Start the Music...

Hello! Welcome to my blog for the summer of '07 with an internship at engineering Ministries international. I'll be posting hopefully weekly updates once I'm there and daily ones when I'm overseas. Below is my support letter to let you know what exactly I'll be up to!

Dear All,

From the church balcony, I have watched Pastor Don preach, friends be baptized, married, and given up to be with the Lord. The view from the balcony has offered a wide horizon of the great dance that we partake in as people in Christ. But now it is my turn, to step down from the balcony and into the dance.
As most of you know, I am Lianne Lau, a junior in Civil Engineering at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Civil engineering is the process of designing the everyday world. Think wastewater treatment, building structures, traffic lights, skyscraper, dams, and bridges.
God has opened a door for my passion and I received an internship with Engineering Ministries International (eMi) in Colorado Springs for this summer! eMi is a non-profit organization that does free design work in third-world countries while sharing the love and gospel of Christ. Their work helps ministries such as Compassion Int’l and Habitat for Humanity designing dorms, hospitals, water systems, or even greenhouses. The international office is in Colorado Springs but they also have offices in Guatemala, India, Uganda, and Canada. In the Colorado office, I will be working with AutoCAD laying out water distribution systems, drawing structural details, or writing up cost estimates. The interns are involved in daily prayer, Bible studies, and a mentorship program. I will also be part of a project/missions trip overseas. There, work varies from helping on a survey crew to researching local materials. I encourage you to check us out at www.emiusa.org.
Each intern is responsible for raising support and covering costs associated with their participation in eMi. This allows eMi to reach countries who cannot afford design work. The cost is broken down into three parts. Tuition covering eMi’s cost of running the intern program, travel expenses for project trip overseas, and room and board. I will be staying with a family associated with eMi. The total cost comes to a rough estimate of $4000-5000.
Yet raising support is not the only goal for this experience. Goals in life are about expanding the horizons and seeing new perspectives. I wish to seek some spiritual shelter, to grow within the Christian environment. Along with that I seek mentorship and fellowship with people I can relate to on a spiritual and professional level. What excites me the most is that Christian, female, and engineer, belong in the same sentence at eMi! God works in ways beyond our understanding, and through networking I want to find out what else He is up to whether it’s in other intern’s lives or overseas. My engineering related goal is to keep my eyes open for a career path. I am contemplating specializing in structures, water resources, or fluid mechanics. I know God has many things in store and my eyes are open for whatever else may come!
The most important thing I ask for are prayer warriors, not only for my heart but for those around me as well. Please pray in the way that you know me and know God, for He works differently for all of us! I am also asking for financial help. If you can and wish to make a donation, I ask you to first know exactly what you are giving for! Check out the website, ask/email me questions (hongkonglizard@yahoo.com), and pray for guidance. Donations can be made out to eMi and are tax deductible. If you are donating, please return the response card by May 1 or do it online at https://secure.emiusa.org/donate.html.
I will be sending out bi-monthly emails to anyone who would like to receive one or visit me at http://lifedance-lianne.blogspot.com.
CS Lewis contemplates the meaning of the universe and all of creation by describing God’s plan as the Great Dance. I thank you so much for supporting me as we all make our way in the plan, dancing in time to His music!
In Christ,
Lianne