China update

Since our water was shut off last Saturday night we’ve actually received a significant
amount of rain. Tuesday night at 7:00pm it began to pour down on us and didn’t stop
until later Wednesday evening. My umbrella turns inside out more times than not,
catching the water until is starts to leak through. I am grateful for water in all forms!
The rain has stopped, the plumbing has been repaired (as of this afternoon!), and the
living water is continuing to be poured out too!
Today we did some shopping as a team. It wasn’t a typical shopping trip to buy groceries
or candy to give to our students. Nope, this one was illegal! Our trip this afternoon was
in search of Bibles. We were able to find twelve of them with the help of a couple girls
who had come to our gathering last week. After last week’s meeting there were a number
of students who said they would like a copy of God’s word, so we are very excited to
have this opportunity before us. We will be giving them to our students this weekend
as many of them are leaving for home over the next month during summer vacation.
Yes, summer vacation. It’s already here, our time is coming to a close, and I keep
thinking about how amazing it has been. Today after my students gave their final
speeches, as this was their oral exam, I had a little speech of my own. I have seen them
overflowing with generosity and love to the point that I think it will change how I live
for the rest of my life. The few students who have part-time jobs make about $0.74 an
hour. Upon my prompting, a girl told me today that the reason she is working during
her summer break is to buy her dad a wallet for his birthday. This sacrificial love is
undeniably admirable but even more it humbles me. Too much of my focus is on myself
and not on others. Today my Korean neighbor bought me a coffee when he saw me at
dinner. One of Brandon’s students bought all six of us treats at the market, and I’ve
never met her.
It may be easier to sacrifice for someone you love, but for a guest or a stranger? If
I say I love Him who I cannot see, I must love my brother who I can see. I’ve been
contemplating the meaning of the passage in Matthew 26:6-10. This is the story of
the woman who poured her expensive perfume on Jesus so that she could worship
Him. How much do I save so that I can sacrifice for the Lord and His purposes? Our
students have been incredibly gracious to us. It has truly been a joy to serve here this
summer and help them improve their English. In our next week on campus we’ll be
doing some more one-on-one time with the students remaining in the area and we pray
that lives will still be changed as the Holy Spirit opens their eyes and fills their hearts.