Well, I have officially been to another country, and flown over many others. China was incredible. Unexplainably incredible. I believe we actually landed in Hong Kong October 2, went to Fanling and exchanged our money into Chinese and Hong Kong currency, and traveled by train from there into Mainland China. My first time crossing the border was very overwhelming. There were incredible amounts of paperwork-mostly health forms, which declared that we had not been in contact with anyone carrying or possessing the symptoms of swine flue. Now I feel like I could surely fill out the many forms in my sleep.
We spent our first night in Shenzhen, but left the next morning by train to worship with the Chinese Believers in Guangzhou. The Saturday before the Sunday meeting was spent touring around Guangzhou. We went through the street markets, into small shops, looked around in a hotel the was way expensive (also the same place where Chinese children are adopted), and went to a huge shopping type of plaza (pictured above) that was so crowded that I found myself walking under someone else's umbrella with them. And this was a slow day.
Worship with the Chinese was beautiful. They have this glow about them that could easily single them out in the crowds of millions. They are so passionate that even in light of persecution they will not stand down. One of the guys we saw frequently during our trip spoke a little english and was so excited and on fire that it was contagious. When he found out we were leaving Monday he began to get very excited and was bubbling over and said "We will all be together in Heaven . . . forever." Then, just before he left, he prayed for us in Mandarin--it was so special and unforgettable.
To back up a bit . . . my interesting experience on my second trip through the border:
I got very hot during our walk from the apartment to the train which, obviously, raised my temperature. I didn't cool of very much, even on the air conditioned train ride, on the way to the border. I passed customs leaving Hong Kong with ease and no problems, but on passing through the health checkpoint two Chinese women wearing masks (everyone who worked in the border and some citizens wore medical masks) stood up and pointed at me from behind the computer screen laden desk. One walked over to me, grabbed my passport, which was in my hand, and lead me back in the opposite direction from where we needed to go. She took me to a desk and wrote a note on a piece of paper and stuck it to my passport. The other medic at this desk began pulling a mask out and tried to communicate to me to put in on. Where did I go next? No where else but the hospital in the border! I was being quarantined! My dad tried to come with me, but they wouldn't allow it. Thankfully, he could still see me. They sat me in a chair, and stuck a thermometer under my arm and said "Five minutes." I sat and sat waiting and trying to figure out why in the world I was even there. Then I realized . . . because of how hot I had gotten outside they thought that I had a fever, and which automatically registered to them as swine flue. My poor dad, standing at the end of the hall not knowing what was happening. Then Ray, the guy who lead us every where, told him that he had never seen anything like this. I was in there worried that somehow they would conclude that I was sick and give me some unneeded shot that would make me sick for real. Finally they took the thermometer, but didn't say anything. They still had my passport, and were looking over some paperwork. I tried to ask one of them if I could go but he spoke basiclly no english and insinuated that I had to wait. They stamped an arrival card (Oh, don't forget I'm wearing a mask this whole time) with my temp and handed me my passport and told me to go.
From then on customs was the least of my worries. Looking back it was really a funny experience that I'm glad I had. I even still have my mask!
Being careful with my wording . . . we were 100% successful in transporting the items through the border. Over 1,100 were carried through. Praise the Lord!
China will forever be on my heart and often on my mind, and I hope that God has planned for me to go back.
