“All of them were together and had everything in common.... They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising the Father and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Father added to their number daily...” Ac 2: 44-47Dear friends,
In six days, Brad and I will return home from China to live again in the United States. It is a surreal feeling. We have called China home for the majority of the last two years and for the majority of our marriage. We've lived in our apartment in Langfang longer than we lived in our duplex in Hagerstown. It's sad to see the walls becoming bare again, and the signs of life placed into boxes and suitcases. I've been cleaning every surface: the bathroom, the refrigerator, the television, and my art desk. We've returned the things we've borrowed, and given other things away to the orphanage, our team, and our students. Brad and I have completed our exams and grading and taught all but our last few classes. I've been photographing my artworks, and trying to utilize the last of the items in our pantry. It's difficult to imagine that we'll be trying to fit almost two years of our lives into four fifty pound suitcases and a couple of carry-on bags.
A look back over the last two years reveals so much change. We shared our Orientation with five teachers serving in Qinhuangdao (Shana, Ian, Megan, Mark, and Andy) and arrived in China as part of ELT Edge. Within a few months of teaching, we separated from ELT and became IECS—a brand new organization with only four teachers in Langfang (me, Brad, Shannon, and Newt). Five months later, Newt returned home, and Peter took his place. Two years later, Shana has returned home, Ian and Megan are at home expecting their first child, and Mark married his girlfriend Katherine this past year and they are also expecting their first child. Shannon and Peter were dating when we arrived, but went through much of their courtship, engagement, and marriage with our team. Not to be outdone, Brad and I came to China after only 20 months of marriage, and have gone through the first eight months of pregnancy with our first child here in China.
After a year in China, we were delighted to add more teachers to our IECS teacher staff, and they have been so much fun! Jess Shamblee joined us in Langfang, Wil and Courtney went to Tianjin, and Amelia, Emily, Tim, Ryan, and Jon went to Baoding. Two couples (Shannon, Peter, Wil, and Courtney) survived their first year of marriage here in China, and some survived their first year out of college. Our Chinese native staff have also been busy. Frank and Helen were married in March 2008, while Tony and Lily gave birth to their daughter Xi Mei in October 2008. As Brad and I leave China this year, there is more change coming. Wil, Courtney, Emily, and Andy will return home to the USA with us, while Tony, Lily, and baby Xi Mei await confirmation for their upcoming move to Alberta, Canada. As Tony and Lily leave, Frank and Helen will step into their place. They will also be joined by newcomer Da Yu, a Chinese native from the Qinhuangdao area.
It is fun to remember our first impressions of one another and of China. I remember meeting Shannon's sister Emily at Lake Champion, and hearing that Shannon was a great singer, and dating a guy who lived in China. I remember finding Jess Shamblee on Facebook and enjoying photos of her and all of her friends “jumping” and being excited that Brad would have someone to talk about football here with him. I remember expecting Tony and Lily to be Americans, and being very confused when we were greeted and hugged by these two Chinese friends who spoke English with a thick Chinese accent (it took me a little time to understand Chinese-accented English). My first impressions of China were of being overwhelmed, despite having traveled all over Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. I was overwhelmed by a completely foreign language, foreign writing, foreign faces, foreign food, and foreign landscape. I felt isolated in being illiterate, deaf, and mute everywhere I went. We were also often hungry as we tried (somewhat unsuccessfully at first) to find Chinese foods in Chinese restaurants and supermarkets (where we couldn't read the menu or labels) that suited our American tastes. It was no surprise that our entire team lost weight during that first semester in China.
Our growth in China has been exponential. Through the daily experiences and challenges of life together here we have learned so many things. Many of us have learned how to cook, how to teach, how to play the guitar, how to lead meetings, how to perform in a run-on skit, how to give a public lecture, how to speak Chinese, and even how to run a marathon or 10K. We've learned to navigate Chinese airplanes, trains, buses, taxis, restaurants, hotels, hostels, squat pots, and more. We've learned about China, Chinese history, Chinese culture, and the Chinese people. We've laughed together at the absurdities and cried together at the heartaches. We've bonded together as a family—sharing every birthday, holiday, vacation, job, illness, death, and significant event or memory as a team. Here we have learned to live in community, sharing everything we have with one another, and growing closer than most people ever have the opportunity to become.
As Brad and I leave China this Spring, we probably won't be missing the squat pots or the crowded transportation of China. What we will miss is the relationships we have shared with our students and faculty and especially with our IECS team. We have learned and grown so much during this time of intimate community, living like the family described in Acts. We have learned what it is to be unified by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose, and looking to the interests of others more than ourselves. We have daily seen this family, having everything in common, praise the Father and enjoy the favor of all people as they broke bread together with glad and sincere hearts. And finally we have rejoiced to see the fruit as the Father has seemed to add to our number daily. The lessons we have learned could not have been learned from a book or a class, but have been learned through daily experiences and relationships. We will never forget these people, this time of our lives, or the lessons we have learned.
Thank you again for your part in this experience, for your support and encouragement. Thank you for your joy in giving this life to us for two years, for befriending us, and for helping in whatever way you could. We couldn't have done it without you, and we wouldn't have wanted to. Thank you for changing our lives with your love. Thank you for sharing the dream, and touching the lives of so many. You have given more than you could ever imagine.
Love always,
Jessie, Brad, and Naomi
“...Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.... Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others....” Phil 2:2-4
