Earlier this week, we began our month-long Accordance Tour of Asia. Over the next four weeks, we are making multiple presentations in Hong Kong, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan. I am giving various Accordance seminars in these areas along with my trusty sidekick, Ryan Mudge who offers sales and support.

Hong Kong Seminar

Above: Accordance Training Seminar at Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary

Our first stop was Hong Kong. On Monday of this week, we held an all-day Accordance Training Seminar at Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary. Anyone from the area could attend, and it was exciting to interact with pastors, students, professors and others who joined us. Monday’s seminar coincided with the Accordance release of a traditional and simplified version of the Chinese Union Version tagged with Strong’s Key Numbers.

CUV w/Strong's

Click/tap the above image for a closer look at both Traditional and Simplified versions of the Chinese Union Version with Strong’s Numbers in parallel with the Hebrew Bible.

In the days prior to the seminar, I wasn’t certain how much I could demonstrate with what we’ve been calling “Chinese Strong’s.” Since I don’t speak Chinese–let alone read or write it–I figured that I’d show it off at the beginning of the seminar and perhaps refer back to it now and then. However, early on, I realized that because there were Strong’s numbers in the CUV text, there was actually quite a lot I could demonstrate, including Key Number Searches and resulting Analysis Charts and Graphs.

We had a bit more free time in Hong Kong than we will have at our future stops, so we took advantage of our opportunities to see some local sites. Ryan and I went off the beaten path and ventured into what is called a “wet market.” Here we found lots of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as all kinds of seafood and other meats—some more exotic than others! The fish were still flopping, and frogs were attempting (unsuccessfully) to hop out of their final caged confines. Death row crabs were thoroughly bound to keep them from harming their human captors. Shoppers would make their selections while the workers scaled and cleaned the fish right on the spot. You simply can’t get fish any fresher than that!

Friends in Hong Kong

New friends in Hong Kong (from left to right):
Edmund, Ryan, Me, Amy & Jimmy in front of Victoria Bay and the city of Hong Kong.

On Tuesday night, we traveled with some new local friends to the Victoria Peak Tram Station that overlooks downtown Hong Kong and Victoria Bay. From this vantage point, we got an even better idea of how immense—and beautiful—this city really is! After dinner, we gazed out on the city at night, all lit up like millions of stars misplaced from their assigned heavenly positions.

Hong Kong at Night

The nighttime Hong Kong skyline as seen from the top of Mt. Victoria.

We had a wonderful time in Hong Kong. The people there were so gracious and hospitable. As I write this, Ryan and I have left Hong Kong and are on a Philippine Airlines flight headed for Manila. We look forward to new adventures and friends that await us there.