China is home to almost 25% of the world’s population with around 1.3 billion people.  Five of China’s largest cities have populations of well over 13 million a piece.  The People’s Republic of China is a communist state and the governmental regulations are very apparent.  China has an unbelievable history of nearly 5 thousand years with dynasty after dynasty offering rich history and culture.  The philosophies of Confucius and Mencius are integral to Chinese philosophy and even every day life.  Many of these philosophies preach self-sacrifice and care for others.



 


Due likely to the current booming economy and thus greater accessibility of vehicles and industry, the major cities in China are smoggy and polluted in ways I’ve never seen equal to.  It is a cultural norm for Chinese men to smoke almost perpetually which contributes to the harsh breathable air.  One cultural norm that was incredibly difficult to get used to is spitting.  The Chinese think nothing of loudly hawking the mucous out of their throats and spitting it anywhere (indoors, outdoors, carpet, tile, concrete, etc.).  Sanitation is not a high concern even in the most developed areas.  Tidiness is of high concern however so it is not uncommon to see a neatly swept entryway to a shop with spit stains.



 


The Chinese are very curious people and personal space is of little consequence.  Being a foreigner made us the center of attention almost everywhere.  Our pictures were requested constantly and even those without cameras would stare at us for minutes on end before carrying on with their business.  Our knowledge of English was the best inroad to the country as it is a coveted language for the Chinese (for English is the language of business and thus the language of money).  Students and businessmen alike would come up to practice their English with us so small talk became a norm for our conversation. 


 


 


China is a closed country to the Gospel, however, the government has approved a governmental church which is allowed to operate passively in plain sight.  They are highly regulated, however, and are forbidden to preach certain doctrines that might be threatening to the peace of the country.  Aggressive evangelism is illegal, especially for foreigners.  Secret police are assigned to tail groups that appear suspicious.  That being said, it was a danger to our “friends” in mainland China for us to stay in any location for longer than a couple weeks or to travel in large groups.  We were asked to stagger our entry into the country to mask the fact that fifty people were coming in so crossing the boarder took several hours. 



 


Our purpose in China was to “learn about Chinese culture and meet Chinese people.”  We were forbidden to use certain words that would betray our intentions while in everyday conversation and absolutely in any communication venues such as phone calls and e-mail.  For the sake of perspective, the Chinese government has over a million employees whose sole responsibility is to monitor all e-mail communication.  While the worst case scenario for us as foreigners would be to be escorted out of our city or potentially the country, our errors in these areas have the more devastating consequences of exposing or threatening the operation of our “friends” in the interior.  



 


Team 61 had the chance to work with several of the Muslim minority groups in China which was a fascinating opportunity to get new perspectives and learn about several other cultures than just Han Chinese (dominate people group in China). 



 


At the end of our stay in the mainland, our team convened in Beijing (home to the 2008 Summer Olympics!).  We stayed not three blocks from the Forbidden City and the famous Tiananmen Square.  We also arranged a tour of the Great Wall of China – we were able to find a location secluded from the touristy areas where the Wall was untouched and authentic.  It was spectacular!



 


China is in huge need of hope and with the massive population, they desperately need more workers.  Those who have made China their home are doing amazing things for the kingdom – please keep them in your prayers!  China is a beautiful country with great people, fantastic food and a harvest waiting to be collected.