Shanghai

This will be last blog posting as I am flying home today. I will miss China, but am very eager to return home.

We arrived in Shanghai very late on Monday evening. The bulk of Monday was spent in Kunming, in meetings with two different organizations who were at our presentations on the weekend. Both groups are very interested in sending students to our school and both thought that 20 students would be possible.  Realistically five students would be more accurate. I have a sense of peace that the Lord will direct the right students to HDCH.

After the following up meetings, Alice and I arrived at the airport on time only to find our flight was delayed again.  I had my second western meal of the trip at the airport. 

Our first day in Shanghai was spent with Nino’s parents.  Actually we only spent half the day in Shanghai.  The other part of the day, we took the train to Nanjing (250 km away from Shanghai) to the hometown of Nino.  The train ride through country side was a study of contrasts.  At one point from my window, I could see modern tall buildings, fields of canola, a pig pen, and bamboo lean-to shelters.  These bamboo lean-to homes had a sheet metal roof complete with a satellite dish for what I assume was television. Fascinating.  (Sorry the pictures did not turn out.)  After a tour the city and another great meal, Nino’s father drove us back to Shanghai.  It was a very good day.

Yesterday, Alice and I met with the group who is interested in organizing the cultural exchange program for our school. They did not like the idea of the exchange to happen in the fall as we had proposed but preferred the idea of a summer cultural exchange program.  We both need to do more research to see if this can become a reality.  The best part of the meeting was the meeting after the meeting.  Walking to the elevator, one member of the group approach me and said that he had become a Christian two years ago.  His message to me was that it is very important for China to send students to Christian organization such as ours.  We have made another friend.

After this encouraging meeting, I met with a mother and daughter who are considering HDCH for next year.  This family moved to Shanghai from Mississauga seven years ago.  While in Shanghai they became Christians.  Harry Meester has been corresponding with them for several months after they discovered our school from our website.  After a two hour meeting of sharing our faith and Christian education, we decided to pray about this decision and seek the Lord’s leading for this family.

My last night in Shanghai was spent being awed by the lights of the old stately building and the new modern towers.  Again I am struck by contrasts. Yet even in these contrast there are similarities.  To me, this is symbolic of the western and Chinese culture.  In many ways opposite our cultures are opposites.  Yet at the core, we are all created in the image of our God with a desire to be in loving relationships.

I am very much looking forward to returning home this afternoon.  I wish you God’s blessing as you remember Christ death and celebrate his victorious resurrection this weekend.