Newsletter from the Reshads

Year 5, Issue 2 October 2005

Fighting on the Bus
We ride the bus quite often in Beijing. Taxis are just too expensive…so a bus or your bike is really the only practical option for long distance travel around the city. Anywhere you go in Beijing will take you at least 45 minutes…seriously…this place is crowded! One of the annoying things living in a city with an estimated 11 million residents is how crowded the buses get. Standing on a bus—crushed like a sardine--- for 45 minutes is all too common. Every once in a while, we get a seat---but we’ve found a great joy in giving your seat away.

As soon as the bus stops at the next place, the bus attendant who sells you your ticket will call out “Old Teachers” letting everyone know that an elderly person is boarding…which means…needs a seat. Those closest to where the elderly person boards, should give their seat up ---immediately—before the bumpy bus pulls away at rocket speed.

We love to give our seats away…and we love the fight that ensues. We offer our seat…they refuse…we insist and gently push them to the seat…they refuse gently pushing away but not so much as make you stop insisting…you insist…they say no….you insist…and they take the seat with a huge smile of their face. Then they talk about how sweet a person you are and how great your Chinese is…and a short chat begins about where you’re from and such. It’s great fun!

Did you know that it wasn’t until 1993 that foreign workers (like ourselves) in China were allowed to use the standard currency? Before 1993, they had to use a special currency for foreigners only that it wasn’t so easy to spend!
I Like the Nightlife—I Like to Boogie!!!
One of the things we love best about living on a university campus in China is the nightlife. A university campus in China isn’t just filled with classrooms and dorms…but also housing for teachers. While many teachers no longer live on campus, they’ve sold their old homes to other people…so the result is that a campus is really a small city. From 7-11 p.m., the campus is a buzz with all sorts of wonder and life! Just go to the basketball courts and the playground to discover a new world. All the adults take over the basketball courts where countless couples are practicing the waltz or many other dance steps…the old but “working” record player blaring…to the left of the playground is a young tai-chi teacher helping new adult students learn the moves…to the right is a crowd of elderly gentlemen playing a high-stakes game of Chinese chess under a street lamp…and three steps away is a long line of students waiting to buy their favorite snack. We love to take a long walk at night around the campus and enjoy what they enjoy.

Things To Think On:
1. That He would give Abe wisdom as he begins a new set of studies with a few students earnestly seeking Him.
2. That our new teammates would continue to adjust to life in China well.
3. That Abe and I would continue to bless our students lives in and outside of the classroom.
4. That relationships from last year will continue to grow and change for Him!
5. That the positive trend in our financial support would continue.
6. That He would give me (Lisa) wisdom as I continue to organize/plan effective teaching sessions for our mid-year conference.

Praises to Share:
1. August training went phenomenally well! It was a huge success!
2. The start to the school year with our amazing team has been great! We’ve made relationships all over campus…on the basketball courts, in our kitchens while sharing cooking ideas, in the classroom, in the coffee houses where many great conversations have occurred…WOW.


The Power of Banana Bread
Offering desert to a Chinese friend is often difficult. They don’t often like to try new things that aren’t Chinese ---on top of the fact that they think our deserts are tooooooo sweeeeet! But we have found a secret weapon---banana bread. We’re famous for it now. Students ask us for extra slices of bread to take home to have their roommates try…cleaning ladies in the building willingly accept our offer of food now…teachers are asking how to make it. Who would have thought that something as simple as banana bread could be a bridge to building friendships in China? It’s such a blessing to have something…and then to share it with others.

A Screaming Scale (from Lisa)
Have you ever wondered, “how much do I weight?”. Well, men reading this may be rolling their eyes thinking about how we women can be so obsessed with our weight but you woman out there are saying, “Yes, I wish I had an accurate scale” or “Don’t remind me about weight.” Well, I’m not sure if I’ve lost or gained weight cause I can' t find a real scale in China. The only real scales are at the scary hospitals or that guy down the street with the electronic talking machine that screams your weight so all the spectators who aren't already looking over my should can really understand just how much bigger I am compared to the rest of the nation of tiny people. Mental Note: Beware of the screaming scales!

After being far behind our budget/needs for nearly one year, we are now making budget! Thanks to the generous contributions from the summer and the month of September, we’re out of the black whole with a little cushion for the next month! Thanks everyone for your thoughts and financial donations. What a blessing you are! Please keep remembering us!