Having a Moment

I am experiencing a real sense of accomplishment today. I just wound a bobbin on my grandmother's sewing machine. You have to understand, this is a huge accomplishment for me. In the 80's, when I was a secretary, I couldn't even load my own typewriter ribbon. So the fact that I could wind a bobbin on a 38 year old machine, makes me happy.

Today I sewed with this machine for the first time. I imagined my grandmother, Grace, sewing on this as a brand new machine. It must have been nice. Check out this keen 70's manual! I've even got the groovy sewing table in the picture. I loved my grandmother. We spent alot of time with her growing up. I am alot like her. I love birds and sewing and gardening and shoes! However, it was my paternal grandmother, Mabel, who loved the ugly shoes. And I love me some ugly shoes! Mabel worshipped God with some noise! She went to the Rock Church. So you know where I got the nose ring side of me!! I like knowing I have things in common with my grandmothers. But what I wish I knew is how we are alike on the inside. I wish they were alive so we could talk about God and heaven and our spiritual life.

All my life I have heard my dad say, "Grace was the sweetest woman I ever met." My mom got that part of her! But I got something. She must have loved nature like I do. I can tell that from the artwork she left behind. Grace died soon after I was married. At that time, I never imagined I would be a mom. I wish she knew my kids. I wish they knew her.

Mabel died when I was 13. She and I loved being together. But I didn't understand how we were spiritually connected. It wasn't til after we adopted PJ that my dad told me how Mabel loved China. He says she read everything Pearl Buck ever wrote about China. Buck is my favorite author! I guess my dad first told me all this when I started collecting hardback Pearl Buck novels. Dad also told me that Mabel wanted him to take her to China one day. My dad traveled to China 3 times a year for 15 years. But he started his work there five years after her death. Now my family is involved there through missions. And because of adoption, we are an American/Chinese family. She would really dig that.

Knowing the influence they have had on me makes me think about being a grandmother one day. I will talk about my life and my experiences to my grandkids, because understanding one's self through the past is important.

Did I say I like an adventure?

The very next day after posting that, I got an adventure! I took a taxi to Michelle's all by myself. This is an island and by China standards it is small. But she lives in the city and it's a good size. Now I had the directions typed out in Chinese with a phone number. But when the driver pulled to a stop, I did not recognize anything. Businesses were closed this early so large metal doors covered shops that I thought I would recognize. I motioned for the driver to call the number. I talked to Matt. But I couldn't read anything to describe where I was. I finally got out thinking I could figure it out. Now I wish I had taken a picture because this area consists of many high rise buildings that look the same. The above ground basement area has businesses. The door we usually go in is between these shops.

The more I walked the more confused I got. I saw a guy in uniform so I took my paper to him and pointed to the address. After about 15 minutes of him and another guy trying to talk to me in Chinese, he took me into a building that looked like the right one. He took me up to apartment 702 and basically said here you go. The door was open and an old man was sitting inside. The security guard didn't understand why I wouldn't go in. But I knew this wasn't Michelle's. I was trying to say this is not the right building and this young man was trying to say that it was. He was trying to call Matt for me. What I did not realize was that when he dialed the number, he entered one digit wrong. Finally I convinced him to take me back downstairs. I was thinking, "If I just sit down under the building, someone will realize I am not where I am supposed to be and come back for me." In the elevator, someone said Hello. I asked if he spoke English. He was able to tell me that the building I wanted was next door. What a relief! The young guard wouldn't leave me at this point. So when we finally arrived at Michelle's I asked her to thank him for his kindness. He wiped his brow, laughed and left.

My next task that morning was to walk Vera to preschool. Luckily this is one smart two and a half year old. She could direct me if I got confused. I took Michelle's cell phone just in case! There were no problems. I felt such a sense of accomplishment! By the end of the week, I knew my way around pretty good because each driver dropped me off at a different spot.

I will post some pictures of the tourist island too. It is very different than the city. We had alot of fun there.

Snow Peas for Breakfast

This is day 5 of our visit. I just couldn't eat snow peas or greens again this morning. Though I have enjoyed them thus far. :-) Because I am helping at Michelle's, I haven't had as much Chinese food as the rest of our team. So I am not complaining! Last night we had hot and spicy fried green beans. They were awesome.

Tonight we will be reunited with the half of our team who went up north. It's hard to believe the first week will be over tomorrow. I can't wait to hear their stories of how their week went. The team in the orphanage here, had a fabulous time helping in the classroom. I can't wait to get my turn next week!

Playing House

Not able to post on my travel blog. Want to tell you all about my first day in East Asia. My friend, Michelle, came home from the hospital yesterday with her new baby boy, Kai. So today I am helping at her apartment by washing dishes, doing laundry, etc. I sometimes think of living here. So today is like playing house. Luckily, Michelle is here to help me figure out things like the washing machine because it's all written in code. :)

Here is a view from their kitchen. I'm out here putting clothes in the washer! It is really fun to look out and see so many people busy about their daily chores. Some are washing dishes, some hanging out clothes to dry, and some are wondering why I am videoing them!

Michelle went with me to the market to get something to make for lunch. But this week I will take her little girl to preschool...by myself! I like an adventure! This is really fun. I feel grateful to the more than 30 folks who helped me get here. I love what my friends here have committed their lives to doing. They are the ones who make this thing happen. They are living the dream. Serving them is a big blessing!

The rest of our team is busy around town. They had orientation this morning, lunch at the Good Service Lady, and now they are sightseeing and learning about this beautiful city. Tonight we will go over our teaching plans for the week. And tomorrow they're in the classrooms!

I'm in East Asia

I'm sitting in an Asian airport eating xiao long boa and taking advantage of free wifi. Long layover. So tired. But so happy to be here. More later when there is more time.