Hey Everyone,
I’m back now and I have been super busy. To take everyone back to the time when I was leaving East Asia, as we were we were handing out all the literature and films we could to all the people we know. We made sure to pass on all of our contact information to our co-workers. I hope father reaches the hearts of the people we left behind.
As we were reentering the states we stopped in Hong Kong to debrief with other people that were in East Asia. We heard many stories about how many people came to know father. It was interesting to spend New Years in such a big city. We decided to go down to the pier to watch the fireworks there was about a million people out that night. We got there about four hours early so we had some waiting time. It was pretty cool to see fireworks shoot off of buildings. The next morning Jesse, I and some of our new friends went to Disney World. It was a lot of fun, but somewhere between Disney World and New Years I got H1N1 flu. Let just say that the airplane ride was not fun. I made it through customs ok, except that the security guard checking my identity corrected my Chinese. I made it back ok and the next day went to see the doctor.
I hope that even thought I am not in East Asia that you will continue to pray for the people. God bless you and thanks for reading.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Friday, December 25, 2009
We are getting ready to come home I took my last Chinese final at the school. After class the teachers ask all of the foreign students out for dinner at a nearby chicken and potatoes hot pot place. Jesse and I got to share a table with our three teachers. I was surprised by how much of the conversation we could understand. This was the last time we could hang out with our teachers, so we exchanged emails. One of the, teachers that is not part of the family emailed me the other day about Christmas and I sent her the story of Christmas. I hope it speaks to her heart and that she will ask questions about it to some of our family members. After the meal Jesse and I went to a Christmas party at the school. They told the real Christmas story and also sang some songs about Father and the birth of His son in both English and Chinese. I got to talk to one of my friends about Christmas and some of the Chinese traditions with the holiday. He told me that usually Chinese people give each other apples, because they represent peace.
The next day was Christmas Eve and I wanted to give my friends something that is at the heart of Christmas so I wrapped up some words and films for them. That night I went to and English corner, one of my friends was hosting it. The students sang some Christmas songs and played some games. At the end I pulled some of my friends a side, and tell them why we celebrate Christmas. They all enjoined their gifts I hope to see them again before we leave. Keep these students in your thoughts.
The next day was Christmas Eve and I wanted to give my friends something that is at the heart of Christmas so I wrapped up some words and films for them. That night I went to and English corner, one of my friends was hosting it. The students sang some Christmas songs and played some games. At the end I pulled some of my friends a side, and tell them why we celebrate Christmas. They all enjoined their gifts I hope to see them again before we leave. Keep these students in your thoughts.
Monday, December 21, 2009
future me says Nimen Yao Dongxi
This week the grandmother of the people’s house we stayed at the first month died. She was in her late eighties and had a large family with great and great-great grand kids. We decided to visit and bring the family some flowers a few days after her death. We forgot that three to five days after the family has a funeral serves of sorts. People will gather, eat, and pay their respects to the dead. We happen to come on the day that they were having this party in preparation to move the body to the mountain. We came in to the court yard and laid the flowers in front of the body. Then we were asked to bow before the body and we respectfully declined. On this day it would be very rare to see the family, so we decided to leave. Before we could take two steps out people were telling us to stay and eat. The food was pretty good. The local people’s funerals are very interesting the first few days after the person dies the family will clean the body and put rice and a coin in the mouth. Then the body will either be burned or put in a casket like box. Then the family will have a feast for the village and carry the body to the mountain to be buried. This mother to so many children a few weeks earlier heard the entire message. I hope that she received father’s message. Please keep this family in your thoughts to Dad.
This week I also took some of my Chinese finals. During our time here Jesse and I have been enrolled in three Chinese courses Speaking, Writing, and Chinese Made Easier. We have both been working very hard to learn the language, so it is a relief to be ending school for a while. My major concern is that as we are preparing to return to the United States we will lose sight of propose. This is an important time for us and a great opportunity to share with our friends more openly than normal. Sometime this next week we will through a Christmas party for our friends. Please talk to dad about this party and that we will have ample opportunities to share.
This week I also took some of my Chinese finals. During our time here Jesse and I have been enrolled in three Chinese courses Speaking, Writing, and Chinese Made Easier. We have both been working very hard to learn the language, so it is a relief to be ending school for a while. My major concern is that as we are preparing to return to the United States we will lose sight of propose. This is an important time for us and a great opportunity to share with our friends more openly than normal. Sometime this next week we will through a Christmas party for our friends. Please talk to dad about this party and that we will have ample opportunities to share.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
future me says Ni Hao Pengyou
Hey Everyone
During this time of year the people hold a big dinner for their families and friends and they will kill and cook a pig. This is a big event for the people everyone arrives early in the morning to help kill and prepare the meet. We left our city about seven in the morning and made our way through the mountains to a brother’s house by the time we got there we were all a little car sick and it was time for lunch. The meal consisted of fish, assorted parts of the pig, noodles, green vegetables, and other stuff. The meal was pretty good I was not expecting that liver and intestines would be as good as it was. After the first meal we went to the mountain side to help pick olives. When we returned the family was busy preparing blood sausage. Its prepared by taking the blood of the pig and mixing it in with rice and stuffed into the intestines and boiled. While the people are preparing the food for dinner the guest will play majiong and drink some beers. Most of the time I don’t play majiong because it is an easy way to lose a lot of money, but I got to play the last two games because no one else wanted to play and the guy said we could play without gambling. I ended up winning the last hand. By the time we finished playing it was time for dinner many of the dishes we had for lunch with the addition of the fresh blood sausage. Sadly or luckily enough I did not have any.
A few days later I was hanging out at the school and I ran in to a freshmen English student. As we were talking and I found out that he is part the local people group. This is great news not especially for me but for some of the other people here that will be here longer doing DAD’s work. I hope that I can pass this new friend to some of my other foreign friends. Father might have big plans for this student. Please keep him in your thoughts.
During this time of year the people hold a big dinner for their families and friends and they will kill and cook a pig. This is a big event for the people everyone arrives early in the morning to help kill and prepare the meet. We left our city about seven in the morning and made our way through the mountains to a brother’s house by the time we got there we were all a little car sick and it was time for lunch. The meal consisted of fish, assorted parts of the pig, noodles, green vegetables, and other stuff. The meal was pretty good I was not expecting that liver and intestines would be as good as it was. After the first meal we went to the mountain side to help pick olives. When we returned the family was busy preparing blood sausage. Its prepared by taking the blood of the pig and mixing it in with rice and stuffed into the intestines and boiled. While the people are preparing the food for dinner the guest will play majiong and drink some beers. Most of the time I don’t play majiong because it is an easy way to lose a lot of money, but I got to play the last two games because no one else wanted to play and the guy said we could play without gambling. I ended up winning the last hand. By the time we finished playing it was time for dinner many of the dishes we had for lunch with the addition of the fresh blood sausage. Sadly or luckily enough I did not have any.
A few days later I was hanging out at the school and I ran in to a freshmen English student. As we were talking and I found out that he is part the local people group. This is great news not especially for me but for some of the other people here that will be here longer doing DAD’s work. I hope that I can pass this new friend to some of my other foreign friends. Father might have big plans for this student. Please keep him in your thoughts.
Monday, November 16, 2009
This is what’s up
I have been putting in a lot of my time with some of my friends at the school. We have been getting together to eat, play pool, and watch some movies. Sometime this week I hope to start sharing some of the stories I have been working on. I need all the help I can get to put them to memory, can you please talk to dad about helping me with everything. Just this week I went out with them to eat at a place close to the school. After we got done eating they wanted to play Majong so I went along with them. For some reason they did not gamble, so I got to sit in on some of the games. I know that these guys usually gamble during the game. These guys know that I don’t gamble and I hope they did not gamble this time so I could play with them, but I can’t be sure.
About once a week I meet with a local tour guide and we talk about father and climb a nearby hill. This tour guide is not in the family yet, but he has heard most of the book. I hope that father will lead him to the family. He is in my thoughts constantly. It is sad because so many people have put time in teaching him about father, and he does not see the need.
Funny story, on Friday we did not have class because of an athletic day. I thought that I would show up and run a few events. The day’s activities started in the morning about 9. That is when I realized that this was not just like a casual event it was like a full scale track and field competition. Let’s not forget that I was one of two white people that would be competing, and the other person was a girl and would not compete against the men. I signed up for the 100m and 800m races, and because of my late registration the only open division was the teacher division. I won the 100m and got 2nd in the 800m, so that got me on the local television here. I could not think of a single sentence to say.
Keeping you in my thoughts
Your brother Justin
I have been putting in a lot of my time with some of my friends at the school. We have been getting together to eat, play pool, and watch some movies. Sometime this week I hope to start sharing some of the stories I have been working on. I need all the help I can get to put them to memory, can you please talk to dad about helping me with everything. Just this week I went out with them to eat at a place close to the school. After we got done eating they wanted to play Majong so I went along with them. For some reason they did not gamble, so I got to sit in on some of the games. I know that these guys usually gamble during the game. These guys know that I don’t gamble and I hope they did not gamble this time so I could play with them, but I can’t be sure.
About once a week I meet with a local tour guide and we talk about father and climb a nearby hill. This tour guide is not in the family yet, but he has heard most of the book. I hope that father will lead him to the family. He is in my thoughts constantly. It is sad because so many people have put time in teaching him about father, and he does not see the need.
Funny story, on Friday we did not have class because of an athletic day. I thought that I would show up and run a few events. The day’s activities started in the morning about 9. That is when I realized that this was not just like a casual event it was like a full scale track and field competition. Let’s not forget that I was one of two white people that would be competing, and the other person was a girl and would not compete against the men. I signed up for the 100m and 800m races, and because of my late registration the only open division was the teacher division. I won the 100m and got 2nd in the 800m, so that got me on the local television here. I could not think of a single sentence to say.
Keeping you in my thoughts
Your brother Justin
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Hey everyone,
Where to start, the past week has been one of the busiest weeks we have had. It started with the celebration of national day we were let out of class for a little more than a week. I got a call from some friend the night of the celebration. They wanted me to eat dinner with them and play some pool. For the rest of the holiday they wanted me to go with them on a two day hike with them. I told them I would go with them. The next morning at six I got a call from someone in my class asking me if I wanted to climb the mountain with some locals. I thought this would be a great time to meet some students that I could communicate with a little better than normal. I met a student that told me about the culture as we walked up the mountain. After the short hike we went and had lunch at a place close by. We went back to his house to rest and talk some more. I noticed a copy of the book on his floor. He said he had been reading it and talking to some people about it but he was not a brother yet. I got to talk to him we he had not joined the family yet and explain some things he did not understand.
The next day me and the students I met on national day left for our two day hike. There were five national students, two foreign students me included, and one teacher. I could not be as open as I wanted to be because of some of the group. From that morning till night we hiked, and we barely made it to the first rest stop. The next morning we got up and started again we hiked till night fall again. We reached our destination just to find out the ferry to cross the river was closed. We all decided to go to a town a little north of where we were this town has been influenced heavily by Tibet. We spent two days there and then returned. Even though I did not get to share with my words I was able to share with my actions. All the people that went on the trip know that I am part of the family and that it is very important to me. I hope to share with them verbally very soon.
When I got back we had some new people move to the city that are very interested in the people that I am studying. I helped them move in and got to know them a little. I also met up with another student I met through English corner to help him with a speech that he was going to give in a bigger city south of here. Through our discussion I got to tell him a little about our beliefs. He says he believes in a god, but he does not know who he is. I hope to talk to him more about father.
On a more frustrating note my bike has had the same pedal fall off three times this week I have replaced it twice the arm once so far. Right now it is sitting in my room waiting to be put back on. On top of the bike fiasco I have not been able to keep my computer on for more than a few minutes. This is why it has taken me three weeks to get this post up. I am not sure what is wrong but I am taking it by a computer store sometime this week.
This weekend we had a medical clinic in two villages on the out skirts of town we saw about 150 people. Along with having blood pressure checked many were taught proper dental care, had their teeth cleaned, taught different exercises to help with mobility, and heard the message. The next two days we did follow up with those that wanted us to visit their homes. We have three new brothers and sisters because of this. We are in the process of getting them some of the necessary equipment and information.
Keep talking to DAD for us your brother Justin
Where to start, the past week has been one of the busiest weeks we have had. It started with the celebration of national day we were let out of class for a little more than a week. I got a call from some friend the night of the celebration. They wanted me to eat dinner with them and play some pool. For the rest of the holiday they wanted me to go with them on a two day hike with them. I told them I would go with them. The next morning at six I got a call from someone in my class asking me if I wanted to climb the mountain with some locals. I thought this would be a great time to meet some students that I could communicate with a little better than normal. I met a student that told me about the culture as we walked up the mountain. After the short hike we went and had lunch at a place close by. We went back to his house to rest and talk some more. I noticed a copy of the book on his floor. He said he had been reading it and talking to some people about it but he was not a brother yet. I got to talk to him we he had not joined the family yet and explain some things he did not understand.
The next day me and the students I met on national day left for our two day hike. There were five national students, two foreign students me included, and one teacher. I could not be as open as I wanted to be because of some of the group. From that morning till night we hiked, and we barely made it to the first rest stop. The next morning we got up and started again we hiked till night fall again. We reached our destination just to find out the ferry to cross the river was closed. We all decided to go to a town a little north of where we were this town has been influenced heavily by Tibet. We spent two days there and then returned. Even though I did not get to share with my words I was able to share with my actions. All the people that went on the trip know that I am part of the family and that it is very important to me. I hope to share with them verbally very soon.
When I got back we had some new people move to the city that are very interested in the people that I am studying. I helped them move in and got to know them a little. I also met up with another student I met through English corner to help him with a speech that he was going to give in a bigger city south of here. Through our discussion I got to tell him a little about our beliefs. He says he believes in a god, but he does not know who he is. I hope to talk to him more about father.
On a more frustrating note my bike has had the same pedal fall off three times this week I have replaced it twice the arm once so far. Right now it is sitting in my room waiting to be put back on. On top of the bike fiasco I have not been able to keep my computer on for more than a few minutes. This is why it has taken me three weeks to get this post up. I am not sure what is wrong but I am taking it by a computer store sometime this week.
This weekend we had a medical clinic in two villages on the out skirts of town we saw about 150 people. Along with having blood pressure checked many were taught proper dental care, had their teeth cleaned, taught different exercises to help with mobility, and heard the message. The next two days we did follow up with those that wanted us to visit their homes. We have three new brothers and sisters because of this. We are in the process of getting them some of the necessary equipment and information.
Keep talking to DAD for us your brother Justin
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Hey everybody
Thanks for talking to dad, this past week I met six guys and got their numbers. I really hope to be able to pour into these guys. They are all second year English students at the college I have been going to English corners every week, but the problem is for every 10 girls for class there is only one boy. There are about 30 to 40 per class, so I am pretty excited to meet some guys. Be talking to dad about these guys and how I can spend more time with them.
These upcoming weeks we have a lot going on. We have a medical clinic in the works with a physical therapists and a dental hygienist coming out to help us in a few of the villages on the outside of town. We have gotten approval from one of the village heads so far and still need approval from the other. This clinic will look at mobility, dental hygiene, and blood pressure. We will be getting names and numbers from the people so Jesse and I can follow up with some of the people. We have a friend in the villages that we are most focused on he claims to be like minded, and we hope that because of this clinic we will have more of an opportunity to mentor him. He seems excited about hanging out with us more and I hope dad will lead him to fullness.
As we are trying to meet more and more guys I am becoming more and more aware of the hold the darkness has over the men of the community. Gambling is a major problem here the men will sit around all day and play mahjong as the women work in the fields and homes. There is also the problem of alcohol and smoking. About 90% of the male population smokes and drinks. The most hidden sin in the city is prostitution. The prospect of giving up gambling, smoking, drinking, and prostitution to join to join us as brothers is not very appealing to the male population. Another problem with joining us is the possibility that their families might disown them. Family is probably the most important thing to these people.
Love your brother
Justin
Thanks for talking to dad, this past week I met six guys and got their numbers. I really hope to be able to pour into these guys. They are all second year English students at the college I have been going to English corners every week, but the problem is for every 10 girls for class there is only one boy. There are about 30 to 40 per class, so I am pretty excited to meet some guys. Be talking to dad about these guys and how I can spend more time with them.
These upcoming weeks we have a lot going on. We have a medical clinic in the works with a physical therapists and a dental hygienist coming out to help us in a few of the villages on the outside of town. We have gotten approval from one of the village heads so far and still need approval from the other. This clinic will look at mobility, dental hygiene, and blood pressure. We will be getting names and numbers from the people so Jesse and I can follow up with some of the people. We have a friend in the villages that we are most focused on he claims to be like minded, and we hope that because of this clinic we will have more of an opportunity to mentor him. He seems excited about hanging out with us more and I hope dad will lead him to fullness.
As we are trying to meet more and more guys I am becoming more and more aware of the hold the darkness has over the men of the community. Gambling is a major problem here the men will sit around all day and play mahjong as the women work in the fields and homes. There is also the problem of alcohol and smoking. About 90% of the male population smokes and drinks. The most hidden sin in the city is prostitution. The prospect of giving up gambling, smoking, drinking, and prostitution to join to join us as brothers is not very appealing to the male population. Another problem with joining us is the possibility that their families might disown them. Family is probably the most important thing to these people.
Love your brother
Justin
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