Our apartment is 2 rooms and a bathroom, consisting of a living room and a bedroom. We have a small fridge and a sink and of course a water dispenser. We’ve added some shelving for storage and we need to do something about the table as our legs don’t fit under itJ. We are comfortable and are staying healthy after Clay having 2 days of upset stomach. We were also welcomed by Stacey coming to meet after watching for us for 2 days. As Jewel walked toward her she started running and held out her arms to us, she had not forgotten. We’ve enjoyed getting to know her better and had her for dinner one night. Sloppy joes and rice. She said the food was very good and she was full! Conversation is quiet but we keep trying and she knows more English than she did last year.
Our job here will be to teach life skills to the older children, teach English to them and also to staff and helping with guests at the Inn. We will also help with hospital transports and watch as the ways we can help unfold in the next several months. During the off season we will be even more involved with the older kids. We will be adjusting to Ch**a time being different from our time! Our position is to become a part of their culture not to conform them to ours. As a friend said, they are more relationship oriented and we are more task oriented, we have found this to be very true and while we love it, it is still an adjustment!
We’ve been to BICF, the western ch**ch where you must have a passport to enter, and to the Three Self Ch**ch, a government approved ch**ch. The difference simply would be; the songs are older at the Three Self, the father’s son isn’t mentioned and the speaker doesn’t tie his thoughts together, just random good thoughts that apply somewhat to what he is speaking about. BICF is more like you would expect at home. Staff fellowship is on Wednesday nights after dinner at Bai Way Yuan. Dinner costs about $3 US and basically all you can eat for that cost. We are studying Philippians and also have a song time and a time of pr**er.
We tag along as the interns teach English and learn from them, it has been a few years since we have been in school! Both children and staff use a part of the time to read story’s from the Father’s book. The books have English and Mandarin so they can get the whole idea in case they don’t understand the English words.
One afternoon Clay was swinging some of the kids when Gregg, who has a prosthetic leg, was swinging nice and high and his leg fell off! Clay is panicked trying to get it back on right away, and Gregg is just laughing and laughing, not bothered by it at all! He reflects the heart of China in his sincerity. Granted, many don’t accept special needs well, but mostly they are friendly, curious about foreigners, eager to learn English and respond well to your friendly, smiling face. If only we were as gracious!
Please be on your knees for:
- Jamison’s adjustment to his new home
- Grady’s adoption to go through. He was matched 1 week before he turned 14 so this is unknown territory. They are supposed to be gone before their 14th birthday.
- Gregg to be successfully matched to a family we know.
- Stacey’s grafts to heal.
- Process of teaching life skills that are in the working stage.
- Our Visa’s. We found out July 7th we have to leave the country every 30 days on our current visa’s. We are applying for a new visa so we will not have to leave for a year. Please ask for this process to go smoothly.
- Language learning.
Big thanks for:
As I’m writing this, Clay came in and said he heard a moped going by with Saturday Night Fever playing! You see (and hear) it all! Fireworks at 4:50am; the more fireworks the more respect shown for a funeral or a wedding. A loud speaker in the village (across the road) giving up to the moment news reports. The man who goes by each day, his donkey pulling his wooden cart. Vegetable and fruit vendors stopping by the front gate at shift change.
As we face this life away from you we are reminded from 2 Chronicles 20;22 to 30 that fear is our Father’s greatest opportunity. 1. We watch and see what He does to gain glory for Himself, vss 22-24. 2. A great battle, coupled with a great Father results in great rewards, vs 25. 3. Praise and worship Him in your victories, vss 26-30! There is a war and we are filled with fear. When we fear and know we can’t fight the battle is when He shows His strength. We live in a world where there is always a war going on, a war with the bad guy and he doesn’t want us to praise and worship the Father, he wants to find any reason to get us to fear. Praise and worship the Father in your fear. Keep your mind (our minds) on the Father and trust He is working things out for His glory and His good! He will win the battles; have no fear!
We love you and praise Him for each of you!
Clay and Jewel
Sharin' the Love!
Jewel and Kids
WWTWF (World-Wide Thumb Wrestling Federation)- Gutsy Grady vs.Clobberin' Clay
I am thrilled to find your blog. We were at PHF earlier this year in January when we adopted our daughter Piper - Jasmine at PHF. We loved our time there and have fallen for a little guy that we sponsor. We are currently searching for him with CCAA to adopt, but they cannot locate his file. Please give Jacob Jai a special squeeze for us next time you see him.
ReplyDeleteAshley
www.alegacyofhope.blogspot.com