Photos of Friends

How many people does it take to fix the gas water heater? One American man who speaks some Chinese. One Chinese lady who speaks some English. One worker who only speaks Chinese.

Our first Guys'  Dinner & Discipleship

Our language school classmates minus our German friend. L to R: Mark, Landon, Brigt (husband to classmate Birgit in front), Allison, Lance, and Gary.  A fun bunch.

Learning numbers and 4 colors: Hóng, Huáng, Lǜ, Lán

Ahhhh...

A clean house. Sparkling floors. Hot water. Heat. Drippy pipe solved. Listening to Christmas music. Ahhh...... almost heaven. :)

After a week of fixing water issues, our home is back in order. Amazing what getting a home back in order does for our spirits. Now to get ready for our guys' night tomorrow, Christmas party Friday, kids coming, and final exams on the 23rd.

Psalm 34:1-3, 8-10
I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Water - making progress

Today the repairman came to fix the pipes under the sink so we have a working kitchen sink again.  Yeah! And we have intermittent hot water. Tomorrow another repairman (or two) plus a bilingual Chinese are supposed to come fix the gas water heater so we can have heat in the apt and consistent hot water, and hopefully fix the pipe that is unattached.

Water Part 3

The saga continues.  Today as I washed dishes about 1:15, the water pipe burst under the sink so we ended up with a flooded kitchen. After trying two valves in the hallway closet, we were finally able to shut off the water. Rodney, XiaoLi, Mark, and three maintenance guys have worked to get the parts and pipes back in order, with no success. Now we have no hot water, a leak in the laundry area, and a broken pipe under the sink. The maintenance guy is supposed to come back tomorrow to finish the job.

The sanctification process continues.

Water Part 2

The maintenance man came yesterday to look at the water leak. When he left, we discovered that we had no hot water again. Now we have a leak AND cold water. He comes again late this morning. Hopefully, we can get this issue solved soon.

Water, Water

We got our hot water fixed yesterday after three days. Boy, it sure was nice to take a hot shower again.  However, upon entering the laundry area, where the water pipes are, we discovered water all over the floor. It turns out that the fix-it man unhooked a water pipe but didn't hook it back up.  We were suspicious when we saw the turn valve sitting on the washer, wondering where that came from. Now the fix-it people want to charge us again to fix the pipe, saying that there is no way to prove that it wasn't leaking before the guy came the first time. Well, the floor was dry before he came and wet after he 'fixed' it. How do you prove it without pictures? Who would have thought to take pictures? Please remember us, that we won't have to pay twice.

Thank you to all who remember us. We know you care and remember. It is obvious to us that G hears and answers.

The Proverbial Wall

So what do you do when you hit the proverbial wall? 

Three months. That’s often when people overseas hit a wall. The language is hard. We miss the kids, our home, and our friends. Getting the hot water fixed takes days. HBI business is not booming. The culture seems backwards. The streets are dirty. But people are friendly and helpful. And God is good.

Here are some things we remember:

·        God is on His throne.
·        Our worth as a person and our salvation do not depend on what we do or how we perform on a test.
·        I am thankful Mark and I don’t hit the wall on the same day.
·        Life is about God’s glory, His faithfulness, His steadfast love – not our feelings or work.

Psalm 36:7-9

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
    and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light do we see light.