Latest from China

Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:39:23 -0800

Hello Hello!

My internet has been out, that is why you haven't seen me on Skype or received an email. Today is Monday, November 30. I haven't been sleeping well. I think I'm getting anxious on coming home on Dec. 21. It's coming soon. I'm excited to see everyone, eat American food again, and sleep on a mattress and no longer wooden planks.

Sunday was nice. I went to Suzhou International Fellowship (www.sif.com) and then to a home church that was conducted purely in Chinese. SIF was nice, large, non-denominational. Catered only to foreign passport holders. A gentleman in Ana's class picked up at the front gate along with his wife and their three kids. They were really kind to me. After SIF, they took me to this house church on the other side of town. It has been approved by the government, but is a bit more individual than the other 3-Self churches in Suzhou. It was a really interesting experience. The crowd was vastly different than that of the SIF congregation. They were the people from the villages, most were poor. The service was held in a small room, it was coldddd, but the room was PACKED. In fact, flowing out. We came late and sat in another room with about 15 other people and then another room was filled with chairs where people were also listening. I sat on the stairs. It was beautiful. The Chinese were quite vocal during prayer time. You could hear the emotion in their voices as they spoke to God. I wish you guys could've have been there to experience it. I'm not sure if I'll go back to the Chinese church, as it was hard to understand but I'm glad I went yesterday.

The people I was with on Sunday are quite the group of radicals. I both like it and dislike it actually. I like it because it always inspires me to be a better person, but on the other hand, I feel like I've let them down because I'm more complacent than they are. I've only got a few more weekends here in China, we'll see what God has got up his sleeve....

Hope you guys are well. Update me when you're able. I'm enjoying this verse for today:

"Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." -Colossians 3:12

Love, Sarah