Pictures from Wed. March 27 thru Thurs., Mar. 28

These pictures ended up in reverse order so look at them from the bottom up for chronology.

Bicycles next to a subway station. 

 Ping Pong in Hou Hai Park

 Mark speaking with an English class. We enjoyed interacting with these students but discovered the 80/20 rule applies here like everywhere else. 

                                                         
                                                            Typical Street Fruit Market

                                                     Joe Kappel and I

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Mark with Owen and Elise Yip

Derek, Jen, Owen & Elise Yip from Australia

238 (March 25, Monday)

238 - That is the AQI (Air Quality Index) this morning here in Beijing. But you cannot tell inside the apartment, except for the view from the 18^th floor. Hazy, smoky looking is how I would describe it.

Yesterday we traveled with the Kappel family to the Great Wall. I capitalize it because it is the iconic landmark here in China. There was still a fair amount of snow on the north-facing slopes of the wall. We marveled at the scale of the project considering that many centuries ago there was no mechanization. Later I will write more at length about the wall with some spiritual parallels. We left the Kappel’s apartment around 10:30 AM (traveling from the Koslicki’s apartment to the Kappel’s by subway). The time with Joe, Lauren, Josiah, and Elisabeth was excellent.  Little Josiah (2 1/2) was a great sport, climbing the steep steps with determination. All of us were holding his hand or assisting him at some point. We were able to share about our lives, our parents, our struggles in the Christian life, etc. When we returned to their apartment around 4:00 PM we spent time just fellowshipping and sharing our lives together in Christ. We explored the normal expectations of pastoral ministry over here in the big city. Truthfully, “there is nothing new under the sun.” Same challenges, new city.

Today is day five of our trip. We move over to the Yips (an Australian couple with two small children) for the next three nights. Later today we tour Beijing with a young couple in the church (no names). I have been meditating on 1 Corinthians 15 in preparation for the message this Easter Sunday. I am preaching verse 58: “Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil in the Lord is not in vain.”

Pictures from Tues., March 26

Birthday Girl Elise (2) & brother Owen Yip (4)

                                          View from the Yip's Apartment Complex toward Dongzhimenwai Dajie

Derek Yip and I on the way to the subwway

                                                          Scenes from Wangfujing Street

                                         
                                             Scorpions, starfish, and seahorses for your culinary pleasure!

 Entrance to the Forbidden City.  We arrived just as it was closing.

                                                    Three moms with their girls; a rare sight!

Tianamen Square

                                                                     Security everywhere!

 Apartment buildings across from Tianamen Square. There was a large section of these buildings in the area.

Pictures from Beijing - Fri. March 22 - Monday, March 25

Flying over the Russian Siberian Mountains

First views of Beijing on the way to the Koslicki's apartment

Our gracious hosts, Mark & Diane Koslicki

In taking in the view from our bedroom balcony, Mark mistakenly stepped out on the balcony. We leave our shoes at the entry and don't step outside in stocking feet.  Wonder why?

Indoor skating rink at the China World Mall across the street from the apartment.  We pass this rink each time we go to the subway.

Can you guess this supermarket?

 Wal-Mart

Street vendor selling sliced pineapples. Street vendors are everywhere, selling beautiful, aromatic goods.

 Views from the 18th floor

 Views from the 32nd floor of the hotel across the street

 We are staying on the 18th floor of the white apartments in the center of the picture below.

 Sunday, March 24, 2013

 Monday, March 25, 2013