Our First Christmas in China

Hello Everyone!

I know you are thinking, isn't it a little late to be talking about Christmas? To be honest, it is. However, Justin and I had a feeling this year that Christmas came and went, and we missed it. With that being said, our Christmas time was very special and we spent it in a way we never have before. We went to Sancun, Yunnan to help with a documentary about the work being done there.

We flew into Kunming, stayed the night, and took a 7 hour drive into the mountains to Sancun. We stayed in a hotel room with a bed, t.v., and bathroom. It was a unique experience for us, because neither Justin or I had stayed in a room with a squatty potty and only a shower head above it to shower with. We also had no heat or hot water in very cold weather. We learned to adapt quickly, but not without difficulty.

Our Hotel the Ritz Carlton (it was really called that!)

Our Bathroom

The cute pig next to our hotel

The main job of the team with us was to go help at the school in Yizu Village. It was previously a rundown building with only a few classes. In the last year, they have built a three story building and have taken on a lot more students. The kids all come from farming families and live pretty tough lives. They have very little hope, because they do not think that they will ever leave their hometown. For the children, the team had planned a couple of days of classes, a special Christmas carnival involving games, prizes, and some new clothes, and a Christmas performance.

School from above

Our welcoming committee (the whole school sang to us)

The new building

Justin and I helped with a production team that was recording a documentary about the area and the work being done there. Justin was recording all of the sound and I helped with various jobs, especially taking pictures. We had an awesome time seeing the whole team work together and love on the community. We really enjoyed making some new Chinese friends, too, named Qi, Bing Jie, and Lynn, who were on the production team. We will continue to meet up with them in Shanghai now.

Justin ans Qi taking a break

One day, we went to a nursing home in the area where we were working. I have never been comfortable in that setting, but it was nice, because we did a program for the elderly outside. It was awesome because some of the kids from the school came along to help lead songs for the elderly. For just a moment, I was reminded of my grandmother and how much I missed her. My sadness was quickly wiped away though by the silliest image. I encountered the largest pig I have ever seen. It's head came up past Justin's waist.

The largest pig I have EVER seen

The ladies at the home playing a game

We also had the privilege of visiting a village WAY up in the mountains. It took quite a while to get there, but the view was beautiful and the time of day was perfect to see everything. I have to say, that the conditions were not as bad as I have seen in the past, because the houses were structurally sound and their was a system of drainage. I found out, though, that the government has done a lot of projects to help build up villages and the roads leading to them.

They were cornered...

Overall, our Christmas trip was incredible. Justin and I decided to go about a week before the trip, and were blessed by a friend of ours who paid our expenses. We really were hesitant about going because we just wanted to celebrate Christmas like usual. Nevertheless, we were very happy that we decided to go, because it helped us refocus, remember our purpose, and embrace the challenges ahead.

I have so much more to share with you. My silence has been a result of lots of learning through challenges. I hope to have time and the words to share it all with you soon.

P.S.: If you want to see all of the pics from my trip look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96566563@N03/sets/72157639431915103/