SG.

Before coming to HK, I had decided on traveling to three surrounding areas: Thailand, The Philipines, and Singapore. The last of these is where I write this message!
I'm typing at a computer (with a 32" monitor TV) in a VERY local Singaporean apartment. My friend Jason from Cali met a couple guys from Singapore (SG), one of which let us stay the weekend at his place. It's a cozy living space, more spacious than I thought (but not the sink space), and here's what took place:

I had no idea what to expect, I just knew I wanted to visit SG. Little did I expect to get blasted with a equatorial, tropical thunderstorm/weather. The humidity here is arguably worse than jungles but the 4PM thunderstorms felt amazing. We flew in and were greeted by two locals, Bing and Anni (Ah-nee, we're at his place). Famished, we went to a VERY local food centre and had a meal I will not soon forget: local crabs, peanut sauce noodles, prawns/broccoli, and, of course, rice. The crabs were alive when we picked them, dead when we ate them, and smothered in 3 different styles. The Chili was a classic (had like melted cheese & chili pepper...kinda like lasagna, except crab...) then Black Pepper (most typical one) and it was amazing. Probably my favorite because it was so flavorful and cooked just right with pepper and probably butter, not to mention, they were all seasoned with cilantro (haven't had that in like weeks, my mouth was very happy). The final crab was salty egg, which was actually quite delicious. Hands down the best crab I've ever put in my mouth, the claws were like as big as tennis balls.

Peanut noodle. Amazing. Peanut sauce in noodles?! Can't beat that. I hear there's pretty boss Satay here, so bring it.

So how did Jason and these locals meet? Through a Christian Leadership Conference in Cali. Thus, we all went to a local church gathering tonight. Jason warned me that we may visit some Bible Studies on the plane. Honestly, I was not wanting to go to "youth group" when my time was limited in SG; however, God is really working on my very hard heart.

We bussed over to the apartments which the Church owns: a Sister House and a Brother House. They use lingo very freely, calling fellow believers "Brothers and Sisters" and Christians in general "Saints". It is taking time to get used to that and I don't know why, but it's a refreshing feeling to know that Germantown, TN isn't that only place to "do" Christianity the "right way". Don't get me wrong, I'm very different than these locals (many college aged kids...many gorgeous girls...that's a diff story though xP), but we are all under the Banner of Christ, which has been so uncomfortable that's it's intriguing me.

Uncomfortable because two Christians could meet (for the first time) and automatically, they're (we're) literal brothers and sisters. Treated as the same family. "We are one" is there motto. It's real and it's awesome, but it's unlike the self-faith-attitude I've grown up in. (That's unfair for all the ones I am close to and have a personal faith with , but I'm just talking about general).
Prayer is so different, more focused on the Spirit, much more "carasmatic" (sp). One will somewhat "chant" (not chant but talk with an upbringing of emotion in short steady bursts) while the group will follow "Amen!". Over and Over. Over and Over. Interesting, very unifying, more "cult" like yes, but genuine allthesame.

So that was my first night in SG (not to mention, Anni bought us egg tart at 10PM, they take hospitality to a new level.) There's another meeting tomorrow but I think we'll bypass it, but we will definitely not pass up the Satay, Prata (pancake stuff), Indian, and hopefully more crabs :D. We'll see the sights too, but it's been a very humbling time, I"m far too blessed. Yes "too" is the right word. But as I look at this 32 inch computer screen, I think, "Aren't we all"?