October 2009 Update

[Alan Yu]

Dear Prayer Supporters,

IN the beginning of October we ran the last Jubilization event at
AFC. The process for organizing this event was full of struggles. We
encountered numerous problems that we have never dealt with before.
There was certainly a point in time where I believed the event was
going to be a failure. Yet God is gracious as always (only we always
forget...), and His timely reminder in our prayer became a great
encouragement that we held onto. It turned out that the event was a
great success, not that we had performed well (which we did), but that
we witnessed the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit working among
those who came. There is nothing that we can boast about except the
grace of God.

I particularly remember one incident. During the event, we organized
a group of students from the Jubilant to pray for the event
simultaneously as the event is in progress. We gathered to pray for
those attending the event when they were about to begin meditating
after some singspiration time. We prayed particularly fervently as
that was usually the time they make decisions about their
discipleship. While we were praying in round for God's Spirit to move
and touch their hearts, I heard God said, OK, I heard your prayer. My
heart was immediately filled with thanksgiving, and our prayer
switched from supplication to thanksgiving. Many participants related
to us later that they were very touched during the meditation time.
Again, it is nothing but the power of God.

Praying with the students from the Jubilant is a delight. Not only is
the praying time a sweet time of communication, but I am also
delighted in their growth in their spirituality over the past year.
Comparing their prayer now with about a year ago, they (and me too)
have indeed grown a lot. I have come to the conclusion that it is
only through the spiritual growth in leaders like ourselves that the
students' lives will also grow. It is not about fancy programming,
but the contagiousness of the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Tomorrow I will be flying to Hong Kong to attend my long awaited
prayer retreat and training, after attending the wedding of my dear
colleague Wayne Kwok. I will also have some much needed time of rest
in Taipei. Please pray that God will use the retreat to revitalize my
spirit, and plant in me a fervent heart for prayer. Please also pray
that I will get enough rest, as I feel quite overloaded lately due to
ministry and study.

Finally a good news to share with you. Constance and I are expecting 余
同, our third child, in April 2010. Although this is unplanned, but 余同
is by no means an accident. He/She is a bonus gift from God, as he/she
is not born out of obligation of family planning but love. He/She will
be a great blessing to our family.

No, we don't know the gender yet. Yes, we still prefer a son!

Like the other two children, all we pray for is that this third child
will be healthy and will walk in God's way as he/she grows up.


In Christ,
Alan Yu


Alan's Engagement in November:
Nov 15, 22, 29: preaching at Sunday service, Westside Baptist Church
Nov 15: leading worship discipleship program at GZone
Nov 15: leading worship discipleship program at The Jubilant
Nov 19: speaking at the "God is Better Than Sex" Rally at UBC
Nov 28: leading a woodwork workshop on making prayer chair at AFC
Nov 29: leading workshop and presenting keynote at "Sold to Sex,
Bought to Love" Love and Relationship Conference at AFC