Hello Friends!
Much has happened here in East Asia since I last wrote.
We have been continuing our project of mapping out the virtual tour of the city. I spent some time walking the streets of the city along a route that passes many of the local schools. The schools here are very different than the public ones I am used to in the states. They appear to be significantly larger than ones at home, and the students in them are all required to wear uniforms that appear to be windbreaker jogging outfits. You can always tell when you are near a school in this city because everyone walking the streets near them are all adorned in these matching outfits. We also walked a route that took us through an older neighborhood in the city. This was a somewhat sad sight to behold. The neighborhood resides just behind some main streets through the city center, but contrast greatly to the other buildings. The area is full of what appears to be low income housing. Some of the buildings looked kind of unstable and in some places there were what resembled self storage garages that people were living out of. There is such a contrast of living conditions to be found in this place. But, in doing this route we had the opportunity to see the faces of the people that inhabit this area and to lift up their needs accordingly.
We also have spent some on another short trip, but a more local one than the previous one. We traveled up a local mountain just outside the city. The mountain is famous and filled with historical significance to this country. Our team spent about 3 ½ days atop this mountain doing a myriad of different things. The first two days of our journey were spent doing some hiking. The mountain has many different “trails” that you can walk that take you all over and around the mountain. These trails, however, were paved and covered with stairs, but don’t let that fool you we still got a significant workout on this hike. Along these trails were many different stops, such as waterfalls, or lookout spots, as well as items of more significance. There were a few temples and other spiritually significant spots along the trails we traveled, as well as spots of natural significance, such as ancient trees. It was a great opportunity to get out in the fresh air of the mountain and see some of the great beauty found in abundance in creation. It was a great reminder of the beauty of the Father in this country. The rest of our time on the mountain top consisted of walking the streets of the village we were staying in. The village has many places of historical significance in the country and we had the opportunity to see some of these places. In doing this, we also planned out a mountaintop route for our virtual tour project as well. We walked through the streets of the neighborhoods as well as through the touristy spots in the village. And, to add to the adventure we trekked through this time in the village in pouring rain. But, we survived and we are none worse for the wear. In walking through the community I observed some interesting things. This mountaintop village is a sort of resort town that plays host to some very fancy and very expensive places. But, as you wander off the beaten path you begin to observe a very different state of life that goes on. Much like in our city at the bottom of the mountain, there is poverty to be found just beyond the main streets. In this village, this contrast was seen in an even more extreme way. Seeing things like this are a constant reminder of how blessed I have been in life. Hopefully, in time, these people will see that amidst the beauty of the creation they live in, there is a Father that loves them, who can provide for them in ways they could never imagine. But, it was such a great opportunity to observe the peoples’ needs and know that as we put together our project they will be included in it, and through that people around the world can be lifting them up. Our time on the mountaintop was a great experience and a huge opportunity to learn more about this country.
We have since returned back to the city and are now headed into the last leg of our time here. We have just under 2 weeks left to be in this country. I have gotten to spend a lot of time meeting new people and sharing my heart with them. However, as our time draws to a close, things are beginning to get harder. There are still many students we have a desire to meet with and share with and time is slipping away. Also, the students are going into their final exams right now and so their schedules are also getting busier and it is getting increasingly hard to meet with people. As you think of it, please lift up the students here and the time we are spending with them now, as time is running short. We want all of our time to be put to the best use, so that we can make the largest impact in this city.
Also, lift up the endurance of the team. We are all excited to come home, and yet sad to leave this place and all of the friends we have made. We are also getting more and more tired as time passes. But, we do not want to let that keep us down, we want to finish this race strong!