Introducing Team 8 - Bi-Cultural Crew

Mary Waring - Gayle Sharp - Angela Smith

We are excited to tell you about our next visit to China!  An exciting new adventure awaits!

Angela Smith, Gayle Sharp, and Mary Waring have all served our Lord in China during at least two previous visits to Beijing.  During the next trip we will team up with precious Chinese sisters and travel outside of Beijing to Shenyang and a small village.  Shenyang is about a five hour train ride north of Beijing.  Our work there will be similar to what we do in Beijing which is to teach, encourage, and mentor our Chinese sisters and brothers. 

 

Since none of us on the EFCC team have been to Shenyang, I thought it would be interesting to research it a bit.  Here are a few facts from Wikipedia:

 

Shenyang, is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province, as well as the largest city in Northeast China by urban population.  According to the 2010 census, the city's urban area has 6,255,921 inhabitants, while the total population of the Shenyang municipality is up to 8,106,171.  In the 17th century, Shenyang was conquered by the Manchu people and briefly used as the capital of the Qing dynasty.

Along with its nearby cities, Shenyang is an important industrial center in China, and serves as the transportation and commercial hub of China's northeast—particularly with Japan, Russia, and Korea.  

Shenyang has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate characterized by hot, humid summers, due to the monsoon, and dry, cold winters, due to the Siberian anticyclone. The four seasons here are distinctive. Average high in June = 81, average low = 63, rainfall = 3.6"

 
Prayer requests:

·       All the pre-trip planning details will go smoothly

·       May the content of our talks and conversations be pleasing to God.  We are very aware of the great responsibility we have to represent our Lord correctly. 

·       May all team members stay healthy and strong during our rigorous schedule.

As for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.  Psalm 73:28
 
  Mary for the Team

Team 7 - Wonderful Wrap Up

April 9 - 21, 2014

John and Mary - Grace - Joseph - Rob and Karlene

 

Karlene's Report ...

 

It is late and yet I still have China on my mind.  It is not easy to forget what God did and how it felt to be there.  We have been home now 3 weeks.  It amazes me how time files by and how busy we become wrapped up in everyday life.  I know that for me, I will forever have the people I met in my heart and in my prayers.  I am eager to return. I am trusting God to provide Leaders and Educators to Teach and equip these precious people.  I just know that God has many more Blessings to pour out upon China and I am anxious to hear about future teams and ministries that come back telling of the Miracles that God has done and is doing.  We serve a Mighty God my Friends!  I am so Thankful for the opportunity to have gone. It has forever changed my heart.



 

Mary's Report ...

Spring on the Great Wall



Fabulous Architecture - View from our hotel



Our schedule was very full with teaching almost every day and/or evening.  It is always a joy to rekindle the precious friendships that have developed over the past four years of serving our Father in China.  Another special joy was getting to know Karlene and Rob better.  They did a great job interacting and teaching our Chinese sisters and brothers. 

Sign on seminary wall



The first Sunday we were in Beijing, John preached at the service of a house church of dear friends.  This is the first house church I was privileged to visit in China and it always feels like home to me.  After the service they fold up the chairs, roll out a big table, and everyone eats together like a big family. 

 

Sunday lunch with The Family

 

While most pastors deserve our admiration and gratitude for their challenging calling and work, to be a house church pastor in China takes a special determination, courage, and dedication. Many (most?) house church pastors also have secular jobs because their small congregations cannot financially provide for them and their families.  Often these pastors work tirelessly with no one to mentor, encourage, or support them.  It is outstanding that our church recognizes the great need to work with house church pastors in China.  Pastors Dennis, Dave, and Jeremy have made multiple trips to Beijing to work with pastors.  It is our prayer that this link will grow strong and long.  



John Teaching

John and Rob greeting a new friend



 Because John and Rob Campbell were with us, we had access to several new men’s groups.  There is a great need for men to minister in China!  One primarily men’s group meet in a fifth floor walk-up apartment.  The very tiny living room also served as the kitchen.  Fourteen of us crowded into the dimly lit room.  John taught about listening with our hearts.  Then Rob led teaching of the men in the living room, while Karlene and Mary talked with a few women in a tiny bedroom. 

Esther and Mary looking at "Selfie"

Mary teaching a small group



These small intimate settings and the one-on-one Divine appointments are some of my favorite work in China.  It is during these sessions that I most feel the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit.  Our efforts in China require much prayer and dependence on God.  It is His agenda that we follow and His plan we strive to accomplish. 

   

John teaching Easter Sunday service

One of my most memorable mornings ever in China was attending Easter Sunday service in a house church in Beijing.  To make it perfect, John preached the excellent sermon.  He began by sharing a beautiful and emotional story that illustrated the incredible love our Lord Jesus has for each of us.  Enough love that Jesus chose to die an excruciating and humiliating death to wash us pure enough to become precious adopted children of the Almighty God. 

EFCC team with China friends

Thank each of you who supported us through your prayers and/or financial donations.  We truly appreciate  your contributions and know that we could not do this work without your help!  Bless you!

 

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory now and forever!  Amen ... 2 Peter 2:18



Mary for the Team 

Leaving in Just 36 Hours!

The training is finished and so is the packing, almost.  We are excited and ready to go to Beijing in just 36 hours!

Last week Linda Martin and Barbara Pillsbury from the November mission came to our last training session.  They helped tie bows on gifts and listened/critiqued one of the talks.  Most importantly, they prayed with us and for us.  Thank you precious China Dolls for your continued support of Connecting with China mission work!

Barbara Vandergriff knit some gorgeous scarves for us to take as gifts for our dear sisters in China.  The wonderful KnitWits in Texas sent us a box of beautiful knit hats and shawls in bright spring colors to add to our gifts for China.  Thank you all you dear knitters who continue to serve our Lord in China!



Thank you prayer and financial supporters!  We cannot do this ministry work in China without you on our team!   

Please pray for us:

• Safe flights from San Diego to Beijing (20 hours with layovers)
• God's grace for effective and wise teaching and mentoring with our Chinese sisters and brothers.
• Stamina to maintain our busy schedule
• Many fruitful Divine appointments

Mary Waring for the Team

Beautiful Bible Covers



Barbra Pillsbury



Maria Richmond

Every mission departure date seems to sneak up on us.  After training for four months, you would think we would be prepared to leave, and we are.  At the beginning of training, it felt like departure was eons away, and here it is just days away and excited anticipation is building!

 

For the last two Thursdays, sweet Barbara Pillsbury and Maria Richmond have come to my house to help make beautiful Bible covers to take as gifts to our wonderful Chinese sisters and brothers.  The Bible covers that Barbara and Maria designed and made for our November China mission were very popular!  During the last two weeks we made over 80 covers!  Some of these covers will be saved to take on our June mission to Shenyang and Beijing. 

Made with love and prayer

The last training before departure will be next Tuesday.  Linda Martin and Barbara Pillsbury from the November team will join the April team on Tuesday to pray with us, critique some of our talks, and help sort and tie ribbon on the gifts we will be taking.  What a wonderful blessing these busy friends are!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:10

Thank you for your faithful prayer support.  Please pray with us for the following:

• Our visas will be returned very soon.
• Last minute details will go smoothly.
• God will provide many fruitful Divine appointments for us
• Our sisters and brothers in Beijing will be blessed by our visit

 

Mary Waring for the Team

Official Team Photos

Karlene and Rob Campbell

Rob and Karlene have been married for 22 years and

have four delightfully rambunctious boys.

This is the Campbell's first trip to China.





John and Mary Waring

The Warings have been married for 43 years and have
two grown children.  They have made many trips
to China during the past 20 years for business including 
seven Connecting with China mission trips since 2010. 





 

 

Three Weeks to Departure!

John Waring and Rob Campbell

We are deep into training and concentrating particularly on our talks.  None of this team are professional speakers except John, so presenting talks can be one of the most challenging aspects of the mission.

Karlene Campbell

Karlene and Rob have been a joy to work with.  It has been especially fun getting to know them better.  They have very busy lives with full time jobs and two boys still at home, but they are joyfully determined to serve our Lord in China.

It is just three weeks to departure and there is still much to do.  We always take gifts to China and are trying to get some collected.  Dear Barbara Pillsbury and I will work on making Bible covers.  The ones she and Marina made for the November team were gorgeous and very popular with our Chinese sisters and brothers. 

Not all of our support has been raised yet and funds need to be sent to Beijing soon.  However, we are confident that our faithful and loving Father will provide for our needs.  Thank you those who have so generously encouraged us through your faithful prayer support and/or financially!  We could not make this trip without you!

Thank you, dear friends, for your faithful prayer support.  Would you please join us in praying for the following:

·      The Team will give confident professional presentation of our talks.

·      The teaching content will be what God wants us to communicate.

·      That all team members will remain healthy.

 

Mary Waring for the Team

A Little About China

We are getting closer and closer to our departure and I am getting more and more anxious.  As of today we only have 5 weeks until we leave.  My Goodness!  Time is moving So quickly! Our flights have been confirmed, paid for and we are still deep in training and learning about the China Culture.  Thought I’d share some of our training with you again as we are all on this journey together –

 

·       China is an Authoritarian Culture:  Every Chinese government since Emperor Qin conceived of its role in a very hierarchical, heavy handed, top down way. Mao’s Communist Government sought to win more favor with the peasants, but with a similar authoritarian style. The swaying between caring for the masses and controlling them is a bitter-sweet reality that the populace must, and usually does accept.

 

·       The Chinese stress conformity:  This training begins at home and is firmly established in the school system. Children are under a great cultural weight to learn what they should do.

 

·       A longing for National Restoration: The Chinese have an unusually strong racial identity “We Chinese” and commitment to the motherland drives a deep-seated desire.  Most Chinese just want their people and their country to be respected.

 

·       A Longing for improved chances and personal issues: Hard work is the norm. It is doubtful if anyone in China can make it to the top by sheer hard work and inspiration. Some are willing to take even questionable risks to not let a promising opportunity go by. Whatever they pursue, most Chinese believe they need the power that money, position or opportunity gives to finally attain peace. At the deepest level the Chinese soul, like everyone’s, longs for rest and peacefulness to quench the gnawing meaninglessness and emptiness of the material world.

 

I find it interesting and quite fascinating how diverse and yet how similar we all are. We all have the same wishes for peace and quietness in our souls; a longing to belong to something bigger than ourselves, and a deep desire to connect with one another.  I love the way the Message Bible reads John 15:13-15 “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.” 

 

Karlene Campbell for the Team