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January – February Newsletter, 2010
We had a wonderful 2009 Christmas here in Dalian. We are well into 2010, and expecting a wonderful year. Not all of the kids were able to make it home for Christmas, but all have returned for the winter holiday!
Sharing Our Faith:
Philemon 5……..Hearing of thy love and thy faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
On January 10th the kids began their winter holiday. They all came home from Universities, High School, and Vocational Tech School. They were relieved to have the winter break once again. This year there has been a major change in some of the kid’s lives. They were able to get jobs and work during the two month winter holiday.
They are shinning lights to their co-workers. Most would say here that it is impossible to get a job here, especially with being a student, as many people wouldn’t even consider hiring a student for two months.
Shekinah Joy is working in a factory, which provides dormitory living and one meal a day. There are 7 other girls sharing the dormitory with her. She is working ten – twelve hours a day. The work is hard, and many of the girls are easily discouraged. The dormitory mates comment that Shekinah Joy is fun to be with. They remark that she is always happy and her ring of laughter echoes out into the hallway, causing others to laugh and encouraging them to see the good things in life. Shekinah Joy is sharing her faith with the girls as she continuously has a good attitude and openly expresses her thankfulness to her Heavenly Father.
Gao Yan Ming is working in a local restaurant. He works ten hours a day. He has opportunities to display his honesty, and good character. He is eager to share his faith, and to tell what the Lord has done in his life.
Zhou Meng Sheng is tutoring 7th and 8th grade students. He tutors them in English, Physics and Chemistry. The parents of one of his students remarked about his integrity and work ethics and gave him about 5 pounds of fish. The parents are paying him by the hour, but are also blessing him with extra gifts because of his commitment to teach their children.
Wu Fu Gong is working in a local supermarket. His major in College is English, and he will be taking the Level 6 English test in March when he returns to school. The supermarket hired him to stock shelves. He will be graduating from university this summer and will find a permanent job and start out in life.
All of these kids return to school on March 6th. Their days are long, and the pay is little. They have to work for one month before they receive a pay check. They earn between $.29 and $1.00 an hour. There are many students here who wouldn’t work for those wages, but the kids believe that whatever they put their hands to will prosper.
Teaching English:
During the holiday season here, which is called Spring Festival, (China’s biggest festival of the year,)
I have been asked to teach English. It is “Intensive English” which is a three week course. It has opened doors and given me opportunities to share my faith as well with the head of the school and the children.
Spring Festival:
Spring Festival begins on February 13th and lasts for ten days. We will be celebrating the festival together as a family. It’s been traditional for us to wrap jiaozi (a special kind of dumpling) on the Eve of the Festival, and then have a special supper. After supper everyone participates in games and activities, and then settles down to watch the TV specials. At 12:00 midnight the Chinese New Year is brought in with fireworks, along with cooking the jioazi that was previously wrapped. It is traditional to eat the jiaozi shortly after midnight. This is a long time family tradition that has been celebrated throughout history here in this country.
Our Appreciation:
We want you to know we appreciate all of you. We appreciate your love, prayers, and support that you extend to us on a daily basis. You have been a part in helping the kids here, and will have life long results. Your gift of love that you have sown will truly go on and on! Thank You for standing with us, for helping us, and for wrapping your arms around each one of these kids. Thank you for all that you’ve done to see the Kingdom of God advance in their lives and the lives of others.
2 Corinthians 9:8-9 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he has given to the poor: His righteousness remaineth forever.)” Your prayers and financial support is definitely abounding to “every good work!”
Rick Haynes
China Harvest Ministries
The thief returns the cell phone!!
About two weeks ago, my wife “Joy” was on the bus in Dalian China where we live. The bus was so crowded as it was bitter cold outside. A man stuck his hand in my wife’s purse and stole her cell phone. When she got off the bus and into a store she was going to call one of the Chinese orphans we care for.
We call them our children and they call us grandma and grandpa. We have 13 children altogether. Joy finally noticed her cell phone was gone and knew it was stolen. So she went back to the apartment and one of our girls who is studying to be a nurse, called the house. "Grandma, she said, where have you been, I have been trying to call you". Joy said "someone stole my cell phone on the bus". So Xu Ling ( sounds like Shoe Ling) called Joy’s cell number. A man answered the phone. Xu Ling said "you stole that phone from my grandma; she needs that phone as she cares for 13 children and she needs it". The man hung up.
Xu Ling calls another girl and all the other children. They start calling the man. "That is my grandma’s phone, you must give it back". "She doesn’t have the money for another". Those precious kids pestered that thief until he said, “I will bring it back, it is too much trouble”. That is what he did. That will teach him to steal from Grandma Joy.
Rick Haynes- President and CEO
China Harvest Ministries
http://chinaharvest.org
http://chinaharvestministries.com
