I've arrived to my new home!!

"Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown."

-Author unknown, excerpt from The Shack

I have arrived in China safe and sound. Thank you for all your thoughts and pr-yers for my safe travels and arrival. I flew into Hong Kong last week, July 7th and had the pleasure to spend a week in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province, before coming to Kunming, Yunnan Province, which will be my new home. I had all the travel jitters of new smells, new tastes, new sights and new people. I love that part about traveling, the unexpected pleasures of life that present themselves in a completely different light. By seeing things in a new and different light, sometimes I feel like a new born baby, just entering the world with big eyes and a big smile.

I was in Jiangmen to get our English Teaching project started and on its way. CWEF had 7 volunteers come from to U.S. to teach English to Chinese English teachers and to Chinese children. It was great getting to know them and hearing all of their stories. A mother and daughter came together and I was touched by their story. The daughter, Suzy, adopted a Chinese girl from the Yunnan Province 4 years ago, so this is her second time to China, the first was to get her new daughter! Suzy's mother, Sandy, expressed to me walking down the street one day in Jiangmen she couldn't help but think what her grand-daughters life would have been like if she had not been adopted. It is amazing what G-d has in store for all of us and very exciting and scary stepping into the unknown, completely blind and following His will. The only thing I can do is trust Him and know I am in His hands.

I arrived in Kunming yesterday and am getting settled into my apartment which I love. It is very spacious and big, especially for China standards. I have two roommates, Whitney, the current Service Coordinator for CWEF (I will be taking her place when she leaves in December) and JJ, our Chinese roommate who speaks very good English. Today, Whitney and I went to Wal-Mart (yes they have Wal-Mart in China) to pick up a few things that I could not bring over in two suitcases. I have to rely on Whitney a lot right now mostly because of the language barrier. I know next to nothing when it comes to Mandarin Chinese, so Whitney is teaching me how to get around, buy things, bargain, etc. The next couple of days will consist of getting to know the area, the transportation, our office staff and meeting new friends and faces.

Please keep me in your pr-yers as I struggle to learn the language and adjust to Chinese life. I am thoroughly enjoying my time here and can only hope it will continue to get better. Pictures are soon to come!