Church and Shamian Island

This morning we visited Shamian island and decided to go to Church on the island. It's the same church we attended last year when we were here for Maeli. The service is presented in Mandarin and English. We thought it would be a good idea to take Brody since he had never been to church before. Actually, he told Maeli he had never heard of Jesus before. That's a major prayer request and another post... The island is beautiful and used to be filled with tourist shops and restaurants. Since the White Swan (a popular hotel used by adoptive families) has been under construction for over 2 years, the island has changed and many Chinese families actually live there now.


















The statues on the island are famous photo spots for adoptive families.






The island is home to the largest two-story Starbucks. These kids have enjoyed the Starbucks treats this trip. We've had to limit their intake as the cost of drinks here is more expensive than in America.



















The service started at 11 and lasted until about 12:15. Brody like the music and even clapped with the songs. Some of them were in English and some were in Mandarin. He was restless after about an hour. We hope he can make it through services at home. There's something amazing about knowing God is present in so many languages and places. I'm thankful for that peace and the hope in knowing that He can meet us where we are. Worshiping alongside other believers in a country that doesn't allow for that freedom was very moving. I pray for our son and daughter's birth country and for the people who worship in secret. The pastor preached on the church of Ephesus and how we must come together in fellowship. My prayer is the God will raise up Christians in China in a mighty way that would be the hands and feet of Jesus in a place that is full of poverty and persecution. May our hearts break for things that break His...



When we left the island we stopped at a huge shopping market that typically wholesales to companies around the world. They also sell to individual buyers as well at low prices. It's a great place to buy souvenirs.



We gave Brody 20 yuan (about $3) to buy something he liked at the market. He used his money to purchase some pins, a rubex cube, and some chopsticks. Since the weather is warm and sunny here, we picked him up some sunglasses. Here's a pair that didn't make the final selection. :)




When we got back to the room, we played Uno. This kiddo is smart. It didn't take him long at all to catch on to the game and he even won the first hand. We played for over an hour and he even has some card shuffling skills. He told us he'd never played Uno before but he had played cards though. He was the card master and kept up with who was supposed to play next and reminded us if we took too long.






One of his many funny faces!




I'm still really impressed with how easily he goes to sleep at night. When he wakes in the morning, he just lays in bed waiting for the rest of us to wake up.



A sweet moment between brothers. They wrestled, pick at each other, but definitely a bond is forming and I'm thankful these two brothers by name, heart, and hopefully one day by Christ...




Blessings,
Jessica