China Beach

 Really there is nothing to say about these ocean photos, other than that they are gorgeous. 

 Vietnamese fresh spring rolls.

 Some other delicious Vietnamese dish.

This is the inside of a passion fruit.

Whatever this is, it was most delicious!!

Napkin anyone?

Pizza, yum.

Korean Barbeque.

May Newsletter Update

I want to let you all know that I have made a choice.

Eden Ministry has been asked to put together a moral relationship building program that includes awareness of how to avoid and prevent trafficking. I have agreed to work on this project. So, in May I attended some training in Vietnam.  I am doing well. Super busy. Thank you for your thoughts about all of this.

May Newsletter

March brought me back to China. When I landed in China in 2009 the goal was clear. Learn Chinese and then work with the Leprosy people. The plan has changed. Due to some very good things the leprosy project no longer need foreigners to help with the project. PTL!! Although this is a very goo thing for China and the project and the people it provides a bit of a complication for me.

    Genesis 12:1 says that when God told Abram to leave his home-his comfort-and follow God that God Himself would show Abram where to go. I read this and I understand the simplicity in it. God says go, Abram goes, God says stop and live here, Abram stops and lives there. Verse 7 of this chapter says that when Abram had arrived in Canaan God told him that He Himself would give that very land to Abram’s descendants. Cannot get much clearer can you? This Canaan land was where Abram’s children were to eventually call home.

    Ever wish you heard God this clearly? I do. I am frustrated that God doesn’t communicate with me the way He did with Abram. The task ahead of me is to figure out my purpose here. This seems to be a funny joke. I have no idea what my purpose is except to follow God and be obedient and I am not hearing so well these days. No burning bush, no leader telling which way to go, no plan, no design, no strategic vision, no freaking idea. I just want someone to tell me what to do and I am feeling sorry for myself that no one will.

    I have 7 opportunities on my plate to filter through. All of them are good choices and all would use my nursing skills as well as other gifts I have been given. So, I am asking Father to close doors to places I should not work. To open my eyes and heart to the opportunities that are right for me and to boldly step into those places when it has been made clear.

    Then I read verse 9 and 10 of chapter 12. Abram after being told that his children would be given Canaan instead of staying there he continues traveling and eventually because of a famine he goes to Egypt. 

    This new direction Abram takes confuses me. The place I am at confuses me.  Abram went where God took him even when it was away from the promised land. God has told me that I am to be His servant and at this time he has said it is to be in China. I do not understand how I will be used but I know that God’s ways do not always work out to our logical way of thinking. As I continually petition for direction and guidance, please hold on with me as I fumble and search for the next step.

Medical Records

So this week I had a discussion with my teacher about hospital registration numbers.

Turns out the logical system I am used to in the USA is not used here. I'm so funny. Anyway, the system that is used here is like the number system at the deli.

You know when there is a long line of people who want cheese and so they give everyone a number and that is when they can step up to the counter and get their cheese.

Everytime you go to the deli you get a different number. The lady behind the counter asks you the same question because she doesn't know you or what kind of cheese you like.

This happens at the hospital here. Because there are no doctor's offices everyone goes to either the hospital or the clinic. Every time they go to the hospital or clinic they see who ever is available-not likely to be the same doc as before. If you happened to ask the previous doc to give you his notes about your last visit and bring it with you to your current visit most likely no one will read it because no one trusts the records of the doc before them.

Imagine if you or your family member has a chronic illness in this system. Every visit the hospital will run the same tests and come to the same round a bout conclusions in the same untimely manner.

This sounds like a night mare.

Early Bird

The early bird gets the worm. In another language it sounds like this: Zao Qi De Niao You Chong Chi.

Or how about You reap what you sow: Yi Fen Xin Qin, Yi Fen Shou Huo.


The first saying is just the English saying translated into Chinese. The second saying is actually an English approximation of the Chinese saying. The word for word translation is 1 % hard work brings 1% harvest.


Both of these Chinese phrases are easy enough to understand.

But this phrase is the one I had trouble understanding. Yi Nian Zhi Ji Zai Yu Chun, Yi Tian Zhi Ji Zai Yu Chen. My teachers told me that the meaning is something like-the year is started right in the spring, a day is started right in the morning.

It took me about 3 hours to finally work my brain around it. It comes from the village and a farmer mentality. If you are lazy in the spring the rest of your year will be bad so you have to work hard in the spring and the rest of your year will be good.

I am not sure if I totally understand it-but it is more clear now.

One of my teachers says that all three phrases are similar but do not carry the exact meaning behind them. All of them deal with being lazy or hard working but each one is slightly different.