2009 China Mission Trip - Reports from China
Saturday and Sunday: The China Team arrived in Hong Kong Saturday morning and spent the day touring the city at whirlwind speed. Stops included Stanley Market, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong International School, and Wong Tai Sin Temple. At 6pm they departed HK by ferry and arrived on the mainland 90 minutes later. Everyone got a great night of sleep, had breakfast, and went to Pastor Peter's church for worship. After lunch they spent the afternoon bicycling through rural villages. The bicycling route included stops at Baisha and the city of Taishan.
Monday: The group toured a village of Gold Mountain Mansions, visited a number of other villages, interviewed villagers, helped a brickmaker form bricks, interviewed a husband and wife farming team, and handed out lots of t-shirts and toys. They ended the biking day at a resevoir and then bused back to the city of Taishan for the night.
Tuesday: Highlights of this day included visiting a traditional Chinese market in Taishan, touring a 100 year old mansion, and interviewing a 99 year old man. The day ended with a visit to a middle/high school where the team members had the opportunity to talk to and play games with the students. Everyone is healthy and having a great time!
Wednesday: Today the team visited the homes of six Chinese students that St. Paul's supports through tuition scholarships. The experience was truly eye-opening for our students because the Chinese students that St. Paul's supports live in extreme poverty. The eveing was spent at a social with junior and senior high students from Kaiping.
Friday: This was a travel day for the China Mission team and it meant an early flight from Guongzhou to Beijing. In Beijing, they met their local tour guide and visited the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is where emperors would pray and offer sacrifices for a good harvest.
Saturday: The day was spent at Shepherd's Field Children's Village, an orphanage founded and run by American Christians living in China. Dr. Van Dam (Bruce) spent his day offering consultations to the onsite American medical staff. The orphanage offers specialized care for Chinese children who suffer from disabilities as mild as a cleft lip to as serious as an inoperable heart condition. Whenever possible, treatment and surgery are provided to correct the physical concerns and allow the orphan to become adoptable. Children who are not adopted remain in residence at Shepherds Field until they are old enough and have learned the skills necessary to find a job.
Sunday: Sunday morning included worship at Beijing International Christian Fellowship with Christians from around the world. Then they enjoyed a rickshaw ride through a hutong district and then toured the Forbidden City where, for centuries, the Chinese emperors lived. Afterward, the team watched the lowering of the flag in Tiananmen Square before having a delicious traditional Peking Duck dinner.
Monday: A wonderful, challenging day that included a 6.5 miles on the Great Wall of China. God provided perfect weather for an incredibly memorable day.Monday night featured attending a show of Chinese acrobats, and then a tour of the major Olympic venues.
Tuesday: After 15 hours of flying (Beijing to Hong Kong to Los Angeles) and the bus ride from LA to San Diego, the China Mission Team returned home safe, tired, but also excited to share their story and pictures about the trip.