Written 4/3/11
20 Days flys by when each day is packed with things to do,
and you’re meeting amazing people.
and you’re meeting amazing people.
My time in Harbin China came to an end way too quickly.
Our last week there, we took a day to travel to different
villages in northern Harbin, and find house churches in the villages.
villages in northern Harbin, and find house churches in the villages.
The villages looked less like the city of Harbin we were
used to for the first 2 weeks, and more like the muddy time I had in Moldova.
used to for the first 2 weeks, and more like the muddy time I had in Moldova.
We went with some people from the church, and our goal was to
find several home church pastors in these less developed villages so that Jake
can supply them with theological resources, and support.
find several home church pastors in these less developed villages so that Jake
can supply them with theological resources, and support.
We found a couple villages that had house churches, and many
more that did not.
more that did not.
In some of the villages we went to, the Christian villagers
attended the same church. The story of the church was that a man owned a
factory, and he was a Christian. God blessed his work, and He wanted to give
back to God by building a huge church for the Christian villagers to attend.
attended the same church. The story of the church was that a man owned a
factory, and he was a Christian. God blessed his work, and He wanted to give
back to God by building a huge church for the Christian villagers to attend.
This is not a government
sanctioned church. So technically it would be considered a home church. We were
not able to meet the pastor, and how it’s running… only God truly knows. But it
was exciting to see this large building representing Christ, and bringing poor
villagers together in some type of community.
sanctioned church. So technically it would be considered a home church. We were
not able to meet the pastor, and how it’s running… only God truly knows. But it
was exciting to see this large building representing Christ, and bringing poor
villagers together in some type of community.
We had our final goodbye party and got to hang out with our
English corner friends, and church friends one last time before my team headed
out to Beijing the following morning.
English corner friends, and church friends one last time before my team headed
out to Beijing the following morning.
It was great to exchange music, talk, be encouraged, and encourage the wonderful
friends that we met.
friends that we met.
I did cry a little bit this
time. It was hard to leave Harbin. It has a special place in my heart.
time. It was hard to leave Harbin. It has a special place in my heart.
My team and I arrived in Beijing the following day. Thank
God we were able to take a different train!!! This experience was like heaven
compared to the first train ride experience!
God we were able to take a different train!!! This experience was like heaven
compared to the first train ride experience!
We arrived in Beijing and met up with the rest of our squad,
and had some “tourist� time.
and had some “tourist� time.
I got to see the Tiananmen Square, and the wall of the
Forbidden City.
Forbidden City.
I was able to hike the Great Wall of China..
which kicked my
butt.. and I was the last one to get back down from the top! (but I had two
other good friends, and the tour guide, graciously stay my pace.)
I fell one time going down, and then the next time, I stepped
on a stone that broke, and I almost slid all the way back down the great wall… that was…..umm…
exciting.
I also got to tag up on The Great Wall =)
I was able to dance with great friends, see an acrobatic
show, and watch a Chinese opera (which I promise all they sang was the letter
E). Reading the words translated into English was def one of the most
entertaining parts.
It was a good time to rest, and recoup for what is to come
in the spiritual, and emotional heaviness in Thailand, where the sex trade is
one of the main sources of the country’s income.
in the spiritual, and emotional heaviness in Thailand, where the sex trade is
one of the main sources of the country’s income.
China, thank you for all you introduced me to. It was a
good, God, life- changing time.
good, God, life- changing time.
Agenda: Love,
Bethsaida
