by Donna
Getting in touch with friends was a priority for me during my stay in Macau. I was able to connect with good friends, some of whom I had Bible studies with ten years ago! Of course, all of us have gone through changes during the passing years, but we could all follow God’s thread in our lives and through all the ups and downs we are grateful He has not forsaken the least of His children.

Donna and Friends in Macau

Obviously I found living in China quite different than being in Africa: The verse, ”What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and loose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36, kept coming to me to convict me. With the constant barrage of materialism available at every turn of the neck, I found it a constant struggle to keep my mind on things that are above and not on things of this earth. In this digital age it becomes easy to wake up and turn on the computer and check out news or social media sites. One of the greatest blessings I had to help me along the way was my IBible, which I could listen to as I rested and a Bible to open before I even got out of bed! It had to be read early, before the day started, especially on those days that I was struggling for a reason to get up! Before Jesus told us to be careful about losing our soul, he told us that if we want to save our life, we would lose it, but if we loose our life for Jesus and the gospel, then we would save it. As I get older, this wise paradoxical statement makes more sense to me. I realize that everything I have today is only lent to me for the short time that I need it here. Then, it will be absolutely useless. So if I devote all my time to my physical well-being,  yielding always to my self-contentedness, which is really rebellion against God, I am missing the great investment of spiritual riches that will lead to eternal life and knowing Christ. Christ had to give up his life in order to enter into His glory, an example of how we are to live here, a life of love and service to Him and others.
Our Sunday fellowships were always the highlight of my week. The Lord supplied a new piano and we were able to enjoy some worship music with Cristy on keyboard, Joana on violin and Gabes with the bongos.

Gabriel on the Bongos

The discussions somehow always gravitated to the concepts of marriage in society today as well as the great influx of homosexuality in the media and politics today. It is refreshing and illuminating to have the scriptures as our standard. Marriage is pretty well defined in the scriptures: ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh’. [Gen 2:24].  ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’ [Mat 19:5-6].

I am glad to be back in Africa and I cherish the two months spent in Macau and China where so much was accomplished. Most of the legal paperwork was done and some house improvements to. I was blessed to be with the rest of the family there and we shared some beautiful moments together.

Macau family pictures [click to enlarge]: