I have a special request. I’m dead serious about this, too. Two of my friends I met here are getting married August 8th in West Palm Beach, Florida. I really want to go, but I don't want to drive that far alone. If any of you are interested and available PLEASE go with me! A third teacher from here is going to let us stay with her and her family at her beach house so no need to worry about hotels, etc. Just a little gas money (or a lot I guess since I hear gas is crazy expensive), good CDs and great conversation. Or if you’re not a conversationalist, I’ll tell you endless stories about China, Africa or anything else you want to know.
Who’s it going to be?
All requests will receive a response ;)
Monday, April 28, 2008
And now for the local news
Ni hao ma? Wo de mingzi LaRee. Wo shi laoshi in Zhongguo . (Hello. How are you? My name is LaRee. I am an American teacher in China.)
I feel like I should reintroduce myself since I haven't written in such a long time. Let me start by telling you about a conversation I had with Maple while we were at the hospital a couple of weeks ago.
I went with Maple to the hospital after school one day. (I met her there and was able to ask for directions in Chinese...quite an accomplishment!) It's quite a process to see a doctor in this country, as are all things a process here it seems, so sometime during the five hour visit we began talking about her family. She told me when she was around two months old she became really sick with a virus and was taken to the hospital. After a few days they were beginning to think she wasn't going to make it. Her grandfather advised her parents to kill her saying "You can have more children." Let that sink in....her grandfather said kill her. Not wait to see if she would make it, but to take her life.
I sat there in shock. I can't even comprehend that. I didn't cry, although I probably should have, because I can't grasp that. She went on, with tears in her eyes, and told me "My father told him no because I was beautiful and he wanted to keep me...I'm thankful that I'm beautiful." I teared up at this and said, "I am too, Maple. The Lord sure had plans for you!" I asked if this is a common practice and she said of course. She told me there was a river near her elementary school that was littered with baby's bones that would float to the surface when it flooded.
After we left the hospital I couldn't get the beauty aspect off of my mind. I was thanking the L-rd for Maple when I realized He did the exact same thing for us as Maple's father, on a completely different scale of course. Our sin made us ugly, but He looked at us and said, "I can make them beautiful. Let Me keep them." What a merciful and gracious G-d we serve.
I don't want to detract from the seriousness of that story, but I do want to share a couple more things before closing.
I have begun tutoring a woman on Saturdays. Her English is pretty good, but she wants to work on her pronunciation. This past Saturday was our first lesson and she brought a book with different English stories like Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Greek gods. It kills me to read about the Greek gods when she could be reading truth, but G-d is not limited by the Chinese government! Words like "worship" and "spirit" are in the text so I'm going to invite her to our service where we use these words constantly which will help her with her pronunciation!!! What a cool way to use everything in our paths. Please pr-y for my time with her. I am so excited for this opportunity, but I'm clueless as to how to go about it.
In other good news, I was able to talk with my grandmother and parents tonight for the first time in almost a month. I've been struggling with loneliness for the past couple of months, but talking to them encouraged me so much.
In further good news, I have a plane ticket home. Mark your calendars, folks! I'll be home July 11th through August 20th!!!! I'm so excited to be home for six weeks. What a wonderful surprise to be home that long since I was expecting to be home for less than four weeks. I'd really like to see everyone so please be in contact.
And a random fact before I go. One day I was on the bus and at every stop light the driver would pull out his glasses and read the paper. Maybe it doesn't sound very weird, but when's the last time someone whipped out the paper at a light?
Thank you for your pr-yers.
I feel like I should reintroduce myself since I haven't written in such a long time. Let me start by telling you about a conversation I had with Maple while we were at the hospital a couple of weeks ago.
I went with Maple to the hospital after school one day. (I met her there and was able to ask for directions in Chinese...quite an accomplishment!) It's quite a process to see a doctor in this country, as are all things a process here it seems, so sometime during the five hour visit we began talking about her family. She told me when she was around two months old she became really sick with a virus and was taken to the hospital. After a few days they were beginning to think she wasn't going to make it. Her grandfather advised her parents to kill her saying "You can have more children." Let that sink in....her grandfather said kill her. Not wait to see if she would make it, but to take her life.
I sat there in shock. I can't even comprehend that. I didn't cry, although I probably should have, because I can't grasp that. She went on, with tears in her eyes, and told me "My father told him no because I was beautiful and he wanted to keep me...I'm thankful that I'm beautiful." I teared up at this and said, "I am too, Maple. The Lord sure had plans for you!" I asked if this is a common practice and she said of course. She told me there was a river near her elementary school that was littered with baby's bones that would float to the surface when it flooded.
After we left the hospital I couldn't get the beauty aspect off of my mind. I was thanking the L-rd for Maple when I realized He did the exact same thing for us as Maple's father, on a completely different scale of course. Our sin made us ugly, but He looked at us and said, "I can make them beautiful. Let Me keep them." What a merciful and gracious G-d we serve.
I don't want to detract from the seriousness of that story, but I do want to share a couple more things before closing.
I have begun tutoring a woman on Saturdays. Her English is pretty good, but she wants to work on her pronunciation. This past Saturday was our first lesson and she brought a book with different English stories like Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Greek gods. It kills me to read about the Greek gods when she could be reading truth, but G-d is not limited by the Chinese government! Words like "worship" and "spirit" are in the text so I'm going to invite her to our service where we use these words constantly which will help her with her pronunciation!!! What a cool way to use everything in our paths. Please pr-y for my time with her. I am so excited for this opportunity, but I'm clueless as to how to go about it.
In other good news, I was able to talk with my grandmother and parents tonight for the first time in almost a month. I've been struggling with loneliness for the past couple of months, but talking to them encouraged me so much.
In further good news, I have a plane ticket home. Mark your calendars, folks! I'll be home July 11th through August 20th!!!! I'm so excited to be home for six weeks. What a wonderful surprise to be home that long since I was expecting to be home for less than four weeks. I'd really like to see everyone so please be in contact.
And a random fact before I go. One day I was on the bus and at every stop light the driver would pull out his glasses and read the paper. Maybe it doesn't sound very weird, but when's the last time someone whipped out the paper at a light?
Thank you for your pr-yers.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
freedom
Finally, my brothers, pray for us, that the Word of the L0rd may have free course and be glorified, even as it also is with you.
--2 Thessalonians 3:1
--2 Thessalonians 3:1
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