QINGDAO RETURN

More Good Food and Fellowship

After five days in Weifang, we took the bullet train to Qingdao, a coastal city where we taught 27 years ago. The city has mushroomed and few places look the same except for all the German architecture from the turn of the century. The beaches have been developed with beautiful boardwalks and seaside parks.

German Castle at Beach #2

Lunch at historic restaurant with former students

Visit to international school

NORTHEAST CHINA NOW

ON TO WEIFANG

After a good visit with family and friends in Kunming, we flew to Qingdao where we were met by two friends and taken to Weifang. Our roots in Shandong Province include two years in Qingdao (1987-89) and three years in Weifang (1998-2001).

Weifang has changed extensively since we lived here but we have been able to find a few familiar places. All five of the original buildings left of the North American Presbyterian Mission that were on my "Eric Liddell Walking Tour' are still standing!

Our friends have been hosting us and filling us with the best of Shandong cuisine. I will not want to get on a scale when we return to the States.

Dave arrived in Beijing yesterday and hopes to join us in Qingdao. We will be taking a train to Qingdao Thursday.

 Memorial on the site of Weishen Civilian Prison Camp where Eric Liddell died and American paratroopers liberated the prisoners at the end of WWII

 Celebrated Mother's Day with Mark Song and David Chen at Wanda Plaza

Welcoming banquet attended by 16 people. I usually count the dishes served but was overwhelmed by the number and variety of food. 

Mark Song's mother let me watch her cook this meal. The last dish was homemade jiao zi (dumplings) that were delicious. 

Return to the Motherland

BACK TO KUNMING

When we arrived in China 30 years ago, my first impression was the country was one big construction site. It is the same now. High rises are going up all over Kunming. We arrived a week ago for a two week visit before going on to Weifang, Qingdao and Beijing.

Kevin, Emma and Ingrid met us at the 'new to us' Kunming airport.

Delicious Shandong jiaozi with former student

Jane with CI recipients from 2005

GOODBYE HONG KONG

LAST BLOG FROM HONG KONG

Our three weeks in Hong Kong just flew by! We have had wonderful visits and enjoyed working with the great staff at Bethany Ministries. The weather has been unusually mild with low humidity! Our last blog from Hong Kong includes candid photos around the territory.

Hearts & Hands Booth

Craft Sale This Weekend

Come to St. Joseph Parish this weekend for their annual fair trade event. Since I am in Hong Kong, the FTE committee members have volunteered to serve at the Hearts & Hands booth. My thanks to the ladies for making this possible. Come support many worthwhile causes that make a difference in the world.

Don't Miss This

Book Signing Time at International Christian Assembly in North Point

We will be at the 

this Sunday (26 April)to visit/share and sign/sell books.  Please come and join us.

We will be selling the following books, plus we plan to have a few of the latest book, The House, available.

Do drop in and let us see your smiling faces.

Smashing Centipedes, side-stepping snakes

Smashing centipedes, side-stepping snakes

It's best to remain agile while working at Bethany. You don't know what may appear in your path to Bethany.

A snake slinked across Jane's path between the Cottage and the House one afternoon.  The next night I was saying 'howdy' to a couple headed up the path as I turned into the back gate of the House. I looked back to see I'd just passed a snake. He looked a bit bewildered then crawled back under the stump from whence he'd come.
Thankfully he wasn't interested in me.  We think it may have been the same creature - a rat snake - for which we give thanks. They are harmless, other than appearing scary. We continue to pray that the bamboo vipers and cobras stay far away.

I encountered a centipede in the same location the following night. I smashed that one and he still lies crumpled along the path.