6:6.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="363b84a0.jpg" border=0 width="440" height="330" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="ups_and_downs_in_2008"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>UPS and DOWNS in 2008</div> <bR> <div> <B>Down</B>: The value of a U.S. dollar</div> <bR> <div> <B>Up</B>:  Prices of necessities</div> <bR> <div> <B>Down</B>: The number of dollars given to our support (by 4%)</div> <bR> <div> <B>UP</B>, please, in 2009: Your prayers for us, our financial support, our studies, and our teaching and mentoring.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Page 4</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="fruitful_bsop_graduates"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Fruitful BSOP Graduates</div> <bR> <div> C. shared the gospel to over 100 non-Christians in December.  She continues to follow-up those who responded.</div> <bR> <div> D. & A. see fruit in their ministries to young people in their respective churches.</div> <bR> <div> E. has moved to a new church, where he is heading up a coffee shop outreach.</div> <bR> <div> W., whose wife is pregnant with their third child, is encouraged by the results from the church sports ministry he leads.  </div> <bR> <div> J. is working hard to mobilize lay workers in his church by training them in evangelism and disciple-making.</div> <bR> <div> Only space prevents many more such reports.  Thank you for your partnership.  It has borne this fruit, by God´s grace.  Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and fruitfulness!</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="361afcf0.jpg" border=0 width="687" height="975" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Last week Jay used the joke above when he preached, spoke, and taught.  These different audiences really laughed and enjoyed the joke.  We hope that you do too.  The joke is scanned from: Alan Chong, Translator, and Tian Hengyu, Editor and Illustrator, <I>Popular Chinese Jokes</I>, 1994, Singapore, Asiapac.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> by Jay and Amor Hallowell</div> <div> Last update: February 6, 2009</div> <div> --------------------------------- end of Hallowell content ----------------------------------------------</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>