Soldiers and Snowstorms

Contrary to the title of this post, the weather has been rather pleasant lately. Although Nanchang is famous for not having a spring, it sure has felt like spring for the past few days. It has been raining off and on for a good 3 weeks, although it seems to let up every Friday, just in time for playing frisbee.

Yesterday, I ate my usual Friday lunch with my friend Reborn. We ate noodles in the small "minority nationalities" (i.e. Muslim) canteen. I was a little disappointed not to see any exotic minority nationalities. On television and in the newspapers in China, all the minority nationalities are shown wearing extremely flashy costumes, covered in fur/sparkles/feathers. Everyone looked very normal in the cafeteria. Only the workers wore little white hats indicating that they were Muslim. And it took them approximately 3 minutes to notice that I was sitting in their canteen. About 10 of them stopped cleaning the tables they were cleaning, stretching out the uncooked noodles they were stretching, and scooping rice they were scooping. All motion ceased and they stopped to stare. "Finally," they were probably thinking, "a minority has come to our canteen."

Anyways, after lunch, Reborn and I wandered around new campus, which is totally opposite from old campus (where I live). There is actually a lot of greenery. We sat by the small lake and pagoda under the most beautiful tree, which was busting with pale pink flowers that looked like tissue paper. It smelled and looked like heaven.

New campus was actually just farmland a few years ago. Now the area surrounding it is turning into China's version of the suburbs. There are wide, open roads, and there is a frenzy of building activity as new projects and middle-class apartment high rises are being thrown up. They are even building a gigantic stadium nearby to host some sports event. Some of the huge lake in the area has been drained as they prepare to build a bridge to cut the drive around the lake from maybe 30 seconds to 15 seconds... It is a little overwhelming.

And finally we have arrived on the topic of soldiers and snowstorms. Jodi, Rachel, and I had the privilege to help my old students (Jodi's current students) rehearse an English drama that they will perform in a city-wide competition. I'm glad I had drama experience from high school (yes, I was in the Advanced Theater Ensemble). :) But, high school never had any dramas like these students'.

Chinese plays are primarily propaganda, which is not a bad word in China like it is in America. Usually plays or performances are based on one of five topics: 1.) The communist party 2.) Natural disasters and overcoming them 3.) The People's Liberation Army 4.) The previously mentioned minority nationalities who are so happy to be included in China 5.) Diligent students being good citizens. This particular drama fell in categories 2 and 3.

These dear students are great actors and actresses, especially because they performed with such heart-felt emotion. The drama was so... dramatic. The drama is supposedly based on the true story of a soldier who saved the life of a little girl during the 2008 "snow disaster" that caused chaos across China.

The soldier was visiting the girl's house. Only the little girl was home, but she let him in and gave him a drink of water. The the house collapsed under the weight of all the snow. The valiant soldier protected the girl and kept her alive while they waited to be rescued. The little girl's grandfather and mother went to the house and saw that it was destroyed. The grandfather died of grief right then. The mother collapsed and was carried away by a neighbor.

But, not to worry! All is not lost! The glorious People's Liberation Army appears on the scene and digs the girl and soldier out. The girl survives (thanks to the soldier), but the soldier unfortunately does not. However, no one ever tells the girl that he died. This whole story is called the "Lie of Love."

Then at the end, the whole cast comes out to sing "Edelweiss" with candles. Rachel was actually crying. I felt heartless. It was very sad, but I still have yet to shed my analytical, rational skin. Why does a 10 year old girl let a man into her house? Why are buildings built so poorly that they collapse under a foot of snow? Why don't they tell the girl that the soldier gave his life saving her? But I suppose it is China, and I will probably never understand these things.

I'm sorry I couldn't upload any videos from this heart-wrenching performance. They did a great job!


(My old students as the grandfather and little girl in their English drama).


(The People's Liberation Army saves the day).


(The soldiers and doctor find the little girl).

April Showers

April showers bring... flooded streets and soggy students. And they actually have brought beautiful flowers, which is a welcome reminder of the new life we have in Him, even if we are literally surrounded by trash and downpours.

Thanks especially for your thoughts of late! The Easter gathering on Monday went well--we ate together, colored Easter eggs, and watched The Passion. I had lunch today with one of the special students who came to the little party. It was cold, rainy, and windy, so we ate bowls of beef noodles from the canteen in the office. We had great conversations, although I was extremely tired. Of course, He always does incredible things when I'm at my weakest and tiredest.

We talked together about many things--especially how she wants something to believe in, since life is so empty. You can tell she is not satisfied with the status quo, even though she is at the top of her class. Her parents are from neighboring Jiangsu province. They are poor, and are farmers in the countryside. They are entirely uneducated. They live surrounded by squalor, especially as factories are taking over the farms, and destroying the environment.

At one point, I didn't know what else to talk about. I was hoping He would continue to provide us with meaningful conversation. So I asked her, "What do you want to talk about?" Without hesitating, she said, "The [Word]." I was amazed. The Father has really been moving in her heart, especially since the Easter lesson. I'm sure He has been moving in her heart long before that, but this is the first I've noticed. So we talked a little bit about that, and how I'm not anxious, because the Father has also provided for me throughout my life. I told her how He is living and true. Now she will be joining our study of the Word with other interested students on Sundays. Amazing!

That's all I know for now. Oh, yesterday was the 24th birthday of my old elementary school friend, Sara. She moved away from Kansas when we were both 12, but we have been faithfully writing letters to each other for the past 12 years. It hasn't mattered where in the world we are, or how much the post office has raised stamp prices. Happy birthday, Sara!


(Random patches of gorgeous spring flowers around the city).


(Spring washing).


(Some of our favorite neighborhood kids playing in a box).


(Coloring Easter eggs with our students and friends).

The tomb is empty!

Happy Easter/Tomb Sweeping Day! Easter this year falls on the same weekend as China's traditional holiday, "Qing Ming Jie," or "Tomb Sweeping Day." I sort of liken it to America's Memorial Day, expect it is a bit more somber. People pay their respects to ancestors, clean tombs, and burn paper money for their deceased relatives.

In stark contrast to Tomb Sweeping Day is Easter! We talked about the meaning of this holiday all class. Tomb Sweeping Day is all about death and grief, while Easter is also about tombs--but how the Son's tomb was empty! He is alive and gives us life! Death could not hold Him down...

One of the many activities we did was a drawing one, where I gave them the Easter story in parts. In groups they had to draw this amazing story. I gave them nice paper, crayons, and markers. They never got to use crayons and markers as they grew up, so I guess it's never too late for them to learn. I just like how I can give crayons to 20 year-olds and they get very excited.

There was one girl in particular who was really moved by the Easter lesson. I think His spirit must have been moving in her heart. Before the lesson, she and I talked about heaven and what we believe in. She matter-of-factly told me that He doesn't exist, and that there is no life after death.

However, in the middle of class during the Easter lesson, she piped up in her shy little voice. She rarely talks, and is a very rational person. She said, "Miss Laura, I changed my mind." I asked, "About what?" She said, "About [him]. I believe. I believe this!" So hopefully I'll be having lunch with her soon to talk more about it. Please keep her in your thoughts!

And out of 190 students, I have one who is a believer. She is also very shy, with poor English, but she was thrilled that we were talking about Easter. We talked about our Easter plans. She will go home to a house fellowship. She said that the government is against them, so they have to be very careful. But she is full of such joy.

This weekend Jodi and I are having an Easter party. We are having some interested students over to dye Easter egg, and talk more about Him. It should be great. Again, please think of these students!

Have a blessed Easter! He is risen!


(Students drawing the Easter story).


(Diligent students).


(Eating a Good Friday lunch today with my two fellow Xinjiang buddies).


(Buses are so crowded because of the holiday. It took Kelsey and me half an hour to get on a bus today).


(And lastly, here is a video of our bus ride today during holiday traffic. Make sure the volume is on).

Busting out of the box

(Baking tiny loaves of apple bread with my student).


(With our former teammate, Shannon, who visited us from America. Apparently it was white sweater day).


(Shannon and her cool moves).


(With Shannon and some of her family).

Happy Palm Sunday!

It is a warm, balmy Sunday afternoon. This is the first moment I've been able to sit and breath for a long time. It has been a very blessed, but long week and weekend! Classes, meeting with students, activities, and visitors from afar have defined my week. I guess that's how it should be! But I'm not sure where the month of March has gone.

I have also been speaking more Chinese than usual, which is also good but tiring. For example, I talked to a student in Chinese on the bus yesterday for an entire 30 minutes. I have finally reached a point where I can have basic conversations. Although they aren't anything too fantastic, it's much better than before.

The week was punctuated with strange little events or conversations. On Friday morning I was walking through the front gate of new campus when I saw a small crowd of people watching something going on. As I got closer, I heard the most awful, heart-wrenching wailing.

I slowly walked past three women collapsed in grief. One woman in her 40s sat sprawled on the sidewalk, clutching a large funeral picture of a boy wrapped in black ribbon. He was probably her son and had been a student at our university. A much older woman, perhaps the grandmother, was lying on her side on the dirty pavement, with the same picture propped against her. Yet another woman, maybe an aunt, also held a picture of the boy and sat on a ledge.

All three were screaming, crying, and shouting things in Chinese. I've never witnessed such intense mourning. My heart just ached at their seemingly bottomless sorrow and hopelessness. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end because of the shrill, desperate cries.

With a heavy heart, I climbed the five flights of stairs to our office. When I got upstairs I looked out the window to see them, and they had vanished! Later I heard that they were the relatives of a boy who had committed suicide in the lake at school last year. They were angry at the college and decided to come to campus themselves. A student told me that "of course, the police quickly took them away." Scenes like that are rare and potentially explosive in China. In addition to the school "losing face," such anger and unbridled emotion is apparently harmful to social harmony and stability.

Despite that scene weighing on me, I enjoyed great conversations with students and friends, such as one of my Chinese sisters. She is really blossoming into a courageous and spiritually strong person. In their required politics/propaganda class, the students must review the basic tenets of Marxism and the party line, etc. They are a bit weary of it, since they've been absorbing it since primary school, but some students, such as my friend, are ready to have their own perspectives and opinions.

Last week in class the teacher told the class how the people from a certain province and minority are killers and thieves and can't be trusted. The teacher will say points like that, but won't let them discuss it or share their opinion. However, my friend was upset about this, and stood up to respectfully refute the teacher's statement.

It isn't very common for Chinese students to question or contradict the teacher. The class of over 100 students went dead quiet as my friend said she disagreed and why. The teacher was a bit taken aback. Now my friend is worried about her grade in that class, because of what happened. But she said that she would feel worse if she hadn't seen anything. Now some students think she is crazy. Others think she is so brave, and some students have told me that.

As for me, I'm just in awe when people try to push the envelope just a bit, and are trying to climb out of the "box" one step at a time. It brings me hope that change is coming in China, and that He is changing hearts and minds through brothers and sisters who are pursuing truth, and not mediocrity.

China-American ties through my eyes

(Eating a fine American dinner with my friends on Sunday).

Thanks to Him, I'm finally starting to feel quite a bit better! Thanks also to you for your many thoughts! This past weekend was amazingly blessed with great studies of the Word and meals with students. I as starting to feel more like my chipper old self as I interact with my friends and students.

It's a fascinating time to be living in China as an outsider looking in. China is growing and developing at breakneck speed. Even in what the BBC calls "poor, inland" Jiangxi province (where we happen to live), life changes faster than you can blink. One day there is a street full of rickety old brick houses; the next day the street is rubble; the next month there are brand new concrete buildings. One day there is a farm on the outskirts of the city; the next day the farm is all plowed up; the next month there are 15 story apartment high-rises in its place.

It's also interesting to live in China when Americans make waves in the news here (about Google, defense weapons sales, currency appreciation etc). Do you want to know China's attitude toward America right now? It's "take the plank out of your own eye, before you criticize us." I try to avoid controversial statements on my blog, but America honestly isn't going to have any sway with China anymore. In fact, it is becoming the other way around. I respect and treasure America's freedoms and sense of justice. However, American leaders can't pretend that it can continue to lecture China. China holds much of America's economic future in its hands, especially with America's huge deficit (which just went $1 trillion deeper due to the new U.S. health care system). America literally owes China a ton of money, and it's fast losing its credibility and clout.

China and its people are losing patience, especially as it quickly develops into a world power that no one can ignore. Just because China is opening up and changing rapidly doesn't mean it will necessarily play by Western rules. In fact, it seems like they want to do the opposite. They are rightfully proud, and don't really want to head down the West's path. Whereas the key words in America tend to be "freedom," "openness," "individuality," and "rights," China functions quite well with its own key words of "harmony," "unity," and "stability."

So there's a little snapshot of how I view U.S.-China relations as a teacher in the middle of "poor, inland" China. Now I'm going to go search on Google, before it is permanently shut down here. :)

The fog is lifting

I realize that it's been a long while since I've written about anything. To be honest, I've been living in a foggy world, where I'm just trying to put one foot in front of the other. Making it to my classes is my biggest priority, and that's about all I'm able to accomplish. Some kind of virus is really hanging on to me, although I continue to feel better by the tiniest degree every day.

Oh, the weather has been gorgeous here lately! Although I haven't been able to exercise for the past week or so, it wouldn't really matter much. They have been refurbishing our old campus where we live for several months now. Everything has come under renovation, except for our apartments and the class buildings.

They are currently taking over the only possible place that we can get any form of exercise in our concrete jungle: the track. It is fenced off in a nice bright green fence now, and they are replacing the astro-turf by about an inch a day. At this rate it might be finished by summer.

Classes have been going well. This week my students created skits using new idioms we have learned, such as "eager beaver" and "pep talk." The majority of them were very creative, and you could understand most of their English.

On Friday I stayed in our office until 5 p.m., when I rode the teacher school bus back to old campus. As our bus was pulling out of the front gate, you could see a huge crowd gathering around a student who had been hit by a car. Glass was everywhere, as well as the student's shoes.

You could still see these items long after the crowds had cleared and the student had been taken away. Did that person survive? I don't know, but I'm hopeful! This is about the sixth or seventh body/injured person I've seen in the middle of the road since I've arrived in China, and it still makes me so incredibly sad.

Thanks for your thoughts! Studies and relationships are going well. Please think of my dear students' hearts!


(Hanging out with my friend and workers looking at us in curiosity).


(A lazy Saturday afternoon down on of our favorite back alleys).


(A nice little garden).


(A cute little puppy visiting us at lunchtime).

Blue eyes, why are you blue?

I'm feeling a little blue lately. I get so frustrated with my body in China. It's like it doesn't have an immune system. It comes into contact with one germ or virus and melts down. Or maybe my immune system still has to adjust to all these foreign germs.

Anyways, I have no clue what is wrong with me. I came down with a high fever and chills on Thursday night. I rested for most of Friday and the weekend. My fever is gone, but now I'm so exhausted. I feel like I got hit by a bus. I can barely lift my arms and legs to walk, let alone get to class. But somehow I've managed to get to classes... I've never felt so tired in my life. And I don't really feel any worse or better. Just the same. Oh, plus I have a headache and sore throat now. Your thoughts are always appreciated!

I taught my students the word "pep." I feel like I don't have an ounce of pep or energy. I don't mind being sick so much, but when it totally wipes you out for several plus days, I start to mind. I'm here to build relationships and teach engaging lessons. But I can barely make it to class, and can't bear to eat or talk very much. It's a little challenging...


(A little stuffed animal a student gave me. It makes me smile. It sort of looks like a germ. Maybe that's why I'm sick?)