March 30, 2008: Love's Endless Song

Dear Friends,

Over the past two weeks, Brad and I feel we have vicariously experienced the entire spectrum of life experiences. In both sad and joyful ways, we watched the “circle of life” unfold around us in all its brilliance. We were reminded of the fragility and brevity of life, even as we were reminded of the sacred bonds of friendship and love.

“My life flows on in endless song
Above earth's lamentation.”

The week began with the sad news that Peter’s grandfather had died. He and Peter’s grandmother have been in the care of Peter’s parents for the past year, as their health has declined. Peter was unable to make it home for the funeral, but the rest of his family was able to gather for a memorial service to celebrate his life. They were comforted to know that his suffering and pain were over, but all felt sad to lose a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

“What though the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth.
What though the darkness round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.”

We were also sobered with other news. Newt informed us that Lily (who is pregnant and due in October) was experiencing “spotting” of blood. After seeing the doctor, Lily went on 3 weeks of bed rest. Although she and Tony were originally very concerned, it appears that the bleeding has stopped for now, and Lily must focus on resting for the time being. Meanwhile, you can be thinking of them as they lose Lily’s income for the 3 weeks she is resting. Newt also informed us that his wife Claire’s best friend, Mary Link, continues to battle through the last stages of a vicious cancer. Mary and her husband Joe hosted a send-off lunch for our team in August, and they are some of our greatest supporters. They have two handsome young sons, and it is hard on the whole family to see their mother suffering. Mary is remarkably joyful in her pain, and an inspiration to the team as she looks heavenward with peace and hope. In the face of such sobering events, we are reminded that that life is but a breath, that our “days are like grass.”

“No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging.”

In contrast, our week was full of joyful news as well. Brad weighed himself and found out that he’s lost 29 lbs. since he came to China last August! When we come home, I’ll bring half of the husband I brought to China! Our running is paying off, and not just in shedding pounds. Kids wave to us every day, and often run with us around the track as we train. This week a group of PE students pulled me from a 7 mile run to play tag with them during class. Brad and I were also excited to record personal bests this week: He ran 71 miles this week, and I ran 32. It was the most either of us has ever run in one week! Last Thursday we took a huge group of kids to KTV for karaoke, and met Forrest Gump’s new love interest. This Thursday we went rollerblading with a group of my students and their friends, practicing our skateboarding and biking techniques as well. Lunches, dinners, and free time continue to be filled with students as we continue to build friendships and grow together.

“Above the tumult and the strife,
I hear the music ringing.”

Easter weekend brought one joyous celebration after another. On Saturday, we attended the wedding of our Chinese friends Frank and Helen. These two have been mentored by Tony and Lily for some time now, and became engaged in the Fall. Their small wedding at the Chongwenmen Hotel was done in a Western style, but had its own Chinese flair. The bride wore the Western white gown for the ceremony, but changed into the traditional Chinese red gown for the reception. There were adorable flower girls, a best man, a maid of honor, and Newt officiated the ceremony (which was then translated into Chinese). There were photographers everywhere, and the bride threw the bouquet (which was caught by the maid of honor). We teased Shannon when she came back empty-handed, and said she had to more aggressive to get that bouquet! The reception featured a wide array of Chinese dishes, dedications, storytelling (how the couple met and fell in love), giving money gifts (in Chinese red envelopes), and a slide show featuring photos of the happy couple. We foreigners even sang a song together, and Peter sang a Chinese song solo! We had a great time, and felt so honored to be included in the wedding of our friends.

“I hear the real, though far off hymn
That hails the new creation”

The best part of the wedding for our team had little to do with the wedding itself. After the ceremony, Peter pulled us all together in a huddle and said in a low voice, “I just wanted to let you guys know…tomorrow I’m going to ask Shannon to marry me.” The rest of us thought he was teasing, and then were giddy with excitement. We were so happy for them; it was all we could do to keep his secret for 24 hours. As we talked about engagements and weddings, we smiled knowing that Shannon would have her own engagement to discuss in the morning. On Easter morning, Shannon woke happy and peaceful. She strolled around the Zhang’s apartment singing to herself, and anticipating a morning walk with Peter. Peter and Brad arrived, and then Peter and Shannon left for their walk. Once they were gone, the rest of us were just silly with happiness. Brad hung out the window with the video camera for the next hour, hoping to catch site of them as they returned. Newt and I made breakfast and set the table, as we all reminisced about our own engagements. Newt said that Peter felt he’d need 15 minutes to propose to Shannon. 50 minutes later, the happy couple made their way back to the Zhang’s apartment.

“It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?”

When Peter and Shannon returned, Brad was ready with the video camera, even filming them through the “peep hole” in the door. We cheered as they entered, and Peter took Shannon by the shoulders and said, “I’d like to introduce you all to my new fiancée!” Shannon appeared to have overcome her original shock, yelling, “We’re getting married!” We wanted every detail, which they shared with delight. Peter had led Shannon on a walk, and they were thinking out loud together as they walked. Then Peter told Shannon that he wanted to sit down, but seemed to have some difficulty in finding a proper place to sit. Then, once seated, he began to talk seriously about their relationship. Shannon was a little suspicious when she saw a box in his pocket, but did not realize the significance of it. Then Peter told her that he wanted her to spend the rest of her life with him, and asked her to marry him. Shannon was so surprised, that he had to ask twice! She did, of course, say “yes.” And the rest is history. After a loud and happy Easter breakfast, Shannon and Peter called Shannon’s family on the phone with the good news, and Shannon laughed because they had known all week that this was the day.

“When friends rejoice both far and near,
How can I keep from singing?”

The rest of Easter rolled by with the quality of a dream. “Congratulations” for the happy couple everywhere we went. A great Easter service at BICF. Mexican and American food at Texas Pete’s. Grocery shopping at Jenny Lou’s. Engagement photos by the street outside. A train ride home, lesson planning, and a week of wedding planning. Engagement photos, phone calls, e-mails, and setting a date. Peter and Shannon’s joy rubbed off on all of us all weekend and all week, and all of our spirits remain high. Their happiness is contagious, and we have all been delighted to share in their joy.

“Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?”

Thank you for all the love you give us through your thoughts and support. Hardly a day goes by that we do not think of you and feel so much gratitude that you have seen fit to share in this journey with us. Please keep Peter’s family, Lily Zhang, Mary Link, Frank & Helen’s marriage, and Peter & Shannon’s engagement in your thoughts. Thank you for everything you give, out of love with which it was given to you.

“This peace of his makes fresh my heart,
a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his!
How can I keep from singing?”

Love,
Jess and Brad

“My Life Flows On” (How Can I Keep from Singing) Lyrics by Robert Lowry, 1860

Sunday Thoughts: March 30, 2008

1) This has been a much needed weekend of rest for all of us. The last two weeks have been amazing, but it was tiring going back and forth to Beijing. Jess’ note will supply all the crazy details!

2) Peter and Shannon got engaged to each other on Easter Sunday, and they are planning for an August 23rd wedding. They are also planning to return to Langfang next year, but they will need approval from the college to miss or reschedule their first two weeks of classes. Please remember them.

3) Please remember our departure dates in your thoughts. Jess and I are currently hoping to leave for home on Saturday June 14th, but we will need to rework some of Jess’ schedule in order to make this possible. Otherwise, the two of us could end up coming home on separate flights.

4) We will be taking a few students to the Philip Hayden Foundation again next Saturday.

5) We will have our next English Club on the Western Campus on April 11th.

6) The May English Week has been approved by the college, but we are still waiting for the final word from the Province. The dates are May 22nd-June 4th.

March 16, 2008: Baseball Legends

Dear friends,

Happy Palm Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, Good Friday, and Easter! I hope you are all having a great week as we celebrate so many wonderful things. Spring has come to Langfang, and we are relishing the warmer days, the growing flowers, and the green trees. Spring is a time to celebrate new things, and this week has been full of new adventures!

Newt arrived in Langfang with Tony on Wednesday, which really made our week. We were so excited to see the friendly and encouraging face of our leader again! Newt spent a lot of time meeting with the students, the faculty, and us as he arranged for the English Week in May and discussed departure dates with us. It’s hard to believe that we’re already talking about traveling home! On Wednesday, Brad also split Peter’s lip in a heated game of basketball with the students. Both men received their fair share of teasing after that incident. In addition to all of the other excitement on Wednesday, Tony informed us that he and Lily are pregnant! We are so excited to welcome a new member into our China family this October. :)

On Saturday morning we headed out to Beijing where we first went to register for the Great Wall Marathon (26.2 miles, some of which are on the Great Wall of China) on May 17. I am somewhat anxious since this will be my first marathon, but Brad is a great coach, and he encourages me all the time. After registering, we joined Tony and Lily to host the very first Beijing English Club. Everything went really well; there were skits, music, speakers, and refreshments. Lily’s teacher and friend Chris Wang (now a Canadian citizen) spoke eloquently about how the Chinese learn English, and we foreigners felt that we learned a lot too!

Sunday began with an informal meeting at Tony and Lily’s apartment, and then we left for the subway ride to the new Wukesong baseball stadium in Beijing. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to see the Padres vs. Dodgers exhibition game on such a warm and beautiful Sunday afternoon. In many ways the game resembled any other American baseball game. You could buy Texas steak sandwiches, T-shirts, baseball hats, and Coca-Cola around the stadium (for outrageous prices). There were foreigners everywhere--more than we’ve seen in a long time. Brad wore a Cal Ripken Oriole’s shirt, eliciting cheers of “Yeah Ripken!” and I wore a University of Maryland shirt, leading to introductions with a man from College Park. We laughed at a girl near us who simply cheered, “Yeah America!” The actor Jet Li threw the first pitch, and we cheered for both teams impartially. Unfortunately, we didn’t all have seats together, so Newt, Tony, and Lily sat across the stadium from us. When Shannon and Peter left to sit with them, Brad and I decided to wander around the stadium for a little while.

When we got behind the Dodgers dugout, I stopped to photograph a sign that read, “Athlete Entrance.” When I turned around, Brad was gone. I found him at the field entrance for the grounds crew, which happened to be right next to the Dodger’s dugout. As we soon realized, the security personnel were very lenient. Brad and a small group of fans stood under the press camera stand, separated from the Dodgers by a simple chain link fence. Whispering excitedly, Brad and others pointed out the infamous Joe Torre (Gold Glove, MVP, 9 All-Star Games, 2,000 hits as a player, 2,000 wins as a manager, winner of 4 World Series and 7 division titles while managing the Yankees for 8 years), and Dodger players. They were even more excited when Matt Kemp came over to the fence mid-game and began signing baseballs and programs. I urged Brad to get his program signed, and once he did, he hurried out. I followed him, only to find he was heading for the Padres dugout on the opposite side. I laughed, and ran alongside. We picked up Peter and Shannon on the way, and kept going.

At the Padres dugout, Brad spoke to some men inside, asking if he might have one of the broken bats from earlier in the game. The man went to check, but then returned and said that the batboys had taken them. From behind us, Peter and Shannon told Brad to come speak to them for a minute. Thinking I wasn’t needed, I stayed behind to photograph the players in the dugout. In the meantime, Peter and Brad introduced themselves to Hall of Fame outfielder Dave Winfield (22 Seasons, 7-time Golden Glove winner, 12 All-Star Games, 1 World Championship, drafted by 3 sports). Brad asked him for an interview, which he politely declined, but he did allow Shannon to take a photo of the three of them together, and they all shook hands.

When Brad came back to the Padres dugout, he was elated. He took off for the Dodgers dugout again, and we found a larger crowd this time looking for autographs at the fence. Taking in the situation, Brad looked around and brazenly walked right by the security out on to the field with the grounds crew. I hesitated a moment, and then took off after him. First he ran across the field to tell our group to wait for us, and then he came back to me, where I was photographing the cheerleaders. I saw a group photo forming, and urged him to join them. He laughingly joined the group, and I took his picture. While Brad roamed around, I made friends with the sports photographers. I struck up a conversation with Patrick (from New York), Greg (from Pennsylvania), and Jim (from Iowa). They work for a company called Fly Films in Shanghai, which was hired by ESPN to cover the event. They also do work for BBC and MTV. I asked them what they were waiting for, and they said that Joe Torre would be giving a press conference shortly.

While I was standing there chatting with the photographers, a Chinese man in a black jacket was walking backward with a large group of people around him. He didn’t see me, and backed right into me, so I put my hand out on to his shoulder to steady both of us. He kept moving with the group around him, and I watched him pass. My new photographer friends remarked that I’d just touched the actor Jet Li. I laughed and said I’d never wash my hands again. :) They joked about him coming to the game “with an entourage for his entourage” and said he was treated better than the players.

When Brad returned, I told him the news about Joe Torre. When all of the reporters walked into the Dodgers clubhouse, Brad just walked with them. I followed him, not knowing what else to do. We went right through the clubhouse and out to the busses, where we watched Jet Li climb into his van. Brad smiled and spoke to every Padres and Dodgers player that we passed, wishing them a good trip home. Then he turned and sprinted into the Padres clubhouse. I stopped to speak to two little boys who said their father was inside. A man named Kurt introduced himself to me, but then Brad came looking for me. He hurried me through the clubhouse where some Padres players were still walking around in their towels and eating their Texas steak lunches. After wandering around some, we came out through the Padres dugout, where Kevin Kouzmanoff was signing autographs. Since we were already on the inside of the dugout, Brad walked up to him and asked for a photograph. Mr. Kouzmanoff was friendly, and talked to us for a few moments.

After talking to Mr. Kouzmanoff, we walked back over to the Dodgers dugout where a crowd of the press was gathering. We walked up to our press friends, and they told us that Joe Torre was on his way out. I got my camera ready, and Brad stood prepared with the video camera. We only waited a few moments before Mr. Torre came out. The crowd pushed forward against the outside dugout wall as flashbulbs flashed, video cameras recorded, and microphones stretched closer to Mr. Torre. All of the questions asked of him were about China or about the new stadium. Brad was barely breathing behind me, so I asked him if he had a question prepared. He said yes, so I urged him to say it. He tried a few times to get a word in (“Mr. Torre!”), but he was in competition with all of the other reporters. Finally, he caught his attention, but accidentally interrupted the interpreter. When she was done, Mr. Torre turned to Brad and waited for his question. Brad asked the only real baseball question of the press conference: “Mr. Torre, some of the Dodgers fans living in China are wondering what’s going to happen with third base over the course of the season?” Mr. Torre laughed for the first time. After the interpreter had translated, Mr. Torre turned to Brad, looked him in the eye, and said, “Well, right now we’re trying to figure that out ourselves!” He then proceeded to give Brad a thoughtful explanation of the position and the players. Then his aide gave the signal to “wrap it up” and the conference was over.

Brad was on cloud nine for the rest of the day. We got a photo with our new friends, and were just about to leave, when Brad wanted to make one last run through the Padres clubhouse. There we found a young man giving out batting practice balls to anyone who wanted one. So we asked for seven of them (stamped especially for the China series) for our friends, snapped some photos in the dugout and the clubhouse, and then joined Peter and Shannon outside the gate. Brad’s smile was huge as he laughed all night about his escapades at Wukesong. He couldn’t believe that we’d “crashed” a press conference with no credentials. I couldn’t believe his gumption, and we all laughed at his assertiveness in exploring the Major League Baseball stadium and meeting some of its better known players. We laughed that he was getting advice for his fantasy baseball team from the coach himself. And we laughed that we were able to blend in so easily with the press, speculating that perhaps they thought that the passport around Brad’s neck was his press pass. What a day! I’m sure we’ll remember it for a long time to come.

Thank you again for all of your support, encouragement, and laughter! Thank you for sharing in our lives and our stories.

Love,
Jess and Brad

Feb12 – Mar10, 2008: The Season of Singing

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a great time in the U.S.A. as winter turns into spring! The weather here has been beautiful, quickly climbing into the 60s and today into the 70s Fahrenheit! Brad and I have enjoyed the leisure of going running in shorts and a t-shirt in late February, smiling and waving at the gawking Chinese (who rarely wear shorts) as we go by. This past month has been full of new beginnings as we started our second semester at Langfang Teachers’ College on February 18. I’ll try my best to summarize them briefly here:

Peter Lucas-Roberts—We added a new team member this semester! Peter joined us in February, and was promptly asked to leave the country because his student visa was no longer valid! Thankfully, he didn’t have to go to the USA, but he did have to make the 60 hour round trip to Hong Kong for his new teacher visa. Peter is a great asset to our team, and we are so glad to have him!

Second Semester—We are all having a great time teaching for 14-18 hours each week! Peter’s knowledge of history is appreciated by our history classes, and Shannon has taken on a Book class in addition to her other courses.

Movie Nights—We have scheduled and shown two movies to over 100 students on two different occasions. The Last of the Mohicans and The Shawshank Redemption were a big hit, and we are planning on showing three more movies on the big screen during the rest of the semester.

Philip Hayden Foundation—We have taken two taxis full of students to this orphanage for children with special needs about 30 minutes from our campus. The students have been deeply touched by the experience, full of love for the orphans, and full of questions for us. We look forward to taking more groups in the future.

One-on-One Student Meetings—These times are rich with learning! Brad is also meeting weekly with one guy to play basketball, and with another to play soccer. His soccer buddy has some great questions, so keep him in your thoughts! In addition, we are all meeting weekly with other friends as we deepen growing relationships.

Thursday Nights with Students—We’ve been experimenting with various activities, and with great success! On February 21, we accompanied two students to the annual Lantern Festival in People’s Park, where we took in the beautiful fireworks, light displays, explosions, flying lanterns (like hot air balloons with a candle inside), and Chinese crowds. Allie also gave us traditional “rice glue balls,” a favorite Chinese food for this day. (They taste about as good as they sound! I liken the sensation to that of eating warm eyeballs.) On March 6, we hosted a “Western Dinner” night complete with Mexican tacos and taco sauce (provided by my parents), seasoned meat, homemade salsa, homemade refried beans, lettuce, sliced and separated (processed) cheese, tomatoes, homemade sour cream, and lots of Chinese flatbread cut and toasted into chips. The dinner was a great hit, as the students were delighted to try real “American” food with their American teachers in their home.

English Clubs—On March 2 we were the main act at the V.A.N. English Club as we shared English songs, games, and talked about our winter vacation. On March 7 we hosted English Club on the Western Campus, leading songs and games, and introducing Peter to the students there. As always, the night was a great success. Students showed up hours early to reserve their seats, and as we left, they clamored for more. Maple came along for the 30-minute ride, and she had a great time too.

Experimental Cooking—German potato salad, Stroganoff, Tuna Salad, Jell-O, Spaghetti from scratch, and Brownies with Ice Cream! With every month, Shannon and I are increasing our cooking repertoire. :)

Hair Cuts—Vivian took me to get my hair cut at the “Pretty Baby” on Saturday, and I successfully had a ¼ inch trimmed from the bottom of my hair. The next day Shannon and Peter went with Maple to get their hair cut. Peter came out with a buzz, and Shannon had a few inches layered off of her hair. Now we can all say that we’ve had a real Chinese haircut!

Running—Brad is running 40-50 miles a week these days, and I am running 20-25 miles a week. We are now halfway through our marathon training. :) We will register this weekend for the Great Wall Marathon on May 17, so you can be thinking of our tired (but healthy) bodies!

Taxes—We’re filing them from China this year! You can be thinking of us as we try to make that process as smooth as possible, and as we hope for plentiful returns to support our work!

Upcoming—Finally, we have a lot coming up soon! Newt will be here from March 12-March 30, and we are really excited to see him again! Please be thinking of him as he travels and scouts out new schools for IECS in Tianjin and Baoding. This weekend we’ll be in Beijing for a new English Club that Tony is starting, and then we’ll go to a Major League Baseball game (Padres vs. Dodgers)!

Thank you, as always, for your tireless support and encouragement. With every letter, e-mail, message, and phone call you lift our spirits. Thank you for sharing in this exciting adventure with us!

Love,
Jessie

Sunday Thoughts March 9th, 2008

Things to be thankful for:

1) We organized an English Club on the Western Campus on Friday, and it went amazingly well. I teach classes from 2-6pm on Fridays. The club was at 7:30pm, so I never left, and Peter, Jess, and Shannon arrived then. About 200 students filled the room; many of them came an hour early just to get good seats.

2) We invited four students to dinner with us on Thursday night. We made them Taco’s! It was fun to share some familiar foods with our friends. If you’re interested, there’s a video of this night on Facebook.

3) We have also had a couple movie nights in the past two weeks. We’ve shown Last of the Mohicans, and The Shawshank Redemption to a room of about 100 students. Both movies have inspired some interesting questions from our students.

Things to continue thinking about:

1) Each of us is having different difficulties with our classes. Please continue to remember the Friday 2-4pm class

2) Newt will be traveling to China early this week.

3) Beijing English Club on Saturday March 15th, at 1pm

4) English Week in May

5) Many of the English Teachers in Qinhuangdao will be traveling to Beijing next weekend.

6) Please continue to remember our friends and family back home that are ill.

Feb 9-11: Exploring Mt. Ji Gong Shan and Xinyang

February 9

We were up early the next morning, packing our bags and preparing for a morning of hiking. We cleaned everything out of our room, carried any valuables with us, and left our bags in our smiling host’s front hallway. Then we went out exploring again. We climbed up to Mt. Ji Gong in the snow, a rock scramble named for its resemblance to a crowing rooster. It is the highest point on the mountain, and the 360 degree view is amazing. Brad said that he could see why his Grandfather (Dr. Distad’s son) loved Old Rag Mountain at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, because the two places are similar. After that, we walked back through town, exploring and photographing all of the villas that resembled Dr. Distad’s home. We worked our way toward the Moongate, and spent some time writing the words from the memorial and digging in the snow for more gravestones. Finally we walked out to the far side of the town to an ancient abandoned pagoda, and climbed its four stories to take in the panoramic view. It resembled a lighthouse, standing high on the mountain with views of both sides. By noon we were tired, and ready to find a ride back down the mountain.

As we approached the town, we met a van driver preparing his van for the trip down the mountain, and we asked the price for a ride. Satisfied, we hurried back to the hostel to claim our bags. Our host happily handed us our bags, and then asked for another 20 yuan! Brad and I looked at each other in disbelief. We turned to go and the host tried to get the van driver to communicate for him. Brad told him that we refused to pay any more to him, because his prices were too expensive. He refused to inform us beforehand of any prices, and we would not pay any more. So he left us fuming, and we boarded our van for another jolting ride down the mountain road. Just as we arrived at the bottom of the mountain, another van to Xinyang pulled up next to us, and we boarded immediately. We had to laugh because the 30-minute drive to Xinyang was full of stops to pick up and drop off new passengers, making it a much longer trip than it would have been otherwise.

Back in Xinyang, we decided to check into a nicer hotel after our previous four nights in less-than-ideal sleeping arrangements. We picked up some groceries, drew a hot bath, and had dinner in the hotel. We walked to the hospital that Brad had spotted, but in speaking to the residents, found that it had been a hotel until two years ago.

February 10

The next day was our last day in Henan, and we spent it exploring Xinyang. We walked to the bridge over the river, imagining Dr. Distad in his boat on the waters. We walked around under the bridge where there was a roller skating rink, and then to a pagoda by the river’s edge. Turning around, we headed toward a giant blue Father’s House, and found a service in progress. We went inside and sat on the second floor in the back, listening to the Speaker in Chinese. We smiled when we recognized the familiar tune of “Come Thou Fount” and other hymns sung in Chinese. We wondered if the founders of this House or others like it had heard about the Father’s Love through Dr. Distad and his family. A helpful man gave us hot water and wrote notes for us in Chinese, helping us to find passages in our English Book. After the service, we walked back toward the downtown area for dinner. The man followed us, and kept trying to talk to us. A lovely Chinese girl and her mother walked right up to us, and offered their assistance. Mei Ling was willing to practice her English, but not willing to translate for the man, so after a short conversation, we all went our separate ways.

The rest of the day passed quickly. We drank pink milk tea in a smoky pink pub, and had dinner in a McDonald’s-style restaurant in the shopping district. Brad bought me white cotton candy, and gave some to a beggar who found him there. We returned to our hotel to use the restroom, and met a man named “Pound” who is studying International Business at Peking University. At 7:00 pm we checked in at the railway station, and at 8 pm we boarded our 13.5 hour (slow train) “hard sleeper” to Beijing. Hard sleepers are arranged into little rooms, with six bunks to a room. Brad and I climbed up onto our top bunks, and slept most of the way home.

February 11

Back in Beijing we were never so happy to see Tony and Lily at the Beijing Train Station! With an hour before our train to Langfang, we sat in a warm familiar Starbucks, and shared stories of our adventures into central China. All of us found it amazing how the Father had provided for our safety, protection, and guidance throughout our trip alone into a country where we speak so little of the language. Each day we were reminded of His provision and care for us, his Children.

Love,

Jess and Brad

Feb 8: Mount Ji Gong Shan and the Moongate

February 8

Early the next morning, Brad was out for his morning run and came back with great excitement, having seen a hospital that resembled the hospital designed by Dr. Distad. We had to laugh though, knowing that in a city the size of Xinyang (even small cities in China usually have over a million residents), there could be many hospitals fitting that description built in the last 90 years. Unfortunately, Brad’s excitement quickly turned to frustration as he realized that he had misplaced all of his family’s photocopied information and photographs of Xinyang, which he had been carrying the previous night. We retraced our steps all over downtown Xinyang, but never did recover the lost manila envelope.

We finally gave up our search for the lost envelope, and walked over to the bus and train station. There a man walked right up to us and said, “Ji Gong Shan?” We followed him to a van and climbed in for the ride to Ji Gong Shan. We have come to expect crazy driving in China, but our driver was the worst we have seen! He practically flew through winding roads, passing cars on the left into opposing traffic, and veering dangerously close to the guardrails. I was beginning to feel sick when we pulled into a small village to let a girl out. Instead, a police car pulled up behind us. The policeman pulled our driver from the car, took his license, yelled at him, and then put him in the police car with another policeman. Then, the policeman climbed into the driver’s seat and drove us back to the main road. There, despite the pleas of the other passengers, he ordered us all out of the vehicle (with our baggage) and onto the side of the road, where he left us. Brad and I looked at each other, and then put our thumbs out. Within a few minutes I hailed a bus heading to Ji Gong Shan, and Brad showed him our paper with the address on it. On the bus we thanked our Father for his assistance in helping us to hitchhike to Ji Gong Shan.

The bus ride to Ji Gong Shan was beautiful. The breathtaking blue mountains on every side reminded us of home. The road ran through the valley alongside a river, and eventually we arrived in the little town of Ji Gong Shan, about 30 minutes from Xinyang. We explored the town, but it appeared that there was no way to go up to Mt. Ji Gong Shan due to the snow, and no hotels were open. We tried to communicate with some people at a closed hotel, who flagged a van going up the mountain for us and gestured that we needed a place to sleep. Our driver drove only a few yards before stopping to load another man going up the mountain.

The climb was unsettling to say the least. The roads were not clear of ice and snow, and the van jarred with every movement. The “guardrails” were widely-spaced concrete blocks, with shear cliffs immediately beyond them. When we arrived at the top, we were in a quaint little town with many old and unique styles of Western housing. The snow was much deeper than it had been in Xinyang, and few of the paths were clear. We paid our driver, who gestured that we could stay with the other passenger in his home for the night. Our host then showed us around the house, which appeared to be a hostel. There was no heat (you could see your breath indoors and he liked to leave the back door wide open), no hot water, and no bathroom. To use the bathroom, we had to go to an ancient outhouse down the steep icy stairs outside. He wanted 150 yuan for the night (which is pretty pricey considering we’d paid 168 yuan for a real hotel the night before). We didn’t see any other choices though, so we paid the man, left our baggage, and went exploring. Before we left he pulled out a bag full of chickens and pulled one out to show us. We nodded and smiled, and went on our way.

It was wonderful wandering the streets of the little town. We could just imagine Dr. Distad and his family spending their vacations up on this mountain, enjoying the cool weather and breathtaking views during the hot Chinese summers. Everything appeared to be closed wherever we went, due to the weather and the New Year’s Holiday. The buildings were styled after the homelands of their builders, so every building was different from the next. Finally, at one building we saw a woman entering through a back door. I followed her in, to see if there might be cheaper accommodations with her. Brad came looking for me, and explained “American,” “Great-Grandfather,” and “Grave” to the best of his ability. The woman and her friends pulled out a map and began pointing to things, then started walking. With no other ideas about where to look or what to do, we followed them.

The four girls walked for what seemed like an eternity, hiking through snow that was a foot deep, past the “American-Style Building” (labeled on the map) along a road that followed the back side of the mountain overlooking more gorgeous views. Eventually they stopped at a large upright memorial, shaped like a square with a giant circle cut from the center. A stone to the right described (in English and Chinese) the “Moongate” as a symbol of friendship between the people of America, Xinyang, and Mt. Ji Gong Shan. The girls then walked through the Moongate and down the hill on the other side, following a path to the right. There the leader pointed to a bush. Brad gave her a funny look, and so she took a snowball and threw it just past the bush. Brad looked closely and realized that he was looking at a gravestone.

Brad and the girl climbed up beside the bush, and there Brad could read the words, “[The Son] will lift me up,” carved into the gravestone. The girl directed him to other stones, covering the entire mountainside. Without a Chinese translator, the best we could figure was that between Dr. Distad’s death almost 90 years ago, and the present, there was trauma in China and on Ji Gong Shan. All of the English graves were then taken from the cemetery and people’s homes, and thrown down the hill on the outskirts of town. The Moongate is how they now remember those people who left all that was familiar to serve here in China. On the way back to town we explored the “Villas” (also labeled on the map) and found many houses resembling the one that Dr. Distad lived in with his family (as seen in photographs).

When we returned to the hostel, our host had dinner waiting for us. He had a big pot of chicken vegetable soup with rice in a rice cooker, and cabbage on the side. We sat down to eat, and he offered us a clear alcoholic drink in tiny little cups from an open bottle. A few minutes later he reappeared with a new bottle, pouring it in our little cups. It tasted terrible, but not wanting to appear rude, we both managed to choke down a few teaspoonfuls. After we had eaten our fill, we watched television with our host for a few minutes. Then he turned to us and asked for 100 yuan! We were quite appalled. We rarely pay more than 50 yuan for the two of us! Brad was unable to reason with the man, so he called our friend Tony. Tony spoke to the man, who claimed that we had agreed to the chicken dinner (which we didn’t realize we had), and that his bottle of alcohol cost him 200 yuan, so he was charging us for that little bit of awful liquor. He also decided that he was charging us a “ticket price” for walking around Ji Gong Shan National Park. Essentially, he had decided we were rich foreigners, and he was going to squeeze every penny out of us. Tony eventually talked him down to 90 yuan, but our relationship had already soured. Tony told the man that we did not want breakfast, and did not wish to pay for any more of his services. We decided that we would go back to Xinyang the next day.

Feb 7: Journey to Xinyang

Dear friends,

In the wee hours of the Chinese New Year (February 7), while many Chinese citizens were only climbing into bed after the long night of celebrations, Brad and I were up running our required 3 miles for the day. With Tony and Lily’s help, we walked to the subway station, rode the subway, took a taxi, and arrived at the Beijing train station just in time to grab breakfast and board our 7 hour fast train to Xinyang, Henan province.

Our journey to Xinyang actually began almost 90 years ago. As a child, Brad heard stories of his Great-Grandfather Dr. Oliver Distad. Dr. Distad sought the aid of the Father as he lay on his deathbed in Wisconsin, USA. He promised the Father that if he recovered, he would go to China to offer His Love and services to the people there. Miraculously, he recovered, and subsequently packed up his wife and two children and moved to Xinyang, China. Dr. Distad was very gifted, both in his medical practice and the Chinese language. He quickly became well-known to both the locals and the local government as he healed many. His creativity stretched into new directions as he designed a boat to navigate the river there, and a hospital for his many patients. At the end of three years time, the inexhaustible Dr. Distad contracted typhoid from his patients and died shortly thereafter. He was buried at the family summer home on Mount Ji Gong Shan, a popular summer resort in the mountains. His hospital in Xinyang was finished after his death. His widow and two sons stayed another eight years, returning to the United States when it was time for the boys to attend college.

Our trip to Xinyang was much smoother than any ride Dr. Distad would have had available to him. We took the “fast train” which travels at twice the speed of China’s “slow trains.” Our coach had all the comforts of a western airplane. As we sped along, we looked out the window and wondered about the paths taken by Brad’s ancestors. We saw Mt. Rushmore-esque faces carved in rock faces, pagodas on mountaintops, and hundreds of tiny villages spread throughout the farmlands. Red and yellow New Year’s banners decorated the doorways of the homes, and grave plots were covered with little white and yellow papers to honor the dead.

Our arrival in Xinyang was somewhat unremarkable. Xinyang resembles most Chinese cities. The buildings are a mixed batch of old and new, the shopping areas a contrast of Western-style malls and individuals hawking goods on the street. Small children begged for our money wherever we walked, and adults dug through the trash looking for recycling. The main difference we noticed immediately was the snow! We have had very little snow around Beijing, but here the snow was pushed into piles everywhere, and the ice coated the ground in thick sheets. We checked into our hotel, and explored for a little while. Although the hotel boasted a business room, a sauna, KTV, and many dinner options, all were closed or of low quality, so we retired to our room for the night.

Sunday Thoughts March 2, 2008

We have many things to be thankful for this week:

1. Peter’s trip to Hong Kong and his visa issues were taken care of quickly and easily. He returned to Langfang on Wednesday night. The only inconvenience was the 60-hour round trip train ride.

2. Jess and I are both healthier, and it seems like our late winter colds have passed. Other than a few lingering symptoms, we are doing well.

3. We have also made 2 trips to the Philip Hayden Foundation Orphanage in the past 8 days, and both trips have gone really well. We are finding that these visits are having a profound impact on the students we invited.

4. The college seems to have made it through the first evaluation week with no discernable problems. I’m sure we will hear more about this in the coming week if there were any dilemmas. The second evaluation week will be week 10 of the semester.

5. Jess has been focusing on spending more time reading in the mornings, and this has gone really well, and she is looking forward to further growth during this time.

6. We have had many great and enlightening discussions with students this week!

7. Our classes have been going well! The most important time to remember is Friday, 2-4pm our time. That'll be Friday morning 1-3am EST.


Things to continue thinking about:

1. English week in May! We still have not received conformation from the college that we will be able to do this, but many people are planning to come.

2. Peter’s classes begin this week

3. We will have our first English Club on the Western Campus this Friday, March 7th.

4. Shannon has been asked about assisting a student with a poetry club, but that is still in the beginning stages.

5. We are all concerned with time management issues as well. We want to say “yes” to everything, but it has been difficult to define our limits.

6. The four of us have been very concerned about friends & family members that have been suffering with various diseases. Lou Gehrig's disease, Alzheimer's, and various forms of cancer including Brain Cancer, Breast Cancer, Leukemia, and Lymphoma to name a few. Obviously, this has been difficult for us because we are not able to be home with our families during these struggles. Please continue to remember our friends and relatives who are suffering and those who are caring for them.