If you have read any of the blogs that my teammates have posted you already know that China was not the experience that we thought it would be. For many of us it was a very hard month emotionally and physically. I personally had my first run-in with sickness. For three days I was down for the count. Well, down and up to the bathroom and then back down. I also had my first homesick day. I just wanted to go home. I’m sure much of this was do to being cut off from family and friends during the holiday season. The spiritual environment of China is very harsh. I have such a respect for anyone that God calls here full time.
But I don’t want to leave you with the idea that it was a terrible month. There were some very memorable moments throughout the month as well. So here are a few of them for you.
God Time
With no computers, media, or blogs to write I had lots of free time to get into the word and spend time with God. This was such a nice change from the schedule we normally keep. I did a lot of prayer walking in the cities that we were in. I have wondered about prayer walking in the past and it’s effectiveness. One of the local contacts told us that prayer walking around the city is so critical to the on going ministry that happens. She said they could feel a big difference spiritually when people prayer walk.
Train Travel
I had always liked the idea of train travel and was looking forward to it. All I can say about it at this point is that I don’t want to see a train for a good long time. Our first train was from Hong Kong to our first city. This was an overnight trip. We had sleeper cars but it’s not what you’re thinking. These cars were all open with three high bunk beds. I got the top bunk and had about two feet of room. They are also not designed for people six feet tall. My feet stuck out of the end of the bed. It was the first of my trips in China by train. When it was all said and done I had been on five trains, all overnight. The shortest one was twelve hours and the longest was twenty seven hours. I have to admit that for the most part I thought trains were a fun way to travel but with that many hours it is bound to wear you down.
(The restrooms on the train)
English Corner
Our first ministry in China was doing English corners. This is were Chinese students come and practice there English with native speakers. The students would come and meet with us and talk about what ever they wanted to. We couldn’t talk about God at these sessions but if the subject came up we could tell them to meet us at a time later to continue the conversation.
Ministry
After our month we had one person who received Christ. That’s right twenty six people worked for a month and we only got one. Now I know what you’re thinking. This was a bad use of time and resources. But you need to see this from the Chinese missionary side. Many of the long term missionaries don’t see ANY results for years! this totally blows me and my western mind away. We seem to think that we have to have huge results in a very short time or we are a failure. The only reason we had any success in our short month is because of the work that long term missionaries did four years ago with this girl. Imagine waiting for four years to hear that you finally got results.
This experience really showed me in a new way how important our little conversations we have on a daily basis truly are. All this month we planted seeds that someone else will harvest. We had the privilege of bringing one into the kingdom and sowing so many seeds. It brings a whole new perspective on your daily world when you think about it that way.
