Suzhou
The beginning of the week I spent in Suzhou with my friend Rachel. We stayed with some of her friends from Taiwan, and had a wonderful time. We toured the city of gardens, pagodas, and more gardens. By the end we'd seen enough gardens and pagodas though - they get a bit redundant. It was beautiful especially at night, and so wonderful to just get away and relax.
One morning we went running (well I did and Rachel walked) around a nearby lake. It was so peaceful! It was a blesing getting to stay with the family there - and the view from the 26th floor apartment was incredible, especially with all the lights and fireworks! My favorite sky scraper was the one with a Tetris game on the side of it - the blocks were actually moving down like in the game! :)
I will have to say that the feeling of coming back to Shanghai, to the Zhangjian subway station, to the bus stop, to the LQ, and it being home, was incredible - like it is truly the place for me!
Here are some pictures of our trip - I added captions for the important ones. We had a wonderful time fellowshiping with others as well, and got to visit a body there. What a blessing to praise together despite language barriers! We still had the same object of our wrshp in common.
Encountered 2008- Inspired
I am just returning from our youth retreat, and am dead tired, but wanted to get some ideas on my blog while I'm still inspired! It was an amazing three days with the youth I got to hang with. Gd worked in so many amazing ways - it's hard to know where to start. I was not the same person who left Shanghai that returned.
We stayed at Silver Pearl Garden Hotel in Quinpu - about 1 1/2 hours out of Pudong - the nicest resort I've ever been to a youth retreat at! I had a two room suite to share with my 2 small group girls that came - Sydney and Carolyn. We had a bedroom, bathroom, and living room with couches. Oh, and we were in the older of the villas, too, so some where even nicer! :) It was definelty coosh!
I went with not many expectations - of how He'd work in my life - or in the youth's lives. He didn't dissapoint. I come back changed - my perspective of ministry, my purpose here in Shanghai, my confidence in the power of pryer, my idea of leaving a legacy behind. I went to the retreat feeling inadequate, that I didn't hav emuch to offer, and I didn't. But God worked through my pryrs and despite my failures, was able to use my prayers to break walls down around girls hearts, to draw others near to him. I was humbled that he choose to work through and in me. I came away with the confirmation that I am suposed to be here, that there is a place for me, and my talents within this mnstry and this country. How good it feels to be blessed of Gd!
Such a blessing this time was for me to get to know my two small group girls very well - they are such blessings to me, and I look forward to continuing to pour myself into them. The weekend truly broke me and broke away the walls of security I'd put up when I moved here - opened me up to be used of Gd - to be stretched and to focus on others. It was a great last message today as Alithia spoke on the legacy that we leave behind. I thought to what ministries and people and relationships I'd left behind in Oregon or California - and how my legacy truly needs to not be me but needs to be Christ. That is the legacy that I want to leave behind- aromas of Christ.
So I am inspired (the theme of the retreat) to get back into a week of school, to see my students tomorrow, to invest myself even more in the relationships I've developed and that Gd has provided here. I can't wait to see what he has in store... already he's given me passions for new opportunities that are arising, and for getting focused on life here.
