Another update!

Hello again ~ I am slightly more rested than I was yesterday when I wrote to you. I will try to pen the events of these two incredible days for you as best I can – although it is impossible to capture what we see and feel here! It really is like watching the early church in Acts – with such open love, worship and hunger for the truth of God’s word and His ways.



As I had related to you, we were received so well, with happiness and joy at God’s grace in allowing us to have ministry with each other. So many strange obstacles before the meeting began, so many ways the evil one tried to thwart the mission: several people couldn’t come at the last minute due to illness, difficulties with making copies at the hotel for my notes for training (which I had revised on the plane), bringing my computer to read from and forgetting that I needed an adapter for the power cord – and I had forgotten in my travel fatigue to plug it in the night before…Then asking one of our dear Chinese sisters if I could email the file to her computer and Yolanda saying she had a flash drive. No sooner had we copied the files onto the drive than my battery died and my computer shut off…



Normally, I am not so dependent on my notes to train, but when speaking with a translator it is so good to keep your focus and your thoughts in order as you pause to be translated. God was right on time with every detail and hearts were ready and the women so happy to hear. As we spoke of our need to grow and learn and be refreshed as leaders the women looked as if huge burdens were lifted from their shoulders. The laborers here really are few and the harvest is PLENTY! They are tired and yet have only just begun. The leadership principles and ideas for outreach and discipleship were appreciated! Mary did such a great job with the discipleship piece! The idea of a retreat for the women who will lead was a joy for them and they were so happy to know that they would not need to do this alone! We are so happy to know that God truly wants us here with these dear women.



So, that was Saturday, our first day here after arriving Friday night. I was about to summarize today in the quiet of the hotel room and then we received another invitation which could not be refused! (see the last paragraph) First, earlier today (Sunday), we attended Josh and Sabina’s Church where we so enjoyed the worship and then heard such a great message from a guest speaker, Michael Yu. Michael speaks all over the US and China and actually resides in southern CA – what a passionate and really funny speaker. Seven people came to Christ today; with over 70 in attendance packed into the apartment that is there church. They serve lunch after the 2 hour service and everyone stays. After that there was a new believer class with about 25 people staying for that – Sabina taught then for another 2 hours in the course they take for 12 weeks! Such hunger and eagerness to learn. In attendance today were doctors, actors and professionals from different walks of life!



Mary and I spoke to Michael Yu during lunch and he offered to connect us with prominent Christian business women who would love to be a part of what we are doing here!! He said he will love to introduce us to the “richest woman in China”! Well, we finished the day after Sabina’s class at about 3pm (church began at 10am). Sabina helped us graciously decline a dinner invitation, knowing we hadn’t stopped for even a minute to go to an ATM to get currency or just catch a breath. After coming to the hotel and having dinner we settled in for a quiet night….NOT! Michael Yu called and said he was at a restaurant owned by Christians from the second church he spoke for today (where 12 more people came to Christ!). He asked if we could come (it was 8:30pm – they don’t stop!!) because there were several Christian business women who wanted to meet us! I will tell you tomorrow (It is now midnight here) what happened at a restaurant in China called the “Upper Room” with loaves and fishes on the menu and the twelve tribes of Israel hand painted on the windows!! Stay tuned – pictures of the training and church will be sent tomorrow!