Bringing a Little Heaven to Earth

My heart is full as I reflect on my travels to China earlier this month. How do I share such an experience? Where do I start? Such a trip brought me to places of deeper wonder and appreciation for the level of diversity in the world. It also brought me to places of frustration and realization of my total selfishness and longing for what was familiar. It brought me to think on the heart of God and how much I saw Him in my dear friends who serve there so faithfully year after year. They persevere to embrace the culture and language of a very DIFFERENT people group. I admire their slow and steady efforts to genuinely love and offer friendship to the specific people God brings their way. They know what it means when God says that LOVE IS THE GREATEST THING YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR LIFE.

Would you join me as I journey back on all I saw, heard, smelled and tasted during my trip? Coming straight from my heart felt journal entries...

11/12/09
Rick asked me this morning what the most surprising part about being in China has been. I thought, and the first thing that came to mind was I am surprised by how big China is and so modern. Not sure what I was expecting, but the cities we have been in are huge! During interaction over an interesting boiling "hot pot" meal where you dip various kinds of meat and vegetables into boiling water in the center of the table and then attempt to lift them all out with chopsticks...yeah right... a Chinese friend of Les and Karla (named Rick also) informed us that the city we were in has grown over the last 20 years from 40,000 to 8 million people! There are people everywhere. You should see the streets! It's instant stress and tension that you can feel rising up in your neck and shoulders and gives you an instant headache. Cars, bikes, taxis, buses, rickshaws, scooters, and even people walking all over the very busy roads like it was nothing at all. Everyone is pushing their way ahead (no defensive driving lessons in China) and if you get in someone's way they will honk loud and long to let you know. When we crossed the street I found it best to hold Karla's arm and just close my eyes and blindly walk and pray until we made it safely across to the other side. Same was true for Taxi rides. It was best to close my eyes and try to relax. Les called the front seat passengers side the "Hello Jesus seat" because there are so many near misses to that corner of the car. Such a different way of life in something as simple as the way people drive. Whew!

Not only do I see crowds surrounding me, but it is a crowd that continually tends to stare at me. It's very uncomfortable really. Sometimes I am tempted to make a funny face when they keep staring. :O) Karla says on an especially difficult day, she sometimes will do something super silly to really give them something to look at. She says it keeps her sane. I love that!

Did you know that in China the government purposely does something called "seeding" the clouds? It somehow causes them to condense and precipitate faster. It helps clean the smoggy air. Well it has certainly been raining AND SNOWING! Bummer. Karla says it must be part of God's plan to help us really get a taste of their lives there when they go for painfully long stretches of time with clouds. You have to understand when it's cloudy in China... IT'S CLOUDY!!!! Because of the smog it is often foggy and darker than usual, like one of those mysterious foggy looking dreams you walk through as you sleep soundly. I feel heavy walking through it some days and have to fight feeling depressed even.

I have also experienced a damp, cold and chilled to the bone sensation most of the time. The government does not turn on the heat in the city until November 15th. Les and Karla's apartment has heaters in each room so we are nice and toasty every night, but during the day going from place to place is another story. Many of the shopping places we have visited are outdoors with just plastic tarps for coverings. Rick did not pack for cold to the bone weather so we shopped one day for a coat. Entering shops is a whole experience in itself. The shop owners surround you pointing to various items and pushing a sale to the point of practically giving it to you for free. Rick's coat which would have cost $125.00 in the States, he paid $25.00 for in the China shops. :O) I LIKE THAT!!!!

Speaking of good deals!!!! Karla graciously brought me to visit her Chiropractor. I wasn't sure what to expect but left amazed at the excellent quality 45 minute back massage and adjustment I received all for $5.00. :O) I left feeling like I wanted to turn right around and do it again. A haircut includes a 30 minute head/shoulder and arm massage and costs... get this... $3.00! Why isn't that kind of great service for reasonable prices part of our culture? Oh, how I wish it was so! Oh, and eating out is the preferred way to go in China... shopping at the market and cooking at home costs more money and time than eating out. And the food choices are very healthy. Those are things I could get used to very easily!!! Oh the yogurt... I know, random, but I had to mention it.

I can't help but also notice the women of China. They are just beautiful to look at. It is interesting to me to see modern hairstyles on most of them as well. I always envision their hair being too straight to be styled into anything much. Oh no... long beautiful, wavy styled hair. They all wear high heel boots and look so elegant to me. So dignified and serious... and beautiful!

Our first night in Beijing we stayed in a Youth Hostel. My first thought... "OK... This is different." I walked into a cool, dimly lit lobby area which was small, cramped and cozy with lots of character. Two small picnic tables to the left. Couches with floral prints and big soft pillows faced each other with a table in between. Wooden floors and walls. A low ceiling with plants hanging overhead to add to the homeyness of the place. We walked through a small doorway out into the center patio/garden area. More picnic tables, hanging plants and candles. The ground was made of uneven brick type material. Another door took us down a long, narrow, dimly lit hallway into our rooms. The rooms were surprisingly different than the first impression of the place. More modern looking space just big enough to fit the simple low to the ground beds. A toilet right off to the left of the bed and a shower to the right. It was all part of the experience of being in China. Why stay at Holiday Inn when you can experience a Youth Hostel? I'm glad we did.

I know this is getting really long... anyone still reading???? Anyone???

We traveled from Beijing to Xian via train. We took the 10 hour overnight ride. "Hmmmm" I thought as we boarded and wondered how we would get any sleep on a train. I was pleasantly surprised how relaxing it was. The gentle rocking motion and humming sounds lulled me to sleep nicely that night. I woke up enthusiastic about catching new sights from the large window of our cabin. For some silly reason that song from Aladdin "A Whole New World"entered my mind as I watched in wonder (lame, I know). But it's true... it is a whole new world to me. The way a new culture awakens the senses blows me away. The rolling hills were a refreshing sight to see. Not something I see much in the Midwest. As I watched I wondered why some of the hills had cave like looking holes in them. Karla mentioned, believe it or not, that some people live in the caves I saw. They are cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Whoa! I would love to see one.

The Great Wall!!!! Nothing quite like it. Amazing what the people of ancient past were capable of. I just keep thinking about the thousands of years of China's history. As we drove back into town after walking The Wall, Les shared that everytime China begins to dig in any given area for development they more likely than not unearth ancient findings. I was tempted to go out and start digging to see what I could find. :O)

I have shared some of the highlights of discovering a new culture. Eight days is hardly enough time to truly discover it. Processing a new culture takes years and years of engaging it. Not sure I am called to that. Not sure I want to be. (should I dare to say that?) Les and Karla some days might tell you the same thing. I was most impressed and impacted by them and the rest of the Asia Quest team and the Chinese people we met. I love the way they so faithfully pray for ways to engage this culture to bring a little bit of heaven to the earth. To "Let their light shine so that the Chinese may see their good deeds and Praise their Father in Heaven!" That's what this life is all about... God desires to restore all things to himself to make all things NEW! We can bring a little bit of heaven to our own world everyday as we seek to glorify God in our lives.

I am still learning how to post pictures on my blog... I need my blogging buddy to show me more. In the mean time become my friend on facebook and visit my facebook profile page to see some of the pictures we took while in China. Thanks for reading!!! Until next time, God bless!

~Donna