Two weeks ago, Henry and I finally said our goodbyes to our kindergarteners 
It was really sad to leave them, but we know it was for the best. We will be visiting them every other month before we leave this city so that we can shower them with love and goodies. I’m really thankful for the experience of seeing the preciousness of God’s young ones. I feel this experience was certainly not given in vain. Now I’m asking God to give me wisdom about how to spend my time, whether to meet up with people more regularly, get a language partner to learn more Chinese or experience other ministry opportunities.
Our time with the Urumqi girls was greatly encouraging and enjoyable. I was personally spurred on by their sincere hunger to learn and to grow. It was a special blessing to see them every morning through evening reading, praying, and sharing about God. I could see such genuine love for God through their use of time. They always waited with eager anticipation for every session, and they were so happy to be in the company of “family.” Even in the few days after the sessions, we enjoyed good times of sharing and bonding. Though we spent a fairly short time with them, I feel I got to know them a lot better and grew very attached to them. It literally felt empty without them when they left. It just goes to show the special bond that we have as family in Christ.
In a couple weeks I’ll be going to Korea to meet my mom. I’m really excited to see her and share with her all that I’ve learned and experienced thus far. After a week there, she’ll be coming back here with me for a few days. I hope for our time together to be fruitful and encouraging for both of us. I hope as she hears all that God is doing in this country, she’ll be challenged to examine her own life and be convicted to devote herself to God. I’ve heard a story about another missionary who went abroad for a year or two, and after her parents came to visit her, they were so touched that after the trip they committed themselves to God. Hearing this has got me more hopeful and excited, so please ask that God would something similar in my mom. Thank you! By the way, I miss you all. Anyone want to go to Korea with my mom so we can reunite sooner than later? Ahh I wish… 
Well, I’m sure you have heard much about the project from Pastor Aaron, so I won’t delve much into the details of it. It was a time of much blessing and just like the rest of you guys, let’s continue to keep them in our prayers for they are in much need of God’s help as we also need.
After many prayers, God answered my request in regard to Jonathan. I was able to meet with him and it was very refreshing talking to him and to see the excitement in his eyes and voice to continue in our study. I remember before he left in October to study for his exam, he looked me in the eye and told me that when he returns he wants to have dedicated more of his efforts in studying the Bible. I was skeptical at first, especially with the relationship he entered into the month prior. But as we walked around and talked, he was asking a lot of questions. He was telling me how he was on the bus coming back to Beijing and how he ended up sitting next to a Christian. For the duration of the 6 hour bus ride, they were conversing with one another, with Jonathan asking a lot of questions and the Christian doing his best to answer them. In the end, Jonathan was convinced that evolution is a farce and he wanted to study the Bible more. I was giving God secret thanks in my heart, while we were conversing, because I was so skeptical that he would not be hungering at all after his three month hiatus from studying. But God is very much faithful and he will continue to be that way. So continue to keep Jonathan in your prayer. He is definitely close and hopefully with our studies God will show him the path of salvation.
Update: Things have come to a slow down after our week long camp for the ladies and with the Chinese New Year rolling around for the month of February. My contacts have left for home and will not be returning to Beijing for 15-20 days leaving me with some time to reorganize and prepare for the last 4-5 months before summer rolls around and things get real hectic. We anticipate March to start quick and bring with it a lot of opportunity as well as new responsibilities. Our small group should begin and with the English corner opening back up on the local campus – I am hoping to create 3-4 additional contacts who are willing to meet up on a weekly basis. Other than that, I plan on making February a month of focus and planning – regeneration to make sure that the remaining time pre-summer is spent well inside the plans of God.
Hi, everyone! I’m happy to say that I’m feeling pretty healthy as I write this – PTL! Many of you probably heard that I was sick for most of the time Pastor Aaron was here for the conference, but I got a lot better by the end of his visit, and was still able to spend some time with our delegates. Even though they came out to learn, I ended up learning a lot from them — their passion for evangelizing to loved ones and fellow peers, their concern for weaker Christians at home, their concern for other missionaries like us back at their home, perseverance under persecution, and their willingness to serve others. I’m sure the others will share that February is known as the slow, holiday month here. Even so, I’d like to see God humble and surprise me by making it the most fruitful month since we’ve been here. I’m meeting up with some people who are Beijing locals or who aren’t going home for the holidays. I also took on some extra tutoring hours for this month.
For the past 4 months, I’ve really wanted to visit an orphanage … and just this past Saturday, 5 of us were able to visit a small one nearby (sorry if this is repetitive w/ others’ stories). A local sis took us to a home run and funded by Christians … which is probably why I was so surprised when I got there. The 12 kids look happy, loved, and well-taken care of. The missionaries there told us that they arrive there looking like skeletons, but quickly become “pang pang” (fat-fat). Many of them wanted to be held, so it got pretty tiring because they were pretty heavy. All the “a-yi” (aunties) who take care of them are in the family, and make sure they get plenty of kisses, hugs and good training. Just an example from the lunchtime we observed: the kids take turns serving one another at meal times, and say and sing thanks before eating. The kids are from all over the country, aged 1-6, and have some sort of delayed development (some were previously wrongly diagnosed with mental handicaps). Two of the kids there had already been chosen to be adopted, with future homes in the states! We were also fortunate to meet the woman who started the place, and discovered that she goes to the same international church we do! Small world … her husband funds everything, and they only take donations in the form of supplies. They get a lot of volunteers from all over. Even while we were there, a 10th grader from an international school stopped by to drop off $4000 in diapers raised at a rock concert fundraiser he organized. I’ve actually never been to an orphanage in my whole life, so I guess I was expecting something from the movie “Annie” … what I saw instead was a beautiful example of a Christ-filled place, and a vision for the future. It also made me wonder about the orphanages I will not be able to see, and the kids who are not as fortunate. Instead of feeling helpless, I’m thankful to know that it is something I can keep in my prayers.
It’s February. 6 more months to go. Hello Berean! What a privilege to be writing to you all again! (I must admit, these updates have become more daunting as time passes by because of my waning proficiency in English as of late.) For the sake of being redundant, I won’t recap all that happened during the time Pastor Aaron was here. I am sure you have heard much from him since he’s been back. But sincerely, thank you all for sparing him for a week to share time with our team. We were so blessed to have him and we really do miss his company already! We can’t wait until we are able to see more of you in the summer!
One thought I will share about the camp came during the night Lynna & I were planning to meet with our Firm Foundation group before they were going home to their families for the Spring Festival. After an impromptu introduction of our Beijing group and our Urumqi family, Lynna and I sat back in quiet joy and wonder as we witnessed the excitement of both parties come out in their shared love for God. To see immediate fellowship flow so earnestly from complete strangers who were connected by only ONE Love was such a reminder of the spiritual reality and hunger between Christians in China to bond with fellow believers. I was overwhelmed by the instantaneous love and care they all revealed for each other, even in just 10 minutes of being introduced. I hope that all of you back at home know and recognize the great privilege we have been granted from God to be able to share our hearts so freely amongst our breathren, especially also because it is Berean’s theme for the year. I am reminded again just how sweet the sense of community must feel to a country of Christians that are stifled and warned against sharing company with one another. Please pray for this great nation.
This past week, I was able to go out with a dear friend (Rebecca) that I have come to know more intimately at JM these past several months. I must say, I think out of all the people I have met so far, my heart immediately connected with hers and we have grown closer in the time we’ve spent together. Though I have been able to share my heart with her, it seems there is no initial desire to want to know more. She has never heard the gospel message so it seems to be really confusing to her and I am hoping to provide more clarity in the future. I ask for your prayers regarding my time with her.
This month has been pretty slow due to the fact that many of the students went home for the Spring Festival. Thankfully, Tony lives near by and we’ve been able to meet up to eat and talk. So far, our meetings have been pretty good. Every time we meet, I have been able to emphasize different parts of the gospel with him. It seems like he wants to understand and believe, but he says he wants to know more about Jesus before he believes. He has been reading through the Bible. But he made a remark the other day, he thinks he needs to read couple times to really know about Jesus and the gospel. He also asked me if I could teach him how to pray and if we could visit one of the churches nearby. Overall, I feel that we have become good friends and all the more I want him to believe in the gospel so he can work with us as well.
As for Dominic, I haven’t received any response from him for a while. I know he’s going back home for spring break, so I hope that we can meet before he leaves.
As for John, I gave him my John MacArthur Study Bible (thank u M-Care) and he seemed to be reading. I haven’t been able to talk with him due to the different work schedules. Recently, he has cut down on his working hours. I hope to meet up with him soon.
As for me, I am just learning to enjoy him more and more each day.
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