Too Many Holidays?

When a holiday rolls around in China they give you three days off in the middle of the week. But then you have to work on Saturday and Sunday. So if we have a Bible study set up with a friend on Wednesday, they are gone on vacation. Then Sunday worship rolls around and everyone is back at work again. It’s a scheduling nightmare and certainly not a holiday. Last year the Moon Festival occurred during the October National Day week. This year the planets have not been aligned in our favor. The Moon Festival fell a week and a half before October holiday. We will have almost a month of working weekends or holidays.
Actually the attendance at the Sunday worship has been pretty good for a working day. On the Moon Festival our family rode a boat on West Lake to an island. We enjoyed a picnic in a small pagoda during light rain showers. Caleb fed bread to the goldfish and ducks. Guess it was a holiday after all.

Good Neighbor Moving Out

Climbing the incline to our apartment complex the first thing one would see is Good Neighbor corner store, a family run business with a 3 ½ legged kitty cat. Many in our complex shop here for a pound of flour or half a dozen eggs. A bench sits out front for those who want to shoot the breeze and comment on so and so climbing up the hill. There are two rides for the kids. One works and one is for piling bags or umbrellas. A large red basin of water holds three or four fish floundering away their last precious hours of life before they become dinner.
We chose Good Neighbor over the other corner store because they are so helpful and friendly. If we need a fish for dinner they jump right up and scale it for you. The wife knows how to pick a fish with eggs inside (Caleb loves to eat fish egg soup). The husband is happy to deliver a 25 pound bag of rice to our door on the sixth floor. Many times we have made it out of the house without any money, and Good Neighbor always says, “No problem. No problem. Pay us tomorrow.” Invariably someone will step on the 3 ½ legged kitty cat while they are digging for change in their pockets. The cat will let out a great yell, but Good Neighbor doesn’t ever wrinkle their smile.
The bad news is Good Neighbor is moving out. They are headed back to the hometown. It’s the best for their family. The husband’s mother is getting old and their children can spend more time at home instead of running around the corner store.
The new management, a mother and daughter team, is currently under trial. When we went to buy a fish for dinner, the mother says to her daughter, “I don’t know how to scale a fish. You will have to be the fish cleaner.” But the sign still says Good Neighbor with the 3 ½ legged kitty cat still hobbling about.

Prayer and discipleship

Last night, Cecelia and Arily came to study, and Cecelia had yet another new person with her, Sissi. We had a good study out of Mark 4. We discussed the types of soil, and how that represents people's hearts; they could identify that on their own, and I was glad to see it. They knew also that the seed represents Jesus' teachings. We also discussed later in the chapter how light can represent truth, and again they could identify that on their own, and we mentioned how silly it would be to have a light and keep it under the table or bed. We said that if you know something is true, you should share it. We had some good discussion time together, and as we sat around together on the living room rug I marvelled at the differences in the 3 personalities: Cecelia is so extroverted and emotional and talkative, Arily is so thoughtful and deep, and this new girl seems a bit flighty but very friendly and warm. Let's pray they that these three different people will all be drawn to Him in His timing and that they will see what it means to be a disciple. We concluded our time together the other night in a chain prayer. Two of us prayed in Chinese, the other two in English, again their choice. Then, I suggested that after National Day holiday we get together and cook a Chinese meal together. They like the idea, so we will all be looking forward to it. This little group has good potential. Please pray for momentum.

Bin Jiang Report

Please pray for Allen, a guy Heather is studying with that she met at her local Starbucks. She asked us to bring him a Bible last Sunday when we visited over there for worship. We were able to give him one in an easy to read Chinese translation. Pray he will read it, be given understanding, and act on what he learns. Pray also, that the church in Bin Jiang, and here in Xiao He Shan, will grow in Spirit and in number.

Drawn in

Last Monday, we had Cecelia and Arily coming over for a study. They did, and we had been to the Bible bookstore here in town and had picked up some Bibles to share with them, which we had all out in the floor,and were just transitioning to study together when there was a knock at the door! I thought it was a worker coming to look at the leak in our bedroom ceiling, but instead it was a new Russian student here at our school, Tim.
Tim is from a smallish town in central Russia, and he is here to study Chinese for a year and then return to Russia to do some translation work for his father's company. He doesn't yet speak any Chinese, and we think it just might take more than a year to get that good, but anyway...we had met Tim the day before, and told him to visit any time, but now here he was already...during our study. We invited him to come on in, and we introduced him to the girls, we made some small talk about Russia and China...found all our hometowns on Google maps...then, we just went ahead and transitioned back into our study. We weren't sure what Tim would make of that or how he would receive it, but we knew that the study is what the girls came for. At first he sat back and remained rather distant. Then, as we got deeper and deeper into the story, he seemed to relax and focus on understanding the language of the story, since he enjoys practicing his English. then, there was a point in the study when I looked over at him and realized he was interested in the story itself. He began to inch closer and closer to the open Bible, then at the next pause in the action, he asked a question, like, "well, why did Jesus do that?" . It was really fascinating to see this progression. To watch his interest build. Please keep him in your thoughts. I guess, we never know what could happen.

Rose

On Jon's first day of class about two weeks ago, I ran out of some key ingredients for our supper. The kids and I made a quick trip to the convenient store inside the apartment complex. I saw this lady hanging around looking at the kids. Then she asked if they were mine, and all that. She spoke some English. Hallie and I spoke a little Chinese and we could communicate some. She asked if she could come over to our apartment. I said yes, and she followed us home. I continued to cook supper and she watched a little. She said that my potatoes were bad, because I left on the peel. She was very impressed that I made bread (rolls). She played with the kids some. Jon came home, and we invited her to eat with us. She stayed. She admitted that my potatoes were good. And she really liked the rolls. We prayed before our dinner, and she was pretty curious about that.


Later in the evening, she went home. I knew that we had made a new friend. I was pretty sure that she would show up again.

She did. Sunday morning. This Sunday is a make-up day for the up coming holiday (another story). Most people had to work and could not come to worship. It was just Margaret and our family. Then Rose shows up. Margaret jumped right in and helped explain what we were doing. We sang a few songs. I think Rose even sang some. Jon led a prayer and Rose said she wanted to pray too. Jon said a few words, M. translated, and then Rose repeated the words. However, she lost interest before the prayer was finished.

We took the Lord's supper, and explained what it means. She was interested in what the bread tasted like.
Jon had to leave to go to class (make-up day). Right before he left, Rose asked for M's phone number. M. said she would give it, if Rose committed to studying the Bible. Rose said that she did not have time and Margaret told her that if she wanted to study English, it was a good way to begin.

We thought that M. was doing great!



Pretty much as soon as Jon left (maybe a little before) things started getting weird. Rose told that she was looking for work. She told that she was divorced and her son is with his father. She divorced for another man, but that relationship is over. It had been over for several years now. Margaret told her to forget him and start her life anew now, and gestured to the Bible. While she was talking to us she kept taking out a large mirror from her bag and looking into it. She was sometimes talking with M. while looking into the mirror. I thought that was pretty strange. Eventually, M. had to leave. I fed the kids lunch and Rose played with the girls some. We tried to talk some more. Her in English, and I in Chinese. I guess we understood about 1/2 of what each other said.

Rose finally left at 2:00. I was pretty worn out! There were a few times that it was harder to be polite, gracious, and loving (like when she said I was fat!). Hopefully, we have thrown some seed out there. It feels like it is on rocky soil, but you never know what God will do!

Please pray for Rose and the choices she makes in her life. Pray for us as we try to minister to her. We are very thankful to see M. in action for the Lord!

Dental work

Well, how was your week? Mine was not so great. Why? because I am now recovering from oral surgery. Yuck! But let me back up and tell the whole story....

When I was 12 we had a freak ice storm in Virginia Beach (where I lived at the time). I was walking to school, and fell on the ice. On my face! I knocked out one of my front teeth. The dentist just put it back in the socket and then bonded the teeth together and we hoped for the best... I ended up having a root canal on that tooth, and then later a crown.

Now fast forward to about a year and a half ago. I noticed that my other front tooth was turning pink. I went to the dentist (in China). He said that probably it was from the original injury. I had absorption (or reabsorption). That was damaging the pulp and kind of spreading out inside my tooth, thus the pink color. I had a root canal on that tooth. Then I had crown put on and my old crown was replaced at the same time. I was thrilled. I thought it looked great. But then it became infected. We struggled with the infection for a while and finally determined that the "absorption was still going on". It was showing up on x-rays. Dr. Zhou, said that sometimes this cannot be stopped.


I did talk to a Canadian dentist that was living here in town. He explained that the cells inside the tooth were attacking other cells, first the inside of the tooth, and then my bone.



Finally in May it was decided that the tooth would have to come out. It was a dental appointment I was seriously dreading! It was really over pretty quickly. I was numbed, but the numbing did not really last long. It lasted for the pulling, but only that. I am not sure if the medicine is much different here, or what. When ever I have had dental work in the States, the numbing seems to last hours after the work is completed!

I was fitted with and went home with a removable denture (or partial). Kind of like your grandma wears but it is for just one tooth. Yes, I put it in a glass of water by the bed at night.



I hate it and feel pretty self-conscious about it, but I have discovered that most people don't even notice it.



I got the partial while I heal and all but the long term goal is for me to have a dental implant. When it is all done, it will be just like a natural tooth.



The dentist told me that the bone is thin and that increases the chance of implant failure.



I had the surgery Monday to place the implant. Basically it is a metal "tooth root" that is implanted into my jaw. Eventually there will be another piece connected to it, and then a crown put on it.



I did not exactly know what to expect. I knew that I would have some pain afterwards, but surely it would not be as bad as having a tooth pulled. Ha!

Dr. Zhou explained that I would have the numbing shots in the regular dental room and then we would go upstairs to the operating room. I didn't even know that there was another upstairs! He also had me take two different kinds of antibiotic and he gave me a box of medicine that was for pain. He had me take the antibiotics right then. He numbed my mouth, and then had me rinse three times with a special mouth rinse. Then we went upstairs.



The nurse gave me a hat to wear. Then some covers for my shoes. Then they helped me get into a sterile gown. After that, I was not allowed to touch anything. She said she would take care of my bag. I asked if I would be able to listen to my music, and they said no. I was disappointed. When I go to the dentist, I like to listen to music so I don't pay attention to the sounds of drills and stuff. It is even stranger here, because I do not understand what the doctor and nurses are talking about.



Then I walked into the operating room. They got me situated in the chair, and Dr. Zhou started swabbing my face with betadine. He really wiped down my nose. Then they placed something that reminded me of cloth diapers on the sides and top of my face. Something was also on my chest and over my hands that were on my middle. I felt like I was under a quilt. I am sure they were sterile drapes. As they were covering my eyes and all, Dr. Zhou says, " tell me if you can't breathe". Uh, ok. I was glad that the AC was on.



Then the surgery started. At a couple of different times, a guy came in and took some pictures. I could see the camera flash. They take the pictures for records. I guess they cut open my gums, but I was numb and didn't really feel much at all. Then he started drilling.... remember how I said that the numbness wears off quickly here?



I developed something that felt like a hot spot. It felt like one tiny spot, that I could feel. I told them and I think they numbed me some more, but it did not really work. Finally Dr. Zhou said that he was almost finished with the drilling and asked if I could bear it. I said I would try. I tried to just concentrate on breathing (like while in labor). I made it through.

Then he screwed the metal implant into the hole he just drilled. Then I started hollering. Oh man! It hurt. Dr. Zhou said that he had to screw it in and make sure it is in well. It was very important. I sobbed, but it did not take that long. Once he stopped turning it, the pain was much less. Then he did some other things, but they did not really hurt. They spent a while stitching me up. Later he told me that I have 9 stitches.

When it was all over, they took an x-ray to make sure that everything was in place. So far, everything looks very good.



By then all, I wanted to do, was take some pain medicine and go to bed.

As I was paying for the surgery (which is expensive but MUCH cheaper than in the US), Dr. Zhou reviewed how to take the medicines. I looked at the box of pain medicine and realized that it is ibuprofen. But to be honest, it really has helped some. I know that first day, I would have liked to have had something much stronger.


I have been very sore, but each day seems a little better. I can tell that the swelling has gone down a lot!


I go back Monday morning to have the stitches taken out. Hopefully everything will still be in place. The first two weeks are critical. If the implant fails, there is a plan B (a bridge). It is not as good as plan A, but I can live with it. But more than anything, I don't want to go through that pain again, and I don't want it to be for nothing!



Pleas pray that this implant will be successful! It will still be several months before the entire process is complete, but hopefully by the beginning of 2011, I will be able to say that it was worth it.



Update: I am feeling much better. I had the stitches taken out today. The dentist says that I am healing well and the implant is stable. Yay! There is still a little problem with my gums, but we are just going to wait and let me heal. It is possible that I will have another gum surgery. If it doesn't involve drilling or screwing, I can handle it! Please continue to pray for my healing.

It's working!

Where do I begin? As most of you know, Bonnie, Hannah, and Bonnie's friend Catherine came to visit China last week. Bonnie spent a lot of time with "the ladies". We spent time with them too.

Jon and I had been feeling a little discouraged because our group had not met on Sunday while we were in the US this summer. I think they planned to meet. They took song books and talked about it, but it never happened. I am not exactly sure why. Margaret was out of town a lot this summer as was Elaine. I guess that was part of the reason.

Finally, it seems as if everyone is back in town and most everyone was at worship last Sunday. It was great! Elaine has come up with some ideas of ways our group can serve others. We are pretty excited about it.

Margaret said some really nice things about our family and she told how she shared the Bible with her friend Jane (a.k.a. Chong Chong's momma). Now Jane and her family all go to worship in town every Sunday and she is talking about being baptized. Margaret and her husband often go out with Jane and her husband and they talk about life and spiritual matters.

Elaine told us how she was able to share her faith with a friend of hers. We are super excited because these ladies ARE sharing and teaching others!

Sunday night Margaret arranged for us to have a meal together at a tea house. The ladies and their husbands (and kids) and Jane, and Bonnie were all there. Margaret made sure we prayed before the meal, even though the husbands were there. It was really a good time to strengthen relationships.

One specific prayer we have had lately is for the ladies' husbands. We all want them to come to know Christ as their wives have. After dinner, Elaine's husband had a debate with Bonnie. Jon was helping Bonnie and Elaine was translating. No one was convinced that evening, but Li did tell Jon that he would talk with him more. We hope to really continue and develop that relationship.

Last weekend was great and very encouraging to us. Please join us in continuing to pray for these ladies and especially their husbands.

BBQ: The Early Report (by Jason)

It seems that I'm the first to get on here since the Back-to-School BBQ ended a couple of hours ago, so I'll go first...
Several of our friends/students came:
(Not sure how the layout will look on your computer, but...)
There's Ashley holding Phoebe:

Then, here's Cecelia holding Phoebe:

And finally is Ice holding Phoebe (again), with Jerry, Jenn, and I in the background:

And then... well, there are more pictures of more people holding Phoebe, but I guess you've got the idea...

PRC is pretty popular in the PRC!

The best thing, though, in addition to all the free baby-sitting, was that I got to lead us in a few songs and more-or-less preach the gospel mostly in Chinese to all 20 or 30 people who had come out this afternoon.
May God bring the increase!

Cecely: It's Another School Teahouse, Of Course!

Our school invited the foreign, and some Chinese, English teachers to one of the school's teahouses and then to a dinner afterward to celebrate Teacher's Day. We actually had always seen this cute little building on an island on the school's small lake, and had always wondered what it was. Well, it's the school's other teahouse, of course! Silly us. It has a more formal style, with dark polished wood; the teahouse we had always visited before on campus, which is behind the school's teafields, has a more rustic bamboo style. Anyway, it was an enjoyable Teacher's Day celebration with fruit, sunflower seeds, and of course plenty of tea. We enjoyed talking with the other teachers, catching up on what they did over the summer, and they enjoyed seeing how much Pheebs has grown. Afterward we had a good school dinner with soy-cooked pork, fish from the sea, and other delicacies. Then, as China's Mid-Autumn Festival is soon approaching, we were given our annual gift of mooncakes from the school. More about mooncakes and the festival later.

Our apartment is on the corner of two pretty busy streets. We hear all sorts of comings and goings. Many times I hear people yelling but when I look out, I can't tell if anything unusual is going on. Yesterday was a little different. I heard some yelling and looked out. there were a few guys around and a cart on the far side of the street. One guy was on the ground (maybe sitting) and another it looked like, was under a cart. Another guy was yelling at him. He was dragged out from under the cart and they had his hands behind his back. The guy that was sitting was handcuffed too. I mean really handcuffed. I guess I missed seeing the actual arrest. Three or four guys put the two handcuffed ones into the back of a silver minivan. Then they took the less cooperative guy out of the van (the one that was under the cart). They brought him over to the sidewalk. They were not gentle with with at all. He was not fighting them, but they were mad at him. They slapped him some and I even saw a few kicks thrown in. We watched it some and then decided to video it. I am not sure why. We did manage to get a few still pictures but you can't really tell what is going on.

The guys dong the slapping and arresting were wearing plain clothes but we think that they were police because they had real handcuffs. Normal citizens do not have handcuffs in China. Eventually some uniformed police came in a police car and van. They took one "criminal" away. They also videoed and took pictures of whatever was inside his cart.

It was really weird. As an American it was disturbing to see the guy getting hit and kicked, but he was caught doing something bad. The criminal justice system here is very different than in the States. There are no Bill of Rights, Miranda Rights, or innocent until proven guilty. But we do really feel safe here. I don't fear for the kids like I sometimes do in the US. There are few repeat bad guys here. Bad criminals (murders, rapists, drug dealers, and corrupt government officials) don't get second or third or fourth chances.

We enjoy many rights and privileges as Americans. Sometimes we forget that other countries do not share our views about what rights people should have. Yesterday was reminder that this is NOT America and this country can be VERY different than home.


This is the cart that was involved some how. There is a box in the back that they opened and took pictures of.

passing it on

We were very encouraged to see that this past Sunday Cecelia brought someone new with her, a girl who has named herself "Arily". We were even more thankful when we saw that Arily was holding the Bible that Cecely loaned to Cecelia last semester! And Arily spoke up during our discussion. She was able to give examples from the Bible about things she had learned in her reading these past few weeks. She mentioned some things about Joseph, and we asked her how much she had read, and it turned out she has already read most of Genesis and Exodus! So glad that Cecelia passed that Bible on and let someone new read it this past summer. Praise God.

"It's that squash blossom special..."

Phoebe's latest trick: eating squash! [There's supposed to be a picture here, but maybe we'll have to try again later.]
We just got our internet connection going here at the new place.
We're 80% or better on unpacking and setting-up house.
It's been extremely tiring. Besides the "normal" issues of moving into a new apartment overseas [dealing with jetlag, cleaning, going through what the last folks left behind, going through your own stuff, deciding where to put everything, reminding yourself to stop and eat before your faint, napping from 4pm to 4am...] there's the baby, which certainly has complicated things from what we're used to.
Anyway, it's going okay.
School starts Monday.