Krasnoyarsk - April 11 -13

The China and Russia picture albums have been posted.  You can access them from the icon on the left.

Sams enjoying a ride

Sam playing in the pond

Monday we had a good day hanging out together.  It is a joy to just play with the Sam and Sophie and be a part of the world.  One of those joys was to watch Sophie take here her first few steps when Lucas put her at arms length from him and encouraged her to take the steps.  She actually did it twice but not again yet.  Jamie went to class in the morning and after naps, we took a walk to a park a few blocks from here they call rocket park because you walk through a space ship at the main entrance, there are space ship garbage cans and there are other decorations representing space ships.  As Sam enjoyed playing in the pond, mom and grandma were expressing their nervousness about him falling in.  He was pushing the limits of his balance but was sure enjoying himself.  The weather was beautiful but we were reminded why spring is not the most beautiful time of year. After the kids went to bed we played a game of Wizard with Lucas and Jamie and had a snack.  It was a relaxing, enjoyable day and we sure enjoy being with them in their home. 

View of Krasnoyarsk by the river

Tuesday Sam went to his preschool (8am-12:30).  Lucas, Jamie, Sophie, Roger and I took a bus downtown to walk around and see what downtown Krasnoyarsk looks like.  There is a large river that goes through the city.  There was still snow around the river and on the hills on the other side, but the day was sunny and warm and so nice to be out.  We walked on a path by the river for a while and it was so quiet and peaceful…you would not imagine that there was a bustling, dusty city a block away.  The sky was so blue and we saw a few trees with tiny buds beginning to poke out.  Jamie said the river is very busy with boat traffic in the summer and in the winter (to the north a bit where the roads become impassable) they actually freeze extra layers of water on the river once it is frozen to make it strong enough for large semi trucks to drive on.  They just do a lane big enough for the trucks but I thought that was interesting.

Corner toy store in Krasnoyarsk

Street in Krasnoyarsk

As we left the river and walked around town we saw many different types of buildings….some of the old block buildings and some with more character...and getting some historical facts on the locations and statues.  There was a dome we could see a ways off so went to see what it was and it was the original hospital in the area…pretty dilapidated and we were relived to find out it was not in use anymore!   We also saw people dismantling the winter decorations of lights that were quite extravagant.  One place was where Lucas and Jamie brought the kids and Sam slid down a very long and steep ice slide which today was actually stairs.  We saw a video of the sliding earlier and it was amazing how it had been transformed.  A lot of parks we were walking thru this day that are muddy and dirty had ice sculptures and ice slides just a month ago.  I am kind of sorry we missed all that…but then again we have that freezing cold weather issue 

:) ….  

University Lucas and Jamie attend

Historical hospital 

We went by a Cinnabon and decided to go in to see if they had a bathroom and decided to have a snack too while we were there…it was a nice treat…  then we headed to the university where Lucas had an afternoon class.  We walked around a local market for a bit…Roger bought a leather cap…they actually had one big enough for his head…the lady selling it kept exclaiming that he had a very large head!!  DUH!  When Lucas had to leave to go to class we got on the bus and headed home.  The bus was quite crowded and I felt like the middle of a sandwich for awhle and was so thankful for a young girl who stood to give me her seat…not that I appreciate that she thot I was old and all but it has its advantages.  Jamie got to sit too because they are always quick to give their seats up for someone holding a child.

When we got home Jamie and I went to pick up Sam.  His preschool is in the apt. complex which is really nice.  He ran to me and gave me a big hug….made my day!!  (it is going to kill me to leave!) 

Dinner with Cleo and Jan (Cleo shown)

In the afternoon after naps a couple French girls came over for dinner.  They are in the classes that Lucas and Jamie take.  They have made a lot of friends (the foreign students) and have them over often for meals and hanging out.  One of the girls said she did not like to fly so when she came here she took the train and it took her 5 days, 6 nights to get here from Paris….wow…that is along train ride.   It was fun talking to them and hearing their perspective on Russia and the school here.  Jamie made delicious pasta for dinner and we were talking about not having dessert so one of the girls sliced up bananas and drizzled dark chocolate (that she had brot) and some preserved cherries on top and made it so pretty…tasted great too!

Having fun in Krasnoyarsk

After the girls left and the kids were in bed we sat and talked about life in Siberia for Lucas and Jamie since they came.  They were telling some stories of funny things we had not heard…funny now…not so funny when they were going thru it…but the Father is good and helped them during that time in ways we never could have so I know I can trust Him with them in the future as well.

Throwing stones off the bridge

Trying to break a stick

Sams lunch plate

Wednesday started off another beautiful day…warm breeze…sun…blue sky.  We decided to take the kids to the rocket park we had been to before and eat lunch at a fun restaurant near there.  We a great time at the park….spent time playing on the stage, Sam running around and throwing stones in a pond with Grandpa and playing with some sticks from some of the spring pruning.  Sophie was napping in the stroller most of the time.  It seemed like all of a sudden the wind changed and the temps dropped…not terribly cold but enough to feel cold since we did not dress too warm.  Dark clouds began to roll in and we were wondering if we might get drenched.  Fortunately it was about time to for the restaurant to open so we went there.  While we had lunch it rained quite a bit and we were thankful not to be caught out in it with the kids.  The place we ate was decorated like a farm house…sort of…and had teckno music as it was next to rocket park.  It was very kid friendly which I think is a rare thing here.  As soon as we sat down they brot Sam some dough, apple pieces, and sugar to make his own apple turnover.  Then they took it and baked it for him.  Then there were colored pencils and pictures to color…..and even balloons. The food was really good too.  Lucas ordered borscht and we tried some and it was pretty good….beet soup with some meat in it.  Sam’s plate came out with a face on it using mashed potatoes for the hair, cucumber slices for the eyes, hamburger for the nose and catsup for the smile…it was really cute.

Enjoying the weather

While we were eating it had rained and when we got outside it was still sprinkling a bit so we hightailed it home…a 10 min walk and we managed to stay fairly dry.  This evening some Chinese students from the University are coming over for supper.

Rocket Park

Siberia….at last!

Their apartment complex

I say at last because I truly never thot I would ever come to Siberia in my life time….and especially now when we were told we would most likely not be able to get visas while out of the states…is our Father amazing or what?!!

We arrived late Thurs nite or early Friday morning…depending how you look at it I guess.  We had a good nights sleep in bed # 22 that is an air mattress on top of an old sofa bed.  It is very comfy!  Lucas and Jamie have a nice apt. for Russian standards…. storage space…big bright windows…2 bedrooms with closet.  About three times what they had the first 2 years they were here. So thankful to see it and see what home is tho it is only a short few months till the plan is to move to Tuva.

Walking from bus to church

Roger here – I have to add some details about the uniqueness of flying into Krasnoyarsk.  Krasnoyarsk is a city of about 1 million and has many advances but the airport is small.  When you land, everyone stays seated until they complete a mandatory security check that consists of a security agent coming down the isle and shining what appears to be a read laser on your hand.  We have been told this is a drug check.  You then take a bus to a small room where you fill out an immigration form, go through immigrations, then push yourself into a room with one door, pick up your luggage and work to get to the agent who confirms it is your luggage (I was thankful for that).  You than go through customs check where they check you are not bringing too much into the country and x-ray your luggage to confirm you are not brining in anything illegal.  No pictures permitted.

Bus ride to registration - Sam is holding on

Lucas and a worker with Young Life were waiting for us and the fellow from Young Life was kind enough to drive Lucas to the airport and pick us up.  It was about a half drive at 2 AM.

Jan again - We woke up excited to see Sam and Sophie.  Sam stayed home from preschool to be with us and we were so glad.  He is 3 and half and full of fun imagination and tons of energy.  Sophie is sweet as always even tho she is teething (again) and has a cold. 

Jamie had class on Friday…her long day so she did not get home till about 4.  They alternate days so one of them can be with the kids.  They are taking classes on Russian topics such as literature planned to improve their language skills which allow them to be here on a student visa while working on a work visa…Father willing…soon.

Baptist church we registered at

So Lucas took us to get registered after breakfast.  Everyone must register their presence here.  Normally we would go to a police station but we were able to do it at a large Baptist church that has a person who does it there and it is so much easier so we went there.  We had an apt at 11 but the lady did not come till about 11:45 so we took walks around the parking lot breaking ice puddles.  Had our snacks we brought and then when the lady arrived we handed over our passports for the day and that was it.  It was funny to learn that I am listed as a man (most likely because of the spelling of my name) on my visa.  I had wondered why the 2 men in the immigration office at the airport were commenting and chuckling!  We spent the rest of the afternoon napping and playing with the kids.

Breaking ice in play ground

Sam on the merry-go-round

Saturday…. Lucas had to go to the University to participate in some English workshops for the English professors and was gone for a few hours.  Roger and I took Sam out to the playground in the center of their apartment buildings.  Spring is not a pretty time of year here.  The snow is gone except for some piles of black snow…areas of the ground where the sun is shining are muddy and the areas in the shade are icy…everything looks grey and dirty for the most part as a result of months of dirt accumulating on the snow.  In about 3 or 4 weeks the flowers will come up and grass grows and then it will be transformed till August.  There are some buds on the trees already so we are hoping to see some of the trees blooming while we are still here.  So back to the playground…ice puddles all over the place waiting to be stomped on of course.  That is Sam’s favorite thing to do…and if there is mud under the snow that makes it even more fun.  Fortunately Lucas and Jamie are not afraid of dirt so they allow him to stomp away.  We also enjoyed the merry go round for awhile.  Sam loves to push it around himself and when its going hops on and sits on the seat and looks quite pleased with himself.

Having a fun dinner

In the afternoon Jamie and I made homemade tortillas for tacos.  In the evening a couple came over as well as Vanessa (who is on their team) and her roommate.  They all understood English fairly well and some spoke it very well...but there was a lot of Russian being spoken and I was so glad to see Lucas and Jamie interacting in Russian with their friends they have made here.  They are now able to reap the benefits of their 2 very difficult years of language study!!  It was such a relaxing and fun evening.  I have been looking forward to meeting Vanessa for 2 and half years now and so it was so fun to spend time with her as well.   She is such an amazing young lady and I felt like I have already known here along time thru Lucas and Jamie…she has become a part of their family…so ours as well!

At church

Sunday….today we went to church in Siberia!  I think I still have to pinch myself to realize I am really here.  Lucas helped us by interpreting much of what was being said which was helpful.  The service was 2 hours long but went by quickly.  We met quite a few people and it just amazes me how large our Family is and how it does not matter if we don’t speak the same language ….our hearts are knit together because we are in the same family.

Playing in the snow

Enjoying being a boy in the mud

After the service we went to eat at a nearby restaurant… a quick meal with tired kids..and grownups.  On the way home Lucas went a different route to stop by the store and Jamie, kids and us went on the bus straight home….only to discover we forgot to get the keys from Lucas.  It turned out okay tho because the weather is gorgeous and we were at the playground that is practically outside the door to their building.  Being as it is quite warm…in the 50’s… today there were no ice puddles…only mud puddles!!  Sam had a grand time stomping in them with his boots…finding a old pop can to pour the yukky stuff with…also had fun climbing a filthy snow hill till his hands were freezing (we did not have gloves cause its so warm).  So warm means it is in the upper 50s today!!   For all those who cringed when we said we were coming to Siberia….this is why we saved it till the end of our trip knowing it could not possibly be in the minus 20s in April!!  It is quite pleasant and they say it will be warm the rest of the week!  Yeah!!  Tho I have to admit I would love to see all the snow rather than the muddy areas…but I would rather have 50s than snow…so…all in all we give thanks again for the gorgeous days!

Sam and Roger napping

As I write everyone is napping.  It is hard for me to nap…I have to be dead tired to nap so I get some quiet time in the kitchen with the computer to ramble on.  Sam laid down on our bed with Grandpa to take a nap and was out in 5 minutes.  It normally takes him a good half hour to settle to nap so that was nice for them. 

Since we have the windows open we can hear a lot more of the outside world.  There is an apartment building going up right next to theirs and there is a large crane always in motion and loud noises that go along with such a building project.   Also I can hear children down on the playground….street noises…dogs barking etc.  We are on the 9^th floor!  If the windows are closed you don’t hear much because they are triple paned.

Getting ready to go outside

I think the rest of today will be low key…we are having so much fun playing with Sam and Sophie and just talking and catching up with Lucas and Jamie in between life with a 11 month old and 3 yr old.  Its just fun to do life together…thank you father for this time!

In Krasnoyarsk

This will be brief.  We got to Lucas and Jamie's at about 2:00 AM Friday and thrilled to be here.  They have a nice apartment and we enjoyed the grandkids this morning.  More to follow but we wanted to let everyone know we are thrilled to be here.  Snow is about gone but that means everything looks dirty until they do clean up or it rains good.

Last Days in China - April 5 - 6



Variety of food sold at the street market



We started Tuesday off with a nice breakfast at Element Fresh, the restaurant in the hotel where we are staying.  We are fortunate to get free hot breakfast with our stay.  We had accomplished most of what we wanted to do the last two days but did want to do a bit more touring.  We decided to go back to walk through the fruit and vegetable shop area but take a different route this time.  As we went down the different streets we did indeed find a lot of interesting foods (?) to buy.  There on the side of the street were live eels, turtles, frog, fish of all sorts, chickens, ducks, doves, eggs from different birds, and other things we weren’t sure what they were.  I always enjoy visiting places like this because it shows the differences in our cultures. 

Enjoying tea

We than stopped by a tea shop to look at getting some tea and look at a couple of other items.  The lady at the store asked if we wanted to try  different teas and we tried jasmine, wulong with ginseng, and fruit tea with six different types of fruit… apple, lemon, lychee, orange, pomegranate and another one we do not remember.  We always enjoy trying new teas and got some to share with others.  During the tea “ceremony” you sit at a low table and they pour small cups of tea.  The table is designed so any spillage runs off the table into a drain on the floor.  They are however very low and you sit on low stools which caused my feet to start going to sleep after a short while.



Sophie's name being artistically written

We than walked through several stores and decided to get Samuel and Sophie a wall hanging with their names spelled out in colorful artsy letters.  It was fun to watch the man do the letters.  We then went into a shopping  area we had walked by the day before and did not even know it was there.  It was actually an outdoor mall with a variety of stores and was a very busy place. 

Out door shopping mall in Shanghai

We had lunch there at a Chinese restaurant after passing through a very crowded cafeteria area.  After lunch we made a call to the tailor making Eileen’s dress and they said it was ready so we got a bus to the Hong Qiao New World Pearl Market.  Eileen tried the dress on and there were some issues with it that needed to be fixed.  After some discussion we left with the promise it would be corrected by 11 AM tomorrow.  There was concern knowing tomorrow was our last day here.

Jan here - We did a bit more walking around the Pearl Market and then headed home for a relaxing evening.  We had bought stuff to make stir-fry and rice, so that was our dinner…and fruit too of course!

Horse statues along bus route to Pearl Market

Today is Thursday….we had another full and fun day just being together.  We went in the morning to the nearby grocery store that had imported foods so Eileen could stock up on some goodies she was wanting to take home.  You know…cake mixes, pop tarts, cheetos, sun chips, baking powder and such.  Then we headed back to the Pearl Market for the dress.  This time it fit nicely!  I may be a bit prejudice but she looked gorgeous in it!  As we were walking out we were looking in yet more shops and she found a nice sweater she could wear with it so that was great. 



Night view from our room



It is fun to bargain for things and see how low you can go.  The trick is being willing to walk out of the store and away from whatever it is you want to buy telling them your highest price you are willing to pay…which is way lower than they are asking…they almost always will come after you then and than tell you can have it at your price.  It sounds mean but to be honest it’s part of the game and they start so high to begin with because it’s expected so you have to do it or hurt their feelings for not bargaining!  By the time we left there we were getting hungry but wanted to eat somewhere nice and maybe Italian/American so took the bus to an area where we know we could find a bunch of restaurants to choose from.  It is good the buses are so inexpensive to ride.  The 3 of us road the bus for 40 minutes for a dollar total!!

So back to lunch…we ended up eating at a place called Kaab Bistro…good variety…Roger and I went for nice pasta dishes and Eileen had burger and fries.  The hamburger (which I had to taste and wished we had a picture of) was huge and so good.  It was about 6 inches tall form top to bottom with the meat part most of it.  After lunch Roger wanted to wander the antique market again and look for old locks (just something he finds fascinating)…so Eileen and I went to the store once again…we got a roast chicken and bread for supper tonight!  Yummy!!

Another night view from our room

As I write Roger is packing up our suitcases…we head out in the morning.  It is so hard to say goodbye to Eileen again and know it will be December before we see her again but I am so thankful for these days we have had together to just be together…eat, laugh, walk, talk, shop and play games etc.  And…I am so thankful to be able to go next to see Lucas, Jamie, Sam and Sophie and see where they live and spend time with them…what a blessing.  To be honest I struggle with a lot of different emotions these days...excitement to be with our kids (at least 2 of them) and sadness that our trip is nearing the end…excitement to be home again and see what our Father has for us next…sadness to say goodbyes…back and forth the emotions go…I guess its normal…and one of these days I will have time to process it all…but not tonight.  I just want to enjoy the last night with Eileen being thankful…I can see progress anyway.  I have learned to embrace the transition…stay engaged where I am until I leave….giving thanks for the time there and with them…and then…look forward to whatever is ahead…thank you Father for that!

Shanghai Here we Come - April 2 - 4



Can you believe it is a mango from Shanghai

 I was complaining a bit about getting up so early Saturday morning…Jeff and Jennifer were coming to eat breakfast with us before we left and go to the airport with us and we just wanted extra time to be ready.  At 6 AM Roger said he had double checked the time of our flight and it was not 9:20 AM but actually 8:20 AM so we needed to LEAVE for the airport at 7…not 8!  So we hurried out and met them just in time to leave.  Hate it when that happens…but it does happen and we were glad Roger caught it in time. 

We had an uneventful flight and found Eileen at the airport in Shanghai after finding out we were in different terminals.  A little walk between terminals but this exercise is always welcome.  So nice to see her and be with her and give her a big hug!!

Shanghai…Saturday

View from our room

So now we are in an apartment overlooking the historic district of the city.  On one side of the apt are old buildings with tile roofs and narrow streets….on the other side…a modern skyline of Shanghai.

We got to the apartment about noon and we were happy to see an Element Fresh restaurant here.  We had a wonderful lunch there and then got settled in our new home…bed #21!!  I was relieved that it was not a typical Chinese bed that is like board hard.  The last one was that way which really is not so awful but my old body did complain in the mornings.  But after some stretches…that I should be doing every day anyway ….I managed to get moving at a regular pace!  So this bed here is very comfy and we were all happy about that.  The apt. is on the 22^nd floor so we can see a lot out of the large windows.  It is really a nice place with a kitchen and washer and dryer!!  Oh the luxury of being able to wash our clothes when we want…not that we have not had laundry done…but its actually nice to do it ourselves…and we are fixing some simple meals here as well. 




Some vegatables for sale

Saturday afternoon we went to a grocery store to get a few items.  The people at the desk directed us to it and it was a fancy place with foreign products…fun stuff but not really what we were looking for.  We got a few things and then later Eileen and I went out exploring to find somewhere else to get some things….it did not take long in the older side of our building to find local fruits and veggies for sale on the street.  We were determined to find ingredients to make cold cucumber salad that I had the recipe for.  It’s a common Chinese dish.  We found a roasted chicken for dinner and had fruit with it for our first dinner…then the next nite…scrambled eggs, rice, cucumber salad, and fruit salad….all yummy of course.

 

Flowering tree??? on way to Pearl Market

Saturday night we were all tired and went to bed really early.  But Sunday was another day and we were up and ready to go by 9.  We took bus 911 to the pearl market.  It took about 30 minutes to get there and was nice to see Shanghai as we rode through it.  It is a large building full of small shops selling things such as scarfs, tee shirts, toys, jewelry, electronic gadgets, purses, curios, and many other things..  Lots of fun to look through.  We bought some things too but mostly looked.  Eileen was able to find a place to taylor make a dress for a Chinese wedding she will be in later this month.  They said it would take 2 days to make.  She is actually the bridesmaid in a Chinese wedding…I can’t wait to hear about that J!  She does not have to wear a certain style but it is supposed to be white…not easy to find a white ready made dress so she was excited to find a place that would make it while we are here.

Street view on way to Pearl Market

We went to an Indian restaurant for lunch.  Roger and I ate there when we came to Shanghai in December 2009.  It was next to the Pearl Market and one of the best Indian restaurants we have eaten at.  So we took Eileen there and all enjoyed it and it energized us to go back and shop some more!! We finally puttered out about 3:30 PM and headed back home.  It was a fun day.  We bought a DVD and watched it in the evening…”The King’s Speech”.  Very interesting movie.



Wide range of fabric

Today is Monday…after a very cloudy drizzly Sunday we were glad to see the blue sky and sunshine.  We decided to walk today to the Bund that is the area along the River that flows thru the city.  We started out walking thru the old district that has a very typical Chinese feel to it.   We got side tracked looking in the many different shops we found there.  Then we found the three-story building full of fabric we had originally set out for!  I was able to get a few different pieces for my quilt. 

 

Looking over the Yangtze River towards Shanghai skyline

Then we finally headed to see Yangtze River.  It was a nice walking park area along the river where we could have walked for miles but we were tired and only walked one!  Or maybe more?  The skyline is quite impressive and the water traffic interesting.  There were barges and many full of ore…one right after the other.  It makes you wonder where it was coming from and where it was going.  (Roger takes over)  We then got a taxi and went to Xintaindi which is a more modern shopping area hear our hotel.  There is a Starbucks and a lot of other restaurants and shops that are from different countries.  We ate in a Thai restaurant and had a very good meal.  We t 2han visited the Gap to see if they had anything that Eileen would be interested in and then visited Cold Stone to make sure we had something to walk off.



Blooming Tea

We walked back towards our hotel and enjoyed a walk in a beautiful park.  The sun was shining with limited smog and the flowers were blooming so it was a nice walk.  Today is a holiday here so there were a lot of people out walking around.  On the way back we ended up walking into a street that is full of antique shops.  We looked in a few shops and then Jan and Eileen decided they would rather go to the street market we had seen earlier to get some fruit and vegetables.  While they did that I enjoyed walking through the antique shops and learning about how to tell which pottery is older.  The darker the inks, the older the vases are (so they say).  I could spend all day here.



 We got back to the hotel about 3 PM and took a short rest, had some blooming tea and then played a game of 5 crowns.  Blooming tea starts out looking like a flower bud and after it is the hot water for a few minutes it starts to bloom.  We had a light supper of popcorn, boiled eggs and a lot of different fruit.

March 30 - April 1



Boardwalk along Ocean

Wednesday was another gorgeous day.  Roger and I went for a long walk in the morning along the beach.  There is a nice boardwalk to walk on and it gave you the feeling you were far removed from the city.  We got back in time to meet up with the team we have been working with and have lunch at one of their homes.  There were about 15 or so of us there and it was a simple delicious Chinese lunch.  It has been so fun to get to know these people.   After lunch we stopped by the office and were given an overview how the Bridge was started and what all they do. 

Leading Management vs. Leadership Session

That evening after a time of rest and preparation we met our interpreter for dinner and then went to the Bridge.  Roger did a presentation on Management versus Leadership.  It was well done (of course) and many had questions after the meeting.  It is a bit scary when we think of how eager some are to take advice and learn from us…but also very rewarding as well.

University Campus

On Thursday…another sunny warm day…we met a couple of Xiamen University students who had offered to give us a tour of the University.  They were both law students there.  They like to practice their English and we enjoy being with them so it’s a win-win situation.  After wandering around the campus, which is quite pretty, we asked if they wanted to join us for lunch.  We went to a nearby Chinese restaurant….passing up the McDonalds by the campus. 

Walk to Restarant for lunch

We asked them where they would go if they were going to have lunch with friends.  It was delicious…..as usual.  We have eaten so many different dishes and there has not been one I did not like…well…maybe the oysters but I have never liked them anyway.

About 1:30 we went back to the hotel and had some rest and downtime before going over to the Teeter's home for dinner.  They were having a group meeting in their home but it was all in Chinese so we excused ourselves and walked back to the hotel.  It is only a 10 minute walk.  It was good to have an early night and some quiet reading time before bed.

Large tree on University campus

Friday was a busy day.  At 9AM we were scheduled to meet with some different people who had signed up for one on one, one-hour time speaking English about whatever they wanted.  They were all people we had connected at some time during the week.  The lady I talked with had an interpreter with her in case she needed help but she did a great job speaking.  She had even written out notes in preparation for the topic she wanted to discuss.  We had had several good conversations during the week so it was more like a continuation on the topics we had already been talking about.  It was hard to say goodbye to her knowing I would not see her again.  It is amazing how quickly we have gotten attached to some of the people we have met here.  While I was talking to this lady Roger was talking to someone else. When the hour was up someone else came.  So after 2 hours we were excited about the time spent with these new friends but also a bit worn out.    We had a few minutes break before going to lunch at the home of the people who helped started the Bridge.  It was good to get to know them a bit better.

Music and Arts builing on campus

We headed back to the hotel about 2 PM and spent the afternoon tweaking our marriage presentation.   We had to make it shorter since we were using an interpreter and had a time constraint.  At 5:30 our interpreter came by the hotel and we went to dinner with him and his wife (S and E).  They were a sweet couple that had met at the Bridge and been married a couple years.   The dinners with the interpreters were always fun because we got to hear their stories and get to know them a bit and vice versa.  After we ate we went to someone’s apartment where the presentation took place.  It went real well and people here are always so appreciative for any new info you can give them to help them.  I must say it was much harder doing the presentation with an interpreter but overall it went really well. We again walked back to the hotel and it always feels good to get a little walk in between activities. On the way home we found a Magnum bar and enjoyed sharing one.  When we got home we finished packing up and went to bed with the alarm set for 5:30 AM.

March 28 - 29th

The week is flying by and we only have today (thurs) and tomorrow left here in X-amen.  It has been an amazing experience that we have really enjoyed in spite of being so busy.

View from Bedroom Window



On Monday the kids were off to school early, Roger and jeff went to work on someone's (D & A) apartment.  D & A had recently moved, had a baby and needed some things done to the new apt.  Roger enjoys that kind of work so was glad to be able to help.  I decided to stay home with Jennifer and get caught up on some study and reading I wanted to do.  Jennifer uses Monday mornings to plan her homeschooling for the boys.  They go to Chinese school in the morning and home school in the afternoon.  So I enjoyed a break that was really nice.  About 11:30 Jenn and I walked to pick up the boys from school.  By the time we got home it was 12:15 and then lunch time and then they home school till about 5:30...a long day for all.  Jeff and Roger came back about 2.

View from Hotel



We had decided at some point to go stay in a hotel...for various reasons....so we moved to a hotel which is across the street from the beach...10 min walk to the "Bridge" where the meetings are....10 min walk to the office Jeff works in and 10 min walk to their apartment.   It is a simple Chinese hotel...and it has become home for this week...bed # 20 in our travels.  Chinese beds are typically very hard and the good thing about that is it forces me to do my stretch routine when I get up which I should do anyway but have not been consistent on :).  Being a Chinese hotel they offer a Chinese breakfast that really looks a lot like what we eat for lunch and dinner.  As much as I enjoy Chinese food...I don't care for it in the morning.  I think I could adjust to it if I needed to but I didn't need to because Eileen sent us a care package and it had homemade granola in it. So we borrowed bowls and spoons and have tea and granola for our breakfast in our room. Jennifer has kept us stocked with mangos, bananas and strawberries too so we have been spoiled!  



Leading session on Conflict Resolution



So we settled in our hotel in the afternoon and then at 5:30 Miss R who was our interpreter for the evening session met us.  We had a great Chinese dinner before heading to the Bridge.  There were about 12 people who came to the talk on conflict resolution.  Most come to practice English and to also learn from the topics.  There was good discussion and after it was done, people hung around to discuss and ask questions.  It is amazing how open and hungry people are to the Truth.  We had shared our own personal story of coming to the Lord and so it opened up good discussion after.  We walked home (10 min) and went to bed exhausted but filled with joy at seeing what the Lord is doing in this country.



Walking on Piano Island

 On Tuesday we had arranged to do a bit of sight seeing.  We had a guide (who was a "green tag" from the Bridge) named Mr. P.  He was such a nice guy and working hard on his English.  He is studying to be a mechanical engineer...waiting to see if he has been accepted into the Doctorate Program in the University.  We went to an island called Piano Island and it was fun to walk around there and see different architecture.  It was very old and used to have all the consulates homes there.  Now there is a Chinese community and it is mostly a tourist attraction.  Many couples go there to have their wedding photos done so it was not uncommon to see a bride and groom all dressed in their wedding clothes getting on the crowded ferry (5-10 min ride) with dress hiked up and tennis shoes and shorts underneath...followed by a few bridesmaids.  

Seafood Selection

We stopped for lunch at a seafood place ...partly because they were all around and partly because Mr. P liked seafood.  So we went into the small restaurant and started to sit down and the waiter said we must come choose our lunch first which meant going back outside where they had large tubs of live seafood.  There was stingrays, oysters, huge crabs, lobster, sea snake...eel...octopus and about 10 different kinds of fish.  Since we had no idea what we were doing we just picked out a nice looking fish (the kind you would have been proud of if it ended up on the end of your fishing pole) It weighed 2.2 kilos.  Also got some oysters ...and were able to get some typical '"greens" to go with it.  What we did not know was soup came with it...the head of the fish is cooked up in a soup with veggies....it was actually quite good and the head had fallen apart so it seemed like just fish soup.  The rest of the fish was steamed with some delicious sauce.  It was a fun experience.

Seafood Lunch

During lunch time I was able to share with Mr. P (using my "wordless book" bracelet with different colors) how when I was 5 years old I heard and was convicted of my sin and recognized my need for a Saviour..   He had great questions...but due to language barrier I suggested he talk to someone else who could speak Chinese about more questions.  

We had a great day and it was one of the warmest days since we have been here and so we even ended up taking our jackets off and enjoying the sun.  We got back to our hotel about 3 PM...rested a bit...and then headed to the Teeters for dinner...and ended the evening playing Five Crowns and talking way to late.  But it was fun to have a bit of one on one time with them.

Garden on Piano Island\

View from Piano Island