Low on the Go!

legacy.

growing up, there was a brother-sister duo that i DREAMED of becoming like. Seriously, this guy and girl were the coolest people i knew. they were leaders at my youth fellowship, and i didn't know anyone cooler than them. i loved the way they dressed, the way they talked. they were way cool in the eyes of my twelve year old self.

i think, however, that i really liked them, because they were so different. while everyone was into wearing dark clothing, they wore bright coloured clothing. they were just so unique.

(as an aside, what is it with asians wearing dark clothing? anja and i went to see a movie produced by three asian guys, famous to the asian community, and the auditorium was PACKED with asians. in fact, anja was one of maybe 5 white people there. anyways, everyone was wearing black, or dark brown, or some derivation thereof. i, on the other hand, was wearing a bright blue/turquoise shirt with my light blue peacoat.)

its funny, i so desperately wanted to be like them, because they were unique.

what a tautological notion!

in retrospect, they influenced me a lot more than i'd like to admit. i started learning drums because Jonathan was moving away to university, and i wanted to fill his shoes. i dress the way i do, because of the way they used to dress. in fact, when i was still in high school, i'd go shopping and think to myself, "is this something karmen would wear?" nowadays, i'd like to think i'm unique, and i don't dress the same as her anymore...but the truth is, i recently found out that we shop at all the same stores, enjoy the same clothing etc. some things never change. haha.
my involvement with Campus Crusade, is, in part, because they used to be/are involved with Campus Crusade. Every summer, i would hear their stories from summer projects: east asia, the ivory coast, toronto etc.

but, they didn't only influence me in material ways...

the influenced me because they were, and are different than many people i know. they were different, because they were SO radical and SO passionate about God. in fact, i remember feeling like such an outsider at church; i was the girl who skipped a grade, and was competition to the rest of the kids my age. reason enough for twelve year old chinese kids not to like each other. but one night, jonathan gave me a call, and asked me if i wanted to go to a youth conference. i didn't really want to go, but he was just SO cool, i couldn't refuse. it felt good to be invited to something by someone i thought was ridiculously amazing (and cute too!).

little did i know that i would meet God at that conference.

in the months that passed after accepting Christ, Karmen and Jonathan shared the four laws with our sunday school class, shared the spirit-filled life with us and taught us using cru.comm studies. in retrospect, i realize...i wanted to be like them, because they were so different in their outlook on life. they had something to live for, and they lived for Him. over time, i realized i could still have this difference in my life and not act in exactly the same way, or wear different clothing.

recently, i had the chance to meet up with Karmen again. it was the first time i'd seen her in about five years. i had the opportunity to hear all the cool stories in her life. she recently finished up a two year stint in east asia and is now back in Canada support raising to go back as an international campus staff with C4C. Her brother is now working for Urban Promise, out in Vancouver, after working for a year with innercity kids in Chicago.

To me, they're still as cool as ever. But not because of what they wear, but because over 10 years since i met them, their flames STILL burn brightly.

oh, how i hope that the legacy i leave will one day be like theirs.