The People

I have to start with a story of something that just happened. Every night when I come to the lobby lounge to write the same girl waits on me. I have ordered desserts, soft drinks, odd Chinese tea, and water. She always is so gracious and happy to see me.  She speaks English well and is very proud, but wants to learn more so she can get better.  She is studying in the University to be a travel agent, but she wants to do that in a foreign country.  So she says, "Excruse me, I want to ask you a question. If I want to learn better to speak Engrish how can I do that?"  I don't write it that way to make fun of her, but to give you an understanding of how it went.  It was like I was some great philosopher and she was hanging on my every word....and I really didn't have any advice for her other than to practice.  I wanted to say "I will teach you."  But can't happen in the next 16 hours....she was so thankful for me taking the time to speak with her.

I don't know if I have mentioned this, but the people here are so endearing.  All so kind and willing to help. And so curious when they see us walking around.  There are some who aren't so endearing like the young guy who tried to mess with my wife, the foreigner, when we were walking through a store this evening....he didn't see me with her at first, he got the death stare and backed down.  And, as we walked away, two or three more stares to make sure he knew to stay where he was. I'm sure he could have broken me in two with his kung fu grip, but I get off the point.

Being that Nanchang is a "smaller" city of 4 million, there are few Americans around.  When Nicole and I walked to a restaurant and back this evening we saw only Chinese people.  It was at least a 10 minute walk, one way. There are very few that we see in our hotel also. So, needless to say, we are way in the minority.  The only person that I have seen who came close to my height was the manager at the KFC.  So, I also stick out like a sore thumb. Having said that, they don't make you feel uncomfortable or out of place. I watched carefully as we walked around this afternoon, but no one seemed the least bit threatening towards us.

My favorite here is Mary, a small lady who is our adoption coordinator in this city and our local guide.  For the DCA people, she is like Mrs. Moss in hyper-drive...100 miles an hour all the time and always wanting to help and she absolutely, without fail, gets the job done....and does so with a great deal of grace.  I love it when she starts talking Chinese to people when we want or need something.  If there is something that we want or need, it's done before we finish ours sentence.  She takes a great deal of pride in the job that she does, but also has a sincerity of heart that sends the message that she really does want to help.  She has two children, one an 18 year old son who is on Winter Break from the University.  I asked if she was glad he is home and she said, "No, he only sleep and play computer games and when he is home I have to cook breakfast 3 times.  I want him to go back."

That reminds me of something else.  The school day in China is very odd.  Elementary students go to school from 8-3:40....with a TWO HOUR break for lunch....12-2.  Upper school students go from 8-5:30 and get the same break.  When we told Mary that students at our school had 25 minutes for lunch she said "How they eat?"  Mary is also very mothering.  When we take the babies out and she doesn't think we have enough clothes on them because it is cold or something like that, she says "I think maybe you should...." She doesn't know it, but she has been an absolute gift from God in this process.  We have worried about NOTHING.  She has taken us everywhere we need to go,and want to go, and has organized the whole process.  Yesterday evening at about 7:00 she shows up in our room with all the copies of our important paperwork here and tomorrow she will show up with the passports for our babies. A great example of someone who loves her job and takes a great deal of pride in doing it well.

Today, we got a nice taste of the city culture.  Nanchang is known as the Porcelain capital of China...some say the world. So we went to a porcelain shop.  I know I run the risk of completely losing my man card when I say this, but we bought this really cute porcelain tea set for Bo's room.  I envisioned myself playing dress up and drinking tea some day...oh my.  She helped us negotiate our prices with the owner of the store and did so very well.

The next experience was great.  We went to the People's Park.  It reminded me of like a Central Park.  A very large green area in the middle of the city.  This place had it all; scenery, fishing, gym sets for the kids, (these two Chinese dudes just walked up to the table I am sitting at, laughed, and took two of the chairs sitting at my table, so many odd things), a place where people gathered to play MahJong, a small theme park...it was really neat.  Best part was watching all the people.  There was one guy standing in the middle of the park doing this Karate Kid dance thing and this lady that walked next to us, pointed at her mouth without any upper teeth, laughed, and started saying things I didn't understand so I started talking to her about the movie "Hoosiers."  I had no idea what she was saying and she had no idea who Jimmy Chitwood was, so we were at an impasse and she just left.  Dozens of people came up and looked at our babies.  They went on and on and we did not understand much at all.  Our guide spoke with many of them and we asked what they were saying.  One man was troubled because he thought that Bo did not have enough clothes for such a cold day.  But most told Mary that they thought the girls were lucky to be adopted by us....I know I have said this before, but we are the ones who are lucky to have a God that would bless us so!  I am posting pictures of some of what we saw at the park. (and a few pictures of Bo!) O yeah, and at the entrance to the park was a sugar cane stand...not a hot dog stand, but a sugar cane stand.  There was a woman who was chopping the cane and peeling the outer layer and selling it for people to chew on.  A pic should be included.

There was another little boy with split-bottom pants on.  He was probably close to two, maybe a little older.  When he walked or ran, you could see his little rear end.  Mary saw our reaction and she said, "All babies in China have these pants."  It's how they potty train. 

I had a great time today watching people...getting a little taste of how others live and relax.  In the end, we are all the same...longing for relationship.  Whether you are in Nanchang playing MahJong with your friends or in Nashville heading to a football game with friends, it's more about who you are with than what you are doing.  The people of China feel comfortable, at peace when they are with others, enjoying relationship just like we do....and that's because just like us, that is exactly what they have been created to do; to live in relationship with others. But, like us, many times we miss the end purpose of all relationship.

Tomorrow we leave Nanchang and arrive in another very large city...Guangzhou.  First plane trip for Bo, should be interesting.  But everything to this point has been easy, we are ready for something that might be difficult.  Good thing, it is a short flight!

God, thank you for our friends and family...thank you for new friends and allow us to boldly share the story of your work in our lives.  I'm not even exactly sure what to pray, but I pray for the Chinese people.  So many of them...