Love Languages

What is your love language?

I am sure that for many of you learning that my top love language is physical touch. My second is words of affirmation, so those of you who live so very far away and cannot give me a hug an email or facebook post would be a great way to show me that you are thinking of me. 

But really this blog post is not about how I can be loved. On Tuesday we talked with the women in the shelter about their love languages. We asked them to write down what kinds of things their parents or loved ones do or say to show them that they love them. After they shared those things we asked them what they wished each of those people would do to show them that they are loved. 

Then we took the love languages test. For those of you who don't know what the categories are they are: Physical touch, Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gifts, and Acts of Service. We talked about how even though we can be given love by others even in our own special love language and sometimes still feel UNLOVED.  We talked about the main reason for this is because we believe something about ourselves that is not true.

This led to an activity where we wrote down things or beliefs that were true and some that were untrue. After this we discussed that we have the choice to believe the lies or believe the truth. Then we gave each girl the option to crumple up her lie and throw it away. After receiving the pile of scrunched up lies we offered them back to each of them. Specifically saying-do you want it back?

Thankfully none did. :)

In the process of discussing love and our lies some shocking and heartbreaking things were revealed. I would ask that you would please keep these two beautiful women in your thoughts. 

One of them stated during our very first activity that no one has ever shown her real love. The other said the her lie was that she was ugly. Could you please petition on their behalf that first of all that the one who has never felt loved would be overwhelmed with love from her sisters as well as from her Heavenly Father and second that the lies of the enemy would flee from them both and that they would see themselves as beautiful daughters of the King? Thank you so very much.

Shine Update

Hi, I wanted to send out a quick update about Shine. So, we have started the second program of Shine here and have already had three sessions. The women we are doing this program with this time is the single women in the shelter. There are about 8 women and their children all living in our single mother shelter and even though they only have attended three sessions the impact has already been significant. 

Session One: You are Valuable.

We teach on value. Each one of us has intrinsic value. We talk about how 100 kuai is still worth 100 kuai if it is scrunched up and stomped on and thrown away.  We make the illustration that a valuable gift in a nice gift box is worth the same as the same gift in a paper bag.  What we look like or how we have been treated does not change our worth.  Then we talk about how valuable our hands are and that usually we take care of things we value. Then we proceed to give one another manicures. 

Session Two: You are One of a Kind.

We continue to teach on value.  Because there is no one like you, you are priceless. We use the illustration that the Mona Lisa was created by a master painter and that the original is so precious that there is not a price set on her. But that a copy is not worth the same amount.  Because we cannot be copied we also do not need to compare ourselves to others. We talk about how our face is the first thing people see about us and reflects our individuality. Just like we took care of our hands to show we value them so we should do the same for our face. Then we proceed to cleanse, honey mask, tone, and moisturize our faces.

Session Three: You have been Marvelously Made.

This is our last session focused on value. We do an activity where all the girls are blind folded and try to put body parts onto an outline of a woman. This shows them the importance of correctly put together person. How important each piece in its place is. Then we talk about healthy living. Exercise and Healthy eating. 

Now, most of this information is very simple and likely you and I don't need to be taught these things. But for these women it has changed them.  

*Thursday we had them rate on a scale of one to ten how valuable they felt today.  Then how they valued they felt last week.  The difference was quite drastic.  When asked why they valued themselves more today than last week the responses were: "after learning about how to wash my face and care for my skin I know I can value myself."  "before Shine, I didn't know that my value was important."  "I didn't want to be a part of Shine, but now my life is different."

Thank you for your thoughts for these women as well as for me, especially as I prepare for each session.  Your thoughts are fruitful and lives are changing.

Media about China

Hi everyone.  

I have been pretty busy here getting back into life after having my parents visit and attending a debriefing seminar regarding my first term here.

It was a full three weeks of wonderful encouragement, heart breaking stories, and the reminder that we are not alone in our walks and that pressing on under pressure is the next step.

So, this Wednesday I met with my fellow workers to discuss next steps in regards to the Shine program.  We have some tentative plans to have two more Shine programs before Christmas. At the same time I am going to be in the process of working through the WAIT Training material and figuring out what will work and what wont. 

Currently, I do not have a time line for having WAIT Training ready to take into the schools. But I know that I will have a time line soon.  I will post a new blog shortly regarding the video Eden is making to add to the WAIT Training piece. They are making a short video that I will share once I start the education program in Chinese classrooms.

During this limbo phase I have been reading and listening to some different articles about how difficult it is for non-Chinese people to work and live in China.  I wanted to share them with you.

The first article is titled: You'll Never Be Chinese, and is a beautifully articulated piece and really resonates in my heart.  The second is a NPR pod cast on Americans in China. It also talks of many things that hit home. I have never been asked to be on TV yet though. :)

I am plodding along here day by day. With one fourth of my mind thinking in Chinese.  I was woken by a text message from my teacher and felt really proud that before I was completely awake I had already composed a reply.  Baby Steps.

I am excited for my endeavor with and for Eden.  

 

Despite being Not Chinese I have high expectations of Educating young women with the Hope to impact them in such a way that they may have a Hope for their future.

Just look at these beautiful girls whom Father has gifted China with, time for them to recognize their worth, strength, and purpose!!

Please continue to petition for the women who actively do out reach on the streets, for their relationship with the pimps and mafia bosses.  As well as protection for their hearts and minds. For the girls who have bravely stepped out of their previous life and are making steps toward a better future.  For me and the women giving me cultural advice and translating material that we would be wise in each decision made and the words that need to be heard will be chosen.  For Hope to continue to bloom in each of our hearts daily.

Thank you, your gifts are held dearly.

Shine

Hi. I know I have been a bit AWAL.  I have been very busy here in China. I have been preparing to be involved in the first Shine program. Shine is an Australian based program that has at its core purpose to empower and encourage women to become  all who they are made to be.  You can read more about Shine here: http://myhillsong.com/shine/why-shine.

Every Tuesday since June 5th  for 8 weeks we have been running the Shine program with the girls at the shelter.  It is going really well. Last week was one of the first weeks where deep feelings began to come to the surface. This coming Tuesday I do the teaching. I am excited but a little nervous.  I will be teaching on the principle: We have the POWER of choice.

This is not a very complex theory, but for many of these girls the idea that they can make choices may perhaps be a new concept.  I hope that you will be Thinking of these girls as they embark on a life changing journey.

This summer I am attending several training seminars and one of them is called WAIT training. I will be learning how to train or teach moral sex education. The team implementing Shine is excited to take Shine and Wait training into the villages. More specifically one village.

Turns out that most of the pimps here know that this one village is notorious for "gullible and desperate to get out of the poor village" girls.  We intend to take our trafficking prevention program which includes Shine and Wait training straight into the heart of that village and hopefully change the young girls' lives.

Please be asking for the covering of the Spirit over this project and the women who are involved both in teaching and in learning. I know that this work is important. Both to these girls in this life and hopefully into the next.

Third Annual Yunnan Wai Guo Ren State Fair

 Here we go again. This year when we held the Third Annual Yunnan Wai Guo Ren State Fair it was very early because so many of the usual's are moving in June or July to other areas of the world. Some still were unable to make the event but, I do know that everyone who came had a very good time. When we went to the "fair grounds" we decided that we would try out an actual roller coaster. It was scary. But, the pictures are kinda amazing.  I have to say that I was really glad I bought the insurance for the roller coaster. It was completely frightening. It loop de looped three times and during one of them I am pretty sure I blacked out during one of the upside down parts. CRAZY!!!

 The gang attending the 2012 Yunnan Wai Guo Ren State Fair.

 sign language to sign 2012.

  wedding cake cotton candy. 

 Our gorgeous Ferris Wheel.

 Inside the Wheel.

 

 This is a picture of the other car.

Crazy ride time!!!

  sunglasses match her dress!!

 Roller Coaster Time!!!

 My Third Place Potato!!

My Second Place Cherry Tomatoes!!