Passing It On

Derek is one of our best friends from our time in our old city, Jingzhou, and he is also one of the brothers that we spent the most time discipling. After we left Jingzhou, Derek got involved with an all-Chinese, Christian student group and he's kept growing during the past year or so. Several days ago, Derek called and told us about his new business plan that he's really excited about. He and one Christian sister plan to open a small English training school, using passages from the Bible and other Christian material to teach English. He's got the whole business plan worked out and is rearing to go. He's even decided that half of the money he makes from the business will go back to the church.

Lisa and I were pretty surprised to hear this idea from Derek. After starting out as an all-star English student who first learned about Jesus in an English meeting, Derek kind of got tired of English in the classroom and got tuned into worshiping & learning about God in his own language. But a month or two ago, Derek heard somebody speaking at the student group about how we should use our gifts and abilities to serve people and glorify God. Even though Derek doesn't really like English (he's getting a master's degree in Finance now), he does have pretty wonderful English (he came in first in a TV speech competition!) and he still has somewhat of a reputation around the university as a great English speaker. So Derek and the other Christian Esther spent some time thinking and praying about how to best use their gifts to serve others AND glorify God.

Now that they've come up with this business idea, they're excited and we are too. We think it's amazing to see young believers not only continuing in their faith, but taking the initiative to share it in new and unique ways. This sort of thing gives me lots of hope as I think back on other people that we've discipled and wonder how they might be used by God for great things.

Please pray for Derek, Esther, and the "good for the Kingdom" business that they'll be starting!

Pray for Grace

Just a short note here to ask for prayers for Grace, a girl we met with tonight for the first time this semester. Despite keeping in touch with her and giving her a study plan over the summer, it seems she has lost some spiritual steam. I just ask that you pray for God to revive the desire for faith that she had, if it is His will. That is all for tonight, thanks.

Praying for a good start

Most of the students are still in their hometowns. We met for two weeks in August with Dan, Dan’s friend Jane, Bill Gates, Gerald, and a new student HP. Jane has become the leader of the students. Actually she has already graduated from university and she is already married but Jane really enjoys our student study. She keeps the discussion moving and makes sure each person has a chance to speak. Jane bought our student group a picnic blanket as we have been studying outside on the grass. Interesting, Bill Gates was walking on campus, which is currently quite vacant before the semester starts, met HP and told him about our Bible study. A few days later, Jane was walking on campus and met the same HP and also invited him to our Bible study. HP comes from a Christian family, and seems like it is God’s plan for him to be part of our group. After our study everyone takes a turn to say a short prayer. Bill Gates always prays for a good start to the semester. Thank You God for a good start.

Lotus

While our family was still jet lagged we went for a 6 a.m. walk at West Lake. In the hot summer months all around West Lake the lotus flowers are blooming. The deep green leaves growing from the water and soft pink flowers offer a lazy, carefree summer day feeling. After strolling along, we noticed a line forming by the water’s edge. “What is going on? Is this a tour group or morning exercisers?” GaoYan asked. “You see that row boat way over there? They will bring a boat load of lotus seed pods and leaves to sell.” When the boat arrived there was much excitement, some pushing, shoving, and cutting in line. After all, these are West Lake lotus products. For 15 kuai GaoYan bought all these seed pods and giant leaves. As you might have guessed, there are a myriad of uses. Around 20 seeds are in each pod. The seeds can be cooked in rice porridge or eaten raw. I think they taste like slightly bitter raw peanuts. Maybe you have seen the dried seed pods used in dried flower arrangements. Use the leaf to wrap up sticky rice and chicken or pork. Steam the wrap as the flavor of the lotus leaf cooks into the meat. The leaf can also be dried and cut into smaller pieces for a traditional medicine tea. The water shedding leaf could even serve as a hat in a sudden rain shower. These uses were discussed in great detail while standing in line and after tying up the leaves with string to the backs of bicycles. We love it when a new seed pod of Hangzhou culture finds us. P.S. Sweet and sour lotus root is also delicious.

a quick review of the summer

 We left China on June 13 for two whole months in the US.  It was a long trip, but mostly uneventful (the way we like it).  We arrived in Memphis near midnight and spent the night at a nearby hotel.  The next day Jon's parents, nephew,  and niece picked us up.  We have so much luggage (5 people)  that they borrow the church van to haul all of us back to Henderson.  Hallie took most of these pictures.

Home sweet home (for a little while)

Jack's is one of our favorite places to eat.  We also enjoyed Mexican food, BBQ, and Taco Bell (and other places)

Nothing beats a real biscuit

and sweet tea!!!  We also drank a bunch of Dr Pepper.  I really enjoyed the ice too! We ate a lot of ice this summer.

The kids enjoyed playing outside (no school).

 We worked on teaching all the kids to ride  bikes.  They are not ready to ride on the road in China, but they can all balance and stay up.

 Both of the girls got their hair cut (for Locks of Love)

Hallie went to MSYC and made some new friends.

We spent time with old friends.

We got to spend two whole weeks in Hixson and our Clear Creek family (love these girls).



Someone had a birthday and we celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese.

We enjoyed spending time with family and friends this summer, we were sorry to see the summer end, but we were anxious to get back to our life in China and our work here.  We hope to see you again next summer.

Chinese Funeral

Late yesterday evening we heard the strangest sounds coming from somewhere outside. We looked out our bedroom window, across the way toward the neighboring apartment complex, and saw a large blue tent illuminated by electric lights and heard live, blaring, traditional Chinese music emanating from somewhere within or nearby. The sound was like that of crashing pots and pans, accompanied by duck-like quacks and squalls. We quickly realized, though we had never actually encountered such a thing before, that it must be a Chinese funeral.

Intrigued, but simply too exhausted to budge from the house, we went on to bed without any further investigation. But in the morning I regretted having not gone over to see and hear this unique event up-close.

Then tonight, on our way in from a late supper, we heard the sounds again! Determined not to miss this opportunity, we rushed in for our camera and then went straight over to experience and document this meaningful and peculiar service first-hand.

Watch the video, then read my final comments below:

sorry, can't get it to load! please watch here instead:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151137722039828

The lady who spoke to us, and some of the men who had been hired to play and pray for Mr. Yang's wake discussed the similarities and differences, as they saw them, between Daoism and Christianity and each faith's accompanying rituals. Of course, I wanted desperately to share with them the gospel, right then and there, yet... I didn't. I just listened and nodded and hoped that perhaps another time...

She was very kind and seemed to respect our curiosity, inviting us to return any time. She especially loved Phoebe, of course, and hoped most of all for another chance to see her. Phoebe, for her part, remarked as we left, "I like those people, each one of them. They weren't scary or mean or sick." (She'd been a little spooked at first and as we tried to explain what was going on and why.)

I don't know if we'll ever really have a chance to share the truth with Mr. Yang's survivors and/or any of the others in attendance. And of course, I must admit, I seriously doubt that they would be receptive or believing even if we did. Maybe that's a lack of faith on my part. (I'm sure it is.) God can, after all, do the seemingly-impossible.

I suppose then, what I need to do now is this: I ask you to pray. Seriously pray. That we would, this year, be enabled to do exceedingly beyond what we would ordinarily hope for - for the sake of the kingdom and for the sake of the Chinese people. Amen.

Refreshed

Our time at Clear Creek was extremely refreshing this summer, and we really enjoyed the time we had to catch up with so many of you and share what we've been doing, and hear also about all of the things you are doing. Especially the worship times were really uplifting to us spiritually. It was so nice to hear so many gathered to sing; that is something we miss when we are in China. We are inspired by Clear Creek's commitment to missions, not only in China, but also in Haiti and the D.R.  We always enjoy hearing about the mission trips that are occurring down there, and we know that you all are blessed to be a part of that work with those sweet people.
Thanks for hosting a missions day, and we appreciate your efforts, Jake, to insure that we could all be there to be a part of that this summer. That was a great day!
Thanks to the Sanders for hosting us, and to the Hendrixes, Olsons, Rays, Russells, Davises, Elliots, and Foxes for spending some extra time with us. Thanks to everyone for the love and warm welcome.
The biggest blessing we received from our time at Clear Creek this year, though, was that our time with you left us geared up for a new year in China! We came a bit weary in some ways perhaps, but we left uplifted and looking forward to the possibilities of the new year. Thank you for that. What a huge help and blessing in this ministry that is.

We love all y'all!
The Clarks