Monday, January 23, 2012

Announcing a New Team for March 2012!


Team members:  John and Mary Waring, Dana Hawkes, Greg and Kathy Schmid

It is thrilling to be going to Beijing in just five weeks!  Already training has begun and we are hard at work preparing for another Spirit-filled mission.  Many exciting adventures await and we know that God will provide numerous Divine appointments that will greatly use the gifts He has given each of us.

Please join us in praying for:
  • God to be glorified in everything we say and do.
  • Strength to resist the spiritual warfare we know will come.
  • Continued happiness for this amazing opportunity to serve our Lord in China.
Serving Him with joy,
Mary and the Team

Monday, January 9, 2012

Some Favorite Memories of October


October Women's team members: 
Loraine Doud, Carol Uhler,
Mary Waring, Angela Smith, Gayle Sharp, Diane Hamlett 
Each of these extraordinary women stepped out in faith and marched out of their comfort zones to serve our Lord and the people of China.  Each one was mightly blessed for their faithfulness.


"They can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."
Titus 2:4-8


Here are a few comments about their experiences:

Diane Hamlett  
My trip to China was an amazing experience that I will treasure in my heart forever.  I honestly had no idea what to expect.  From the very first night I spoke I felt such a connection to these wonderful people.  They are amazing women and their love for God shows in their hearts and cheerful smiles.  

Gayle Sharp
We were blessed beyond our wildest imaginations as we taught, mentored, laughed, cried, and interacted with the most wonderful and amazing Christian women.  What a joy to be used by God in a country where so many people are hungry and eager to hear God's Word and want to grown in their Christian faith! 

Angela Smith
Beijing is a busy bustling city filled with beautiful people and towering skyscrapers.  The people we met and taught have such a passion for God and His Word that many of them traveled one to two hours to hear us speak.  What impacted me the most during our time in Beijing were the many Divine appointments we experienced.  These were interactions totally unplanned by the team, but were Divinely appointed by God.  I went to Beijing with the thought of serving on God's behalf, but I was the one served.

Mary Waring   
After leading three missions to China in 19 months I thought the excitment would fade as familiarity sets in.  I was wrong!  Seeing God at work using the unique gifts of each team member keeps the visits fresh and exciting.  Also, during each trip I make new friends and have the pleasure of renewing precious previous acquaintances.  One highlight of this visit was to be asked, along with Gayle, to dedicate the precious new baby of friends we made during our September 2010 trip.  What joyful work! 

Carol Uhler      
One of my many blessings and memories of our mission to China was hearing Chinese sisters and brothers joyfully singing Christian songs and singing for us.  Another fun memory was when I taught many of the groups the song, "This Little Light of Mine ... I'm going to let it shine 'til Jesus comes!"  I am so thankful to God for the many blessings and opportunities we had in China to serve Him.

  

Women's Team - October 2011

Exciting, rewarding, blessings, laughter, and amazement are just a few words to describe our October mission to Beijing.  This team of six women spoke at 15 different sessions to approximately 350 people.  While the numbers are impressive, they do not convey the tremendous impact this trip made not only on the Chinese people we met, but also on every team member.


One Thursday the team went to the office of a major cosmetic company and taught about 30 women from 9:30 to 5:00.  After the last talk, our guide Hope, used our slavation bracelet to explain the salvation message then asked if there were any women who wanted to accept Jesus into their lies to guide them.  Eleven women said yes!  It is amazing to think that those eleven non-believers sat for seven hours absorbing our teaching based on the Bible.  All the way back to the hotel we sang praise songs and thanked God for the privilege to serve Him in China!


Then there was the taxi driver who asked our interpreter why we were all so happy and she told him about our joy in the Lord.  And the pastor who told Diane that her teaching inspired him.  And the many people we talked with who are stuggling in difficult marriages to unbelievers.  And our extraordinary interpreters and guides, Hope and Fangfang, who continue to inspire us ... and so much more!
Hopefully this will give you a glimpse of what we do while serving our Mighty Lord in China.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms ... To Him be the glory and the power forever and every.  Amen
1 Peter 4:10-11

Who we are and What we do

The Chinese government is more open than ever to permitting religion to expand in China.  Some officials are convinced that Christian principles will have a positive effect on the stability of the population.  While this may be self-serving on the government's part, the end result is the same -- explosive growth of the Chrisitan population in China.

Connecting with China, a ministry of EFCC, sends short-term teams to China to teach, encourage, and counsel people, many of whom are followers of Christ.  It is estimated that across China thousands of people every day are accepting Jesus as their Savior.  Most of these new believers do not have parents or grandparents to mentor or guide them how to live like Jesus.  Many house church pastors have only recently become Christians themselves.  Even mature Chinese brothers and sisters are hungry for supplemental teaching and mentoring. 

Because of the current modernization in China, the Chinese people look to America as a model for economic and spiritual success.  They are eager for the respected counsel of mature older brothers and sisters from the United States.


All this creates an environment that practically begs for teams of spiritually mature Christians to enter China a mentor, teach, and evangelize.  They do not want an American church in China, but they do want to be strengthened, taught, and fed by mature American Christians. 

God is doing amazing work in China.  He has called us to join this effort and has given incredible blessings to those who have answered His call.

Welcome to the new Connecting with China 2 Blog

After much time and frustration at not being able to access the original Connecting with China blog, I decided to create the new Connecting with China 2.  This is a continuation of the story about the amazing ministry Emmanual Faith Community Church is doing in partnership with Global Partners in Hope.

For the beginning of the adventure, please go to connectingwithchina.blogspot.com then check back here learn about our continuing journey.