This week’s update definitely needs to come in written form, as we have had a cold run through our family this past week, and I have completely lost my voice! I was asked to preach this week at Haidian Church for their Sunday morning service, and I wasn’t sure I’d have enough strength in my voice to make it. Thankfully, I was able to get through the service without too much difficulty, but by the end of a long Sunday of ministry, there was no voice left!
This week has provided some new ministry opportunities for Kim and me to serve together as a couple. For most of our time so far, the two of us have served on and off at the same events, but this past week, we have had several opportunities to minister together, and our marriage has been something that our Chinese friends want to know more about. We have been asked to lead an event for single young adults in a couple weeks. Haidian District in Beijing is filled with single adults in their 20’s and 30’s, and they have tons of questions — how to live a fulfilled life in a season of singleness, how to prepare yourself for marriage, how to deal with the pressures of families who do not agree with their choice of faith in God, etc. Many of our friends here are among the best and brightest in China's academic and professional circles. They have far more education and academic pedigree than we do, but they seek the same joy and fulfillment in their lives that we all want. In our marriage, we try to speak and live each day with honor, respect, and laughter. (Kim and I are not perfect in this by any means, but the majority of our days are filled with a joyful commitment to serve each other). As we spend time with this group of singles, we love the opportunities to share normal life. We aren’t trying to be different than we are at home. We don’t hide our faults, we just share our love for Jesus and for each other. We have no goals to impress anyone - we simply hope to let our humble example inspire them to seek the One who has changed us and sustains our family day by day.
I’ll let the photos below tell most of the story this week, but I want to thank you for your prayers for the sound equipment I mentioned last week. We haven’t completely solved the problem yet, but we are making progress. There will still be a need for the replacement equipment to get through Chinese customs in the next 7-10 days, and that is the area we need grace and favor from the authorities. We would also appreciate your prayers for health in our family. We’re not experiencing anything life threatening, but each of us has had a turn being sick in the last 10 days, and we’re ready to get germs out of our home and strength back in our bodies!
On to the photos ...
We had a great session this week training keyboard musicians from the church. It was fun to see their eyes light up when they started playing in a way that "sounds like the recording". We are thankful for the blessing of our apartment to give us a space to have these kinds of meetings.
One of the keyboard players brought his son Alfie with him to the session, and the boys loved drawing airplanes. Jake grabbed a blue marker to draw his United Airlines 747, and Alfie instinctively started with red for the tail of Air China!
In my message this past Sunday, I talked about secrets in our lives, and I told the story of the time I proposed to Kim and we both almost got arrested trying to break into Disneyland. This wedding photo got a bigger response than we expected!
If you would like to hear/see the message, Haidian Church posts their sermons each week to this website. (generally takes a couple days to post) You will need to use a browser like Google Chrome and translate the page from Chinese to English. DO NOT click the English link at the top of the page - that will take you to a different website. http://hdchurch.org/sermon
A first for the trip - Kim and I put all 3 of the kids in a taxi without parents for a ride home from church (we had to stay for a meeting). Ali's face looks confident, right ?!
They made the 15-minute ride home no problem.
Kim and I were asked to fill out the band (playing piano & drums) for an all-church retreat that is conducted completely in Chinese. (this young lady is the worship leader for the event) It's quite an experience playing worship songs with Chinese style sheet music when you cannot understand a single word!
Here's an example of the sheet music we were given ... this song is called "Holy Spirit".
I snapped this pic Friday while waiting to lead the group of professors at Renmin University in their lunchtime worship/prayer meeting. It was 77 degrees outside and crystal clear. A roadside stand provided fresh squeezed lemonade and fried shrimp for ¥20RMB (about $3). Some days on this mission have been burdensome. Friday was not one of them. :)
This happens all the time in China. Maybe coffee shops here should start a new marketing angle - come to Starbucks for a NAP!
This lady's English name is Kitty. She is a great translator, a business owner, and a joyful person. She is a fully grown adult and the mother of two little boys. She is also shorter than Jake.
It has taken 11 weeks and some near-misses to create the same baking results in China as Kim gets at home. But ... these chocolate chip cookies were WORTH THE WAIT! (and a shoutout to Mom Z. for the classic recipe)
Have a great week ... thanks for the prayers and messages. We love you all!
Brent, Kim, Ali, Olivia, and Jake
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