Friday 9/1 10:30 AM flight, United Airline, from Newark, arrived 12pm in DC.
Took their Metro $30 (beats Lyft's $60 one way to hotel) for 3 days unlimited, blue-line then to Orange-line to last stop Vienna, free transit to bus 630 to Extended Stay Hotel in Centreville. Checked in at 3pm. Whole trip took about 2 hours, rather than Lyft's 30 mins.
Lunch/dinner at Vit Goel Tofu, right behind hotel. Then tried distribute STEMI flyers. Not many around, houses don't even have mailboxes.
Rally at 7pm. Took Lyft, bout $8 one way, 10 mins. Questions for next day is a QR code scan online. I placed most of my long pending questions on it. I shall document the response.
10:20pm Rally finished. Took Lyft back to hotel. Talked the rally with my middle-Eastern driver Naveed who seemed curious enough to know but refused the flyer. Not enough time to share the gospel in 10 min ride.
11pm Supper at Gom Tang E Restaurant opens 24/7.
Average meals in Centreville is around $15 including tips.
Saturday 9/2: 7am, free light snacks and coffee complimentary of the hotel.
Checked out at 11am. Brunch at all you can eat Kebab place next to the Vit Goel Tofu from yesterday. Recuperate in Centreville library typing this diary.
2pm STEMI Q&A. Many of my questions were touched on but not fully answered because either the questions were too many, Tong was old, tired, did not get what I was asking or I may need to ask them in a different way.
6:30pm Rally ends. I took a Lyft to the P+R Bus station for Bus #640. Again like the 630 bus, this bus does not take my 3-day Unlimited Smartrip Metrorail Card, which I confirmed with the staff should work. But the bus driver also let me pass after saying my card has no fare on it. Should have kept the receipt.
9pm Checked in at Westin Hotel at Arlington. This hotel is way better than the one in Centreville for the same $120/day price. I have two nights here. Ate at Hawkers Asian Street Food: Curry Laksa Ramen $15. Not bad. Some kind of Korean Singaporean fusion restaurant.
Sunday 9/3: 9:30am Attended Sunday Service at Grace Christian Church at Herndon, Pastor Wang ZhiYong's church. I took the Metrorail in DC. Took me about 1 hour from hotel to church. I chose this church over Mark Dever's Capitol Baptist church because I learned Pak Tong's preaching there. I also attended their Sunday School at 11:30am, and then ate lunch with them. They do like most Chinese churches in U.S., donation based ($5) lunch meals. Sunday School was a little boring, on John 11, by an elder I think. But I did realize how Jesus was Lord over Time (John 11, on Lazarus), and Lord over Space (John 4 when Jesus merely uttered the words without needing to go there to heal). The Lord over Time and Space. I wouldn't mind lunching alone had Grace, one of the member not came to chat as she recognized me from the events in previous day. We talked about Chinese churches in America. I had to rush to Strathmore Music Center at 1pm to make the 2 hour subway ride arriving at 3pm. The Music Center hall was marvelous indeed. Great hall! I took photos. I sat in one of those "boxes" by the piano side on 2nd floor. Loved the view.
7pm: Dined at Satay Club, since on FB, everyone recommended this over MAKAN, which is another Malaysian restaurants with great number of reviews in D.C. Char Koay Teow not quite authentic, but delicious enough. Roti Canai not bad either.
Monday 9/4: 8am: Gym running for 10 mins (1 mile) at hotel. 10:30am: Ordered Nando Peri Peri Chicken's next door to hotel (1/2 chicken for $15), very delicious, ate in hotel before check out. 12pm checked out. Spent some time at hotel's lobby looking up places I could visit nearby. Was recommended by a regular guest at the hotel to visit the Arlington Cemetery. I would had I the time. But I was eventually only able to make it to the Air Force Memorial for a quick glance at the Pentagon, neither of which I saw before. The cemetery was in view "next door" as well. While people generally drove up or came with a tour bus to the Memorial, I walked up across their under construction roads, so to the tourists, I popped out of nowhere and vanished into nowhere. But before this, I was at the Strathmore Music Center for the last time. Though I could only attend the Q&A session at 2pm and not the 4pm Rally or I would have missed my flight at 8:30pm, since I promised Nadia to get her Nando's Peri-Peri chicken. Rally's 3 hours long generally as Jahja Ling prepped the audience singing 1 hour, and Pak Tong preached for 2 hours. I would have gotten out at 7pm had I stayed at the Rally and it takes 1 hour just from the music hall to the airport via metro. So when I left STEMI's Music Hall around 4pm, I walked from Pentagon City Metro to Air Force Memorial for 20 mins. Then ordered Peri-Peri as I walked back. Even unnecessarily bought Tupperwares ($3 for 3) from Target nearby as I thought the Peri-Peri chicken (1/2 chicken) & Butterfly chicken Breast (they were out of chicken livers which was Nadia's preferred) would not fair well in their original packaging. But the customs at the airport did let me pass with the Peri-Peri paper bag of chickens. I did fold enough to prevent the delicious smell from "polluting" the airplane. I arrived in Newark earlier than expected: 9pm instead of 9:30pm. Nadia picked up me. It was a great DC Trip!
Apparently even weeks after well into Boston's week, people are still posting Q&A questions at the DC Q&A site. Not sure what their problem is...perhaps they misunderstood the point of it and thinking that someone would answer them eventually or something.
Philly's Week
Thursday 9/7/2023 7pm UPenn Houston Hall - Hall of Flags symposium and Q&A. Though it was only Q&A and no symposium which I like. One interesting note is that at this hall, it was the first time both Nadia and I used an ALL GENDER restroom. Where male and female students shared the same restroom. Though each toilet is completely sealed off so no one can peep from top or bottom, the hand washing area is shared and that did feel awkward when I had to wash hands next to female strangers or even seeing male and female washing hands next to each other. Before all these, we left home around 1pm, we were at our usual go to in Philadelphia: Pendawa for Indonesian food shopping and then we ate at Hardena (Sky Cafe was closed on Thursdays) near Pendawa. Nadia wasn't impressed by the food at Hardena despite having lots of good reviews. I realized then that the reviewers were mostly non-Asians.
Saturday 9/9/2023 We didn't go to the Friday's 9/8 7:30 rally (Nadia fearing that it would be something she might be bored of and that being the only event that day), but Nadia wanted to follow me (I would have gone myself with another few nights of hotel stay had she not followed) to the Saturday's Q&A at 12pm and rally at 1:30pm at Sharon Baptist Church. I think it's a black people church. Grand and elegant. At the end of the rally, Nadia actually stood up to my surprise when Pak Tong was giving altar calling for those who want to repent, renew or serve full time. I stood up after her. It was my very first standing upon any altar calling. We started the day leaving home around 8am to Pendawa for the same reason on Thursday. Nadia asked and they recommended the restaurant D'Jakarta, which we then tried the next day (this day we went to Sky Cafe for dinner after the rally). After that we drove home, but learning that Pak Tong's going to preach at the famous Tenth Presbyterian Church (where James Montgomery Boice once pastored), I had to do service there and forego the plan of going back to GCC on Sunday. This is the second time Nadia and I visited this church, though Nadia couldn't remember it. And as I expected, Pak Tong would be preaching in English. A rare opportunity.
Sunday 9/10/2023 After great sermons at Tenth.org church, at 9am & 11am, where Tong rebuked the church on lack of evangelism, I later learned that perhaps he did mentioned too much detail about his Indonesian ministry, because I had the recording shared with someone at GCC and she loved all Tong's rebukes except for the part about sharing his own ministry with too much detail. Though I would still side with Pak Tong on this as I believe I know his motive of doing so (to re-fire the hearts of Christians), I get it how most Americans would lose interest in listening to all the different cities in Indonesia where Pak Tong was evangelizing. She, like some I learned from Q&A, also felt that Pak Tong should do more expository preaching rather than talking about his own ministries and number of attendants. I still side with Pak Tong on this simply because you can have any preachers for expository preaching. Pak Tong's last time here is a rare opportunity and consequently his message was and had to be unique, unlike most. Topical preaching is the better word than Expository preaching. Even our own pastor at GCC doesn't do expository preaching all the time. He does topical whenever he needs to transition from one completed expository preaching to another. At the end of his time at the 10th church, Nadia and I approached him like many others and we talked briefly with him asking me where I am from and telling me to have babies when he saw Nadia who was overjoyed in tears able to approach him so closely by his wheelchair. Apparently he had forgotten me, but that was expected, it's been years and I was nobody. Perhaps Michael Liu was the one who brought me to his attention long ago. Not sure what he would have told him about me? That I was the one who pushed him to ask Pak Tong those questions that eventually drew Tong's attention to Michael? Or that I recommended Paul Washer to Michael? Or giving him John Calvin's /Reformed commentary in response to the question he asked me on forgiveness (apologize first or forgive first)? I couldn't think of any other reason. I doubt Rev. Lin or Tante Lyna mentioned anything about me to Pak Tong and even if they did, I really don't care for Uzzah's hands.
For lunch, we ate at the D'Jakarta Cafe recommended (by Pendawa) Nadia wasn't too impressed, preferring Sky Cafe. Then we were off to the 4pm Rally. This was the best session so far as Pak Tong shared his whole life as a testimony starting from how his father met his mother to how his mother was actually the 3rd wife (1st one died already) and there was a 2nd wife which the father's father arranged earlier but was not acceptable by Tong's father and thus went to find a wife (Tong's mother) in Indonesia. There was no "altar calling" this time. I wonder if it was either because Tong was tired already or because there were two Westminster's staffs (president: Peter Lillback & Stephen Coleman) were present. And Tong even had Lillback give the final prayer which resonated my prayers using the same verse in these days (Isaiah 6:5: Woe is me! For I am undone...) It was remarkable!
Boston Week
9/16/2023 Saturday Since Nadia is coming with me and due to work schedule, I had to miss the Rhode Island Symposium & Q&A on Wednesday 9/13 7:30pm at Salomon Center Auditorium, Maha Auditorium at UMass (room 108) Thursday 9/14 7:30pm, and MIT Room 26-100 on Monday 9/18 7pm. But I've booked The Verge Hotel after much research to be the cheapest and nearest to the famous Symphony Hall in Boston, which Tong said is the top 5 music auditorium in the world. The hotel would be a 20 min walk to the music hall. But we drove (so far all driving has been by Nadia while I navigate) leaving home at around 6:30am today. Nadia yet again had another toilet episode after drinking the Pumpkin Latte from Dunkin' Donut. This was from Willy, after we dropped of some Costco supplies at his place on our way North. Since this was Nadia's 2nd episode after drinking this, I told her to make sure she choose half/half milk in the future, for I believe this diarrhea matter as to do with lactose intolerant towards certain kinds of milk in her drinks. So after an urgent stop at a MacDonald's restroom, we headed onto Flaming Grill Buffet by Boston. Then took a stroll by the Symphony Hall checking its parking condition and we checked into The Verge Hotel. Very unique. Rock & Roll themed. Each room even has record player with records supplied at the reception. All free. Complementary waters, etc.
Then we were late 5 mins due to hard to find parking. Parked on Hemenway Street near Forsyth Street and walked through The Northeastern University to get to the music hall. So I couldn't enter my questions, as the QR code for the question site was no longer showing on the big screen. This time the translator is Moses Han. The other translator Yong Teck-Meng had to return to Singapore. I saw Raymond from CCCNY as well as David who stood up when called by Pak Tong. I managed to talk with David about a time for a chat on evangelism in USA. A couple of ladies interrupted us as we were talking during the intermission between Q&A and rally. They both wanted photos with David. I guess had Pak Tong not have David to stand up, these ladies would not have come. But it was okay, they hired me as their camera man for no cost. The other one (Helen Li) seemed like Becky of CCCNY in attitude. But perhaps better as this one has a daughter, supposedly, according to her FB and I saw it because she insisted in getting contact info from him and added herself to his FB using his phone.
What's fun was that not only was I able to talk to Raymond and his family except Hannah wasn't there or I didn't see her, I was able to thank Moses Han the translator, which was my original goal (did not expect to be able to communicate with Pak Tong as I imagined he would be busy with people wanting to take his photos), I also once again had the opportunity to meet Pak Tong as he came out at the end and was finally able to remind him of me using Michael's name. I wasn't going to seeing that he must have been so busy and that I was no big deal. But since after asking me again where I was from, I said Malaysia, Penang, he began to recall recognizing me but not clearly. I then said we met in Philadelphia last week. Then the mention of Michael's name seemed to have done the trick in jogging his memory. We found out from each other that we've spoken recently to Michael. I spoken to Michael on FB a couple days ago because I came across his interview by some Taiwanese Christian radio station and his testimony about how he converted his grandpa was moving to me and I wanted to subtitle it with English. I didn't tell Pak Tong all that. Time. Pak Tong wanted me to become a preacher as well as yet again, to have children soon.
Nadia and I ordered Mu Lan Taiwanese restaurant to take back to the hotel. This was a great day indeed. But I forgot to find out where Pak Tong would be preaching for Sunday Service tomorrow. If he was invited to do so. So I may bring Nadia to the same Park Street Church again.
Sunday 9/17/2023 After learning that Pak Tong's going to preach at the Bible Church of Chelmsford, a 40 min drive, I went with Nadia our hotel complimentary breakfast. It wasn't anything special. I thought there would be bacons and scrambled eggs based on the comments, but it was just boiled cold eggs, bananas, apples, yogurt and some drinks: orange, coffee, the usual. Some bread. But it's better than nothing. So after that, off we went to the 9:45am Mandarin & Cantonese combined service. I don't know what the usual size of this church is but today's full house. Probably 300 people. After observing that Moses won't be translating, I did to Nadia the same thing in UPenn Q&A. I write down my translation on a piece of paper. The best way to do translation. Not verbatim of course, but I either predict or summarize what Pak Tong was saying. Quite fun. Though, I'm definitely not as experienced as Moses in translation, despite corrections done for him by Pak Tong as well as laughter from the audience whenever he got a chance to make a mistake. The message in the service, after showing photos of crowds in Indonesian STEMI works, was about how Paul was indebted to preach to all levels all kinds of people: Greeks, Barbarians, etc. Stoic, Epicureanism, Skepticism.
We lunch at Blaze Pizza across the street from our hotel. Pizzas were good, but I had diarrhea. 2, 3, times throughout the day. Not sure if it was food poisoning from the breakfast (I suspect a slightly darkened banana, key lime yogurt, etc.) I doubt it was the pizzas. Felt like the last time I had diarrhea near Surabaya after eating Rawon. But not as bad as then. After lunch, we walked through the park to the 3pm rally at Symphony Hall. A 20 min walk. We sat on the side mezzanine. Gave Nadia a chance to have a unique view of the hall, looking down you see the faces of the audience, etc. Pak Tong, like in Philly's last rally, gave his biographical testimony again, with slightly different detail, making the stories more complete. What touches me was his sharing of the last rally sermon that touched him, by Andrew Gih: there are 5 callings: 1. From Father, From Jesus, From Holy Spirit, from Macedonia, from Hell (the rich man and Lazarus). If we don't preach, how are we better than the one in hell who wished his family to be preached to among the living?
At the end of the rally, I find it odd that Stephen Tong announced that he was not going to receive people at the end this time. That he just wanted to pray and leave. I wonder why? Was he distressed at the crowd's unwilling to serve? to attend (about 60% filled hall)? Or was it the conversations he had with people like me the night before? I wasn't planning to chat with him again because we did that last night and I think I shouldn't be bothering him or his family too much given that others were willing to see him as well. I hope it's not some sickness like my diarrhea problem of the day. I pray. Nadia asked David Tong (was initially looking for Ivan Christiano at first but he wasn't where we spotted him at the end) if there's online Bible study/Fellowships online from GRII, Tong said that the consistory had decided to get rid of online events so that people can return physically. It's hard for me to find a good reformed, evangelical groups in U.S. If they are reformed, they are usually not evangelical, or vice versa. If I had to answer Pak Tong, I think I am already a preacher - To my wife. It was from my earlier prayer to God: Make me a preacher, but if not a missionary to the unreached, then at least to my wife. But I don't want to say this too publicly, lest it's taken wrongly.
I may skip dinner. The hotel did recommend their lobby's Japanese restaurant's Wagyu burger was rated #1 in Boston last year. Not sure if I would be able to taste it. It's 8pm now and neither of us seem hungry and with my dizzy head condition, I don't have any appetite either.
Monday 9/18/2023: Checked out of hotel at around 9am after breakfast. Nadia drove us home in the rain. We did stopped by Fort Lee's Wok Bar (麻辣香鍋) for lunch around 1pm (2nd time at this place, still tasted good). So obviously I couldn't make it to the 7PM MIT Q&A, but here's the link I managed to come across on FB. Hopefully there will be recording online in the future for me to match this to. As I plan to convert these links (the ones I managed to retrieve) to word doc.
Saturday 9/23/2023: New York Q&A at 2pm, Rally at 4pm at Riverside Church.
Sunday 9/24/2023: Sunday service at CCCNY. I had the opportunity to sing with my old choir once again. Rally at the Riverside Church at 3pm
Mondat 9/25/2023: 7pm Q&A at Columbia University. I think I ought to beat myself, for it was possible that at the end, a lady who was possibly non-Christian came to me for answers as she heard me speaking to Raymond, an Indonesian Christian who had never heard of Stephen Tong. I was so intrigued in talking with him that I just assumed that lady was asking me if I were a pastor, as I assumed all in attending of the event were Christians. I believe now she was actually asking me if I were a Christian! instead of a pastor. I should have asked her what questions she had, at the very least, send her to staffs who were there. But no, I was so eager to not let Raymond out of my sight that I lack the gospel centeredness. I should have cared more, I owe the debt of Gospel to her. Forgive me my LORD! Though You are the elector, I have failed before Thee in submission and in love. Let this lesson always haunt me and never leave me until I care more. Amen.