11.27

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and for China… I thought it went swimmingly.

We started cooking at around 10 am Wednesday morning, and didn’t finish with all the dishes and putting everything back away until after midnight, Friday morning.

Everyone in the house was invited, along with the foreign fellowship, and we were all allowed to invite 2 people. So that brought it out to there being about…115 people or so in the house. So 115 people, 12 pies, 1 tragic spill down a flight of stairs, 4 turkeys, being so incredibly thankful for my God and the sacrifice He made for me, 9 rat sightings, thanking God for my family and ivan, and 5 vicious games of uno later… our night was a success.

Things have continued to be just as hectic, unprepared, and crazy since the day I got here.

Now, I’ve been to many a foreign country, even dirtier, filthier… stranger, places than here, but I have never, ever seen politics the way the people live by them here. Let alone had to personally live in them for an extended period of time. The lack of organization, from the government, businesses, the way they drive, even the way they network as their motivation for their friendships, is absurd.

And despite my lack of personal interest in the place, I know the Lord has called me to persevere, at least for the next 2 months, so I will do so in all my ability.

I’ve definitely been learning patience. And how to put Barbara’s needs above my own,

trying, at least.

But I think the biggest thing I’ve been learning is how I am a servant.

For the Lord, and to those He places above me.

Not merely offering of my service.

For someone who offers their service is at liberty to say when they shall offer their services, and how they will do it.

But as servants… we have to do what we’re told, when we’re told, even when we think we’d have the right to do otherwise.

But the thing is, as a servant… I don’t have the right to do otherwise. Even though as a human, as a conditioned American… I’m born and bred to believe in my rights, yet as a Christian, it is my right to not have any.

To take getting yelled at for something I didn’t do, and put down my ‘right’ to tell them I didn’t actually do it.

So… I’m learning to be a servant.

1 Cor. 9:19

I think the Lord’s preparing me to be one heck of a wife.

I hope so, at least.

Speaking of which…

I was in love once.

Or so I thought.

But I’m coming to realize more and more how I was in love with the way I was treated, the situations he would cause for me, and just the things he would do for me, rather.

As you could put it…

I loved him once before,

and I failed.

And I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for hurting him the way I did,

Though I still partially feel like it was necessary.

For us to get to where we are now.

For us to grow.

For me to learn to actually love him.

And boy, do I ever.

So whatever it is the Lord is teaching me, and preparing me for…

please.

pray for me…

and the rest of my time here?

thanks.

10.29

I took my nose ring out yesterday.

I miss it,

But I miss him, more.
Things seem to be getting… not necessarily easier, but I’m starting to understand a bit more of what’s going on.

Which isn’t much.

But when I even get somewhat of a hint of what’s happening, it’s comforting.

So far, I’ve eaten pig esophagus, a whole fish head, eyes and all, hotter peppers than even the majority of the Chinese in the house can handle, and yet when I dislike the dreadfully popular jelly cups, Tim calls me picky.

Trudy is still in Sichuan to be with Greg Alice and the new baby Morgana, and Trudy got pick pocketed yesterday. She thought she felt something, so she turned around and just started weeping to 2 men behind her whom she thought might have been the ones to do it. So as she was crying, she was saying in Chinese; “my money my money! That’s all the money I have for my baby! My baby my baby…!” one of the men looks at the other, reaches in his pocket, and simply gave her the wallet back.

Man. God is good.

Barbara and I went to the mall to get pedicures for 30 yuan, which is less than like 5 American dollars. Hoorah.

While we were waiting to go in, we were sitting in a McDonalds and 3 little homeless kids came in, who couldn’t have been older than 5, begging for food.

So Barb bought them fries.

I actually taught English yesterday and today.

You know, using the book and all.

It went well.

I didn’t even mind it, really.

I’ve learned how left is [phonetically] ‘zho bien,’ and right is ‘yo bien.’ This is ‘jigga,’ and that is ‘nigga.’ I’ve taken the ‘son lawn sure’ to work everyday by myself, bought pictures, and even gone to stores alone.

Hey. It’s a big step for me.

I didn’t get bit by any bugs yesterday! It’s a … China day miracle.

Everyone smokes here.

It’s even worse than the south, I think.

My hair has started to come out a bit. But I’m going to leave it in as long as possible.

It rained again today.All the pastel colored umbrellas are kind of… beautiful.

The Chinese in the house keep complimenting my ability to use chopsticks.

I knew my never satisfied desire for sushi would one day pay off.

I printed out numerous pictures to put on my wall a few days ago. And then strung a mosquito net around my bed with the rope from my hammock, and now can’t even see the pictures at all.

Yet I’m excited to take even more pictures of the people, and places, and just… faces that make up this dreadfully humid, uniquely beautiful, island that is Hainan.

Isaiah 42:6-7 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness…”