Shway Bien= Chinese for "Go with the Flow"

   1) One thing about China, they are ALWAYS building. 

2) The second thing about China, they don’t know how to do so conveniently… I can sleep through the noise of construction taking place 50yds from my window in the morning (and sometimes at night).  But they haven’t figured out how to shut things off for just one building at a time… yesterday it was the water that was shut off, today they have shut off the electricity….

I don’t understand that part about this culture.  BUT…. I am so glad that the Lord has been stretching me because two weeks ago all of this would have been overwhelming.  I would have been so frustrated.  I would have been so irritated that I couldn’t shower, that I couldn’t email… but now I am glad that it was me and not someone else who couldn’t shower, that they all got to enjoy being clean.

I love how you can learn lessons from anything in life if you open your eyes to it. I see the kids and how bound by the immediate, the temporary, their wants and emotions they are… it is crazy to me.  If there is one thing I am learning this summer it is that there is more to life than this world.  I mean more than the food you eat, the clothes you where, where you sleep, your emotions, the internet, the water, and the electricity… life is so much more.  It is about being focused on God and His kingdom, being grateful for simply the fact that you are alive and are saved.

3)Another thing about China…. They don’t process food the same way we do.  I stumbled upon the perfect example of this (other than milk in a bag that you don’t refrigerate):

On our way out of the apartment there were these 2 guys BUTCHERING A LAMB IN THE PARKING LOT.  Seriously.  They were pulling the coat off it, the head was just laying there, and blood was dripping from its neck… 

SOOOOO not something you would even dream or imagine seeing in America.  

Yes… this is the place that I want to spend a portion of my life as crazy as that seems.  But man all the fresh fruits and veggies makes the slaughtered animals worth it… Although , I don’t think it is easy to get a steak in China.  BUT I did learn to make some delicious beef kabobs the other day!

Traveling opens one's eyes to many things. China is not America by any stretch of the imagination.  Though I am American I would not be the person I am without China, what I have experienced here, and the things I hope to do here.  

Update on the prayer requests front:

1.       Safety while a group of 6 of us travel this weekend to see the Terracotta soldiers.  (I get to ride my first sleeping train!)
2.       That God would give me a mind to learn like He did Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. That I would soak up the culture and language like a sponge, learning and improving every day
3. Pray for this family as there is a lot of transition going on for them right now.  Claim grace and guidance in the midst of it.
4. This city is primarily Muslim… there are mosques everywhere in this region, and they just keep building more.
•         In John 1 we are told that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can’t consume it.  Pray that the light that is here would shine brighter and brighter.
•         Pray for the fellowships of believers who are here to be discipled, be bold, and that God would add to their number as He did in Acts.
•         Pray for the workers who are in the harvest field here, and pray for more to be raised up and come.
5. Pray for my focus to be God and glorifying Him in all I do. I may not be able to preach the Good News, but just my smile, the way I serve would bring glory to Him here. Here are some specific things:
•          Servant’s heart
•          Fruit of the Spirit
•          Humility
•          Burden for prayer
•          Eyes to see Him all around me
6. For all the seeds that are being sown by those here short term and long term.

Some of the things on this list were repeats, some of the things weren’t, and some things from the old list (see June 3^rd) weren’t on here.  So anytime I post prayer requests look at it like interest… the old is all there and there are new things that have been added to it. 

Thank you for all your support, and faithfulness in praying for me and reading about my adventures. 

Ps… in case you haven’t noticed I try to make everyday an adventure.

Over and out,
Devra