China (Day 3)

After a fairly restless night we got up early to meet our new guide Michael. He & Gloria have worked together in the past through OCDF so they enjoyed catching up on each other's lives. We then attended worship at Beijing International Christian Fellowship (you can check out their website at http://www.bicf.org/). In order to attend the service the government requires you to present a foreign passport, so Michael was forced to wait for us outside. The service was refreshing. The music was great & the message was about giving to the poor ~ how appropriate for me & Gloria :-).

After church we headed for lunch at a local restaurant. While waiting for lunch, Gloria suggested I sit in one of the older chairs that would have carried the emperor or empress. I'm thinking this is the way to go - assuming the people are strong enough to carry me :-)...

The fried corn is one of my favorite dishes...

In the afternoon we spent a few hours doing Cloisonne. Zhonghua Chen opened up her home and shared with us her talents. She had slippers waiting for us at the door, and then showed us her studio. She demonstrated the delicate work of forming the gold filigree which will then be filled with the colored minerals. She had some templates ready for Gloria and I to fill with the colored minerals. It was extremely relaxing and something I could really enjoy learning to master.

The small bowls are the colored minerals that you put in the very small places - not an easy task.

Ms Chen with some of her own work (which was breath taking).

Gloria's artwork

My artwork

Upon returning to the hotel I felt the need to sweat & de-stress... Yep, I actually went to the gym and worked out. I didn't skimp on my program from Sue (of course that doesn't count the 3 weeks I haven't been too faithful). We then enjoyed some good old cheese burgers in the room for dinner. I guess I will need to stay faithful with the workouts - between the rich chinese food and the options in the hotel, I do not want to gain weight on this trip; Sue would not be very happy with me. Gloria & I are now going to rest & relax before the start of the real mission trip. Tomorrow we are off to Hope Foster Home. I am not sure what all to expect.

Today I have been really struck by the fact that I am in a Communist country. I have been noticing the guards every where we go, the hotel gives us notes each day to alert us to the scheduled water & power outages (mandated by the government), but the kicker was church this morning. To see how worship is a freedom not extended to everyone was very humbling. But after the service this morning, my personal reading time, and being out today, these are the thoughts going through my mind ~

I was reading out of the book of Joshua this morning and it starts with the command to be strong and courageous, not to be discouraged, but to remember that the Lord my God will be with me wherever I go. I would think on this today as I would be overwhelmed by the limited ability to communicate with others, the complete inability to read any signs, and the constant feeling of being in the minority and like everyone was looking at me and talking about me. But the "Ah Ha" moment for me was this morning when the pastor said something that has been replaying over & over again in my mind, "sometimes God brings you to China so the poor can become more real." I knew instantly that statement was the answer to my why question.

Then in looking over what he had preached and pondering on it more throughout the day, the following two verses really hit me: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27) and I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:18)

Isn't it comforting to know that God will not leave us as orphans. He has adopted us and made a way for us if we will only accept it. Then He calls us to help each other & spread His love. God keeps confirming to me the truth behind when I gave Sophie a kiss on the cheek and told her God wanted me to share that with the orphans in China. I am humbled even as I write this...

And God said, "whom shall I send?" And I answered, "here am I, send me."