Friday Free Day

View from our hotel room

We woke to beautiful blue skies and sunny cool weather!  It is a miracle compared to last night when we arrived to smog so thick you could cut it.

After breakfast we went to the Silk Market.  It was a surprise to see that the Silk Market has a new face inside.  All the stalls are now nice new glass fronted booths, more like tiny shops.  One of the vendors told me that since the rennovation, their rents have gone up three times what they were.  Our friend Stephanie is fortunately honoring prices she has given "old time customers."  I took no offense at the "old" and gratefully accepted her good rates.

The celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival and New Year is still going on.  For hours every night there are many many fireworks being fired off all round our hotel and throughout the city.  Our rooms are on the 23rd floor, again, so we have great views of the fireworks.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is a very full day.  The team will be split up going to two different venues and meeting twice the people.  Please pray that God will direct our teaching and that His love will shine through us. 

Mary for the Team

We Have Arrived!

Departure from San Diego

 

It is great to be back in Beijing ... pollution and all.  It was a long, but happily uneventful trip.  Beautiful Grace met us as the airport.  There was so much luggage that the hired van took the baggage and three women to the hotel and Grace and the others came to the hotel in a separate taxi. 

After dropping our suitcases in our rooms, we 'retrieved'  some money from the ATM in the hotel building.  There is a large grocery story located in the basement of the hotel where we bought a case of water for each room.  The group was happy to see that there is a Starbucks in our hotel building.

Arrival at Beijing Airport

 

A very tired group of women went to bed early.  Tomorrow we have the day off to acclimate to the time, go to the Silk Market, and review our teaching.  We have a very full schedule and it was wonderful to see familiar names on the timetable.  

Mary for the Team

Just 3 Days to Departure!

Excitement is in the air as we put the finishing touches on preparations to leave for Beijing in just three days!  After waiting for 3½ months after postponing this mission, it feels amazing that we are actually leaving in just a few days.

Some of us have finished packing while others are just beginning.  Fortunately, Hainan Airlines is one of the few airlines that still do not charge any baggage fees for the first two checked bags.  That allows us to put our clothing in one bag and fill the second bag with gifts for our Chinese sisters.  We raffle off a few gifts at each teaching venue and, like women everywhere, the ladies love it.   

The weather is predicted to be in the low to mid 40s, which is not bad for mid-February.  The pollution is reportedly extremely bad, so we are taking face masks with us, but continue to for rain, snow, or wind to clear the air, at least for a few days.

Please pray for our team:

·       May God provide us with many fertile Divine meetings and moments.  We want to be used to the max to glorify our Lord!

·       May we all stay healthy and strong to finish this race well!  The long 12+ hour flights during flu season can be challenging.

·       May the Beijing pollution not affect us or those we are going to meet and teach.

·       One of the team has significant back pain.  Please pray for relief from this pain so that she can enjoy what God has planned for us. 

·       Please pray for one of our teammates who is uncomfortable flying.  I truly admire both of these women who have courageously stepped forward into this mission knowing about the lo-o-ng flights involved.

·       Other team members are struggling with job stresses and family issues.   

It is our prayer that all the spiritual warfare we have encountered, including having the mission postponed, foreshadows a Spirit-filled abundantly fruitful mission experience!  

God willing, we will keep you updated about our activities when we reach Beijing!