For the past couple months, we have been doing home visits for each of our kids. Three or four of us will go to about three different kids' houses and sit there listening to the parents speak with the Chinese teachers about their kid while we were plied with strange food by our hosts, waiting for our turn to tell the parent about our experience with their child in school in the most honest, yet positive way possible.
About a month and a half ago, a few teachers returned from one such evening of home visits raving about one of the moms they met. She attended college in California, so her english is wonderful. She was so excited to practice her english with us that she invited us to go to Guangzhou or Hong Kong with her some weekend-she has apartments in both cities in addition to her Xiaolan home.
Although our Visa won't allow us to go to Hong Kong, yesterday some of us were finally able to take her up on her offer of driving us to Guangzhou for a day of shopping, fun, and touring the city. She stayed with us all day, showing us the best sites, and insisted on taking us to lunch and dinner. I was finally able to try Southern China's famous "hot pot" dish, which was surprisingly delicious. Right before the drive back home, she showed us a corner market that sold American goods, and smiled tolerantly as we terrorized the store with squeals of delight. Four months without a Pop Tart does strange things to a girl's sensibilities.
Even besides her overwhelming generosity, this mom was so sweet and normal and just a delight to talk to. It was such a wonderful day, all due to the persistent kindness of one parent. She told us that she knew how we felt, having lived away from home for four years, which prompted her outreach to us.
During our mini church meeting today with girls from two other schools, we discussed how remarkable it was to experience so much helpfulness and kindness from complete strangers. Even while wandering the street looking lost, trying to find a certain place, english speaking Chinese people will approach us with offers to help. Logistically speaking, we should have gotten into some major trouble by now, for how clueless we are about our surroundings. But we always seem to find where we're going or get what we need.
Today it was pointed out that this seemingly magical circumstance is due to the persistent prayers and heaven sent love of our parents back home. I just realized today how much parental prayer and importuning is working to guide us clueless girls barely on the cusp of adulthood here in this foreign land.
I am immensely grateful to have parents who have such faith in me and in God to send me here. I am grateful for their prayers and for the prayers of all the other families of my peers to keep us safe and happy on this magnificent adventure. They're working.
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