Greetings from Beijing! First and foremost, my apologies for the lack of blog updates.This past week and a half has flown by, and we have been busier than ever. The added problem of no internet connection has made it extremely difficult to post. Nonetheless, God is doing INCREDIBLE things here in China and I wish I could share them all with you.
For security reasons, I will have to keep the details of last week to a minimum. I will say, though, that Christianity is alive and well in China. I am amazed by the hearts of the Chinese Christians I've had the chance to interact with, and have learned so much from them. I can give more details on this once topic I'm back in the states, so stay tuned!
One more note before I switch topics completely, while it's true that the good news is spreading like wildfire in China, there are even more situations of people who are desperately searching for truth amidst a life of ritualism and materialism. Please keep China in your prayers, as the need for God's love to be shared is heartbreaking. The harvest is plenty, yet the workers are few.
And now, to catch you up on what I've been up to in the past few days. This week was set aside as our "sightseeing" days, and we took advantage of our block of free time by traveling to Shanghai and Xi'an.
Shanghai (pronounced "ShAHng-hai" for all of my misinformed American friends) was such a fun city! There's a very strong resemblance to NYC, which I absolutely loved, so it was very enjoyable to be back in a place with such a similar fast-paced environment again. The first night we explored the city center at dusk, and the sights were so fascinating. We observed the bustling streets from the sky bridge: buildings, lights, and people EVERYWHERE makes for easy entertainment. After dinner in an 8 story mall (Kaitlyn, you would have died), we headed back to our hotel to rest up for the next day's adventures. Friday, we explored the "souvenir shopping scene" of Shanghai. There were literally hundreds of vendors who rent out small shops and are each uniquely crafty with their bargaining and customer luring skills.
To sum up our two days in Shanghai, I'd use the following words: delicious desserts, unique shopping, and EXPENSIVE.
Our next stop on our week of sightseeing was the city of Xi'an. As an ancient capital of China, this town is rich in historical landmarks and wonders. We saw many historic structures during our short stay, including the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Drum Tower and Bell Tower of Xi'an, the impressive City Wall of Xi'an (the oldest and most preserved city wall in China) and of course the most famous stop, the Teracotta Warriors. We spent an day exploring the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor, where we were marveled by the thousands of life-sized soldier, chariot, and horse teracotta statues he had constructed to protect and accompany him in the afterlife. I could go on for days about the background of these statues, but I shouldn't...
Another neat experience in Xi'an was one we just conveniently stumbled across accidentally: the Muslim quarter. Hidden behind the drum towerin the heart of the city, this street is full of life and Muslim culture. The quaint knick-knack shops kept us busy for hours and we exited the markets just in time to eat dinner on the streets. We each got to pick and choose our own combinations of dinner items from the hundreds of street vendors lined up and down the sidewalks. I had beef and lamb on a stick, some sort of baked bread concoction, and a strong cup of fruity tea. If you're ever planning to visit Xi'an, this is a place you wouldn't want to miss!
Although these pictures do not do the Teracotta Army justice, they will give you a taste of the statues' marvelous nature and a glimpse of my enjoyable stay in Xi'an.
Our work in Beijing is off to a great start! In just three days we have already met such wonderful people and are looking forward to a very purposeful last few days in China. I can't believe that in only nine short days I will be flying home. My oh my, how time flies when you're having fun!
Until then, we will press on in Beijing. Please keep my team in your prayers this week as we interact with new friends and build meaningful relationships.
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