Early Christmas

It has been an interesting past couple of days. Jodi's mom, Mrs. Poon, came to visit on Thursday. She comes to China sometimes for business so she stopped by Nanchang for less than 24 hours. She brought me a package lovingly put together by my own mother, which mostly included a few books and a couple of American snacks! It was seriously like Christmas.

Mrs. Poon also cut my hair, because she is a professional hair stylist. It was pretty fun. (See the pictures). We also went out to eat lunch with her and several of Jodi's and my best Chinese friends. (See pictures again). I couldn't be happier eating and walking and talking and laughing with our friends. They are just so accepting and warm. Most of them are also sisters, so they encourage me in my walk with Him.

On the 20 minute ride to new campus Thursday morning, I saw police officers lining the road. I was really confused to see all of these officers standing guard very seriously and talking on their walkie talkies. Later I found out it was just a crackdown on the illegal breakfast stands that usually set up shop in the mornings along the street. Most of my students didn't eat any breakfast that day. However, the police were gone Friday morning, and all the breakfast students were back in their places serving steaming bread or dumplings.

Then an 18 year-old economics major at our university in "Dorm 12" died from H1N1 on Tuesday. She is the first reported casualty of swine flu in this entire province. (There have probably been more deaths, but they haven't been reported. Officials get in trouble if the outbreaks occur in their "territory.") She apparently got pretty sick last week and only went to the campus clinic to get some medicine. The medicine, which was probably some herbs, didn't do anything. She got progressively worse, and died on the way to the city hospital. She was diagnosed with H1N1 after she had died. I only found this out by students and vague news reports. Nobody higher-up will say anything about it.

However, today the Foreign Affairs Office gave us masks to wear when we are outside and a glass thermometer in case we have a fever. They told us to stay very warm, and to avoid public transportation - all of which is virtually impossible. :)

Then one of my students, Will Lee, wasn't in class on Thursday. His classmates said that "something was wrong at his house." I asked one of his close friends what happened. Apparently Will Lee's 45 year-old mother died last night of a heart attack. It just broke my heart, because he's such a positive, upbeat boy and he's always so respectful. Please remember to think of him!

Many of our students have also had to go to the hospital because of high fevers and H1N1 symptoms. Please also think of them, because they don't have adequate clothing, no heat, and not enough money. Some of them won't seek help, because they don't have any money to spare. (It's probably only a few dollars to go to the doctor's).

I don't mean to be a Johnny Raincloud! He is incredibly good and loving, although it is difficult to understand why these things happen, especially in the lives of my sweet, innocent students. Thanks for letting me share!