Tuesday, January 01, 2008

We're in Beijing

I have no idea where to begin with today’s entry. We are wide open. We have not stopped since we left Birmingham. This is a 24-7 venture for my family.

As I posted earlier, where are we? What day is it? What time is it? Time, distance and location have no meaning in a trip like this.

We departed Hong Kong early this morning for Beijing. The difference between Hong Kong and Beijing is much like the difference between New York City and Remlap. Hong Kong is more westernized, while Beijing looks and feels like a third world country. Do not get me wrong, however, Beijing is unique, and it is beautiful in its own way. More than beautiful, this place is matchless in its history.

After checking into the hotel, Kelsey requested some real food. We have already had our fair share of Chinese and Thai food the last three days. So we asked the hotel concierge where we could find some western food. She sent us to the Beijing Hard Rock Café. Yes, we splurged. The bill was $721!!!—that’s RBMs.

Our hotel is just blocks away from Tiananmen Square. We head there in the morning, followed by a visit to Temple Paradise and several other places.

Speaking of Tiananmen Square, it is extremely unsettling seeing the numerous Peoples Liberation Army soldiers posted throughout the city. I think our hotel is near a PLA base. Speaking of the PLA, just about every other block has a government building in place.

In addition to the old buildings, you also find new construction every where. Buildings and stadiums are going up in many areas due to the 2008 Summer Olympics being hosted here. We caught a glimpse of the Olympic Stadium while driving down an 8-lane boulevard.

One more note and I am off to bed.

Please pray for Josh. He came to Hong Kong International Baptist Sunday morning. I met his father first. His father is a believer and about my age. Josh is 19 years-old. He confided in me that he is now seeking God in his life. He’s home from school in the UK for the holidays. He told me he came to church that morning to find out more about God. How awesome is it that the Lord inspired me to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Please pray for Josh.

He wants to meet Taylor next weekend, and I am excited about that meeting since I know Taylor will explain the gospel to him in an easy-to-understand manner. So remember to pray for Taylor as well.

Okay, it’s late (6:30 PM!) and I am exhausted.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

We are so excited for your family. Seeing the soldiers is how we felt in Moscow. You don't want to breathe the wrong way for fear you might get shot. I pray the Lord gives Taylor an opportunity with the young man this weekend. How awesome! Be safe!