ALOHA

I finally made it back to Hawaii several days ago after a brief, but fun time in Beijing. Beijing is really different from Xining. First off, there is a lot more English writing everywhere, second there is an awesome subway that can take you anywhere, third, everything is really expensive. It was a really good time of relaxing and debriefing before we go home. Here in Hawaii we are continuing the debriefing with the students, preparing them for what they might go through when they go home. I only have another 3 days here, then I'm off to Vancouver for a week to visit my sister, brother in law, and a couple good friends. I get back to Edmonton the 16th and I am so excited to see everyone.

Thank you to all my supporters for making this China trip possible through prayers and funds. This trip has made a deep impact on me especially, but I'll tell you more about that once I get home.

From China's City of Summer....

I can't believe I have less than two weeks left in China! It' has been an absolute privilege to be able to come here and try our best to bless the people already here. Everyone here is so hospitable and willing to go completely out of there way to help each other out.
We were able to to make it out to Xiahe a couple weeks ago, which was a great experience. Unfortunately the weather was not being cooperative and we weren't able to go on further like I wanted to. This week we are helping out at an English camp that our friends are putting on here.
We leave for Beijing in just over a week. We were told that train tickets go on sale 10 days before the date of departure. The problem is we didn't know whether this was actually ten days before the date, or ten days before including the date of departure (does that make sense?.) We wanted to leave on the 26th so I assumed that we should be there the 16 to get tickets. We arrived at around 6:20am, assuming not many people would be there, however this was not the case. The inside station was so full that a long line had already started outside. Soon after we arrived the line we were in quadrupled itself, filling up the entire parking lot with people. After three hours of waiting for tickets, asking people the entire time wether we could get tickets and getting different answers, it turns out I was wrong. We had to go the next day. This time I went earlier, arriving at the train station 5:15, this time we were able to get into the ticket auditorium, the ticket counter did not open up until 7:30am though. A friend of a friend who came with us went outside for a smoke at some point and was not allowed back in. This was concerning as only one person can buy 2 sleeper class tickets to Beijing, and there was only me and my friend left. So we waited in line anyways, hoping to get four tickets at least. Anyways we arrive at the counter around 8:30am only to be told that the sleeper class tickets are sold out. This is ridiculous considering it was the first day they were available and we were some of the first people in line. I guess the travel agencies and the mob get first dibs on ticket and you have to pay them a load more money to get them. We had to settle for hard seats, but at least we have tickets, and for that I am grateful. Thats all for now! If your not already reading this on facebook, below is a link to one of my my facebook photo albums of China:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=291102&id=700610264&l=b19ab2b35a

Ju-Roe Baozi

Our group leaves tomorrow for a Tibetan city not too far from Xining. We are going so that we can experience the Tibetan culture. Gabe and I may go on to another city after our four days in Xiahe. Our original plan had been to go to Yushu where a horse festival is going on, but there is the pneumonic plague close to that city so we had to change our plans a bit. I am really excited to get out there.
I think I have eaten sweet and sour pork at least once, every day for the past week. I'm not complaining about this, just an observation. Gabe and I moved into Dan's apartment and he has been guiding us around a bit. It's in a different area of town and it's great to get to know another part of the city. Thats all for now, I'll try my best to update again when I get back (many websites like blogspot and facebook are blocked in China, but I find a way to get on every now and then!)

CHINA

Arrived safely in China more than a week ago. Gabe hadn't been feeling well and had the flu for the days before and after we arrived in China, so I took him to the hospital. There we were taken to an abandoned building in the hospital grounds that they use for prisoners when they get ill. It was pretty much what I was expecting, rusty bed, hard mattress, old school medical instruments. We thought it would pretty routine and we would be in and out. We were wrong. They quarantined Gabe and also myself because I was with him. 18 hours later we are released from the hospital. That is a bad way to start out an update, so, for that I apologize.
I actually really like it here, a lot. Xining, located in the Qinghai province is a city of approximately 2 million with heavy influence from the Hui Muslim and the Tibetan people groups. The climate is so mild here which is a really nice change from hot Taiwan. The people are friendly and put up with my lack of Chinese well. It is a fun place to be and there is always something happening, whether it be Tibetan dancing in the mornings and at nights, to Xi Men ( a sqaure where people of all ages gather) where you can hang out and meet new friends, to the open mike night at the coffee shop next Wednesday.
I've been making friends in the coffee shop across from the apartment we are staying in and it has been a real good time. I have also been doing lots of teaching English at a school, and an orphanage, and recently a little bit in the coffee shop.
Next week we start working in a American style restaurant that has recently opened up. We will be in charge of quality control and supervising the staff (even though we are newer than they are!) while the owner is gone for several weeks.

July 12, 2009

Hi everyone! Just got back from a amazing village near Hualien working with the tribal children there. It was great being able to teach and play with these kids for an entire week. Many come from broken, alchoholic homes and this this summer programme is a place of refuge where they can learn about their Turuku culture. We made it back to Duanshui today though so we will be able to make our flight to China early tomorrow morning.

On our way to Hualien we were waiting for the train at on side of the station with about 20 or so other people. The train station guy went up to one of the people waiting with us then almost imediatly begain screaming in his face, then at all of us. By then we could hear a bell ringing, signeling the train was ready to leave, however, the train was on the other side of the station. So we ran as fast as we could to the other side adn caught the train. KAtie was laughing histarically the entire time we were running. It was a good time.
The kids of the village gave me the tribal name Bunga (boon-ya) which means sweet potatoe. I love sweet potatoes.
So I'm looking really cool right now with my taped up glasses. I broke them in December and have been gluing them, but I have no super glue here so tape will have to do for the moment. Have no fear though, I have contacts with me as well so I can look stylish everywhere I go in China.
The food has still been amazing. We had lots of pumpkin in the village and that was really great. Oh and by the way, squid pizza. Try it, love it.
Thats about it for now!

Taiwan

Hi everyone! It's almost been one week in Tawain and we have already done so much! We have worked at so many childrens camps and have been running programmes. It has been a lot of fun. One of the coolest things run here is The Rock coffee shop, which is a free coffee shop where university students can come to talk, have english classes, Bible studies, guitar lessons. It is a very good outreach that sees a lot of fruit in the Donshui area. I wish we could stay longer, but we are off to east Taiwan tomorrow to run a aboriginal childrens camp for a week.
Taiwan has been so amazing so far! I got asked the other day if I dye my hair blonde because they thought I was Asian. I guess I get that from my father. However in the same day I got asked if I was Scandinavian, a bit opposite. The food here has been the best Chinese food you could ever think of on a daily basis. I love it. I have had a cold the past couple days but I think I am getting better now. That's all I think to update you on for the moment! Thanks you for all your prayers for myself and the entire team!

April 16, 2009

Hello everyone! This new April school is off to a great start! With 19 students from 8 countries we have jumped right into this quarter with both feet. We found out the other day that we have one more last minute male student coming Monday which will bring our total up to 20 which is what we were praying for before the school began. Outreach locations have been chosen and so have team. I can finally tell you that I will be going to China over the summer with my co-leader Katie a team of 3 students. I am very excited because I have been wanting to go to China for years, but didn't think I would be making it there so soon! There is also a team going to India/Nepal and another going to Fiji. All the students are really excited and it's great to see. I begin leading small groups ( with the guy on my team) and also a breakout group (similar to a Bible study) tomorrow which I am excited about.

March 19, 2009

Aloha everyone! I can't believe that this school is almost over! Just 10 more days until outreach teams leave. We had an Outreach Prep week last week getting everyone ready for outreach. It was a week with a focus on missions but also has more rules imposed to make it feel a bit more like outreach.
We are very excited for this upcoming April school and we have a lot of expectations for it already . We have 11 confirmed students but we are praying for even more.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
-Pray that all the students get their outreach fees in
-Pray for more students for the April school
-Pray for unity between all the April school staff

Sorry this is so short! I will update more as this new school is staring.


This is me dressed up as a Hindu Priest for the beginning of outreach prep week.

February 15, 2009

Hi everyone! What a great couple of weeks this has been. All of our speakers have been very intense and challenging and it has been really awesome. This past week we had the opportunity to go to Kona to hear Kris Valiton. Kris works with the Bethal School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding California. Right before we left Kona we had a baptism where I was baptized for the first time. It's something that has been on my heart this past year and I finally felt ready to die to my old self. 

The school is still going well. Only 6 more weeks until the teams leave for outreach and then the April school will begin. We already have had our first April staff meeting and we are praying for a large amount of students. It would be great if you could pray for this as well.

Well, thats all for now!

Jan. 25 2009

Hello everyone! Since my last post we got another very last minute male student (a huge answer to prayer), I was a volunteer at the Sony Open golf tournament, outreach teams have been decided, and I turned 20! Things have been going very well with the school so far. We have a varied group of students from new Christians to a couple pastor's kids. They are a really ambitious group that are diving right into the school and I think many of them are getting a lot out of the lectures.
So far we have had people from the base teaching lectures, but this next week we have Keith Martins and his team who run a prayer ministry. I hear that he is a good speaker from many who have heard him speak in the past. Should be exciting!

Curtis West

My Birthday Surprise Party!


Lecture on the beach


Surfboard on the North Shore



Tabernacle demonstration (I made the priest costume!)

Aloha, again!

Well, I have finally started to settle into the groove here at the Honolulu base again and students are now arriving so that we can have our official kickoff tomorrow. We have 21 students; 16 girls, 3 guys, and a married couple. We were really hoping to get more guys but the ones we have seem great.

I feel like these next couple of months are really going to push me. I am the only first time leader here and also younger than a majority of the students. I am really excited however to see what is in store.

Please pray for wisdom in leadership and that the staff's relationships with the students can start out on a good foot.

At the top is my least favorite picture, but the only one I have at this moment, of all the staff this quarter.

Curtis West