These last few years have been a sort of Paul on the road to Damascus experience for me. But it wasn't the typical spiritual awakening that many of us think of when we think of Paul- blinded with scales and then made to see again with new eyes. It was like that, but I began to see was this world through the eyes of God...

From U2's "When I Look at the World"
When you look at the world
What is it that you see
People find all kinds of things
That bring them to their knees

So I try to be like you
Try to feel it like you do
But without you it's no use
I can't see what you see
When I look at the world

When the night is someone else's
And you're trying to get some sleep
When your thoughts are too expensive
To ever want to keep

When there's all kinds of chaos
And everyone is walking lame
You don't even blink now do you
Don't even look away

So I try to be like you
Try to feel it like you do
But without you it's no use
I can't see what you see
When I look at the world

I can't wait any longer
I can't wait 'til I'm stronger
Can't wait any longer
To see what you see
When I look at the world

I'm in the waiting room
I can't see for the smoke
I think of you and your holy book
When the rest of us choke"

To see the world the way our Creator does is both beautiful and burdensome. I can no longer ignore the great needs and greater injustices that create great need. Here is a short video about the great need in our world and what we can do about it.


Support missionaries, support programs that help the poor, go help, stay home and help.

Just do something.

Look at the world through His eyes.

We're HOME! The crazy world tour is done. We capped it off with time spent visiting Luong's family in California and Canada. All in all, we were able to see his younger sister Lihn and her family, his older brother Tai and his family, his oldest sister Muoi and her family (including our first "Grand-neice!"- whew we are old!), and of course his parents.

Luong flew to Orange County, CA the end of June to spend two weeks looking after his mom who has been recovering from surgery. Then I flew out on July 4th for a couple days. On July 6th we flew up to Seattle, WA. It was the most BEAUTIFUL day you can imagine in Seattle! No rain, sunny, and warm.

After a day and half in Seattle (including an evening spent in an Irish pub- of course!) we rented a car and drove cross the border into British Columbia. It seemed as if the mountains that surrounded us were shouting God's glory, spectacular! We made our way up and over the Cascade range, through the desert-like conditions of Kamloops, and up into the Canadian Rockies where we spent the night in Sun Peaks. This little ski resort village reminded me of Aspen or Vail. Ironically, our friends the Stockmans spent a couple days there in 05. Per their suggestions we shopped early and enjoyed the views! There was a BMX bike contest and live music. What a great time!

The next day we drove an hour on the most remote, yet beautiful, cow path back to the highway. Seriously cool. Then we drove through Canada's Glacier National Park, Roger's Pass, and Banff National Forest. I took over 100 pictures in about an hour!

We arrived in Calgary around 8pm and shared the first of many Chinese meals with Luong's sister and her family >-)! Yummy. We stayed with Lisa and Simon Le (Luong's oldest sister's oldest daughter). Their first daughter, Brianna, just turned one- which should be about the age of our daughter when we pick her up in China... needless to say thoughts were often of her!

The famous Calgary Stampede was roaring through town, so of course we had to go! Basically, it's a big rodeo meets a county fair. The entire city of Calgary (1 million +) goes all out for the Stampede. Free community-wide breakfasts, corporate lunches complete with cowboy hats and blue jeans, and the event itself! It was hard to not get caught up in the "spirit" of it all!

After a wonderful visit with family and more Chinese food than I could handle (and not near enough for Luong- of course!) we hit the road for our the eleven hour drive back through British Columbia to Vancouver. Again, all sun and no rain (sort of the theme for our trip). And, 100+ degree heat in the valleys. Even Vancouver was experiencing their hottest day of the year! We checked into our cute little hotel/ B&B in the heart of downtown and set out to explore the neighborhood. Vancouver has so much to offer, we packed as much as we could into three days. We bought a two-day tour bus pass that allowed us to hop on and off whenever and where ever we wanted. It was a great way to see the city. We visited Stanley Park, Granville Market on Granville Island, the Canada Place (where the all the cruise ships dock), Robson Street, North Vancouver, Gastown, and of course Chinatown! Our favorite had to have been Gastown. It reminded me of the narrow little streets of Ireland lined with shops and pubs.

Finally, we packed up headed back across the border to Bellingham, WA to catch our Skybus flight back to C-bus. All in all, a fun time for the Hos. I think we learned that "vacations" will never be the same after serving in Ireland last summer. We were often overcome by the social, physical, and spiritual needs around us. We were overwhelmed by the dozens of homeless and open drug abusers we saw in Vancouver. We couldn't help but try and come up with potential social reform programs that would help those in need... oh well, I'm glad that we will never travel the same way again!

The Ho Summer Adventures!

So you haven't heard much from us... and for good reason! We have been on planes, trains, and automobiles for the past month and we aren't slowing down any time soon! Here's a quick recap and some pictures!

May 21-31: Lisa returns to her "homeland".
I was hugely blessed to co-lead a trip of 8 students to Northern Ireland for 10 days. We spent part of that time at Corrymeela Center for Reconciliation (where Luong and I served for a month last summer) and part of our time in Belfast (hosted by Steve Stockman at Queen's University). It was an amazing experience to watch students serve, wrestle with, and grow in understanding of the Troubles that impacted this country and its people for over 30 years. I learned even more than I could imagine this time- about the conflicts, reconciliation, and myself.

The 2007 team

June 3-6 (Lisa)/ 3-8 (Luong): Washington, D.C.
If you can imagine Luong and Lisa taking on D.C... Luong with 400 8th grade students on their annual trip and Lisa with 14 students at the annual Pentecost conference hosted by Sojourners. Luong's trip went smoothly- well as smoothly as you can imagine taking 400 middle school students to D.C. ;-)
Lisa and her crew of students heard from a great and inspiring set of presenters and even made it onto CNN as a part of the Presidential Canadites forum on Faith and Values. Check out www.sojo.net to find footage.


June 8-15 Young Life's Lake Champion in New York
Yep- check the dates, Luong rolled in about 7 AM worked a full day at school and we then left around 5:30 PM for New York. After spending a night in State College, PA we were off to Young Life's Lake Champion for a week of hosting other adults interested in the ministry of Young Life. It was a restful and inspirational experinence. It was also a bit disorienting considering we have spent years running around YL camps with students. But it was an amazing way to serve and see the ministry of Young Life. We did get to watch as 30+ students and leaders from Delaware ruled the camp and had the best week of their lives!


June 19-23 CCO New Staff Training- Grove City, PA
Over the past couple years, I (Lisa) has been praying through joining the Coalition for Christian Outreach as an Associate Staff memeber... the benefits include campus ministry training, ministry resources, and a network of quality campus ministers. I finally took the plunge this summer which took me to Grove City College to participate in the first week of their new staff training program. My job description, title, and position at OWU does not change in anyway, I can just now access the resources of the CCO better and have a greater network of co-laborers in ministry! To learn more about CCO visit their website at www.ccojubilee.org.

Future travel plans...
June 23-July 6 Luong to L.A.
On Saturday Luong is flying out to Santa Ana, CA to be with his mom who is recovering from stomach surgery last month. He will spend about 2 weeks with her before I join him on July 4th. Then, the two of us will head up to Seattle for a couple days, rent a car and drive to Calgary, Alberta Canada. It should be a beautiful two day drive through the Canadian Rockies (we're spending a night at Sun Peaks Resort- which comes recommended ? by the Stockmans). We'll spend a few days with Luong's sister and family in Calgary (visit the world famous Stampede) and then drive back to Vancouver, British Columbia for a few days before flying back to Columbus on July 15th.

So there ya go- the Hos are on the road. Please pray for us and check back for cool pictures!

An essay from Sharon Chittock. A good friend of mine... who "gets it"...

For all those who claim Christianity

I look around, and I wonder how it is possible for those of us who say we love Christ to live a life of pure comfort and wealth. To live a life for ourselves, to live a life to please our own material and emotional needs. To those who, like myself, spend 99% of your thoughts on yourself and your own happiness, let us be challenged through the example of Jesus himself. Let us be challenged to literally do as he did; to sit with those we hate, to purposely befriend those the world will not acknowledge, and to invite the ones we want nothing to do with into our own lives. Imagine how this world would be different if Christians were at the forefront of social justice causes. What if Christians were standing with those struggling during the civil rights movement? How would this world be better if Christians spoke up every time a child were starving and end every time another young girl is sold into prostitution? What if we were right there, with homosexuals, fighting for their right to be treated as equals? Why do we sit by our own Chistian-selves when the "losers" sit by themselves? Why do we ignore those every day who despise us because we have abused them in the name of God. Why do we sit here and go about our lives as if we are the star in our own movie while our fellow humans are starving, are being exiled, and are refugees? We watch and read the news and feel mercy, but go on with our lives and change NOTHING to help others. Why does this not enrage us to the point of action, to the point of putting forth our own efforot to write a politician, volunteer, or start a petition or awareness program? Jesus was revolutionary. Jesus purposely and lovingly invited those into his heart who society no longer wanted. Why have we forgotten this? I wonder how the world would be different if we DIDN'T hang out with our youth groups, Bible studies, and Christian friends for just one night, and sat with those the Church turns its eyes from. I wonder why if Jesus actually did this himself, why he wouldn't want us to do it, too? I wonder how, after the Church's complete irresponsibility to counter the injustices that choke our society, we the church are able to sleep at night. I am ashamed that I have not been living a life of radical compassion, kindness, love, and justice. I am ashamed of those of us who believe "the poor will always be with us," and who believe that we can do nothing because this world will always be bad.

"He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:8

The wonderful... STEVE STOCKMAN!

If you have spent any time with the Hos in the past three years you have heard us talk about our good friend Steve Stockman from Belfast, Northern Ireland. I met Steve just a little over three years ago after I read his book "Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2". My friend Ryan gave me a copy of "Walk On" since he knew I was a huge U2 fan. After reading it, I noticed the author was from Belfast and since I was helping to plan a mission trip to Northern Ireland I decided to send Steve an email and the rest, they say, is history.

Since then, we have coordinated three trips for Steve to come speak in the U.S. Including appearances at; Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, the Jubilee Conference in Pittsburgh; and Kenyon College near Mt. Vernon, Ohio. He jokes about me being his "road manager". I'm not really sure about that, but I would be proud to be called his friend.

Steve's day job is the Presbyterian Chaplain at Queen's University. This May he and his staff will be assisting our next mission team during our time in Belfast. Last July, Luong and I were blessed to stay with the Stockmans at their cottage near Ballycastle, Northern Ireland where we got to know his family- daughters Jasmine and Catlin, and wife Janice. Now we know what really makes Steve so great!

Chelsea in Charleston!














This last week I spent my spring break in Charleston, S.C. with one of my favorite people, Chelsea Brink! I've known Chelsea since she was in high school, now she is all grown up and ready to graduate from the College of Charleston! This summer she will be taking off for western Africa to spend two years with the Peace Corp. I love this girl! She has enough energy and life for 10 people. She wined and dined me, along with her roommate Jenna and boyfriend Brad. Here are the highlights...

Prophet of Peace...

On our way back from visiting my parents in East Central Indiana, I finally made the pilgrimage to Rich Mullins' grave site. Rich was a modern day prophet, more known for his Christian music hits of the 80's and 90's (Awesome God and Step by Step), but I knew him as the voice of God. He was killed in a car accident almost ten years ago.

He spoke boldly about peace and poverty. He made his own vow of poverty, of sorts, when he decided early in his career to collect the average wages of a single American (about $25,000 at the time) and divert the rest of his earnings to charity. He told his accountant not to tell him the difference, lest he be tempted not be faithful. Luong and I made the decision to follow his lead and set our annual budget to that of an average American family. Before you go commending us for our great sacrifice, remember that 1/3 of the world lives on less than $2 a day. We are not suffering in any way.

You can find many of his "teachings" and lyrics at http://www.kidbrothers.net/.

We long for the peace you knew Rich... may you rest deeply in every bit of it.

My Monday nights are spent with some of the most fun, insightful, and lovely women I have ever met!

This year my "Monday Night Bible Study" took on a new look and feel with the addition of Jessica Kynion, our new Assistant Chaplain of Service and Justice and one of my favorite people. She opens her home every week with hospitality and and ever flowing supply of "hot drinks".

Last semester we worked through Paul's letter to the Ephesians together and this semester we have begun to take a closer look at the life and ministry of Jesus. I so value the opinions and insight of these women. They are a stark contrast to group of rowdy teenagers I meet with beforehand in our Young Life campaigner bible study!

Mondays are not my only chance to get into the scriptures with young minds. On Tuesdays I meet with a diverse group of women. From Ghana to Cincinnati, these women have a wealth of perspective to draw from. And, recently, Jessica and I started a small group on Friday afternoons. I am so blessed in the work I do!













Jessica and Natalie












Karen and Erin

Ok, so I found on YouTube and I just had to put it in... it's got music from U2 ;-)



enjoy. pray. believe. dream. love.

Let's never forget...



"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence."
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Mama and Papa Brake were in town this weekend for a quick visit and to watch the OSU vs. Florida National Championship Game (NCAA Football for those of you not in Central Ohio).

I also got a NEW CAMERA for Christmas- thanks Mr. Ho!

Here are some pictures of the family!

Love,
lisa

So Luong and I dropped our fancy cable for basic this year, which means I'm really behind on the music video news. Although, since MTV decided to stop playing music videos about 5 yrs ago, I still may have never seen this... but here's a gem I found. It's U2's latest video for their single "Window in the Skies". I loved this song the first time I heard it! It blows my mind that this band is still cranking out amazing music! However, I fell even more in love with it when I saw the video. No matter what kind of music you like, you will find your favorite artist in the video. Play close attention to the crowd in the end. I believe it makes the statement that "we are fans too!"

Enjoy!

A reminder for the spirit of the season...
"Peace on Earth"


"God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9

Welcome to our world... Kennedy Joy Dumbacher, born November 27, 2006 at 7:22 PM. 7 lbs. 1 oz. She's perfect! A little bundled up miracle for two parents (Bill and Stacey) who waited 7 years for her birth. I sense something of a theme...

The other good news, I got to be "mommy" to a seven year old for two days (Kennedy's big sister Ana) and I didn't freak out! Maybe I could do this parenting thing from scratch* after all.

Lisa

*For those of you who know Tyler, he's an entirely different story! By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TYLER- 21 on 11/27/06 (Same as Kennedy!)

Published today in the Columbus Dispatch

WWJD? He’d forgive Bono’s foul language

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

As a response to letter writer Miles Larrick’s recent critique of rock star Bono’s use of profanity, I would encourage him to do a little research.

In the book Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas, Bono addresses his lifestyle and his faith. He describes his faith as moving "out of the realm of karma and into one of grace." He continues with: "You see at the center of all the religions is the idea of karma. And yet, along comes this idea called grace to upend all that. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff. . . . I’d be in big trouble if karma was finally going to be my judge. . . . It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity."

Bono does not make excuses for his shortcomings as a Christian, but he understands the very essence of Christian faith: grace. When Christians zero in on each other’s "works," we become the very people Christ spoke against in his rebuke of fundamentalist religious leaders (Matthew 23:27). By dismissing the work of a great humanitarian and Christian, we forget what was in the center of Christ’s heart when he said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

LISA HO

Assistant chaplain of Christian ministries

Ohio Wesleyan University

Delaware

Phil said I needed to...

My buddy Phil Mollenkof (check Phil and Allie's blog link to the right) said I needed to update my blog more often so here's my latest attempt!

My biggest obstacle to updating the blog is not having practical means to post pictures. Luong and I are in the market for a new laptop and now that the Intel Duo's are out, we should be picking one up very soon. With that, I can plug my photo memory card in and download current pics! Without it, I have to take them to a store and copy them onto a disc and then download them. I hate having to do that...

So, imagine if you would, Luong and I are at my 6 yr. old nephew's birthday party last weekend...
Ok, so these kids were not there- but they look like they are having fun!


And I don't know who these people are either, but they are a diverse looking group aren't they?

Ok, so you can see why having pictures is important to accurate blogging!

I'll try and get that laptop asap!

Love
the hos

Cedar Point!

Finally a new post! A couple weekends ago I got to ride along with 90 students (mostly international) to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. For those of you who aren't up on your "Best Amuzement Parks in the World", Cedar Point ranks #1. Unfortunately, I discovered after 6 years of developing motion sickenss, I can no longer ride HUGE roller coasters. I did alright on the first couple, then it just started going "downhill".

All in all, it was a great time with my new co-worker Jessica, our good friends Matt and Julia Brooker (who Luong and I will be traveling to Ireland with next July), and 90 OWU students.

I have some pictures the students took during our time there. It was a bit damp, but made for a great day!

Fresh X at Seneca Rocks!
Here's a cool picture from my (Lisa) weekend at Seneca Rocks, WVA on OWU's Freshman Experience (otherwise known as "Fresh X"). Ryan Carlson, our director of Wilderness Ministries, invited me to serve as the food coordinator. It was a terrific opportunity to come alongside some amazing student leaders as they befriended and guided incoming freshman through their transition into college.

There were about 60 students who participated in everything from service (cleaning and panting at the National Park), to hiking, rock climbing, white water rafting, and backpacking. Before you become impressed with my sudden passion for the wilderness, I stayed in a bunkhouse all weekend. Mattress, showers, electricity... my kind of wilderness. There were a lot of bugs though! Yuck.

It was the perfect transition for myself back into the swing of campus ministry after an amazing summer in Ireland. It reminded me of my passion for college students and their journey into adulthood. We had the most friendly and outgoing group of students. They were also very "gamey", playing every game they learned from kindergarten on. It was a blast to see young adults laughing and playing without pause to think about what they looked like to their peers. No trendy clothes, no make-up (barely bathed actually), no alcohol, no drugs, just nature and tons of safe people. Our student leaders stepped up and made a difference for a few incoming freshman, shaping their entire college career for the better. I am so grateful for the opportunity to witness their work.

By the way, Luong started classes yesterday, so he would covet your prayers! A new school year means a new crop of not so eager 8th graders to teach. Golf is well underway and we're off to Indiana this weekend to celebrate birthdays with the family (mine is Saturday... 34 shhh).

God Bless
The Hos
(PS my friend Suzanne thought that was a great "sound off" so I'm going to use it every time!)

Welcome to our new home... well at least our new "virtual" home. Physically, we are back in Delaware, Ohio after spending a month in Ireland serving with the Corrymeela community. Check out our blog at hosinireland.blogspot.com for pictures and reflections. We experienced fellowship, fun, and the love of our brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the world! Thanks to everyone who left their mark on our lives. We will never be the same!


We come home with a new appreciation of "home". Not the house we live in (although, it's pretty dang cute), but the place where we are, right now. Rich Mullins often spoke of this concept in his lyrics. In "Sometimes By Step" he spoke of Abraham, "He was a stranger in this land, And I am that, no less than he". And, of Christ, in his song "You Did Not Have a Home" he said,
"Birds have nests, foxes have dens But the hope of the whole world rests On the shoulders of a homeless man You had the shoulders of a homeless man And the world can't stand what it can't own And it can't own You 'Cause You did not have a home"

Home ownership is a status of "arriving" in the U.S.. Being homeless is a curse. I witnessed that firsthand in May when we visited CCNV, the nations largest homeless shelter. But what does "home" mean? Well, to us, it is a calling. An investment, not in bricks and mortar, but in people and community. Jesus knew that and therefore wasn't concerned with the physicality of his home, but those with whom he lived, and dined, and played, and served. They defined his home. And we are redefining what home is for us.

Join us on the journey, be at home with us wherever we are.

God Bless
The Hos
'Cause You did not have a home