New Year's Greeting

     Since we are preparing to leave on an extended trip with my brother and a group of students, I am going to assume I won't be able to post for the next couple of weeks or so, (but maybe....) and go ahead and send wishes for a special new year.  I believe 2009 will be a year of

                                                          GREAT TRIAL

                                                          GREAT TRIUMPH

                                                          GREAT TREASURE

..... a GREAT YEAR because of a GREAT GOD!      *** Let it be  The Year of PRAISE ***

Our Thanxmas Party

     

•                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               As is our yearly custom our church congregated Saturday night for what  we commonly refer to as a "Thanksgiving Party" for the year's blessings...but considering the date it was more like a Christmas celebration!!!A joyful cluster of children were present,the youngest of which entertained us with some fine songs.Patrick bellowed out "We Wish You a Merry Christmas",while Mia gracefully played "Silent night" on the piano.Each family stood up and "counted their blessings" of this year and as Chinese tend to do made it as long as possible.Four and a half hours of sitting in a rigidly upright position in an unheated room was a nice way to attempt a recovery from my long Christmas illness.But I survived,and we all enjoyed a huge variety of goodies,(fruit,muffins,cakes,candy,cookies,etc.)when the service was finally over.  We had taken pains to bring something special--Christmas cut out cookies,and believe me they went like hotcakes!!!Meanwhile presents were distributed by the hostess much to the excitement of the children.Tired and stuffed,everyone finally managed to disengage themselves and head home before midnight.So all and all,it was quite a party!    
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•           Oh,and finally the pictures show:  Tony's family with mom at the piano.
•                         Everyone excitedly examining their presents.
•                        An elderly sister sharing her amazing testimony.
•                         Mia with her father and grandfather.
•                         Puzzling over a puzzling metal puzzle.
•                         Our family's speech.
•                         And lastly,me right now!!!!!Hahaha!!!

---posted by Annelisa

        

A MOVING CHRISTMAS

     A more unchristmasy Christmas I never spent, and that wasn't just the weather.  Early in the morning Frank departed for THP to oversee the loading of the truck to move the items we had retained from our about- to-be- demolished apartment.  He had not been gone long when into my bedroom  came a sick girl in plenty of pain.   Shortly the door opened again and a half-sick boy entered.  It soon appeared that the computer and the screaming washer were also under the weather, as I readied our "doll house" to receive mounds of baggage one wonders where to stuff.  We got used to living with C.H.A.O.S. in America (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and it looks as though we're coming down with the same syndrome over here!  Our wee living room  became a maze....an interesting form of decoration few have thought of for the holidays.

     Christian and I raised our voices in carol after carol, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"...."O Come let us adore Him",.... "Gloria ! In excelsus Deo!"  And all three of us prayed for the lonely and the sick and hurting, which seem to be plentiful in the extended family this year.   It was a time of sober triumph.  The day wore on, but actually ended on a note of merry laughter (in spite of the fact that delirious Annelisa was still immobilized.)

      You see, after Frank arrived, we three who were well enough went out for a  late bite at a new (to us) place.  It was not real fancy,  but we enjoyed the menu;  (well, you know my weakness for Chinglish.)  If I post a few selections, maybe you could sort of choose what  you'd order.

                                       MENU SELECTIONS

                                                DRINKS

                    *  Listen to the snow blue

                    *  A wonderful gentlemen's breast

                                               ENTREES

                    *   Steamed doubly smelly

                    *   Husband and wife lung piece

                    *   The shrimp explodes the ricefield eel

                    *   Fish lips

                    *   Sheet iron big foot

                    *   Spoiled skin green vegetable

                    *   Flutters the fighting cock

                    *   The little yellow croaker burns the soup

                    *   Heroic feeling beef

                    *   52 degree small muddled immortal

     One asks whether there were small muddled mortals involved in the translation.  If you like these tasty dishes, I'll try to provide more of them, as that's just a sample.  Bon appetite!

My Heidi

     It had been maybe five years since I saw "Heidi", as I named my little Bouyei waif from Guizhou Province.  I heard that a little tot across the way was being neglected, so I went over and arranged to take her into our family part time.  She loved it, I loved it, her parents loved it-- hard to say who was happiest.  When teaching English, I just took her along.  Then sickness took the family suddenly back to Guizhou, and left a hole in my life and hers.  She would often tell her mother that her "other mama" was better to her than she.  But never was there a chance to meet again....until our final day in THP, I got off the bus just as her father walked by!  Instantly, I seized the opportunity, which I realized was God's split-second timing---and told him to bring his children over as soon as they got out of school.   The family all came and we met the little brother for the first time.  We let them choose all the  toys they wanted, and they stuffed bags full!  I knew Heidi still remembered me when she looked at me to say "Thank you, Mama!"  (I was always "Mama" to her.)  We had shared the Gospel with the  mother before, but now Frank was able to share with the whole family, and they seemed responsive, saying that many from their Bouyei tribe have believed.  We will plan to visit them again.
      We had to get rid of lots of stuff from THP, and some things like the washer were just what Dorcas and Baby Mengyun were needing.  We took turns entertaining Mengyun, who is about to cut teeth at two and a half months!  Born at 42 weeks, she is unusually big and advanced for her age, and I expect  she'll soon be driving the little car we  gave her at her father's eager request.  

      The Lord used some self-examination questions by Fletcher to draw me nearer and bring new victory, which is such rest in the midst of conflict!   I am thankful for all our wonderful literature, a great blessing, even if we lack places to put all our books, especially now we have lost one house.  That is one matter of prayer, which I am awaiting God's pleasure on.

     Do we celebrate Christmas?  (Question # 1 to address).  In China the general rule is that the "official" government- approved church does (and Santa is big just like in every city) and the house churches don't, due to its pagan roots.  We love to sing the carols, and take every wonderful chance the season brings to proclaim the Gospel.  Our best Christmases were one where we told the Christmas story to a large group of deaf children at a deaf school, and  one spent helping at the orphanage where we were rewarded with first smiles from several deprived babies.   We can't help missing treasured traditions, though....and so usually what is substituted is a "Thanksgiving program" each church anticipates.

     Feeling concern for our family, especially the frailer, lonelier members we have had to leave, weighs on us ; but we are so thankful for those who have stepped up and helped out in any way.  May each be doubly blessed!  We are so endebted to the saints.....and miss 'em, too!

World's Worst Blogger

      One who is in the know informed me that this blog is the dullest ever; another person in the know pointed out that   what I need is to learn to use a computer.  Well, duh; I mean, um, I guess the phrase my faltering fingers fumble for would be ,uh, It's good to have around some people in the know,( aka teenagers).

      "You've grown fat!" everyone exclaims on seeing me.  When I encountered Donna Duan, she said the same thing, flinging her arms out wide as if to illustrate my tremendous girth as she marveled.  While I know that all this greeting really means is "You are looking good", (and to grow thinner means the opposite!), it still takes a little reminding myself that what they are thinking is that I have actually survived to come back, no small miracle.

       The last couple of days were spent clearing out the apartment in THP.  One day I tended baby Mengyun while her mother worked.  She is a fussy baby, and I don't think the formula supplement is helping the situation at all.  Dorcas (who is the age I was when Christian was born---and she thought she was old!) told more about her struggle to accept the baby, and said one who really encouraged her is a sister we knew way back.  This lady has a 19 year old girl, and had had a hysterectomy when the Lord surprised her with the birth of another daughter!   I would love to see that baby, too!  I then had my first chance to present my new set of fetal dolls from Heritage House, and I can say the reaction was profound and gratifying!  As she felt of the tiniest doll, a light came on visibly as she realized that we were talking a real human being, not a blob, as she had been duped into thinking (the kind of thinking that helps keep this the abortion capitol of the world.)  Seeing that light come on was strong incentive for me to seek more chances to show the dolls, who speak for themselves quite eloquently.

      We were invited to Lydia's for supper where we were presented with a freshly-bathed, adorable  cream puff pup, the son of Eenie and Chicken.  If Frank had not seen fit to decline the gift, I would no doubt be nurturing a warm little ball of fluff under my sweater right now.  

       The compoications of life snow one under, and then you hear Habbakuk singing, "Yet I will rejoice..." !  I found myself playing over and over piano renditions of his theme as my heart began to rejoice....and sprout eagle wings to mount up and over.   Then the perspective is wholly changed !

     

  

The rather unrelated baby photos show :

EZEKIEL ABRAM ASBURY  a few hours old

EZEKIEL WITH FATHER AND GRANDFATHER

MENGYUN WITH MOTHER  IN OUR TORN-UP APT

Welcome Baby / THP Trip

      We were up before the crack of dawn to catch the company bus to THP, where our favorite and larger apartment, the one we have longest known as "home" is.  There were new buildings making the landscape unfamiliar, but all inside was the same except for new water pipes and plenty of dust.  There was lots to do to prepare to move out of this building condemned because of the earthquake.

       It was exciting to meet several believers we hadn't seen for so long.  Sister Lydia told us she has a gift for us: a puppy that is the offspring of two of our homeborn pups, Eenie and Chicken!

       Most exciting was when Dorcas arrived with her two month old baby, MengYun (Dream Cloud) named by her 16 year old sister BaiYun (White Cloud ...or Bonnie).  This precious gift had almost been rejected by her parents, sad to say, but I am sure they will always be glad they kept her!  I enjoyed holding her and putting her to sleep, as well as trying for size the new little clothes we brought her from America.  She is a treasure!

Mountain Climb and Garden Meditation

       We are adjusting fast to the change in time and climate.......yes, it is cold here, and you mostly get to grin and bear it!  It is nice to see a few blossoms this time of year, though.  

       I did not mention that in Beijing we were misinformed that we had to pick up our luggage, so that we waited so long that, time we got them straight on that, they were sure we would miss our plane, and frantically dashed about poking our boarding passes out under a closed door and in general making much ado about nothing, as we easily made our bus connection to the plane.

       Our lovely room in Shanghai with its glass furnishings was state- of- the- arts in everything except English.    On the glass desk was posted :  "Friendship Prompt:  Utslightly caresully, please not heavy piessure."(sic)  Room service allowed ordering "shark wing".  Posted on the door was a "SECURITY SCATTERING SKETCH MAP" which urged us not to panic in case of fire: "Our hotel have owned succor scattering facilities to sure you transmitted safely....the profess your excellency seat."   I confess a fondness for chinglish, even when it passes understanding.  And already we could tell that we were home again, for as we awaited our            " 'uggage", one lady seated herself on the carousel, removed her boot, and began sniffing its interior, with a fine disregard for societal mores; while "bar" strips between posts bore the message  "Be civilized: don't jump  the bar."

        It was good to worship with our people here once more, and marvel over how the children have grown.   Annelisa and I even climbed the mountain with them, and came down the steep descent into the botanical gardens where I perched on a rock and watched the others play, while asking for a fresh vision of what the Lord has for us all.

Home in Hangzhou, Praise the Lord!

        For far too long life has been far too busy to post, so I have some fast catching up to do.  Let's  hit the highlights.  First a wonderful one.......

        December second commenced with an excited group at Brandon and Wendy's house awaiting the advent of the newest member of the family.   We didn't have long to wait.  At a few minutes after one a.m., I observed that we had reached the exciting part, and within minutes I was cutting the cord and then gathering up Ezekiel Abram Asbury in his blanket.  Dad and Mom did great throughout.  Even Elisha came in to welcome the adorable newcomer, and bask in the quiet joy of the moment.

        Four days later I had a birthday surprise, the worst ever!  We were getting set to go out for a celebration supper, when I heard some spine-chilling sounds, seeming far away.  I investigated and looking out the back door I saw a horrifying scene: the motionless figure of my father protruding from a fallen trash can.  He had gone out to collect trash to burn, and leaned on the empty trashcan, which flipped, encasing his head and shoulders.  He thought he could get up by gripping a chair, but couldn't budge.  I phoned for help, and Bro Kale and Cameron Neely were there in a couple of minutes, and the ambulance five minutes later.  Dad's pain was rated ten on a scale of ten, as they transported him to the hospital where he was found to have badly broken legs.  Medicated, he became so confused he could not make sense, but still had some pain.  However by the next morning things had improved.  The next day he lost the use of his left arm: a cat scan showed that he had likely not had a stroke, but this delayed reaction from his fall.

It could have been unbearable to leave him, but the Lord especially undertook and not only gave peace, but gave definite improvement.  Katie, Angie, Annie, and I sang to him, and prayed and shared the verse I had been given for him:   "Make me  to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice."  He quoted  "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, for he trusteth in thee." 

        Annelisa and I set out for Seattle in the Suburban, with the song Bro. Rod sang the night before ringing in our ears, "He Will See You Through".  The sun set as we crossed the mighty Columbia, and the last light faded from the sky as we reached Snoqualmie Pass.  On top of Old Snoqie, all covered with fog, I lost the surroundings, drove too slow to blog.  Mist and fog accompanied us as far as Seattle where rush hour traffic and a mishap slowed us up, and then we finished our day's journey in some confusion, but safe and sound.  After prayer meeting, we rested at Aaron's until five a.m. when we arose to start our next lap of the journey.  From San Fransisco we flew up over the top of the world on a turbulent trip that took us to Beijing and at long last to our waiting menfolk in Shanghai.  How glad we were to see them again and spend the night in the airport hotel, "Ease Hotel", which featured  a mirror ceiling and clear glass doors on shower AND bathroom!  It was indeed a lovely room, but we were glad to get on the handy Maglev train and zoom almost 300 miles an hour to the subway to connect to another subway to connect to the bullet train which went about 110 miles an hour to Hangzhou.  A long wait for a taxi, and then we were in the wild traffic careening toward our humble apartment home.