Time passes so fast!‏

Dear Family;
Time passes so fast and I keep thinking that I will write and I just keep getting side tracked.
Rog is doing MUCH better now, all the prayers rendered on his behalf have been felt. Thanks to everyone who prayed for his recovery. He walked to school today, the first time this semester and did very well. It has rained all day long and the wind has blown as well. But, he made it and feels better :)

We have been flooded with students that want to come over to our apartment and visit and practice their English. Last week we had 6 of "my boys" come over and visit for about a hour and a half. What a delight they were. They are so smart and have so many interesting things to tell us about themselves and their villages as well as about their families.
Two of the boys, William and Roger were in the same class and the other four, Jay, Bill Mike and Dick are in another class. It is so easy to become better acquainted with them in our apartment without so many other students vying for our attention. Most of them come from very poor families and Mike's father passed away and his mother is a farmer and supports him at the University, as well as her other children.
By the way, China does have the one child law BUT the poor farmers in the villages sometimes have more children but, they must pay the government a fee to have the extra children! The fines are very stiff and it is a real hardship on these families. However, if a family has a daughter first, in some cases, they are allowed to have another child, in hopes it is a son to carry on the family name. Many strange, outdated customs here. But, I imagine the large population has alot to do with it...

Saturday night my Post Graduates - Never, Edward, Jordan and Ronnie came to supper here. I had promised to make them an American meal and they were so excited to come and eat. I fixed spaghetti and garlic bread, with apple crisp for dessert. They were so funny. They LOVED the food. They all had second helpings. The Chinese do not use butter or margarine and they were fascinated with the garlic bread. They swooned over the warm apple crisp with ice cream. Rog showed them how to do American cross word puzzles and it was so entertaining. We also showed them a PPT presentation on some English songs and they loved it. Before we knew it, they had been here four hours.

Sunday night we had Leonardo, Michelle, Rita,and Skeelpenny come over for a short visit as well as Jenny and Song - who are trying to get to to the USA to go to school. Rog is their "adviser" and counselor. They have many questions and they like him because he tells them exactly like it is!

It is a delight to go to school and talk to these sweet people - our students. I dearly love them and they make me laugh. My little hero - Lee Yun, meets me every morning to walk me to my class and carry my small suitcase up the stairs for me. He always has a smile for me and is forever happy.

We went on a "venture" Saturday afternoon to the downtown area and as the bus was driving thru a busy part of town, I saw a boy, about 6 or 8 years old, crouched over by a tree, using the bathroom! I just had to laugh and remember that I am still in China.

We also went to Taidong to the tailor and Rog was measured for a suit. It is hard to imagine that a custom tailored suit costs $80. US money!! And they are beautiful. You go to the lady and she measures you from top to bottom, and tells you to return in a week and you have a suit! Wish I could take all of you with me to the tailor. I have never seen so much fabric - in huge rolls - stacked to the ceiling... And the buttons..... every color, size, and type - in rows and rows and rows... ( and everyone KNOWS how I love buttons!)
Rog broke his zipper on his coat and we took it with us. A lady was mending, sitting at an old treadle sewing machine... She replaced the zipper in an hour and did a great job. Only cost us $2.25. What experiences. We have seen, smelled and experienced things we NEVER thought we would ever experience......

I have added some pictures of Taidong,along the street. One is of a young girl eating a grub! Yes, you "get" to choose the live grub you want to eat and the man deep fries it right there on the street, before your eyes!!!
There is also one of a little man with a deformed body who was drawing beautiful drawings on the street. Also a picture of the "days catch" drying out for dinner or to sell.
What a country. I love it here and I wish you could all spend a week or two and let us share some of the sights, sounds and smells we experience daily !!!!!!!!!

We love you all very much. Can you believe that we have been in China for 8 months? We will be home in no time at all and we will be missing China as we miss you now!

You are in our prayer and we wish you the best in all you do. Please know that Heavenly Father is watching you for us, in our absence.

All our Love,
Dad and Mom