Hey friends,
God is good. Jesus is alive. Let us rejoice in the good news and in the victory that has been won for us through the cross of Christ.
I want to give y’all an overview of our time in China through this blog.
After an exhilarating bus ride from Kathmandu (it was slightly scary, see vid below) we walked across the border into Tibet early the following morning. Praise God.
After regrouping we hopped on another bus and begun our 5 day tour through Tibet. This guided tour was necessary due to the strict policies that are in place throughout China. Please use Google if you are looking for more info regarding Chinas security policies.
The tour was amazing and a real blessing to be a part of. On the first day we climbed to 15000ft (by bus) and woke up the next morning to see Mt. Everest across from us in the distance. Altitude sickness was definitely an issue and impacted some of the squad worse then others. Thankfully Jesus spared me the misery and I only suffered a slight headache.
We made a stop in Lhasa to see a historical palace where past emperor’s and Dali Lamas used to reside. It is a very spiritually dark place and is still used for political and spiritual affairs. Please pray for Tibet. The people are very lost and deceived by empty religion. Pray that Chinese believers can gain access to that land of the unreached.
After the tour ended, our squad split up and ventured throughout western China. Our team (Fellowship of the King) ended up in a city called Jiayuguan, a place where the Great Wall makes it course. We ended up staying there for 10 days and spent a lot of our time with the hostel owner and the connections that were made through him.
We attended numerous Chinese dinners, English teaching events, tea ceremonies, and local dance parties. It was a lot of fun experiencing the culture and getting to bless the people that we encountered on the way. It was during our time in Jiayuguan that I made the final decision to leave the WR program.
After Jiayuguan we boarded a train and ventured west to a city called Turfan. Fun facts: Turfan is the hottest in temperature and lowest elevation city in China. Turfan is located in the Gobi desert and is also a stop along the historical Silk Road trading route.
Upon arrival we spent most of our time connecting with other travellers at the hostel and travelling with some local friends that we made. I should add that China was by far the largest language barrier that we encountered on our journey. It was very rare to find people that spoke English. When we did find English speakers, it was always a blessing and they usually became our translator for the day(‘s).
China has come and gone quickly. As we boarded the train and headed for the Kazakh border, my thoughts and prayers were directed towards the journey ahead and how I could bless my team throughout the last few days. I pray that the believers in China would continue to rise up and stand for the truth that is found in Christ alone. God is much greater than the policies that are in place to limit His church. His will be done in China.
After 24hrs of travel by train, bus, van & taxi; we were able to make it safely to Almaty at 8:00pm on July 5th. Thankfully one of our team mates had a connection from home that could accommodate our team. I was blessed with the opportunity to stay with them till the 7th and venture off on my own that morning.
It was hard saying goodbye to the team but I trust/know that God will be both in my midst and theirs as we continue to build His kingdom on this part of the planet. I pray that His name would be glorified through our every word and deed, whether we are alone or with a program. His will be done.
Thank you for tuning into my blog once again. Enjoy the pics/vids that are below and I ask that you continue to support me as I proclaim His name throughout the city of Almaty.
Love & peace,
Tristan Lensvelt.
