Christian Young People and Social Justice

Last night, we accompanied the Canadian short term group that was here for 4 days to the airport. I made 3 meals for 10 people. An accomplishment that I know my children will still not believe, particularly challenging without an oven and only 2 burners. I think maybe it takes more administrative ability to do this than actual cooking ability, in which I am limited. However, what I bring away from their visit is not about community and eating. It is rather about hearing these young people reporting their future plans and the support they have from their college. Prairie College is in Three Hill, Alberta. Coincidentally I graduated from High School at Prairie in 1971. I only attended my senior year, but it was a life changing experience. It was a group of tremendously loving and commitment teachers and students. At that point Prairie Bible Institute was known as one of the very most conservative institutions in North America. We could not talk to people of the opposite sex, even i...

The Great Wall

Rick visited the Great Wall today. We have ridden under the Wall, and have seen it from a car, but have not stood on it until now. (This is a shameful admission. We have been in China for a year and a half. It takes an hour on a bus to get to the wall. It is one of the marvels of the world….and we have not visited it. We just are some of the worlds worse tourists, and have trouble gearing ourselves up to spend the time and energy to do things like this.) Rick accompanied our ERRC team leader and a group of 6 students from Prairie Bible School in Alberta, Canada who are visiting us. This is the first stop on their trip to 6 month assignments ranging from places in Africa to places in the Far East. Truthfully, there have been very few times that we have contact with short term teams. I know that I cannot do the walking necessary to tour them around, but I can feed them. So I am feeding 10 people for the next 3 days. Good thing I have a crockpot and an instant pot. I can do this without...

Chapter 2 (cont.) “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

We continue to search for an agent to help us publish our book. As time allowed this summer, we applied, emailed, talked, etc. I don't think we made much progress. Following this blog is still the main support to prove that our book is marketable. If anyone has suggestions as to how to progress to find an agent, please let us know. BLESSED: Eight Steps to Emotional, Relational, Spiritual Wholeness: The Healing Power of the Beatitudes Chapter 2 (cont.) “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 Forgiveness Have you carefully looked at Mark 11:25? 25   “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Or Matthew 6:14 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” This says t...

Internet/Bike Squeaking/Bike Collision/Bike Tire

Well, we have had less frustrating days. It is September 1. We did not keep track for when our internet payment would come due, and I guess, today is the day. We were confused why the internet was not working this morning, but finally were able to log on to our account and even if it were in Chinese it obviously had a 0 kwai (one of the Mandarin words for dollar) balance. We were up early with jet lag, so waited from 5 a.m. until 6 a.m. and then went down to the reception area of our building. They said come back at 8. When I went back I paid for 3 months. (I certainly can not complain about the internet. It is reasonably fast and only $7 US per month). But there was confusion as to whether we were getting the University discount, or the housing prices where we live. I really don’t know which one it ended up being, but that took 2 more trips to the reception and an IT man coming to the house before it was settled.  (As I said, though, I still don’t know which section we fall in.)...

Packing/Unpacking/Moving in a Day

How fast can you empty your apartment? How long does it take to organize the new apartment? Our organization is shrinking in size. We have moved from 4 apartments down to 3 apartments last semester. This semester we needed to downsize to 2 apartments. The apartment next to us has a balcony/patio which ours does not. It is not a matter of esthetics but rather that patios are used as storage, which is at a premium in Asian apartments. Therefore, we were told at 3 on Tuesday that we had permission to move next door. By 4 we started and with the help of 7 people had our apartment empty by 4:45!  When I had planned this move which we were vaguely aware of for a little while, I envisioned picking up something in my apartment, walking across the hall and putting it away immediately in the new location. …..This is not what happened. We had to be out of one apartment and signed out of that apartment and into the new apartment before night. We could not have 2 apartments in our name over...

Jet Lag/Sunday Morning Stream of Conscientiousness

Got a fair amount of sleep…considering jet lag. Very easy trip, even with the scare that we might have to pay $800 for checking luggage through, but I proved to them that our ticket said we were allowed 2 free check in pieces apiece. Guardian angels. Even my newly acquired walker made it to China. Arrived at 2:30 p.m. Beijing time. To the apartment by 4 and mainly unpacked our 6 suitcases.   Slept from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., then back to bed at 1 a.m. Now up at 4: 30 a.m.....thought it was 5. Just jet lag. Wondering if my bike is going to work. Thinking about going to the vegetable man who brings a truck close to our apartment on Tuesday and Sunday mornings. It is cheaper, but I never connect with him, but maybe this morning, because I have to conserve money until our first paycheck. Wondering if my bike is going to get me to church and knowing that Rick's bike is kaput and wondering how he is going to get to church, about a 2-mile walk. (The bike was in bad shape before we left and n...