Monday, April 20, 2009

04/20/2009

Hey all,
Keepin' you updated with another blog entry. Last week saw a lot of events pertaining to our summer tour.
Of some of the really particular events were...
we collected final checks for support
filled out paper work for our visas
and started learning, "How Great Thou Art" in Mandarin, with the help of our very own, Limin Hou.
Much thanks to you, Mr. Hou. He has also helped out with translating our programs, so mega-kudos to you!
On the local scene, we have music ensemble chapel this week.
For those new to following this blog, M.M.C.C. (Moody Men's Collegiate Choir) is one of four musical ensembles that compromise the Sacred Music Department (S.M.D.) at the Moody Bible Institute (M.B.I.), and this week, during one of our regular weekly chapel sessions, we will devote an entire chapel session (as we do once a year) to presenting and expaning our ministries and activities to the student body.
It's a great way to show students and faculty what we've been up to, what we're going to do, what we do, why we do, and how they can join if they want.
Continue to be in prayer for us, since there is LESS THAN 1 MONTH 'TIL WE LEAVE!!!
peace.

Saturday, April 4, 2009


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04/04/2009

Wow!
It has been a while. So, so, so much has happened since my last post.
Let me just fill you in...
Spring Tour was amazing. We toured the south-east for 2 weeks over our spring break from 03/08-03/21 and performed concerts in Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
You could look over our completed itinerary on the S.M.D. (Sacred Music Department) of M.B.I.'s (Moody Bible Institute) website.
Spring tour went extremely well. One of the best tours I've been on yet.
I'll fill in the details, and add photos later (we also had a local concert in Aurora last week that went well too).
Let me get to the heart of the matter, CHINA!
We are trying to work out all the logistics of making China happen with fervor. There's still a lot more to be done; along those lines there is a little less than 50 % more support to raise as a whole, a good number of our guys also need to still raise a considerable amount to achieve the required $3,000 that each member is responsible for (there's about 45 guys total), we still have to get visas for all the guys, still have to work out shipping or packing all our stuff over (risers, instruments, sound equipment, P.R., etc.).
On the other side, Fenn Torjeson, an American missionary in China is helping us tremendously. He's organized loads of plans for us, and is our conduit of sorts over there.
To give you a little glimpse of what's in store for us ministry-wise when we get there, I've laid out a general (and in some sense, tentative) itinerary for this summer...
Sat. 16 May; noon- sing for graduation ceremony at Moody Church
18.45 hr.- depart from O'Hare to San Fransisco, arrive: 21.20 hr.
Sun. 17 May; 13.20 hr.- depart San Fransisco to Hong Kong, arrive: 06.25 hr. (05/18/2009)
Mon. 8 June; 07.45 hr.- depart Beijing to Hong Kong, arrive: 11.20 hr.
14.10 hr.- depart Hong Kong to San Fransisco, arrive: 11.35 hr.
13.50 hr.- depart San Fransisco to Chicago, arrive: 20.10 hr.

Amoung some of the cities we'll be performing at in China are; Hong Kong, Xiaman, Putian, Fuzhou, Taiyuan, elsewhere in the Shanxi province, and Beijing

I've embedded a googlemaps quasi-itinerary of some of the places. You can check it out if you like.

I'll be in touch, you keep in touch.
Please pray.
-john.