I can’t believe it’s been a week and a half already!
China is so different than anywhere I’ve been before… the food, the smells, even the air is different.
My team and I have an awesome ministry location this month – we’re staying in the outskirts of Beijing in a small village, at a foster care home and school. We are blessed to have beds to sleep in, flushing toilets, hot showers, and even a washer and dryer! We’re definitely spoiled in our first month 🙂
Our ministry this month is with children. Haley and I are helping teach preschool to 10 kids, ages one and a half to six….. it’s been a challenge, especially with the language barrier (about half of the kids don’t speak English). I am learning a lot about patience and creativity with these kids!
We also have Mandarin lessons…. the Chinese language is difficult! But it’s exciting to use simple phrases like “Ni-hao” (hello) and “sie-sie” (thank you), and try to communicate with the locals. I’ve learned enough to ask “What is your name?” and “How old are you?” I’ve also learned how to count, which is useful when we teach the kids math!
Last Sunday my team and I went to an international church in Beijing (key word international – churches are allowed for foreigners, but local Chinese cannot attend. Sometimes you have to show your passport). It was strange because it almost felt like I was at a mega church in the US – I had to keep reminding myself that I’m actually in China!
Yesterday we took the bus and subway into Beijing to go shopping and visit the Temple of Heaven. Public transportation is quite the experience… let’s just say that standing up on a bus in the middle of crazy traffic is not what I’m used to!
Shopping in the village is also a fun experience; I’ve bought fruits and vegetables from the local stands, and some things at the grocery store. It’s very different than in the US, and strange not being able to read the labels to know what you’re buying. I’ve tried some interesting foods at local restaurants, including fried noodle and vegetable dishes, fresh dates, strange mushrooms, “hot pot” (which is cooking your food in a big pot of boiling soup in the middle of the table), and of course lots of rice… and sometimes we order our food by pointing at the menu and hope we get something good!
Amidst all the adventures and new things, it is hard adjusting to so many changes at once. I miss the comforts of home, and I’m realizing that this will be my life for the next 11 months. Thank you for your prayers as I continue to adjust!
