When Security Guards Give You Melons...

As if life couldn’t get more interesting, a few days ago I was given a random melon by one of the security gaurds for our apartment complex.

Earlier that afternoon, I was planning to teach my last class of the semester for the company workers. Since it was our last class, I decided to teach food vocabulary, and of course, bring some snacks along so we could celebrate our last class together.

However, to my disappointment, no one showed up….except for two of our apartment complex’s security gaurds who were currently on duty. My Chinese friend Phoebe (and translator for the class) and I talked with them for a little while, and I agreed to teach them English for 5 minutes. After the five minutes were up, we gave them some snacks and told them to get back to work.

After our no-show class, I decided to go for a quick run. And to my surprise, on my way out of our apartment complex, one of these two gaurds ran up to me and gave me a melon.

“Weishenme? Why? ” I asked. And although I didn’t fully understand his answer, I believe it was for teaching him English.

To be honest, there is no point to me sharing this….except that this silly melon made me smile all weekend. Because it was so random….and because I kept forgetting to eat it. Every time I would walk by our kitchen table, I would find it sitting there…and I would just chuckle a little to myself.

Ah, life in China.

I finally chopped into it yesterday…and I must say, it was pretty delicious.

So that being said…..when security guards hand you random melons….I guess laugh and eat them with your roommates?? :)

And for those of you asking for Him to give me joy for each day….thank you. Today, He supplied it via a melon.

Mother's day reflections...

I have a confession to make: I really love doing dishes.

This little “quirk” of mine completely baffles my roommates. They are incapable of comprehending the absolute joy that I receive when a mound of dirty dishes is transformed into a neat pile of clean ones. They don’t even try to hide their amazement when I actually ask them to let me do the dishes after dinner.

As much as I try to explain the possible reasons when I enjoy doing dishes so much, they just don’t understand....(but they certainly appreciate it!).

However, as I’ve been thinking through the reasons why I really do love doing dishes, I think the reason is so much deeper than just my love for a clean kitchen and warm soapy water.

I love washing dishes because my mom loves washing dishes.

And my mom loves washing dishes because she loves J*s*s.

Some of my favorite memories with my mom are not the big “momentous” ones, but the normal everyday ones....like doing dishes together.

Growing up, I remember coming downstairs to our kitchen in search of a late-night snack to find my mom washing dishes. Almost always, she would have some form of w*rship music playing and many times, I would find her with tears in her eyes and pr*yers for her family upon her lips.

Washing dishes was (and continues to be) so much more than a nightly after-dinner duty for my mom. It was an opportunity to w*rship her G*d and glorify Him through a seemingly-menial task such as doing dishes.

The past few years, I have been blessed to be able to be home for a few months during school breaks and holidays. During my time at home, I’ve enjoyed joining my mom in her nightly “washing dishes” w*rship time. It has been a wonderful time to talk with each other about the L*rd and belt out worship songs to Him with our not-always-on-tune voices.

However, after being home for a few weeks, the nostalgia of doing dishes together would always begin to wear off for me. How can you do this everyday? The dishes - the housework - it never ends!

One evening, while washing dishes together, I asked my Mom this. And I will never forget her response.

“Sure, it can seem menial. You can easily begin to hate housework and view it as a burden. But I’ve asked the L*rd to help me to see it as a privilege to serve my family in these little things. And He has. I don’t necessarily love dishes. But I love J*s*s, and I love my family. When I serve you all in His name, I’m serving Him. And there is great joy in that.”

Although my mom has taught me a great deal over the years, this is the one lesson that continues to resonate in my heart: there is joy when you choose to serve and be faithful in the seemingly small things....like washing dishes. Because G*d is in the small things.

This lesson has been a constant encouragement to me here in China. I must confess that there are many days when I ask myself if its worth it. Is G*d using me? Does anyone even care what happens inside my little classroom? Does He care?

But then, I come home....and I wash dishes.

And as my hands become wrinkled by the warm water and soapy bubbles, I remember my mom. And I remember that He is in the “small” things.

Like washing dishes.

And like teaching 107 kindergartners English in China.

No, it may not seem super-significant to the outside world. But it is significant. Because  this is the m*nistry He has called me to be faithful to.

And He is worth it. He is infinitely worth it.

So I guess when I think about it, I don’t love washing dishes for the sake of washing dishes. I love washing dishes because it reminds me of my Mom. And her faithfulness in the seemingly-small things.

And I am encouraged to be faithful in the small things, because when I serve someone in His name - whether my roommates or my crazy and cute students - I’m serving Him.

And there is great joy in that.

"ching ming" adventure photos

My "ching ming" adventure...

“Do you want to go to my hometown with me?”

“Umm, sure. I’d love to!”

Who knew that a simple yes would turn into such an adventure.

Last week, we had a four-day vacation for China’s Ching Ming Festival/Holiday. One week prior, I agreed to go with Taozi to her hometown, just a few hours away.

Overall, it was a great trip. Her parents and family were wonderful... Her family lives in a small town of 500,000+ people (small for China, I guess :). This town is situated in the middle of several surrounding villages. Thus, foreigners are almost unheard of in this city. For this reason, I was treated like a celebrity of sorts. Taozi had two nieces around 10 years old with whom I instantly connected. They knew a little English from their school and were very eager to practice it with an American. :) They also invited a few of their friends from school to come over and take pictures with me (oh dear… :).

Despite the awkwardness, I loved talking with these young girls. The questions they asked were so funny. Who is your favorite movie star? Have you been to New York? …I’m afraid I might’ve disappointed them with my lack of knowledge of American pop culture. Nevertheless, what an opportunity! We did our best to talk and converse a little bit in English, but the whole time, I was kicking myself for not studying Chinese more. What we lacked in language vocabulary, I think we made up with in smiles though!

During my time with Taozi’s family, I was able to visit three different villages. ....Wow. In many ways, China is so advanced and yet, still very much a developing country. One evening, one of Taozi’s relatives had heard that I loved jaozi (delicious Chinese dumplings) and invited me over to their village home for dinner. They made way too much jaozi over the open fire in their “kitchen.”  Very primitive, but so fun. The hospitality of the Chinese people I met during this trip humbled me.

Some of the highlights of the trip: I climbed a hill/mountain, visited a shrine (on accident…it was on top of the hill), ate chicken’s neck via a street vendor, visited two different village homes, ate way too many chinese dumplings in a village home, took place in a community dance to a fire god (once again, unknowningly :S), and took the slow (and rather smelly) train back to Beijing for less than five dollars (and for more than 4 hours…).

 Throughout my time on the trip, something I had heard before became more real to me. Before I left for China, a good friend of mine who once lived in China told me, “China is a very dark country.” Although I knew this theoretically before this trip, it became so much more of a reality this past weekend. Not because of Taozi’s family. They were super moral and kind. But because of the traditions I was exposed to…. During my time on the trip, Taozi, her family, and I took place in a variety of Ching Ming festivities. The Ching Ming Festival is a time for families to visit the graves of their ancestors. However, this time to honor ancestors who have passed away tends to be more comparable to ancestor worship than they may care to admit. On Friday, we went to her grandparent’s graves in two different villages. To be honest, I don’t know if I would have gone if I knew what I was getting into before. Taozi and her family burnt paper “money” at the gravesites. I was informed that burning this paper “money” gives money to their ancestors in the underworld. They burnt this “money,” pilled more dirt on the graves, and  placed flowers on the graves. At one of the graves, they ceremonially bowed a few times. This was borderline ancestor worship. Nevertheless, it did give me a deeper insight into Chinese culture and traditions. It also opened up a few “doors of utterance” with Taozi. I was able to ask her…what do you think happens to someone after they die? Do you believe in these traditions that you follow? These questions did not lead to any deep conversations, but I trust He is working in her heart, drawing her to Himself.

I think the L*rd also used this trip also opened my eyes to so many Chinese people who have never heard the name of Jesus. These villages are full of people who very likely have never heard the name of my S*vior. This just broke my heart….and if it breaks mine, I know it must break the heart of One who shed His blood for them. 

 ....I'm still processing the whole trip, but I'm so thankful I was able to go. It was a little difficult (no internet, no hot water, no shower for the whole time), but it gave me such a broader perspective of Chinese culture and traditions....and a greater awareness of my embarrassing lack of Chinese :). But even more than that, I pr*y that He used this weekend to expand my heart for this nation He has placed me in.

Thanks for your continued pr*yers, friends.

Everyday moments

 
I apologize for the lack of updates. Things have begun to settle into much more of a routine as of late. Besides little funny everyday moments, not too much has taken place lately to be worthy to be recorded here.

However, I think the everyday moments are the best.

Like today, I was proposed to in Starbucks.

As I was standing in line this afternoon, mentally rehearsing in my head how to order my iced coffee in Chinese, I was interrupted by the Chinese man behind me in line. He introduced himself and began to talk to me in his limited English.

While shaking my hand, he slyly turned my hand over noticed my purity ring. “Oh, are you married?” He asked. When I said no, his immediate response was, “Will you marry me?”

….don’t worry, Mom and Dad, I said no. (Although I’ve never been opposed to a coffee-shop proposal, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind… There’s truly never a dull moment here. :)

And last Friday, I learned how to say vomit in Chinese. As the students in one of my classes were lining up, one little girl suddenly bent over and vomited all over the floor….directly in the line of traffic. As I watched this occur in seemly slow motion, I just had to smile. It had been awhile since we have had bodily fluid escape someone….I guess we were due. :)

I quickly erected a little barricade around the vomit with chairs (which, I’ve discovered, is a must….accidents of another kind have happened before and if a barricade is not erected, my kiddos will proceed to jump into whatever bodily fluid is on the floor). And then, I proceeded to lead my kids back to their homeroom.
However, I think the funniest/most humbling part of this experience was me trying to explain the situation to our grandma-like janitor in Chinese…. After quite a bit of language-fumbling and vomit-like imitations from me, thankfully one of my Chinese co-workers stepped in and translated….and also, taught me how to say “vomit” in Chinese. I don’t think I’ll forget that word soon. :) 

But even more than the "I can’t believe that just happened" everyday moments, I love the less-dramatic, seemingly-insignificant, everyday moments like chatting with our new secretary over lunch, painting program sets with our art teacher,  attempting to buy fresh veggies with Taozi at our local farmer’s market, cutting paper and talking about J*s*s with Jenny in the library, and of course, receiving hugs from my students after school….(especially if the student is the same one that was accidentally left behind in your classroom a few hours before…oops. :S).

True, there are everyday moments that make me want to bang my head against a wall (seriously). But He continues to pour out grace. And fill me with His love.

And it is my ardent prayer that in these seemly-insignificant “everyday moments,” His love would be seen through such an unworthy vessel as me.

Thank you for your continued pr*yers, friends! 


title: A small request…
 date: may 8
This past Tuesday evening, I began teaching another English class for company/factory workers. The class has about 20 students, most of whom are girls around my age with very limited English. Although I was a little hesitant to commit to teaching this class (due to the time commitment), I’m very thankful I did. Even though our first class was a little rough, I really enjoyed teaching it this past week. I'm excited to be able to get to know these girls more as the class progresses - especially asking for opportunities to share His hope with them. :)

I would love if you could join me in asking for opportunities to share His love, truth, and hope with the students in this class. Also, I would love if you would request Him to help me to make the most of the time with these ladies in order to get to know them well….and His help in remembering their both Chinese and soon-to-be-given English names! :)

Thank you for your continued faithfulness, friends!