The Joy of Friendship, Part Two

October 1st is National Day in China.  It is like their 4th of July, celebrating the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.  The holiday is celebrated with a Golden Week and as a result we had 7 days off.  I took a trip to visit my friends the Kellers in Xi'an, where they are raising their 2 kids and teaching.

Thailand January 2014

I know Mike and Amanda from Minnesota and they were instrumental in the Father's plan for me to teach in China.  My first visit to China was with the Kellers in January 2013, and now it is fun to connect with them every semester as a resident here.  They both have the gift of hospitality and desire to serve others, which makes it fun to visit them in whichever city they live.  They are good at inviting people into their life and at making people feel welcome.  They have many circles of friends that when mixed together feels like one big family.  Their encouragement, love, wisdom and sense of adventure is a continual blessing to me.  It is always a joy to spend time with them and their family.

Shaunda, SJ, Janice, Amanda

Mike and J

The Kellers had a full house during the holiday as our mutual friends Janice and Shaunda were also visiting.  I met Janice in Changchun in January 2013 on my trip with the Kellers, and I met Shaunda in Beijing in August 2013 during teacher training.  It was fun to hang out with this crew during the holiday; sharing stories, laughing, sharing meals, being entertained by the kids, exploring the city and just relaxing.  I love how the Father puts the exact people you need in your life at just the right time.  I also love how He grows, strengthens, maintains and sustains friendships across the miles.

We were brave (or crazy) enough to join the holiday crowds in the heart of the city.

We were excited to walk through the Muslim Quarter to shop and take pictures of the street life.

 

Photo Credit Janice Edge

Visiting a like-minded friend that paints scrolls and fans.

Yángròu pàomó = flatbread soaked
in lamb soup = lunch!

With orange soda made in Xi'an!

After lunch we walked around Dàyàn Tǎ, the Wild Goose Pagoda.

The norm when walking around with
cute foreign children!

 

Another highlight of the trip was driving an hour outside of the city to see the Nestorian Daqin Pagoda.  It was built in the 7th century by Syrian Christians who traveled to China on the Silk Road and settled in the mountains outside of Xi'an.  It was fascinating to learn the history of the Pagoda and amazing to stand on the Holy Ground.

 

We topped off our holiday weekend with dinner at Peter's Tex Mex Restaurant with friends.  Legit Mexican food!  Food and fellowship, so good for the soul!

The Joy of Friendship

Hannah is a fellow teacher in a city about 300 miles south of Hohhot.  We trained together 2 summers ago, and she is also in her second year of teaching.  As valuable as it has been for me to be placed on a team of people with a lot of experience teaching and living in China, it is a great blessing to have a friend that is in the same stage of the journey as me.  We have been able to share teaching stories, culture stories and language stories, as well as family, friends and our walk with the Father.  I had the opportunity to visit Hannah at her school last May.  It is always fun to see where a friend is living, to be able to visualize it and experience their daily life.  It was also fun to have Hannah visit Hohhot at the end of September for fellowship and some city exploration. Friendship with this sweet Sister provides laughter, encouragement, joy, comfort, adventure, prayer, and camaraderie.  Definitely a gift from the Father!

The Beauty of His Creation

Sunday, September 14 found part of our team taking a 2 hour van ride to explore the grasslands.  We had been told that the best time to visit the grasslands is in July and August, but with a former teacher in town visiting for the week and a desire to go, we asked our Foreign Affairs Office to arrange a ride for us. (Click on the pictures to view larger images.)

We were blessed with a beautiful day; sunny and clear.  A perfect fall day.  We headed east to the Huitengxile Grassland, or the "Yellow Flower Valley," named after the fields upon fields of sunflowers.  The sunflowers were no longer in full bloom, but we could imagine what they looked like just a month before.  We still had a great sense of awe when driving along the fields.

We also drove through the second largest wind farm in Asia.

One of the great benefits of visiting a tourist area in the off season is avoiding the crowds.  We paid a small fee and spent 2 hours hiking through the park.

  

 

 

For those counting at home, I am wearing 4 layers.
You know I love my layers.  The wind will get ya!

We found this lively crew adding new boardwalk to the trail.
It reminded me of my days working on the Superior Hiking
Trail in Duluth, Minneosta.

We found raspberry bushes!  We trusted the berries when we
saw the workers eating them like they were candy.  We limited
ourselves to only a few.  Delicious!

 

 

It was a joy to feel like I was hiking through the bluffs at a State Park along the St. Croix River in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

After our hike, we enjoyed a Mongolian meal for lunch at the restaurant and invited our driver to join us.  We also enjoyed the entertainment of the goats outside basking in the sun. (No goats were eaten during this adventure.)

This day and this outing was such a tremendous gift.  The Father knew I was missing the fall season back in the States, and He blessed me with more than I could have asked for.  He knows what we need and when we need it, and He is gracious to provide for us.