There are so many things on my mind and just not enough time in the day to get it all down. Here are some thoughts I have managed to scribble down.
Different Things
-Kids refuse to let their butts touch the ground. They are professional squatters.
-Kids are deathly afraid of all bugs (boys included)
-Toilet paper is a luxury not found everywhere
-Its hard to get kids to think critically. The education system is just not set up that way.
-They will cheat off of one another and lie and think nothing there is nothing wrong with it. (I have a story of a hijacked moped that goes with this one)
-People will walk up and take pictures with me or of me w/o asking
-Truth is an abstract concept that doesn't just apply to the news
-We have had multiple sets of teachers from different schools not think twice about drinking and smoking before students
-If you are a child of a government worker, you've got it made because your parents can provide things money can't purchase. They are the most powerful people around, so to be their offspring pays.
Here is a link to more photos. Facebook seems to be the best vehicle by which to get lots of pictures out to those that want to see them.
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 1st- A day to be shoot photos and be shot
If you follow the link you will see what I mean. Click here
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Just Call Us The Three Amigos
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Authentic Christianity
During my time here I have met a number of brothers and sisters of the faith. Sharing stories and how they pursue God has really challenged and encouraged me to step my game up personally. These people live lives that are more simple than their American counterparts. They don't have the blessing of choosing from 12 versions of scripture or 30 denominations of Christianity. They LOVE and SEEK after God with all they have in them. They do not have a 5 step plan for sharing their faith. They live it out and share the Gospel to all willing to hear. Watching these guys really makes me think hard about all the wonderful bonus stuff we get as Christians in America and it begs me to ask the question, if all the Christian culture stuff actually helps me draw near to God or if it just makes me feel better as a follower. This place, these people have really encouraged me to look at things differently. I pray that this doesn't sound like I hate America, I'm simply starting to see the same God from a different angle and I never really realized there were other ways to be His.
James 4:8
Deut 13:4
James 4:8
Deut 13:4
Monday, June 28, 2010
Coffee
I have always watched "adults" drink coffee as their form of daily fuel and I never understood it, until now. I hate to admit that I have become one of those people that have their daily cup to get going in the morning. I must admit holding a mug while teaching makes me feel like a more legitimate teacher than when I am without it. I'm a dork, this I know.
Chacos, don't leave the country without them
Today's trip down the river went well, and it felt great when the splashing wars started. There were a few times when my boat was totally exposed to copious amounts of splashing; there was nothing we could do to really fight back, because of the way our boat was positioned. To be truthful, I enjoyed those moments most because it made me feel like when you're a little kid and someone bigger than you is tickling you, and there's no hope to stop them by any means and so all you can do is sit and enjoy it.
It never ceases to astound me the clothes and shoes these kids wear for sports events. Today for the rafting trip one of the teachers wore really cute high-heeled shoes! We warned her that they would get ruined but she claimed she didn't care. Again I must tell myself its not good, not bad, its just different.
The big update
The days of last week were a nightmare I could not wait to forget. The kids were terrible, and we were ghastly understaffed, unprepared, and overwhelmed. With all that being said this last weekend was every bit as good as the week was bad. If you scroll down to the pictures below you will see what I mean in regards to the fun.
Friday: Camp talent show, which was incredibly fun, interesting, and awkward. It was just another typical Chinese talent show. After the sun went down, some of the staff went up with other volunteers to the camp hill/mtn (Its more like Lutsen less like Breckenridge). It was such a blast riding to the top standing in the back of the camp truck holding onto the roll bar singing "Hotel California" with Nike my translator. The sentence sounds ridiculous to say aloud but that's China for ya. At the top we had a lovely bonfire under a full moon. Temp: 85F so it was nice and warm that night.
Saturday: We had the campers clean up the camp and then sent them home after breakfast. The rest of the day I was able to hang out with other volunteers and simply unwind from 12 days of literal Hell. 300 of the worst kids you've ever seen, most of them are the children of government workers so they the top of society out here in Inner Mongolia. That night we had Mongolia lamb which they slaughtered right before grilling. I'm pretty sure I will never have meat so fresh again. It was wonderful though. During dinner we sat down and watched cultural performances which were a joy to witness. Late that night, the crew stayed up and watched Legends of the Fall while following the Korean World Cup game on another laptop.
Sunday: Played ping pong with Jennifer and learned how to really play. I was foolish to play against a Chinese person. The boys and I figured out the schedule for the next week's camp. We really run things around here without the formal title. A new session of kids started at 4pm. This time we only have 50 kids. Sunday night the crew came up with a slapstick skit reviewing the camps rules. It was a wonderfully hilarious mix of English and Chinese also known as Chinglish. The group of campers is the polar opposite of last week, this was a HUGE answer to prayer considering the rest of my team is/has getting sick or losing their voice.
Quotes for the week
M 6-21 Just call me the Cilantro thief
T 6-22 Finding fellowship abroad
W 6-23 Today's word is Hypothermia. My translators wanted to know what it was called when you get to cold from rafting and your body can't warm itself up.
T 6-24 I tried flavored watermelon seeds. Delicious.
F 6-25 Talent show and Bonfire
S 6-26 Lambchop was killed out back, then grilled for your enjoyment! How does that make you feel? Great!
S 6-27 Comedy Sports meets China
Friday: Camp talent show, which was incredibly fun, interesting, and awkward. It was just another typical Chinese talent show. After the sun went down, some of the staff went up with other volunteers to the camp hill/mtn (Its more like Lutsen less like Breckenridge). It was such a blast riding to the top standing in the back of the camp truck holding onto the roll bar singing "Hotel California" with Nike my translator. The sentence sounds ridiculous to say aloud but that's China for ya. At the top we had a lovely bonfire under a full moon. Temp: 85F so it was nice and warm that night.
Saturday: We had the campers clean up the camp and then sent them home after breakfast. The rest of the day I was able to hang out with other volunteers and simply unwind from 12 days of literal Hell. 300 of the worst kids you've ever seen, most of them are the children of government workers so they the top of society out here in Inner Mongolia. That night we had Mongolia lamb which they slaughtered right before grilling. I'm pretty sure I will never have meat so fresh again. It was wonderful though. During dinner we sat down and watched cultural performances which were a joy to witness. Late that night, the crew stayed up and watched Legends of the Fall while following the Korean World Cup game on another laptop.
Sunday: Played ping pong with Jennifer and learned how to really play. I was foolish to play against a Chinese person. The boys and I figured out the schedule for the next week's camp. We really run things around here without the formal title. A new session of kids started at 4pm. This time we only have 50 kids. Sunday night the crew came up with a slapstick skit reviewing the camps rules. It was a wonderfully hilarious mix of English and Chinese also known as Chinglish. The group of campers is the polar opposite of last week, this was a HUGE answer to prayer considering the rest of my team is/has getting sick or losing their voice.
Quotes for the week
M 6-21 Just call me the Cilantro thief
T 6-22 Finding fellowship abroad
W 6-23 Today's word is Hypothermia. My translators wanted to know what it was called when you get to cold from rafting and your body can't warm itself up.
T 6-24 I tried flavored watermelon seeds. Delicious.
F 6-25 Talent show and Bonfire
S 6-26 Lambchop was killed out back, then grilled for your enjoyment! How does that make you feel? Great!
S 6-27 Comedy Sports meets China
Rafting
I'm going to be leading a boat rafting everyday this week. Due to the fact it's going to be well over 100 today, the splash wars to ensue will be very welcomed.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Settling in in Inner Mongolia
This is Jennifer. She will aid in keeping me sane for the next 3 weeks.
I love this, please read.
2 Timothy 2:3
The Christian is a self-sacrificing man as the solider must be. To protect his own country the solider must expose his own self; to serve his king he must be ready to lay down his life. Sure he is no Christian who never felt the spirit of self sacrifice. If live unto myself, I am living unto the flesh, and of the flesh I shall reap corruption. Only he who lives to his God, to Christ, to the truth, to the church and to the good old cause, only he is the man who can reckon himself at all to be a solider of Jesus Christ. A solider is a serving man. He does not follow his own pleasure; he is under law and rule; each hour of the day has its prescribed duty; he must be obedient to the word of another and not to his own will and whim. Such is the Christian. We serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Though no longer the slaves of man so as to dread his frown, we are servant of Christ who has loosed our bonds. The solider is often a suffering man. There are wounds, toils, and frequent lyings in the hospitals; there may be many ghastly cuts which let the soul out with the blood.
Such the Christian solider must be, ready to suffer, enduring hardness, not looking for pleasure of the worldly kind in this life, but counting it his pleasure to renounce his pleasure for Christ's sake. Once again the true solider is an ambitious man. He pants for honor and seeks for glory. On the field of strife he gathers his laurels, and amidst a thousand dangers he reaps renown. The Christian is fired by higher ambitions than earthly warriors ever knew. He sees a crown that can never fade; he loves a King who best of all is worthy to be served; he has a motive within him which moves him to the noblest deeds, a divine spirit impelling him to the most self-sacrificing actions. Thus you see the Christian is a solider, and it is one of the main things in the Christian life to 'earnestly contend for the faith' and to fight with valor against sin.
-Spurgeon
The Christian is a self-sacrificing man as the solider must be. To protect his own country the solider must expose his own self; to serve his king he must be ready to lay down his life. Sure he is no Christian who never felt the spirit of self sacrifice. If live unto myself, I am living unto the flesh, and of the flesh I shall reap corruption. Only he who lives to his God, to Christ, to the truth, to the church and to the good old cause, only he is the man who can reckon himself at all to be a solider of Jesus Christ. A solider is a serving man. He does not follow his own pleasure; he is under law and rule; each hour of the day has its prescribed duty; he must be obedient to the word of another and not to his own will and whim. Such is the Christian. We serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Though no longer the slaves of man so as to dread his frown, we are servant of Christ who has loosed our bonds. The solider is often a suffering man. There are wounds, toils, and frequent lyings in the hospitals; there may be many ghastly cuts which let the soul out with the blood.
Such the Christian solider must be, ready to suffer, enduring hardness, not looking for pleasure of the worldly kind in this life, but counting it his pleasure to renounce his pleasure for Christ's sake. Once again the true solider is an ambitious man. He pants for honor and seeks for glory. On the field of strife he gathers his laurels, and amidst a thousand dangers he reaps renown. The Christian is fired by higher ambitions than earthly warriors ever knew. He sees a crown that can never fade; he loves a King who best of all is worthy to be served; he has a motive within him which moves him to the noblest deeds, a divine spirit impelling him to the most self-sacrificing actions. Thus you see the Christian is a solider, and it is one of the main things in the Christian life to 'earnestly contend for the faith' and to fight with valor against sin.
-Spurgeon
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