Mainland China

We’ve been crossing the Chinese boarder daily to work with the Church in China. It’s a lot of traveling and we get 4 stamps in our passport each day x4. It makes our passports look super cool, but only an actress would think that. Our work is slightly dangerous, so we are very focused.

We are in love with the food here and we walk soooo much that we just try everything. One of our favorites is this bowl of chicken and rice and the edges of the bowl are so hot that the rice gets cooked and crunchy around the edges…. and the sauce. AH! So, I may or may not turn into a total fatty on this trip. Haha, but for real.

The metro is so crowded in the morning, you can’t always make the first or second or third train and then the crowd control lady comes and yells at people in Chinese to move because you are literally that pathetic. May or may not have happened. The CUTEST CLOTHES IVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!!! Why aren’t our malls this cool?!!! Every time we walk by a store, I have to say out loud, “Christina, you are on a mission trip, not a shopping spree.” It’s been difficult. And it’s okay, unless you are a stylish person, I don’t expect you to understand.

Tomorrow, we begin our work with YWAM for the next couple weeks. We are excited to meet all the staff. We get to start the day with worship in the morning. Oh….. and one last thing. Our roof has this SUPER legit balcony where you can see the sparkle of the distant skyscrapers, the clay roofs of houses for miles, and the metro zooming somewhere else (every 3 mins).The view combined with clinking dishes, childrens’ laughter and dog barking somewhere near truly let the moment land. I’m in Hong Kong. A beautiful city with this beautiful night all to myself and there is something intimate about the moment, something deep that you will remember fondly. I know, I’m such a girl sometimes haha. 

 Here we are at the Schenzhen boarder in Mainland China! We are here to work with the church in China and we are so honored to be working with a people so devoted to their faith. They love God so much and it’s very encouraging. These people also have incredible faith. We are already attached.
 

 This is Dennis Balcome, a very influential missionary in China. He ministered to Kristine and I for over an hour. His stories were absolutely incredible. Lots of blind being healed, raising from the dead, people in wheelchairs walking. He has been here since 1969. We were so blessed to spend time learning the recent history of the Chinese church from a firsthand account.

 Also, there is a huge shopping center right by the Schenzhen Chinese boarder with lots of name brands, floors and floors of shops and people grabbing me to come inside. Because Kristine and I looked obviously western we got a lot of attention. We bartered for things and got them down to less than half the original asking price, which is what our HK contacts instructed. Of course this involved us “walking away” a couple times. So fun, but exhausting!!! Thank God we don’t have to barter for everything in the US. I’d be too overwhelmed to go to the mall.

 These are the toilets in China… um, yes. Very SCARY!!!

 This in Nuen Long, the city closest to us (we are staying in a suburb). Everyone is out and active in the evening and the weather is perfect- a warm breeze in the evening excitement. Lots of traffic, yelling, stands, beggars, signs, lights and it sounds like you’ve won the lottery every time the crosswalk bell goes off. Kristine and I already have “our” noodle place. SO good and spicy, they hand roll the noodles and it’s so cheap. I will be on the hunt for authentic Chinese noodles in LA!!!!

 The Nuen Long fruit and veggie and meat market, noisy, but has it’s own beauty. The beauty of everyday life, the simple things.

 

This is the fountain in Hung Hom, by the water in Kowloon. It’s where all the westerners come to stay. You can tell because from the starbucks window while sipping a gingerbread latte, I was convinced I

was in Manhattan for a second.

Our Chinese church friends gave us peanuts ( WAYYY better than the peanuts in the USA, we are getting jipped. Just sayin’. I am looking for Chinese peanut butter) and dragon fruit (stains like a pomegranate, but with the texture of a kiwi, you scoop it with a spoon), grapes and baby apples. This is our dinner J