Movin' onward and upward.....

We have now been here in China for 3 months. Seems like a long time when I think about missing family, seems short when I think of how busy we have been...and we are just getting started.
Now that we know day to day life and school is falling into place, we want to get on with the bigger picture, the reason we are here. the reason we gave up our comfortable lives to come here, where things are so different and quite uncomfortable to us. So we are asking Him everyday why? what? where?
One area I feel for me is the English corner here at out apartment complex. We meet once a week and they get to practice their English. We have different discussion starters and it can get very interesting. Although we are not allowed to "teach" or "mention", it always comes up by one of them. And it makes my heart happy.
As the relationships grow and become more personal, we will be able to have some over for dinner, go places with them, just hang out. Hey, I already have one guy wanting to cook for me!!! lol
Most are college age and that makes me very happy. I miss my college age students at home. I have even taken to naming, them in my mind,...like "wow, that guy sounds like Dillion" or "that girl's mannerisms really remind me of Kelsey"...lol

So that is where I am heading. Madeline is also interested in the English corner- there are a few high school age there so she is going with me in a few weeks.

Also we are all planning to get involved in a Chinese Christian private school.- can't give much in the way of info, but there is a lot to be done there with high school and college age so I am really excited about that.

There is a foriegn fellowship on the other side of the city we are planning to visit. They have a very very spirited service- lot of african expats attend- so I am excited to visit there in 2 weeks. Several "friends" attend there and we will go with them.

There is so much going on help...sharing just the tip of the iceberg. Please remember us daily as we seek to do what He would have us do here in a land of many, many people in need.

Being to communicate...a little...ting bu bong....

I have reached a milestone in China!! Finally, I can now get in a cab say hello, tell where I live, ask how much, understand the answer, and make it safely home!!! Halelujah!!!!

According to most expat families, now is the time for culture shock to set in- and of course it is right before the holidays. So we really need everyone to please "think" of us often in the coming weeks. When school is in, we do a lot better with homesickness- when we are around our friends and school "family". But being here at Christmas without our family will be extremely hard under ideal circumstances, much less with not many staff here for the holidays. We are going on a trip to Shanghai for Chistmas week so we are not sitting here, feeling sorry for ourselves. We are not doing anyone any good doing that.....

So, that is where we are right now- learning the language that is keeping us from being able to do what we feel called to do....but we are getting there.....