Still loving it!

I know some of you have been emailing with Bethany or checking in with her blog, but here's a quick update on what's been going on... They finished their second week there last weekend and the college team left to come home. I spoke with her before the team left. She told me that she was "SO glad" she wasn't coming home with the team, and that she just "didn't know what she would do" if it were already time to leave. I guess that's a great way to feel when there's still 3 weeks to go!

They've been enjoying making new friends, taking language and cooking lessons and absorbing the culture.
Here she is playing "Janga" with her new friend, "Shirley."
(Shirley is the
American name she's been given,
and that is what Bethany calls her.)
Shirley's dad taught them how to make dumplings last week.

They've had rain almost every day since they've been there, but apparently today (while we were sleeping here last night) it wasn't raining there because right before I went to bed I got an email from her that said she would have called, but they were about to leave to go hike in "some garden area." Judging from her last hike, I'm just glad this was apparently in the daytime! Jennifer told me that this weekend Bethany and Stephen are doing a puppet workshop for people from all over the province. Last year they gave an excellent puppet seminar. I was very surprised at how well-attended it was and how truly interested people are there in how to do puppet shows! And I was also impressed with how much the kids knew about puppets (I didn't know there were so many techniques and "tricks of the trade.") It's a great opportunity to share.
I received an email from John this week with a copy of this picture of them that was in 3 of the local newspapers. It's typhoon season, and right before they arrived a fairly large one hit the area. Monday was "Clean Up China" day (similar to our "Earth Day" I think) and they were invited to be VIP guests at a local 4 start hotel, not knowing why they were invited. They were fed a great meal (free) and then given these red gloves and invited to help clean up the beach with everyone. Several newspapers were on hand to take pictures of the "foreigners" who were pitching in to help clean up China! Stephen's mom, Nancy, is going over next week to stay and visit and fly home with the kids when they return. Bethany has asked me to please send some snacks and some more money. When I asked her how much money, she told me the amount in Quai. She's already thinking in Chinese!

She's going to call in the morning (her time) to find out the score of the Maverick's game while we're watching it here tonight. She said Dirk is in all of the papers there. There are tons of Maverick jersey knock-off's for sale, and they keep seeing people wearing them. She said when they see someone in a Dallas jersey they cheer! Morgan has been doing some modeling for a clothing company over there for the past couple of years. She's been in magazines and catalogs and on billboards. Blonde American kids are what they really want for some reason! Jennifer called the company to tell them that they had two friends visiting, in case they wanted to use them for any photo shoots. The woman told her, "I know! We have already found them!" Someone from their company had seen Bethany and Stephen around town and they were planning to call Jennifer. SO, if Stephen fits the clothes there will be a photo shoot soon (and they will make $$- Bethany likes that part!)

She calls every other day or so, and sometimes everyday. She's having the time of her life! We miss her terribly, but it really feels like she's where she's supposed to be. Thank you for your continued prayer for her and for us. She has stayed healthy and is having a wonderful (and I believe, life-changing) experience. A little less than three weeks to go!
I can do all things through Christ!