Happy Mother's Day to all the moms reading this ... it has been refreshing to have a US holiday that is actually recognized in China - all moms at Haidian Church (Kim included) were given flowers yesterday. Thankfully, the blessing of technology allowed us to explore the joys of e-cards and e-gifts for our moms at home.
This past week also included a day off for a Chinese national holiday on May 1. Exactly one year ago, I was here in Beijing with 5 leaders from Beaverton Foursquare Church running a soccer camp. That was also the week where I first felt God prompt my heart to consider coming here with the family. What a difference a year makes! The next national holiday here is June 9-11, and we will be holding the 2nd Haidian Church Football (soccer) Camp. Fields are being reserved, soccer balls purchased, and coaches are signing up to serve around 120 kids ages 8-14 that week. Please pray with us for an open door to reach many kids and families who do not know Jesus through the game of soccer.
As usual, photos tell the story better than words, so here are some shots to sum up the week's activities:
People in China work hard, and they take their holidays seriously. This was taken at 10am on Monday morning in our Wudaokou neighborhood. You've seen our pictures of the crowded streets, but on a holiday, people are nowhere to be found! The rain probably contributed too ... Chinese people do NOT like to get wet. Umbrellas appear at the hint of a raindrop. We, of course, are maintaining our Oregonian standards of never using an umbrella. Hoodies only for us!
We spent the holiday at the home of Pastor John, his wife Susan, and their 3 year-old son Joseph. It was a 2-hour subway ride to reach their home in the suburbs of Beijing, but we were rewarded with a walk along a beautiful river. (the first river we've seen in China). The fellowship was rich between our families, and Joseph loved the teddy bear Olivia crocheted for him.
We took a day to visit the National Museum of China ... this massive building (think of all the Smithsonian buildings under one roof) houses thousands of years of Chinese history.
The Chinese have a strong commitment to preserving history, and for Americans and our short history, the age of these artifacts is mind-blowing. If you can't read the caption, the bronze sword above was made over 500 years BEFORE Christ.
It appeared most of the Chinese visitors were not impressed. The majority of the locals we encountered were enjoying the museum by staring at their phones!
Since the locals appeared to be missing the amazing history around them, we thought some reenactments by "Mei-guo-ren" (Americans) might improve the atmosphere.
So much about life in China is summed up by this photo ... a construction site, filled with workers, building a new row of shops in a very tight space. There are absolutely no safety precautions. The crane in the background was picking up concrete blocks, swinging them over our heads as we walked along. People were stepping right through the middle of the work, and concrete dust was flying everywhere. Work gets done!
We found these Bibles on display in a mainstream bookstore in the city - the first Bibles we've seen outside of the church in China. They were stashed on the end of an aisle in the Foreign Books section (and they only had English Bibles, not Chinese), but it's a good sign to see Bibles in public!
Mother's Day shopping brought some laughs ... Jake and I shopped at the Nike & Adidas factory stores, which were side-by-side in a mall. We found better selection in the Adidas store (since all tags actually say "designed for the Asian body", which we clearly do not have). As I went to pay for the items, the clerk told me I had to go next door to the Nike store to pay for my Adidas merchandise, and then return with my receipt to collect it. With so many hometown friends working for both companies, I figure this revenue-sharing plan would probably not fly in Portland!
For Mother's Day weekend, Mom got to choose the food, and she decided we should go for foods that taste like home. (no one disagreed) This pizza restaurant brought out such a huge pie it took 2 people to carry it. Somehow, we managed to make it disappear.
We found a legit TGI Friday's Restaurant! It was not hard to encourage the smiles around our Sunday lunch table.
Last but not least ... in the square at Haidian Church on Mother's Day Sunday, there was a free medical & service clinic setup. Nurses checking people, doctors giving advice, haircuts and more. You can see the people in line to go into the service behind the tables. Although we couldn't contribute to this particular ministry, it's exciting to see the ways God is using this church to impact their community.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers ... the next few weeks are quite busy with musical events, the football camp, and lots of small opportunities to minister to people one-on-one. We miss you and thank God for all of your support. Have a good week!
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