Thursday, 3.18.10

Another great day! We spent time in the neighborhood where Josh grew up called “earth” around the Tiananmen area which is “heaven”. It is a “back alley” kind of place where you see real life – so wonderful to be there. You will see some pictures of this! More pictures of the people and training will be coming – can’t tell you how many minutes have been filled with so many things. The team is in awe of the people and their hunger to learn.

Yolanda Zhao, who we met at our leadership training on Saturday, went to the Silk Market with Mary, Sharon, Bonnie and I today – helping us to get amazing bargains! She prays before she shops that God would help her to be faithful with her money; I would say He did that today. :) When Yolanda heard that Sharon’s great aunts were here in the 20’s as CIM missionaries, she told Sharon that they want us to teach them all we can; she told Sharon how honored she was to meet her. They spend 3-4 hours in church on Sunday, Bible study and Prayer meeting during the week and study on their own…it is not enough! It is we who need to learn from these people! Yolanda send this email to us:

Dear Peggy and Mary,
“Wish you have good dinner. I was so happy with all of you for shopping. I found that women are quite similar in shopping, we always know what's the best thing with best price:) That's why we need sister ministry.
As we discussed, I wrote a letter to my good friends and the purpose is spread gospel. I am looking forward to listening your comment. You kind help will be high appreciated.”

God bless you everyday,
Yolanda

We finished our evening with a visit to the Upper Room and this time we got to really experience it! What wonderful praise and worship and to sing “How Great Thou Art” and other familiar songs in English while they sang in Chinese – it was unspeakably wonderful! The inlaid cross on the floor, loaves and fishes, 12 tribes – well, we took pictures so we can prove this place exists here! The time is now to enter this open door and help to equip leaders here to do the work they are passionate to do! Keep praying!

Here’s a funny for you: as we were driving home in the taxi tonight, listening to the friendly honking that is common here as the many cars, bicycles, scooters and even horses, weave in and out whether there are lanes for them or not…Mary says the horns are “friendly toots”. Sharon replied that the difference between a friendly toot and an unfriendly toot is about 15 seconds! We’ll be moonlighting as a comedy show :)!