The Asian Experience - The In-Between Day

Sorry!  I thought I sent this and just realized that I didn't!  This is the Thursday night and Friday morning update.  The one I just sent that is day 4/5 begins after this one!

What an exhausting day.  I will try to update you on the happenings, but may get things a bit blurry (just like my eyes at the moment).  At least the night before ended with a 1 hour massage.  I use the word "massage" loosely because it is more like a 1 hour torture session.  The really cool thing is that the environment is very festive.  There were 7 of us Maegorans (the Chinese word for Americans), and we all got to share a room.  The Chinese massage is a fully clothed event, so no issues with coed mingling.  There are 3 42" plasma TV's on the wall in this room where our 7 plush loungers are lined along one wall.  Each toruturer, err, I mean therapist comes in with a huge wooden barrel with water and spices to wash your feet.  The water is HOT, so my massage starts off with her boiling the skin off of my feet.  Then she lotions and spices my right foot and wraps it in a super heated towel and begins to BEAT THE FOOL out of my left foot.  For 20 minutes she pounds the mess out of my feet.  And now, 24 hours later, the arch of my left foot is so sore i cannot touch it!  She continues to massage my head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes, by rubbing, and then punching, and then slapping me.  It's amazing that I am still alive.  And yet, by the time the Grand Inquisitor is done with you, you feel refreshed.  It's pretty amazing.  And the best part if that the whole thing (including green tea) cost me 75 RMB, or right at $9.00 USD!  Absolutely amazing.

So, we get up this morning and head to the park as we have every day.  Our usual ti jienza group was there, so we jumped in.  Everyone that is traveling with me has improved at this sport.  I bought 12 or 13 of the shuttlecock to use with our kiddos when I get home.  As we parted ways with them after 45 minutes of playing, I asked where the lao sher (teacher) bought his traditional gae from and found out it was custom made by a local lady.  One of these folks spoke English, so he helped me find out how I could get a couple of outfits like his.  All of the people playing were sure she could make me some outfits, but that they would take extra material for me since I am fat!  They are very to the point here!  So, I made arrangements to meet my English speaking older friend, another friend, and the lady that makes the outfits back at the park at 2:00 that afternoon.  I handed out DVD's that have the story of hope, and brochures that share the story and we departed to go do some power walking at the campus.

After the park, Michael and Lindsey went to a local school to play with Chinese children.  They had a chance to play and speak with the kids.  Lindsey has some great pictures that I will insert once I get a few.  They had an incredible time.  Lindsey fell in love with one like pudgy boy named "Lewis."  Lindsey decided he as a chunky monkey and she just wanted to squeeze him to death!

We met back up for lunch, and then it was off to the park for my fitting.  While I was being fitted, the rest of the team made some appointments to have dinner with some of the University students.  I was very proud of them for heading off without me to do the things that needed done.  Dinner was filled with significant conversations as they showed the students how to make these beaded bracelets we have.   The beads help tell about Dad's plan for us, and his cost to help us overcome our birth condition.  From what they have told me, it was a good time, and the conversations were deeply impacting for a few.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of town, I was being told that the outfits would cost even more than they thought because of my girth.  I just love the Chinese bluntness.  My English speaking friend said he had the afternoon free, so I asked him to help me shop for Cayla.  He agreed, and we headed off into the city.  I must say at this point that I have really been excited about my ability to get around and take care of things while I've been here.  I was very worried about getting around, ordering food/buying things, but have done alright.  We've only needed to hand our cell phones to drivers a couple of times so our Chinese speaking friends could get us where we needed to be.

Anyway, as we shopped for Cayla, I shared about dad, and how His son has some wonderful things in store for us.  We talked for a bit about that, and about the son's teachings.  My friend said that he reads the book every day, and that he thinks that The Son is a great teacher, but that he just can't believe all of what he reads.  We camped on that issue for a bit, focusing on The Son as an honest man and good teacher.  If, then, he is an honest man and good teacher, then he must also be what he claims to be.  If he is not what he claims to be, then he is a liar and not a good teacher.  My friend agreed and said that he would think on this further.  We parted ways, and I headed off to finish shopping on my own and headed to the bank to exchange money for the rest of the trip.  I hope that he will think on that, and that he will find the truth.

Well, that's all for now.  I will post more later!
Peace,

Jase