a clown without

her tricks is no clown at all!
I arrived late last night after the train ride from ..... you get the picture. Between the fog outside and the cigarette fog inside - my head was about to explode. Adventure - well yes, but ... do I really need another adventure? Safe and sound traveling through the streets of Jinan with little visibility makes driving one of those "prayerful" experiences. The kind where you go "okay, if I need to learn something while lying in a Chinese hospital bed... I'm ready".

My luggage is still in Beijing waiting to get on the first plane that takes off for Jinan (which is still shrouded in heavy fog) hopefully tomorrow it will lift and the bags will arrive. In the meantime, my performance at the University today has been cancelled and probably tomorrow as well .

We (J,D and I) will travel to Taian (about 4 hours by car safely) on Saturday and make it out to the orphanage on Sunday. There will be about 20 local univeristy students that have volunteered to go with us to the orphanage to face paint with the children. The fourth visit - I was running out of things to do and thought this would be a great way to actually do a little more interacting with the children. I did bring lots of Poloroids, and we will once again take gifts and much needed food items. I'm excited of course. There is a new director - but D said "don't worry your reputation has proceeded you and they are very happy for you to come back".

Another schedule change - the Church is renting a concert hall to hold around 400 people. They will be giving the children in Sunday School invitations to give to their friends and relatives. This will be a HUGE outreach and unprecedented too! I'm a little nervous - but.... leaning on the everlasting.

I'll post from the red zone as long as I am allowed. I CAN NOT read the postings you may make - so if you have something you would like to comment back to me - be sure to email it.

Thanks for your prayers and walking with me on this adventure in China.