Blogs Blocked in China!

I've just come back from a week in China and learned that the government has effectively blocked access to viewing or creating blogs! Wow. And I thought the country was really opening up! Guess not!

But that is the only bad news from an amazing week! It's been 3 years for me since I've been to the city where we lived from 1997-99. The first time I've been without my husband and children. I really missed them being there with me to remember all the wonderful experiences and places we discovered while we were there studying Chinese.

I not only was delighted to work all week on a recording project with local believers but they were reading translated copies of scripts I'd written! A first for me to have my background as Bible student, Missions Pastor's wife, Chinese Language student, and Dramatist all come together for an exciting Kingdom project.

I had sweet happy times at nearly every meal and overnights with two of the Chinese women who came to be like sisters to me in the two years I lived there. Neither really understand how much God loves them and I've still not the language ability to talk about such things on a deeper level. I have prayed so much for their salvation but until this week never with tears. They both have had some big changes in their lives this year which have introduced them to intimacy with loneliness. I had one morning to be alone for a couple hours, and listening to a song of Psalm 27 I wanted so badly for them to understand how true it is that He is our Stronghold...

I have to believe that for now, in His timing, it was enough that they saw this emotional side of me for the first time. I'm usually expressive, but never have wept in front of them. I admitted crying while praying for them. Then I felt I should just leave it at that. It is truly a season of silence for me. God keeps whispering to "shut up and watch how I work things out."

Besides the taping work and fun meals with these friends, I had a terrific time talking and sharing a bit of my testimony with a large high school English class.

I love China. Can't wait to go back again in December with the family.