So far God has answered all of our prayers the way we wanted!!! We arrived here in Beijing about 3:30 PM. I was really worreid about getting through customs with 4 bags filled with gifts but it wasn’t any more difficult than going through the drive-through at McDonald’s. Beijing is hot and smoggy. There is lots of construction going on all over the place. New juxtaposed with old. We took a 45 minute cab ride to our hotel and it cost less than $12. Our hotel, is a Chinese 4-star - the key word being “Chinese” 4-star, so sort of like a Holiday Inn by American standards. I’m not complaining at all it’s great. (Show me more…)

We are leaving by plane in a few hours to visit a smaller city in a different province to the West. Please pray for our flight and for the families and teachers we will be meeting. Please pray for strength and unity between Brent and I. Please continue to pray for creativity and wisdom while shooting the documentary. We miss you.

Here is a brief overview of what we have been doing. I would love to share the details but due to time I must keep is short. So far this trip is going beautifully and God is answering prayers the way we wanted them answered!!! (Show me more…)

The flight went well and we have made it to the next city. We even made it to the airport in time to grab a Starbucks, which is a perfect example of one side of the contrasts we are experiencing on this trip.

This city, which I can’t remember the name, is different than Beijing. Of course this city has crazy drivers, (and I mean CRAZY by American standards), constant sound of honking horns, people everywhere, large boulevards, lots of shops but if Beijing were a 4-star city this is a 2-star city. Everything is a little dingier. The cabs are older. The streets are dirtier. The air smells a little more like urine. And it’s obvious that they haven’t seen very many foreigners (this has nothing to do with the 2-star rating). (Show me more…)

We’ve had a rough day. This morning the children we were going to meet in the park couldn’t come because their father wouldn’t let them. Brent was really looking forward to capturing that footage so that was a disappointment. When we found out we couldn’t meet them we decided to go to a nearby city called P-something (can’t remember the name again.) This is supposed to be one of the oldest walled cities in the world. Although off the beaten path, tt is usually a favorite tourist destination.

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We’re leaving for Chennai, India tomorrow morning. Our time in China has been so full, our arrival here a week ago seems so long ago.

Yesterday was the highlight of our time here. We were invited to visit and film a house church sunday school, the same sunday school that the two boys who’s home we visited two days before attend. This was a real honor. Our guide, who has been working with Christians in China has not had the opportunity to visit such a group in the nine years she has been here.

The classroom was a small 15 x 15 foot room that is at a separate location from where the adults meet. There were large Biblical decorations on the walls, small folding children’s chairs and two small tables. Children of all ages began to file in until every seat was full. The teaching was animated and the children were completely engaged. (Show me more…)

Maybe we have been traveling too much… our 6.5 hour flight from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur seemed like a trip to Thousand Oaks from Ventura! (that’s about 30 minutes if you’re not familiar with the area)

Before we share more of our adventures, we want to thank all of your for your encouragement and prayers. We truly feel the Holy Spirit carrying us through our days. Knowing that you are thinking about us makes us feel not so far away & eases our homesickness. Thank you. (Show me more…)

We were finally able to update our photostream now that we are out of China (flickr is blocked there). To see our China or India Photosets first click on the title of this post above then click here or visit http://flickr.com/photos/nims and click on the “China” or “India” photosets.

(Quick note: At the end of each post there is a link “show me more” if you click on this you will be able to read the entire post.)

Well we arrived in India last night. Our flight from Kalua Lumpur went very well. We ate our first Indian meal on the plane and it was delicious!! We just LOVE Indian food. Our contact Sudha picked us up. It is a very strange yet fun feeling to get picked up by people you don’t know and haven’t actually spoken with even on the phone. Both here and in

China after going through customs we walked to an area where there are hundreds of people waiting for the people they came to pick up. We walked along the lines of people and thank God there was actually a person holding a sign with our names. After Sudha picked us up we drove to his home where we are staying and met his wife Monica. (Show me more…)

Yesterday we went to the orphanage to meet Davica, one of the children who is sharing her story for the documentary. When we arrived at the orphanage the children were at school so we got a tour of the buildings. They were all very modest. There were large rooms with concrete floors and counters with bags or suitcases filled with the children’s belongings. They children slept on mats in these rooms. There was also a large room with a gas lantern hanging from the ceiling used as a study hall. There were also modest bathrooms. A house where the family who runs the orphanage lives and a very simple kitchen where food is prepared. All these rooms surround a large dirt yard where the girls play, do chores, have prayer time and have snack. (Show me more…)

Last night we went to a church to film another child and Sunday school teacher. When we arrived there was a man lying on a cot in the church. He was thin, weak, and obviously in pain. A tube came out of his abdomen, through which he receives his nourishment. A woman, who appeared to be his mother, was caring for and comforting him. She told us he has stomach cancer. We stood around him and prayed for healing. I searched inside me for that mustard seed. It seemed lost. I tried not to question God. But that is sometimes very hard. Please pray for this man.

Then there is the faith of a child and this church was also filled with many children bubbling over with energy, life and hope. We filmed two Sunday school teachers. They shared stories of children coming to know the Lord and the changes that come. (Show me more…)