"Shi de, Wo Xin." ("Yes, I believe.")

"The Word of G*d is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow--it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

   Even before leaving China, I already know two of the moments I'll prize the most--simple yet powerful moments I'll never forget. Before each of their b@ptisms, I heard Sophia and Taylor each confess, "Shi de, wo xin." That they are sinners...that J*sus is their S@vior...that G*d has worked and planned out their own s@lvation. Yes, they believe. Two close Chinese friends who have become confidants and fellow b*lievers...friends I've seen transform as HE has become part of their lives. Friends who serve as a testimony to how powerful the LIVING and ACTIVE Word is!

   If you're a regular reader of my blog, then you've already heard lots and lots about Sophia, one of my closest Chinese friends, a fellow teacher at my school last year. I liked her instantly in our first day together, and within our first hour or so of conversation, she told me lots about the Chinese sp*ritual customs and traditions her family practiced. A little over a year later, through B*ble studies, ch*rch, and a lot of individual reading time in His Word, our L*rd has brought her to f@ith and the waters of b@ptism. Last Sunday at ch*rch, she joined in a small pr@yer circle, pr@ying for another American teacher. She also has told me that she wants her wedding next year to have a Chr*stian aspect, something very rare for a Chinese wedding. Her husband is pretty uninterested in HIM at this point, but Sophia continues to invite him along, showing how important her f@ith has become!

Sophia, myself, and Andrea after her "washing."

   Taylor Taylor Taylor...months before I ever met this guy last spring, I felt like I already knew all about him, from my American friends Andrea and Jess, who were close to him and talked with him often. I had heard he was friendly, great at English, funny, and...definitely prone to saying a lot of inappropriate, crude things. When I got to know him personally, I loved his personality and always had a blast with him, but noticed what others had mentioned--Taylor was coming to B*ble studies, but hadn't embraced HIM or a Chr*stian life. He once said, "I think it is better to be bad than to be boring," which summed up his philosophy on life pretty well, I think. But, while I'd be lying if I said he'd become completely perfect (of course, we all fall far short), I have seen a dramatic transformation in the things he talks about, and the kind of person he wants to be. We were pretty discouraged a year ago, when Taylor moved away from Wuhan, just when he seemed to be genuinely interested in Studies and HIM. But, G*d in his providence, gave Taylor a new boss in his new city who is Chr*stian, who serves as a mentor and encourager...they pr@y and attend ch*rch together, and when Taylor visited Wuhan two weeks ago, I got to be there as he became a b@ptized part of HIS family. Taylor brought along his cousin, new to the B*ble, and explained the basics to her, telling us he hoped to tell her and his family more about HIM, that they too may b*lieve!

Myself, Taylor's cousin, Taylor, Jess, Andrea, and Shannon (our visiting FoC leader) after Taylor's "washing."

   HE gives us so many opportunities! Another time that I won't soon forget was our B*ble Study last night, where we had one of our biggest groups ever--13 Chinese guests, and 4 foreigners. We almost ran out of room to sit, and had to share B*bles (two of which were given away to new attendees). Of the group, 4 or 5 are Chr*stian, a couple are strongly interested, and many are still very new to the "Book" and the idea of a gracious G*d. Johnny, Bob, and Christina have been strong Chr*stians for many years. Lilihua seems to b*lieve, but her English level is low, so we don't really know. Sunny, who attended for the first time, and Angel, have attended ch*rches elsewhere in the past. Bonnie & Catherine recently asked us about b@ptism, but are very new to the B*ble. They brought along their friend Jaydee, who says he came to f@ith after attending ch*rch in Australia (where he used to live), but it seems lots is new to him too! Jess comes often and asks great questions, but I can't tell how much of it is interest in the B*ble and how much is just interest in practicing English. Gen has come quite frequently this semester, and brought her new friend Candy, just getting introduced to the Book like she is--Gen said she'll bring her back again! Finally, my new friend Nancy showed up for the first time. She came to ch*rch with me once, but says she is Buddh*st. Explaining basic concepts to her, and hearing her answer Brian's question with "G*d saves us," was a great way to spend the night. Here, just because we're foreigners who can help friends practice English, HE has given us such a wide range of friends, old and new, b*lieving and curious, to share his most precious message with. Sometimes I just need to take a step back and let it soak all in, that our gracious L*rd gives a sinner like me the chance to speak the G*spel to so many friends, to do such exciting, meaningful, and important work, and to encourage friends to get to know HIM better.

Dinner with Gen, Kelsey, and Stephanie.

We are so blessed. I will never forget this experience.

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of G*d, namely, Chr*st, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (C*lossians 2:2-3)

Please keep on pr@ying that this happens for all our friends here in Wuhan <3

小朋友们 (Xiao Pengyoumen)...Little Friends :)

"Wo shi ying yu lao shi zai Jing Bo Chang Qing You Er Yuan. Wo de xue sheng hen xiao le he hen ke ai de!" (I'm an English teacher at JingBo ChangQing Kindergarten. My students are very small & very cute). As botched and mispronounced as that statement probably is with my Chinese, it's my standard response when people ask me why I'm in Wuhan, and what I do in China :)

This little goober (said very endearingly) likes running in place enthusiastically every morning when I say hello to him, because I do it back, and he thinks it's funny :)

Because I don't really blog too much about my day job, and primarily because I couldn't wait to post these cute pics anymore, please enjoy a glimpse into my kindergarten, the people and situations I will miss dearly, and the other stuff I can't wait to get away from ;)

"Cherry," from my "big class," is always super-smiley and attentive in class. Model student!

I will miss: greeting my students and their parents in the morning. Even though I think it's kind of lame that I need to stand there so everyone can see their foreign teacher, it's fun to see the kids ranging from excitement to shyness early in the morning. It's very common in China for grandparents to take an active role in raising children, so about half of our students are taken to school by grandma or grandpa.

I must confess, I was caught under this cutie's spell pretty quickly, and within the first week decided that his mom probably wouldn't miss him that much if I took him to America with me ;)

I will NOT miss: the early hours. Maybe it's not that extreme by American standards, but my 6:45 wake-up and starting each school day at 8 isn't exactly standard for foreigners teaching in China. However, while it's kind of annoying having to take a long bus ride (40 minutes), it does help me wake up before teaching.

Students from my "middle class," seemingly being their rambunctious,  goofy selves.

I will miss: the boundless energy of the kiddies. When they get really into a lesson, shout out song requests, or learn something new, it is a great feeling.

I always get a bit nervous for teaching this "biggest class," cuz it's a larger group and they're old enough to tell when I have no idea what I'm doing. But, they are great kids, starting to develop their own personalities at ages 5 and 6. I bond the most with them, in very basic English or Chinese.

I will not miss: the tense relationship with my supervisor/English translator. I could go on and on about her (in fact, I do to some friends, and have a "venting page" on Microsoft Word for when I'm really frustrated), and maybe someday I'll write about specific instances. But, for now let's just say, G0d must REALLY want me to learn patience this year!

Tina and Bluke are quite good at melting my heart when I feel angry--a secret power they possess!

I will miss: making classes laugh. There's no feeling quite like getting 20 or 30 kids from a different country to laugh, and acting like a total goofball with them. They enjoy the voices and facial expressions I occasionally bust out, and singing song comically quickly. They always shout out "kuai idian!" ("a little quickly") when we sing their favorite songs.

My "big class" is one of my harder groups to control. I have to choose the right moments to bust out the humor, because there is a delicate balance in this class between boredom and insanity :p

I will not miss: the out-of-control teaching classes, with little teacher help. Now, I will say it's gotten much better...and I've also probably gotten much more used to it as well. But, there have been plenty of times where the Chinese teacher in the room with me (as promised) will duck out to do other things. The kids are left with someone who can barely speak any of their language, who clearly has no authority, and only sees them about 20 minutes a day. Chaos ensues. Each classroom has 1 head teacher, and at least 2 assistant teachers, so I have a hard time understanding why there can't always be at least one helper in the room with me and the students :/

My "mango class" was added to my responsibilities second semester. At first I was annoyed about the extra class, especially since they're just two years old. But, as it turns out, they have learned a little bit, and are stinkin' adorable :)

I will miss: Joy. This teacher has been my hero at school, my friend and helper, many times. Her English is far and away the best of the teachers (lots can't speak any), this is also her first year at this school (she's my age), and she's sweet. She's always very helpful when I teach her "Strawberry Class," and has helped me negotiate with the administration here, when my supervisor has been less-than-helpful. She got the school to give me the day off when I had a really sore throat, she keeps me informed about changes in schedule and vacation days (my supervisor just tells me at the last possible minute), and talks to the principal if I have any requests. She came along to ch*rch with me once, and my f@ith occasionally comes up in conversation, but I still hope to reach out to her more, even if it's when I'm back on the other side of the world.

The camera made me extra fascinating the day I brought it to school with me :)

I will not miss: the way children are often treated here. Not everyone here is this way, but I've seen plenty of teachers slap and scream at their students, drag them around by their clothes, and even threaten to cut their faces with scissors (by putting them close to the kids' faces). Sometimes it's when the kids misbehave, but sometimes it's just for getting an answer wrong :( It's hard to watch, wanting to step in and stop it, but it's pretty common for China. One of the many things that wouldn't fly in the U.S....just like when my "Mango Class" has bathroom breaks by passing around a big red bucket while they're sitting all together in the same room. Yes, really. Oh, and there are also shared, open, unisex bathrooms that the students all use together!

Sadly, I only see these darlings twice a week--they're one of my fave groups to teach! They're old enough to pay attention, young enough to lack "attitudes," and for some reason they think I'm pretty entertaining.

I will miss: my short days and off days. Okay, maybe this one is kind of cheating, but I will probably NEVER have such an awesome job perk again...even though my teaching schedule is heavier than lots of foreign teachers in China, I get Wednesdays free, and finish class by 11 a.m. on Thursdays & Fridays, giving me lots of time to relax, take care of my own stuff, and most importantly focus on the REAL reason we are here.

What a little doll! Also, notice how early the peace sign (or, as Chinese people use it, a "Victory" sign) is introduced into children's lives here ;)

I will NOT miss: My two long days. Mondays & Tuesdays I leave home around 7:15 a.m. and get back around 6 p.m. I know that isn't completely uncommon for an American to have a schedule like that, but it's quite draining when you take into account the long & crowded bus rides, communicating largely in simple English or broken Chinese, dealing with a frustrating supervisor, and teaching about 250 "xiao pengyoumen" in one day. There's a stretch of about 3 hours where I just sit around in the school office trying to keep busy, but often end up feeling lonely, surrounded by people speaking Chinese and missing home. So much time to think isn't always a spectacular thing! Plus on Mondays, I come home, and have an hour before B*ble Study starts up. A wonderful way to spend the evening, of course, just not much downtime inbetween.

The Cherry Class! They give the best hugs :)

I will miss: getting "attacked with love" by my youngest students. I don't know exactly when/how this started, but in my three smallest classes, the second I say "goodbye" to finish my lesson, most of the students RUN up to me, sitting on my dinky chair (the same size of theirs), and like, mob me with hugs, high fives, and occasionally kisses. It's really just, I don't know how to describe it...one of the most heart-melting things I've ever experiences...precious kiddies just wanting to touch my face, staring at me with adoration, hearing them say they've missed me, they like me, or they love me. Most readers probably know I'm a pretty affectionate person, and I just eat it all up. But, it's also occasionally terrifying...I already worry my tiny chair will buckle under my American-esque weight, and then 20 tiny attackers RUSH up, and usually end up pushing me and my chair back...and they can be quite enthused in their making sure each one of them gets a hug, even if it means pushing each other out of the way!

Dimples!

 I will not miss: oftentimes feeling like the work I'm doing is meaningless. I know teaching English is my gateway into the country, and I am indeed grateful for that. But, last year, I got to talk with lots of middle-schoolers with excellent English, teaching them about culture, language, and even occasionally r*ligion. Outside of class, we formed kind of "cousinly" relationships and discussed a wide variety of things. So, comparatively speaking, teaching children how to say "ball" and "yoyo," and singing London Bridge doesn't really make me feel I'm altering the world in a drastic way. But, it's also less pressure too, which I like ;)

The Strawberry Class!

I will miss: my Russian friend, Yulia. Julie (me) and Julia (her English name) have become fast friends, as basically the only two foreigners associated with my crazy school. Yulia has lived in China for over 12 years now, married a Chinese man, and speaks Chinese (and English) fluently. She has an 11-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son (one of my students). Early in the year she was dropping off her son, and we obviously knew "two of these things were not like the others," and we ended up having long talks when she'd drop off/pick up her son in the mornings and nights. Yulia's had me over at her nearby home for dinner a couple times, and quite frequently for tea. She cooks delicious mixes of Russian and Chinese food, her house is huge and gorgeous, and we always end up talking each others' ears off and laughing a lot. Having her occasional presence at my school has been a HUGE gift from G*d, not making me feel so lonely. She gets where I'm coming from when I complain about things (she was a foreign kindergarten teacher once too) and makes me laugh a lot. Yulia's daughter looks more Chinese and her son looks more Russian, but both are beautiful--and her daughter is already fluent in Chinese, Russian AND English. This is simply an amazing person and friend I've gotten to know through my school.

Clamoring for attention--this class is an example of "monkey see, monkey do." At first they might be a bit shy with me, but once one of them approaches me, they ALL run up!

I will not miss: being treated like an animal at the zoo/a child. In my long days at school, I try to always keep my headphones on, at the computer, because I am soooo tired of people talking about me right in front of me, especially the principal. I mean, it's often positive (Julie has pretty earrings today, Julie is thinner than before, etc.) but that doesn't change how uncomfortable it makes me feel, especially when I can't understand. The principal probably means well, but I dread when she walks into our office and wanders over to my spot, smiling creepily at me, saying my name and then giggling with the other teachers about something or another. Argh--so annoying. Tired of being under that kind of microscope, where everything I do is under scrutiny, seen as "cute," "childish," or "strange" just because I'm a foreigner :/ 

Cuddle time! The boy on the left is new, so I'm still getting to know him, but the boy on the right is so smart, energetic, sweet, and naughty! Love that kid!

I will miss: the little things.The bus rides are long, but I'm so happy my parents gave me an ipod...lots of quality time with my music is really a huge "pro" to the transportation "con." There's a really nice park next to my school, so sometimes on my lunch breaks I'll get some exercise and enjoy the break from the school office. There's a mini-school bus that comes every morning, and if I'm around, I usually help "unload" the kids, and they each have their own ritual for greeting me. One girl always makes tiger claws and we "attack" each other, one always wants me to help put on her backpack and lift her into the air, one boy always smiles the sweetest smile I've ever seen, and two older students always hug me and say "Mommy! Mommy!" :D

Candy with Joy, my favorite teacher and friend!

I will also miss: the nice teachers and assistants at the school. One of the "older" teachers (she's just middle-aged, but most there are in their twenties) really made an effort with me early on, welcoming me, telling me about her family and asking about mine (Grandpa, this is the lady who says you're handsome)! She's sweet, complimentary, and genuine, always making me feel better. There are several other kind teachers as well, but we can't communicate too much, which is sad, but I at least think we have good feelings toward each other :) And there are two middle-aged classroom helpers who I just love--they are always saying nice things, testing my Chinese without making me feel nervous, and either offering to set me up with a Chinese guy, or asking me to set them up with an American guy ;) We also have a new guard who mans the school gate...everyone calls him "yeye" (Grandpa) and he is a cute old man--he always says "Nice to see you" very slowly and sweetly to me when I walk through the gate in the morning.

I shall also miss all the pretty dresses these little girls wear!

In the end, being here isn't really about the teaching. Early on, when I absolutely hated this school, my parents were a huge encouragement to me, reminding me why we are REALLY here, and making sure I didn't let it ruin my experience as a whole. My friend Tracy, an education major and full-blown teacher in America recently gave me the advice to keep track of the middle moments that make me smile in my job every day, no matter how frustrating it may be. In general, I thank HIM for the strength to endure when it's rough, and for the joy in the little moments--and big--along the way!

Blog, Interrupted...

So, the craziness of my life/this semester, coupled with my tendency to procrastinate (still alive and well after WLC, sadly), has made me QUITE behind on this blog, especially as far as adventures I've had in Wuhan the past 2 1/2 months! So, please enjoy these snippets and updates from the middle of February until the end of April, in Wuhan:

With...another teacher? I actually don't think this lady teaches at my school, but I know she drives the little shuttle bus for some students, and mostly hangs out in our office and reads/watches movies all day :p

*Three new friends have started coming pretty consistently to our studies: Gen, Christina, and especially Stephanie. Gen & Stephanie are cousins, Christina is Gen's workmate, and they all speak English very very well! Christina's a "sister" with us already, and Stephanie is diving into everything with so much interest and enthusiasm, even though she and Gen had never studied before. Those two treated Kelsey and I to sushi and KTV back in February, and we got to know each other more...Stephanie LOVES going to KTV, so we've done a lot of that with her this semester, and just lots of hanging out in general. On a recent walk, she told me that she used to feel much more concerned about the future, but since becoming friends with our group, she feels more at peace with her life. HE has given me (and others) the chance to share that Chr*st is what gets me through hardships, and that belonging to HIS family is a great thing!

Out for crawfish (do-it-yourself dining) with Angela, Kelsey, Becca (an FoC friend visiting from Beijing), Hilary (also from Beijing), Andrea, Stephanie, and myself.

*One day in March, Brian suggested a game night at Kelsey and my place-- we had about six friends over, most of whom don't come to our studies. It was a nice ice-breaker that will hopefully lead to getting closer to these new friends in the future. My friend Nancy, who I met on the bus and chat with regularly on QQ, joined Brian, Jolie, and I for dinner beforehand, and thoroughly enjoyed "Apples to Apples Junior," but was more excited about learning new vocabulary words than winning the game or laughing at the goofy combinations :)

Enjoy the first truly gorgeous day in Wuhan this year, with the old roomie Andrea, some yummy milk tea, and a stroll through Zhong Shan Park.

*As usual, there doesn't seem to be a quick way to communicate with my school, or my recruiter...after much texting and calling back and forth with Kevin, he finally texted me with some valuable information. Knowing he's pretty excellent at English, and has plenty of foreign contacts, I texted him back: "Thanks Kevin, you rock!" He wrote back..."Rock?" So, I got to teach some new English slang that day. Maybe you had to be there, but it sure made Kelsey and I laugh a lot.

One of Wuhan's biggest claims to fame: Springtime's briefly blooming cherry trees.

*Andrea and I got together with our good friend Laetitia back in February, and were introduced to Eliza, an old schoolmate of hers who recently moved back to Wuhan. We spent a fun night walking around together, getting coffee, and talking about life. Eliza has been coming to studies, and is now reading the B*ble for her first time :)

Posing with "mei hua," (beautiful flowers) at Wuhan's agricultural university. In English, these are called "rape," so I obviously prefer calling them by their Chinese name.

*To demonstrate how busy life can get here sometimes, here is a pretty typical week for me, one that I had in the beginning of April:

E@ster Sunday: two ch*rch services, breakfast and lunch at ch*rch, out for beer with American friends, grilling out with most of our Hankou group and playing video games for dinner.

Monday: Teaching at school from 8-5, B*ble Study from 7-9.

Tuesday: Teaching until 5, having tea with my friend Yulia, going to see Titanic 3d with Stephanie and Kelsey. Wednesday: Women's B*ble Study and dyeing E@ster eggs.

Thursday:  Teach in the morning, travel to Hanyang for thai food with Becky, long bus ride and walk through the rain to Wuchang for dinner together with visiting p@stors from all over China. Return home for the tail-end of Aaron and Andrea's Study.

Friday:  Teach in the morning, out for lunch with Stephanie and her boyfriend (in town visiting), over to our friend Ivy's house for dinner...she cooked a gigantic Chinese feast!

Saturday: Played pool with a group of friends, walked around Zhong Shan park twice with two different groups, met up with Andrea and an old student of hers.

Sunday: Went to ch*rch, along with my friend Sophia, good one-on-one with Sophia, injection and hair-washing

Enjoying the cherry blossoms with Chinese-boy Jess, his friend, and American-girl Jess :)

Andrea had the idea of starting up a women's B*ble study second semester, and it's been going very well! Attendance varies somewhat week-to-week, but we have our core group of about 6 regular attendees, mostly close friends of ours. We meet every Wednesday night, have lots of girl talk, and also do topical studies...we've discussed the basic message of the B*ble, E@ster, and marriage & family (this most recent topic is 2 weeks in progress and will probably take longer, haha). Sometimes we just have "bonding nights" of KTV or movie-watching, making sure our friends know that we genuinely love and enjoy spending time with them, not just as "prospects," but as wonderful people! It's a really great environment for the girls, some of whom don't feel comfortable opening up or asking questions during a more typical Study.

A lovely yoga workout session with Kelsey and Andrea--we may or may not have stopped halfway through, in favor of watching Hannah Montana instead ;)

*On Good Friday, we headed to our central w*rship location for a service...I have to confess, my heart wasn't really in it. The tenebrae service back in the U.S. is always one of my favorites, and while I knew it was great that ch*rch would be all in Chinese for our friends, I knew I wouldn't walk away with as much as an English service. But, HE blessed it...first of all, by helping me to understand at least enough of the B*ble readings to know what section of Scr*pture was being discussed. And, to my surprise and delight, two of my friends came to ch*rch, for the first time! One was Jess, a Chinese guy who's come regularly to our Monday night studies...Jessica (an FoC friend) and I met him on the train last year, and while it's amazing that he comes and asks questions eagerly during study, we think he's mostly attending for the English practice. So, to see him come to a Chinese ch*rch service was very encouraging! The second friend who came was Gavin, a really cool guy Andrea and I met way back in August 2010, our first week in Wuhan. We've kept in touch and hung out occasionally, but I hadn't seen him since Halloween. But, he made friends with Ivy, a faithful member of our Group, and she invited him! Getting to see those two friends there, and knowing that our Chinese friends are making connections and inviting others to attend makes me feel better about my decision NOT to come back here, at least not next year...knowing that this is becoming a self-sufficient group of b*lievers, and that HE is the one doing the work--we are just the tools he uses!

Andrea and I celebrating with Sophia post-b@ptism.

I think that years from now, when I look back on Wuhan, and the WORK done here, I will always think of Sophia first. She went from a workmate, to a friend, eventually to someone we were able to study the B*ble with, at first as a curiosity, and then as someone that she says brings her great peace. For awhile, I thought it was just a shallow sort of "peace" she was referring to, but her actions lately have reminded me that G*d is working in her heart. In February, Sophia and I had one more private B*ble study, and then we met with Adam (our "Shepherd" here in Wuhan), and Sophia agreed to be b@ptized that coming Sunday. Sitting there with her in the front row, as she nervously waited to confess her f@ith and have our Chinese friend Jonathan Li pour water on her head, and speak G*d's name and promises to her...one of the best things that's ever happened to me :) I ask for your pr@yers for my dear friend--I truly believe that she b*lieves, but she has an incredibly busy work schedule, and lives at least an hour away from ch*rch. She has come since then, however, and lately has confided that she really wants Jasper, her husband, to start attending too...knowing that she's taking HIM seriously, and wants her husband to have the same joy she does, is a great blessing!

Dumpling-making lessons!

One night awhile back, Sylvia and Angela came over to teach Kelsey, Andrea, and I how to make dumplings. The process was pretty simple, since Angela's mom had already rolled out little circles of dough, and the girls brought all the pork and veggies to use as filling. Basically you just fill up the dough like pigs in the blanket, try to fold it together beautifully, and drop the cute little guys into some boiling water--it was delicious, and we ate a lot! Brian came over to "help" by eating some, and there are three things from the evening that will stick with me: 1) Angela & Sylvia tasting the raw pork to make sure it had the right flavor before cooking it 2) Sylvia starting a small fire in our apartment, with the dangerous combination of our fast-acting hot plate and lots of oil (we all stared at it for a couple seconds, before realizing we should turn off the hot plate and cover the fire)! 3) Led mostly by Brian & Andrea, we proceeded to have a burping contest. Our nights here are not always the classiest ;)

And, speaking of classy: a Hankou group late-night snack at McDonald's :)

*In the beginning of April, China celebrate Qing Ming Jie, or "Tomb-Sweeping Day," a day that sadly is traditionally used to visit the graves of departed family members, and honor them by burning pictures of money and possessions, believed to be tributes that their ancestors receive in the beyond. Thankfully, some of our Chr*stian friends do not celebrate the holiday, and we did some off-school celebrating of our own! One day after ch*rch, Jessica and I rode bikes to meet Jess and a friend for a LONG (but fun!) day of bike-riding, checking out blooming cherry trees and flowers, lunch, and talking. Jessica and I went out to get haircuts and tour her school afterwards, and then biked to her house (I think we biked about 5 hours that day)! A couple friends were visiting from Beijing, as well as Indonesia, so we went out dancing one night, and also had a group dinner of crawfish followed by KTV. The last day of holiday was spent going to East Lake, the most scenic part of Wuhan, and walking around a huge garden of cherry trees. It was very gorgeous, but rainy, so Andrea, Stephanie, and I left early, came back home for a marathon dinner of hot pot (we ordered plates and plates of food, eating and talking for 3 hours), and finally, watched a couple movies!

With the cherry blossoms at East Lake--luckily it was only drizzling lightly at this point!

*On April 1st, I was a bit bummed that my students are too small to get the concept of April Fool's Day. Thankfully, a little prank I pulled on QQ seemed to work pretty well too-- you can post "status updates" on it, just like on Facebook...so I wrote "I can't believe I just spent the night in a Chinese jail!" Two Chinese friends wrote me later, asking what happened and if I was okay...thankfully, they were good sports when I explained the joke :) But the best part of the trick happened when I wasn't even present--Jessica told Peter, Darin, and Andy (three FoC buddies) about it, and they ALL fell for it...texting me, asking for details, and pretending to be upset when I told them it was a fake...tee hee hee.

Our big group at East Lake, along with three or four people we'd never met before, who just wanted to be in the picture with some foreigners...

*Our regular Monday night B*ble study at my and Kelsey's apartment continues to go well, and be blessed in attendance...we have a changing group of faces, but many friends have been coming back week after week, thanks to HIM. This semester, we've tried splitting up the study, with Kelsey and I taking turns leading along with Brian--it makes us pretty nervous each week, but it's really good to keep me from getting lazy or apathetic, and it tests me, encouraging me to study His Word more often. And the feeling of getting to explain a new idea, or reinforce everyone's understanding of His Grace--priceless!

Pool-playing with Snowy, Kelsey, and Kristine.

*Sometimes the most entertaining part of Monday night study is what happens afterward--a couple weeks back, Kelsey and a few friends were conspiring, saying I'd be more likely to stay in China if I had a boyfriend here...they asked what qualities I'd like in a Chinese guy, and I said 1) speaks English well 2) a good singer 3) nice arms. We giggled and decided they could patrol the streets for me, looking for guys with these characteristics. And then...Bonnie, Stephanie, and Shelly did a test-run of the screening process--with Brian. It was hilarious to watch Brian's confused reaction to Shelly walking up to him and testing his English skills by making an awkward conversation, Stephanie squeezing his arms, and Bonnie asking him to sing us a song before laughing adorably and running away :)

At Zhong Shan Park with Kristine--she's a sweet girl, but very clingy...and after an hour of walking around and taking dozens of pictures, my smile was starting to get a bit fake ;)

*One of the new friends I've been blessed to make this year is Julia (or Yulia), a Russian lady who's the mom of one of my students. She's lived in China for about twenty years now, is fluent in Chinese, English (and of course, Russian), and married a Chinese man. They have two adorable children, one who attends my kindergarten, and she's really reached out to me and been a fabulous friend. Sometimes at my school I feel pretty lonely as the only foreigner, and taken advantage of...but Julia invites me over for lunch or tea (her apartment's really close to my school) and she can really relate to all of my feelings. She listens to me complain, and then says how she understands...she's been a kindergarten teacher in China before too, and of course is familiar with the stares and such that come with being a foreigner here! But apart from that, she's so sweet and funny, we always laugh a lot when we're together, and she cooks delicious Russian AND Chinese food--I feel so grateful for having the chance to meet this incredible lady!

Two darlings from my "Strawberry Class."

*After Sophia's b@ptism, Andrea and I went with her to Aloha, our favorite American-style restaurant in Wuhan, where one of Sophia's connections treated us to a delicious lunch. It was awkward, being paraded as foreigners, having to make conversation with her daughter and take lots of pictures, but it was worth it...especially when Sophia pointed out Paul and Jackie, the two new foreign teachers at her school, who took Andrea and my old positions. We introduced ourselves, and when I said that I'm Julie/Miss Cox, Paul exclaimed, "They LOVE you!" I guess my former students bring up my name or lessons a lot in his classes with them, and he'll occasionally hear murmurs of "Miss Cox" among themselves when they're talking...this made me so happy, because I miss teaching them SO MUCH :) About a week later, Andrea and I went out to dinner with the married couple, and had great fun comparing stories about our experiences with the school, and laughing at the antics of the lovable, naughty kids!

Long Run, Luan, and I after making E@ster eggs!

*Last Friday night, tardy as I was, I wanted to invite friends over to dye E@ster eggs, with the kit my dear family had sent me. Envisioning a smaller get-together, it became a kind of big group...six Chinese friends, and four foreigners gathered around the table for an egg-dyeing demonstration, and we all joined in to turn out some impressive creations. Well, not me--I've never been very gifted in the artistic department, but friends made faces, different countries' flags, square-shaped fruit, and elaborate designs, all of which were quite impressive! Before we got to work, we had a short ten-minute explanation of why we celebrate E@ster...we read four main points about the B*ble, along with a few p@ssages...none of our visitors are yet Chr*stian, so it was a great opportunity to share our Joy with them!

Showing off our creations!

Well, I am currently running late for a short vacation, but I had to send off this blog first :) May HE bless and keep all of you, until next time!

"Go Where Your Heart Takes You"

   Awhile back, my wonderful parents sent me some Valentine's candy...it was tons of fun passing out those little "sweethearts" with messages on them to Chinese friends, explaining goofy & lovey-dovey English phrases. I was most excited, however, about the Dove Promises they gave me--delicious chocolates with alternately sweet & sappy thoughts written on their wrappers. One night, I opened one that read "Go Where Your Heart Takes You." Given what was going on and going through my head at the time, I think I will keep and treasure that silly little wrapper forever.

At GuiYuan Simiao (temple) with Andrea, Andy, myself, Gabi, Aaron, Sarah, Nicole, and John Wendland).

    Back in Wuhan, I had a few days of settling in before going back to school...I rested up, but then spent a lot of time with our Hankou group, showing John Wendland and Gabi (two fellow FoC teachers from different cities) around our city a bit...we took them out dancing, went to shoot off fireworks by the river, to a temple, to "Breakfast Street" (a place with tons of delicious & unique street food), on a ferry ride, and more. It was a lot of fun, but my mind wasn't really there at all...

Ruth and baby John :)

     A couple days into my Hong Kong trip, I got awful news, hard to wrap my mind around...one of my best friends, Ruth, from high school, was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer. Even worse, she was over six months pregnant at the time. The distance and surreal nature of it all made it very hard to sink it--Ruth has always been vibrant, full of life & energy, and always very young and healthy. My first few weeks back in Wuhan were rough...school was fine, studies and hanging out with friends were great, but I thought about my beautiful friend constantly, desperately wanting to go see her. After lots of pr@yer, talks with my supportive parents, loving fam and friends, and reading that Dove Promises wrapper, I decided "Go Where Your Heart Takes You" was perfect advice...I headed home to America for two weeks.

Our very own rock band ;)

    Thankfully, my school was very understanding about giving me the time off, my sensational parents gave me yet another loan to pay for the flight, and studies were able to go on as usual during my time away from Wuhan. In spite of the horrible situation, of course it was such a blessing to be able to see my family while I was home...my mom & dad, sisters, and grandparents picked me up from the airport, and it was a joyful reunion!

Out to eat with the cousins!

    While I was home, I also got to see a few aunts & uncles, my Grandma Cox, a few friends, and cousins. My sweet little cousins, Emily & Leah, were even in a production of "The King and I" that I was lucky enough to watch while I was home--great job, girls!!! Thankfully, Ruthie was admitted to Mayo Hospital, one of the best cancer-treatment centers in the entire world...I know she has countless family, friends, and supporters who were so grateful she was in the hands of staff there. Selfishly speaking, it was nice for me, just an hour away from my house...I was able to travel back & forth between seeing her and spending time with my family.

Leah & Emily played two of the King's children in Luther High School's "The King and I."

    At home with my family, we went out to eat (I had my three must-have in America foods: Taco Bell, a shamrock shake, and hummus :p), played games, watched movies, talked a bunch, and just enjoyed each other's company. It was Stefanie's Spring Break from WLC for one of the weeks I was home too--pretty nice! I was happy to visit my home congregation (especially for Lenten services), sing offertory with my parents and Stef, and watch Maria play (and dominate!) in a volleyball match :)

Watching Maria (bottom right) serve like 15 consecutive points in a row...you go, gurrrrl!

    I think it was my third day back in the U.S., when I was finally able to go visit Ruth in the hospital...we had talked on the phone a couple times while I was in China, and then again once I'd arrived home.. I was so grateful to have the chance to see her, and so excited to have a "sleepover" in her hospital room's extra bed. I made the trip, saw my my strong, inspiring friend, and her new baby, and...I've been sitting here for 5 minutes trying to think of the words to sum up how I was feeling...I can't.

Our night on the town, once Ruthie was released from the hospital :)

    In spite of everything they had going on, Ruth and her husband, Paul, still were caring and hospitable towards me...buying me lunch, asking about China...I was blown away by this young couple, and reminded why I am SO BLESSED to have this wonderful Chr*stian friend in my life. Seeing her precious baby boy, 2 months premature, tiny and frail, yet thriving and growing, was one of the strongest demonstrations of G*d's love that I have ever seen.

    During my time with Ruth in the hospital, we of course talked for hours, laughed and cried, reminisced and caught up...but, she was a busy, busy patient! Nurses, doctors, specialists, and experts poured in and out of the room constantly during her stay--there weren't 15 minutes that she was left alone, from morning until night. Exhausting for her, but definitely a blessing...she was in HIS hands, through the caring & faithful staff at Mayo. From talking to her, I know Ruthie treasures so many of the nurses who took the time to get to know her personally along with caring for her physically. And, I have no doubt that Ruth & Paul's f@ith in the face of extreme difficulty served as a Chr*stian witness to dozens (hundreds?) of medical staff there.

I got to be serenaded with Pride & Prejudice soundtrack music, and "Time to Say Goodbye" in the hospital lobby. There was applause--Ruth is as talented as ever.

    For my first visit and sleepover, we mostly hung out in Ruthie's room, with Paul spending the night at the Ronald McDonald House nearby. The staff was able to bring baby John to Ruth's room a couple times daily (he was in the NICU on another floor) and we walked over to visit him as well. Ruth and I did a bit of scrapbooking together, watched some of The Office with Paul, and discussed how blessed we are to share a common f@ith, to know that HE is with us no matter what.

John Wilde Webber...3 pounds of CUTE! As Paul likes to say: "He's moderately cute." :)

    I got to visit Ruth three more times during my two weeks in America...thanks to HIM, she was released from the hospital after 1 1/2 months, and staying with Paul at the Ronald McDonald House, able to continue her treatment and feeding tube on an out-patient basis. (FYI: The Ronald McDonald House is an incredible organization, worth looking up if it's new to you.) Our time together was just such a gift...Ruth and I got to spend so much quality time with one another--we went to the mall, buying new clothes for her (and matching shirts for ourselves) and even sampling a little ice cream, we did some errands, and visited John lots! I got to help give her tiny son a bath one day...it was darling :)  One of my favorite parts of our time was going out for cheesy, scrumptious pizza with Paul, laughing and getting to know him better, and the two of them as couple better (I was in their wedding, but hadn't spent TOO much time with both of them). Even though they're just a bit older than me, I look up to Ruth and Paul in many, many ways.

Getting bigger and stronger, healthier and even more cuddly! 

    Knowing it wouldn't be easy to say goodbye before heading back to China, my mom joined me for my last visit to Ruthie and John...Ruth's two sisters-in-law were there, so it was nice to talk with them a bit too. HE has surrounded her with so much support, caring family & friends! Back here in Wuhan, I'm still thinking about my dear friend on a very regular basis, keeping her in my "thoughts." While I was with her, Ruth sweetly said she admired the things I am doing in China, but what she is doing is one of the most impressive things I've ever seen: battling disease with all her might, staying strong for her precious son, continuing to reach out to everyone around her with Chr*stian kindness, and reminding us all to keep HIM as our true source of strength, joy, and comfort. Ruthie, I love you so much.

Applebee's with Stephers, Chara, Alex, Alyssa, Alli, and Josh (Abby already left, and Kristine hadn't yet arrived).

    My last day in the U.S., I was so happy to have a quick get-together with some of my very dear WLC friends...I got a table at Applebee's and just smiled constantly as friends came and went--I love you guys! I reluctantly said goodbye to my family, my dad dropped me off at the airport, and before I knew it, I was back in Wuhan once again. In the weeks before coming to visit Ruth, I had considered just ending my contract with school early and staying in the U.S. Even though that was somewhat appealing, and I still wish I could see Ruth on a regular basis, I'm glad that I made a different decision. My heart took me to America to see my beautiful friend, but it took me back to China too. I believe HE still has work for me to do in these remaining couple of months, friendships to strengthen, and other hearts to touch with HIS precious Word. Let's thank our L*rd for all the people, places, and experiences he puts into our lives...for all the opportunities he bestows to serve and thank HIM...for memories and moments that will never leave your heart, no matter where life takes you.

To learn more about my brave, selfless friend, or to make a donation, please check out this website:

http://theruthwebberfund.bbnow.org/index.php