New People

Erin & I at the City Center in Kunming

The best part of my job is the incredible people that I have met.  My Chinese friends, my foreign friends, the gracious and loving villagers, the service team members I've led, and the CWEF staff have all enriched my experience in China and have been such blessings in my life.  

In the past month, these blessings have multiplied as Our Father has led a new like-minded family to Kunming, as well as my new CWEF co-worker, Erin.  Adding to my community of support here is something I am so thankful for and am so encouraged by. 

Erin, pictured above, will assume the position of Service Coordinator next year as I move to Hong Kong.  In the meantime, she is taking Chinese language classes and adjusting to life in China (just as I did).  And lucky for her (haha), she is by default my new roommate and friend  : )   Please continue to keep her and our new Kunming family in your thoughts as they begin to establish their lives here.

House Hunters International: Kunming, China!

Home Sweet Home

Finally! Pictures of my apartment.  I've promised for many months to show you my home in Kunming, and it is just now clean enough for me to take pictures! (teasing... kind of : )  As you can see, I am incredibly blessed to live in a beautiful Western-style apartment.  

And the best part: I live on the 2nd floor.

Inside the front door: living room to the left, bedrooms and bathrooms straight ahead, and kitchen to the right

Our lovely kitchen table

Looking into the living room

My favorite part of the apartment - my Mizzou bookshelf!  Complete with pictures of family, friends, and a Truman the Tiger Bobblehead.  

(I definitely hold the title of #1 Mizzou fan in China!) 

The living room

My card basket, filled with all of the cards you have sent me : )

My bedroom

My Mizzou flag and desk in my bedroom

My closet

Bedroom 2 - Anna's room turned into the Guest bedroom 

and soon-to-be Erin's room

The only room in the apartment not painted purple

Bathroom

So thankful for a western shower, toilet, and electric water heater!

Kitchen

Beautiful Gerbera Daises  
(I bought 40 stems for $1.50!  love Kunming.)

Great-Grandma's Apron

JianJuan wearing the apron Grandma Hazel made me

I know I've said it before, but JianJuan is just as cute as a button! : ) Yesterday, I came home to her cooking dinner and wearing my apron. This isn't just any apron, however; Grandma Hazel made this apron for me out of my Great-Grandmother's feed sacks (chicken feed was sold in these cloth sacks; after they used the chicken feed, the women would sew clothes out of the empty cloth sack).  

As I saw JJ wearing my apron, I wondered what my Great-Grandma would think of this moment: me living in China and my Chinese roommate wearing an apron made of her feed sacks.  For me, it was a profound moment to share something that has such sentimental value with my dear Chinese friend.  

Yummy....Homemade Cheesecake! Order 1 today!

Click the flyer to see a larger picture.

One Year Later

One year has passed since I walked across the stage on the Quad, shook hands with the Chancellor, and accepted my diploma. That moment, dressed in cap and gown with the Columns in front of me and Jesse Hall at my back, marked my graduation from Mizzou and my inevitable entry into the real world.

In the year that has passed since that beautiful (and simultaneously devastating) day in Columbia, Missouri, my life has drastically changed.

Ironically, I didn’t enter into the dreaded “real world” of cubicles, car insurance, and counting paid vacation days, after I left Mizzou.  Rather, I entered into what sometimes feels like a fantasy world.

China is its own world, and as a result, my life has changed more than I could ever have imagined.  The changes I have experienced in China range from broad visible differences in everyday life, such as the language, food, and living away from my loved ones; as well as changes slightly more obnoxious, like having to maneuver around “The Great FireWall” (China’s internet firewall blocks Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and all blogs), not finding clothes that fit when shopping (a sad, depressing reality), and watching people constantly spit all over the ground (even inside!).

Not only has my daily life changed, I have changed as a person in the past year.  Away from the comfort and security of my family and friends, I have been forced to be independent and self-sufficient.  I have to take care of myself when I’m sick.  I have to find the directions by myself when I’m lost.  And when something is broken, I have to fix it myself (no more relying on my Dad or the “Man of the House” at Ross Street : )

My perspective has been the most significant change however.  Experiencing poverty firsthand has rocked me to the core.  Seeing children who are covered in dirt because they haven't bathed in a month, talking with seventy year-old women who walk 6 kilometers every day to haul water, and living with a Chinese roommate who doesn’t have a bathroom in her childhood home are experiences that will forever be ingrained in my mind.

Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the amount of change I have experienced in one short year.  I also anxiously wonder how much life has changed at home while I have been away.  Sometimes, I wish things never would have changed.  Why couldn’t my friends and I just live in Ross Street forever?!? (oh yeah, that’s right: Dad said I couldn’t afford to stay in college any longer, haha).

During these moments of apprehension, I find peace and comfort in the one thing that doesn’t change: J-sus.  Hebrews 13:8 says, “J-sus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  He will never change.  In this crazy world of constant upheaval, endings and new beginnings, we can have confidence that He will be the one constant.  Our rock.  Our foundation.  He is the Alpha and the Omega.  When we focus on Him, the changes that overwhelm us and the uncertainties of life melt away because our future is safe in Him.

Although my life has been bombarded with extreme changes in the year following graduation, I rest secure in our unchanging Savior.

Remembering those in Qinghai Province

One week ago, April 14, 2010, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Qinghai Province in western China killing 2,039 people.  

I did not feel the physical affects of the earthquake (Qinghai is north of the Yunnan Province, bordering Tibet); however, I have been personally impacted by the immense loss of life.

My Tibetan friend Jack is from the Qinghai Province; he is a student in Kunming, but his entire family still lives in Qinghai.  I asked him yesterday if his family was doing okay. He responded with a devastating "no".  Jack's brother, sister-in-law, nephew, aunt, two cousins, and a friend all died in the earthquake.  


Please remember Jack, his family, and all those affected by the earthquake.  Ask that they would be given comfort and strength as they mourn the loss of life.  And pr-y that in some way He would use this terrible natural disaster for His good and for His glory.

Two of my Favorite People

Mary & Trey:

Congratulations on your engagement! How exciting!!!!!

Hooray for friends and upcoming weddings.  Love you both!

Yunnan Suffering from Drought

Villagers wait to collect buckets of water from a neighboring town

(Photo courtesy of People's Daily Online)

Clear blue skies, radiant sunshine, and an average temperature of sixty degrees have blessed Kunming almost daily for the past six months. (A little different than the winter Missouri has experienced, huh?!) The “Eternal City of Spring” has definitely held true to its nickname; however, the old adage is true – too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Kunming’s apparent blessing of bright blue skies has produced negative consequences as the city is now facing its worst drought in over 100 years.

To date, the drought in the Yunnan Province has affected over 50 million people. (Equivalent to the sum of the populations of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana). And according to China Daily, 16 million people and 11 million livestock are lacking adequate drinking water. Zhu Yong, of Yunnan’s Meterological Authority said that the province has seen 58% less rain fall since last September.

Last night, JianJuan and I watched the Kunming news, and they reported that many village elementary schools have run out of water. Their cisterns are empty, and they have no water to give the children during the school day. Even if there is water, the schools limit each child to one bottle for the entire day. Water is so scarce in some villages that it is only used for drinking and for the animals. One villager interviewed said he had not bathed in six months due to the lack of water.

School children waiting in line for their 1 daily bottle of water

(Photo courtesy of People's Daily Online)

JianJuan said that many people in her hometown are suffering from the drought. Not only is there little water in the village, but many people are facing devastating crop losses. JJ (as I like to call her) is from a rural, farming community, where the main source of income is agriculture. The water deficit has caused many of their crops to die. Her village is just one of many to face financial difficulties due to the drought. According to the China News Service, direct losses have surpassed 19 billion yuan (2.7 billion USD).

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao traveled to Yunnan this week to survey the damage; his visit focused on the Degehaizi reservoir, which is essentially dry. Not only did he observe the severity of the drought, but he also used his time to encourage the villagers, promising that help was on the way. The government has allocated funds to help transport water to the rural villages. However, the scope of the drought is so vast that many people are still suffering.

In some of Yunnan's more remote areas, villagers have to walk up to 20 kilometers in order to buy water at high prices, then carry the water home on their backs. Residents in the area where Premier Wen visited are currently forced to make a four-hour ox cart trip to get water 

from the nearest town.

But the water crisis is not isolated to the rural villages; Kunming has reported that its water reserves will be depleted by the end of May. Meaning, if it doesn’t rain within the next two months, Kunming will also have a severe water shortage.

Please think of the people in Yunnan who are suffering because of the drought. Ask that He send rainfall soon.

Premier Wen examines a dried-up river bed in Yunnan

(Photo courtesy of Kunming Information Hub)

A Yunnan man hauls two pails of water from a dangerously low river

(Photo Courtesy of China Digital Times)

Thank You

Dear Friends:

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. I cannot say it enough. I am continually amazed and humbled by your support. You have all joined me in this service – committing me to your “thoughts,” pledging to support me financially, and having tremendous faith in His power to work through us. Thank you for the love, encouragement and support you so generously give me.

It has been a little over a year since I began this endeavor. The phone call to my parents to say that I had accepted a position in China was one that I will never forget (They probably won’t forget it either because I am such an awful daughter that I called to tell them the big news on their 25^th Anniversary – I totally, accidentally, stole their thunder… sorry Mom & Dad!) Interestingly enough, the next few weeks after the big phone call were not spent on cloud nine dreaming about what life would be like in China; rather, we started to seriously wonder how in the world we were going to raise the financial support. Everyday newspaper headlines reminded us of the severity of the economic crisis. I read numerous articles about nonprofits struggling to find funding because donations had significantly decreased. And all the while, I couldn’t stop questioning how we would raise the money I needed to serve in China.

However, I kept reminding myself that this is the work He called me to do. He promises to provide for all of our needs. He is always faithful. I read the following pr-yer and thought it was great, “Help me to see that the mountain I consider impossible to climb is the one that You see as an opportunity for a better view.”

Well friends, today, I want to share that this mountain of fundraising, one that I thought was impossible to climb, is a mountain that He has used to give me a better view. Don’t get me wrong, fundraising was stressful and overwhelming at times. The hike up the mountain wasn’t always easy. But through my fundraising, He has shown that all things REALLY are possible in Him. I have learned that when we are totally and utterly dependent on Him is when we are truly living by faith. We trust that He will provide.

And provide He did, in ways beyond my imagination. Most importantly, He provided YOU! He opened your hearts to the work CWEF is doing in China, and He moved you to partner with me in this work. I am touched by the support and encouragement you continually offer me. Climbing the mountain of fundraising gave me a better view of how many incredible people are part of my life. I am speechless and will forever be grateful for your generosity, your love, and your kindness.

Thank you.

Whitney

TODAY

Today.

Today is special.

Today, my dear friend and college roommate, Katie, was interviewed live on NBC’s Today Show. Katie was asked to be a special guest on the Today Show because in November 2007, she donated bone marrow to a complete stranger; by doing so, Katie saved the woman’s life.

Our friend Kristin Noe was the first journalist to report Katie’s story. She published a fabulous article while writing for the Mizzou Newspaper. Click HERE to read Kristin's Article

The national media (obviously ten steps behind Miss Noe) picked up the story a few months ago. Self Magazine just published an article in their December issue. It does an incredible job of describing both Katie’s perspective on the situation and detailing what Anna (the bone marrow recipient) has endured in her fight against leukemia. The article is absolutely amazing, but reader beware, it’s a tear-jerker! Click HERE to read the Self Magazine Article

And finally, here is Katie’s Today Show interview:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Katie didn’t agree to donate bone marrow for the recognition. When she agreed to help this anonymous woman, only a few family and friends knew about it. To this day, Katie doesn’t want praise. She just wants you all to register to become a potential bone marrow donor. DKMS is the donor registry organization that manages the database that matched Katie and Anna. Please click HERE to visit DKMS and learn how to register!

After hearing Katie & Anna’s story, it is impossible not to see His hand at work in all of it. Today, praise Him for the gift of life he has given Anna through Katie’s donation. But more importantly, praise Him everyday for the gift of ETERNAL LIFE that he freely gives to us all!

Skype

 

Modern technology truly is a marvel.  On Sunday, November 8, I was able to meet with my home congregation via skype.  Being able to see everyone and share in their evening was such a blessing.  Thank you all for your support! And thank you to P. Hagan and Strahan Larsen for planning the skype convo.  I look forward to seeing you all on skype again soon!

Grandma's reaction to seeing me on skype

Talking to Grandma and Thanking her for the cookies she sent me!

Home Sweet Home: Project Personality

The World Map hanging in my kitchen.

I am currently obsessed with making my apartment feel like home. The last two months have been focused on surviving, rather than thriving. And I believe that a key component for me to transition to thriving, is to make my apartment feel like home. That being said, I am taking gradual steps to give the apartment more personality. The fact that all the walls are painted purple is a great first step : ) With each step in “Project Personality,” I plan to share pictures so you can see my new home. (Note: I am especially blessed and thankful to have two awesome roommates who support my decorating craze).

The first area of concern in “Project Personality” was to address the bare kitchen wall. It is bare from floor to ceiling, but it is located in a walkway area so nothing can be put in front of it. Instead, something needed to be hung on the wall. Solution: hang a World Map on the wall! Anna and I had been talking about how we both love maps – so this is a perfect place to prominently display one.

The World Map has much more significance than just covering a bare wall, however. I feel so much closer to you when I can put my finger where you are on the map. Concordia, Alma, Kansas City, Columbia, ALL of Missouri, Mobile, Cincinnati, Chicago, Washington D.C., San Jose, Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Colorado, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, Latvia, Hong Kong, and so many others are places that I hold close to my heart. Please know that whenever I walk into my kitchen now, I think of you! : )

Additionally, looking at a World Map always causes me to stand in awe of our Creator. The fact that He created the whole world on the map, the galaxies, and the universe is incomprehensible. Isaiah 40:38 says, “The Lrd is the everlasting G-d, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” Wow.

Sometimes, I feel like Kunming, China is one end of the earth. And if Kunming isn’t, then the villages in Yunnan can most definitely be classified as such! I find peace in the fact that the “end of the earth” I’m living in is His creation. As the song goes, and as I plastered around the map, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.” So as you read this, I hope that you find comfort in knowing that He is holding us both in His hands. Blessings to you today!

Names

Isaiah 43:1  - "I have called you by name, you are mine."  

 One’s name holds much significance.  A name provides individualism, family association, and a sense of identity.  We mourn those whose names are unknown by graciously referencing them as John/Jane Doe; and we rejoice when a baby is born and becomes the family namesake.  While I was interning for Congressman Ike Skelton, he once asked me what I believed was the most beautiful word in the English language.  After I had pondered his question for a second, he responded by saying that a person’s name is often the most beautiful word to them.  As I thought about it, I realized how much truth there is in this statement; everyone loves to hear their name stated.

   Names have a whole new dimension in China.  Foreign names are often difficult to pronounce.  However, I have been incredibly lucky in this department.  When I meet a Chinese person, I say, “Hi, my name is Whitney.”  And every time, I mean EVERY time, their eyes light up and they say, “Oh, like Whitney Houston?!”  And I say, “Yes! Exactly like Whitney Houston; we even have the same initials!”  Truly, I have had this conversation verbatim at least fifteen times.  It is so sweet and makes me so happy because they are trying to relate to me, but I can’t help but get a huge grin on my face because it is so amusing to be compared to Whitney Houston.  (I’m not African American; I’m not a recovering addict; and I’m not attempting a comeback…and the list goes on).  But it has been a great lesson on how your name helps to form your identity. 

   Interestingly enough, I have also been given a Chinese name in my language class.  My Chinese teachers decided to name me, “Hán huì ní.”  Hán is my surname, or last name, and huì ní is my first name.  They chose this name for me because the combination of huì ní resembles Whitney (so they say), and because huì means “grace.”  I was SO EXCITED to discover the meaning.  It is always amazing to see how His timing works.  I was given my name on a day when I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.  As soon as my teacher shared that my name means grace, I instantly thought of Him saying, “My grace is sufficient for you.”  I just sat back in my chair and thought, “Wow, He knows exactly what I need to be reminded of today.”

   Names and titles are obviously important to identify and describe a person; and everyone loves to hear someone say their name.  However beautiful an individual’s name may sound though, I can’t think of any names that sound more beautiful than these: Wonderful Counselor, Bread of Life, Prince of Peace, Light of the World, and so many more.  What joy, peace, and comfort these names bring!