Hong Kong – long layover, December 9th

Hong Kong was a whirlwind of lights, shops, and people from all over the world. Our visit here was not an extra stop but just a long layover. We arrived in the early afternoon, checked into the very nice hotel that Kris was able to get with Hilton Points, and then ventured out up to Victoria peak via the tram. They have a rail car that is pulled up the steep, skyscraper-laden slope of the mountain by a pulley system – very cool! We enjoyed the view of the harbor from up top, and also some hot chocolate and coffee from a coffee shop up there. It wasn't cold there, but not too warm to enjoy these treats.

Next, we hiked around on Hollywood Blvd where there are tons of fun shops. There are so many international visitors in this city, and our family of six hardly got any second glances here. What a contrast to the way people responded to us the day before! We went up the outdoor escalator, which is necessary for moving people up the steep streets of the city. After an enjoyable dinner, we headed across the harbor on the super-cheap Star Ferry, and enjoyed looking out over the lights of the city from across the harbor. This city is at the very least impressive. It is the epitome of city. Lights, night life, shops, public transport, beautiful overlooks, traffic, transport across the harbor, busy freighters spotting the harbor…so many fun scenes. This is definitely a major contrast for us of the way things are going to be in Cambodia! We woke up early to head for the airport for our 10am flight into Phnom Penh. Cambodia, here we come! onH

The Great Wall - December 7th

We saw the Great Wall today! What a fun and exciting place! The wall is so impressive and in such a beautiful setting, if you can get through all the hawkers trying to get you to buy their stuff on the way up. We rode a gondola up to the wall, and then we hiked quite a way up and down steep steps along the the wall. There was an alpine slide from the top of the mountain down to the base that we took turns riding down with the kids. You had to be ten before you could ride the slide on your own, so Kris rode twice and I rode twice, and we took the chair lift back up to the top and then all rode the lift down. It was fun, but we were frozen afterward, and glad to climb back into the warm van for the two hour drive back to the motel.
By the way, speaking of the cold weather, my friend Beata from school encouraged me to bring along winter boots for the kids, and am I ever so glad she did! We've lived in them for the last week, and I don't know what we would have done without them. Thanks, Beata!
We enjoyed a wonderful dinner in our friends’ apartment that evening, with great conversation. What sweetness it is to fellowship with saints!

Into BJ - December 6th, Part 2

Into BJ
We braved the BJ subway after arriving on the bullet train, and we had pretty clear instructions from our friends how to purchase tickets, get on the correct train, transfer trains, and then walk to our friends' apartment. It went flawlessly until we got off the last train and exited the subway station at the wrong exit. We couldn’t go back through the station without purchasing tickets and passing security again, so we opted to walk around the station outside, which proved to be difficult with our suitcases. It was not exactly a clean and clear sidewalk – picture rocky, dusty dirt paths, multiple steep stairways, all laden with smashed or rotting trash. (Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us borrow that big blue suitcase! It’s still working! But not quite as clean!  ) We finally made it, met our friend, and then dragged out stuff to the Motel 168 where we were to stay the next 3 nights. After examining our very cool room with the round bed, mirror on the ceiling above the bed, and no doors to the bathroom (did I mention lots of mirrors there too?), we headed to dinner at a “Weeger” restaurant, which is a M-slim people group that lives out west but our friends in BJ enjoy this type of restaurant and speak pretty fluent “Weeger.” The food was truly delicious! Daniel and Thomas did not get to enjoy it, though, because Daniel fell asleep in my arms while we were waiting for the table, and Thomas leaned on Kris and fell asleep right after we ordered the food. They were so tired, but did so well – everyone did!

Fellowship and Good-byes - December 6th

On Sunday, we packed up all our stuff and then headed to the TJ International Fellowship, which weekly meets for worship. We were required to show our passports to enter (no nationals allowed here). What a blessed time it was of singing to the Lord together, and we thoroughly enjoyed the encouraging sermon. Afterward, although they normally divide into smaller groups to pray together, today we all prayed together, beforehand hearing prayer requests from many different people requesting prayer. This was so neat to be a part of. So many of the people are doing the same kind of work as our friends.
After a quick lunch and trip to E Mart (the closest thing to Super Target!) to buy a couple of things, we taxied back to the apartment to grab our suitcases and then keep our taxis for the trip to the station. I was sad to say good-bye to this super-sweet family. I felt that if only we could spend a few weeks with them, and they could rub off on us – their cheerful attitudes, loving ways with their children, and faith – we would surely be sharpened and changed. But I know that God knows best, and the same God that is taking care of them, teaching them, and giving them grace for each day is working in our hearts to conform us into the image of His Son, and in Him I hope.
We enjoyed the adventure of purchasing tickets and getting to the right train again, and this time we sat in the correct seats. It was a packed train since it was Sunday – the only day most people have off and they are almost all out and about in the city, and traveling to and from BJ on the bullet train.
In summary, our time in TJ was simply perfect, and we are so thankful for all the ways God provided for us and encouraged us while we were there!

Ancient Culture Street, Play Area Germs, and the Bike Adventure - December 5th

On Saturday we headed to Ancient Culture Street, which is lined with vendors selling all kinds of treasures. If we were heading straight home, we would have stocked up on all kinds of great stuff! The funniest thing was how the ladies flocked to us, and especially to the Josephs with their baby and small little blonde children.


This woman swiped up Thomas for a picture. He was a good sport!

And Kris got fussed at by an older woman who did not approve of Daniel’s pant leg being scrunched up to reveal his long johns. They are super-serious about not losing body heat, and staying away from the cold. They fear the cold, truly! They are afraid of ice in their drinks, for fear the reduction in body temperature will make them sick.
Their concern for sickness does not transfer to being as careful about spreading germs, however, which the men learned the hard way after lunch...

We had lunch at McDonald's, and thoroughly enjoyed the hot chocolate, for it was really cold outside! After lunch, we strolled through the mall and found a kid’s play area. Just before we went in, we witnessed a young boy being held over a trash can to relieve himself, which we hear is quite common here.


Here's Dan-man, rearing to go!

Kris and Kevin stayed there with the kids while Ashley and I went shopping for a few things. After a little while we got a call that they had made an abrupt exit from the play area because another child had vomited. The employees simply took a rag and wiped it around enough until it was relatively dry, and then gave the okay for the kids to climb back in. The guys were completely grossed out, and realized that the play area was no doubt teaming with pathogens. They couldn’t get enough sanitizer on!

That afternoon, Ashley drove her three wheeler out with Anna, David and Thomas, and Karis and Eil, all in the back on the covered benches. The three wheeler is a rechargeable battery-powered tricycle-like motorycle with pedals, which Ashley had to use one day recently when is was very cold and the battery ran out of juice before they got home!






The kids were so cute all packed in. She instructed them on how important it was to not be silly, and off she went to the market, with me riding behind on her bike. It was such an adventure for me! Riding a bike through busy city streets in this country is not quite the same as riding down the neighborhood streets in Sachse!



We enjoyed looking around at the outdoor market, and we also stopped to buy some yummy popcorn from a vendor. We got chocolate and ice cream flavors...quite tasty!

We made it back to the apartment safe and sound, and enjoyed seeing the sleeping quarters of the "dungeon master" - the woman in charge of keeping the bikes in the basement of the apartments. She recharges and parks them, and makes sure that no one steels them, and she lives down there. That is her place in this society.

David's birthday - December 4th

*Updated with a few pictures*

Our time with our friends was so blessed. We enjoyed the TJ zoo on the 4th of December for David's birthday. It was very interesting! The animal show was the most unusual part of it! The bear looked almost human riding a bike, but I got a little nervous when the lion and 2 tigers were in the ring together and started roaring and hissing at the master. But we all jumped up and headed out when they opened the caged ring and invited the audience to enter to have their picture taken with one of the tigers. Not in a cage. No leash. No thanks!! We were outta there, as far from that open gate as possible!

The zoo has a impressive indoor alligator room that was quite warm, and we decided to park there for lunch. That was after we fed the seal some fish on a pole and fed some raw chicken to the alligators. We sanitized everyone as much as possible and got out our PBJ and our potato chips. They do have Lay's here, but the flavors are quite different. We had blueberry, mango, and kiwi. Not bad! A little sweet, a little salty, a little fruity! Maybe we are too!

The tiger room is very impressive. They have a large room with windows on three sides displaying about 14 very large tigers, and one of them started licking the glass where Anna was standing - he thought she looked tasty!

Anna got a bit worried at that tiger. I thought it was funny at first, but the more it showed interest in her, the farther away I wanted her! That glass couldn't be too thick for me!

It snowed on us after that and we decided to head out. It had grown quite a bit colder than when we left, so we piled back in our taxis and headed back for some hot chocolate.

After the zoo, Kris and Kevin biked off for a super cheap hour massage. Although many of the massage parlors are brothels, this legitimate one hires blind people, who are experts at their trade.

The Joseph’s “ayi” – means aunt but is the term you call your house helper here – prepared some delicious authentic food for us, and we feasted on it for dinner, followed by a birthday celebration for David, complete with hats and the most amazing candle you could imagine (thanks, Ashley!). I brought a cake mix and icing from Dallas which we baked that afternoon, and on top of the cake we carefully placed a magnifiecent flower candle. The wicks were at the top and facing inward in a circle, surrounded by large plastic flower petals. As the wicks burned and the wax melted, at one point the petals opened up all at once to making a fabulous flower, about 8” or so in circumference, complete with a chiming “Happy Birthday” song that played for hours and hours without stopping. We tried immersing it in a bowl of water in the sink, but we ended up taking it outside, probably to the dismay of the people living on the first floor by the trash. What a great day, and I think David had a memorable birthday here!

Kris is looking a little serious here, wondering if this is safe...David is amazed and delighted (from a distance)!

Karis and Anna enjoyed designing things with beads.

Trains and Taxis - December 3rd

Our second day here was perfect. We had a great night's rest in comfy beds, with only slight "jet-lagged-kid" interruptions, enjoyed a free breakfast, and then, after repacking for the next four days, we headed out into the busy city for lunch with our friends here. We ate at a dumpling house and found that Daniel really likes pumpkin and rice soup. Then, we said good-bye to our friends and headed by taxi to the Railway Station to catch a high-speed train to a city to the south. Riding in two taxis into a foreign city with no interpreter is a little scary when you evaluate all the what ifs, but we felt so secure and cared for by the One who really is in control.We had instructions for purchasing tickets written out for us, so it was no hassle. Then, we boarded the train, not realizing that we had assigned seats, but no one seemed to care, as the trains were relatively empty and we didn't exactly look like we knew what we were doing! (They let the foreigners get away with a lot.)

We covered the two hour car trip in 30 minutes, going up to 333 km/h (207 mph). We felt like we were floating! After a rather long and very interesting hike across the train station to the taxi stop - and no complaining at all from our kids! - complete with broken elevators, long flights of stairs, and small crowds of people who couldn't seem to believe their eyes that we had four children (something they don't even have a category for in this one child society), we got to the taxi and handed him the address of our friends. After scrutinizing it, he seemed confident enough for us to load into his taxi and another one to follow him (our luggage and bodies needed two of these small cars). It took about an hour across this city to reach our friend's apartment. The driving here is crazy to us. They just go every which way, heading in front of cars, coming centimeters from bikes and other types of carts, and I am not at all comfortable riding with my babies on my lap and not strapped into seat belts, much less car seats. This side of the world is so different with regard to safety precautions. (Maybe in a later post you can see the candle David had on his birthday cake this week...definitely not something you'd find for sale in the US unless someone just wanted a lawsuit!)

Our friend met us as we drove up to the apartments, and we were soon in a warm, cozy, loving home. Our friends have only been here since early September. They arrived with their family of 6, their youngest little one being a little over 3 months old, and they only had an apartment...not even beds or furniture. You would be so amazed if you could just be with them for a little while, and experience what their life is like. They have learned so much about the culture, language, and set up a comfortable home that serves their family well, all in the 3 months they've lived here with their four little ones. They have such a refreshing attitude about the inconveniences in this country, and their kids have adjusted so well. It is such a testimony to the grace of God. I was telling someone about their plans to move a few months ago, and I remember them expressing concern that their move would be such a major transition...and with four little ones! But they have done beautifully, and all the strength and glory goes to the Lord. He is able and sufficient to take care of His children!

All of the kids were so happy to play together, and we enjoyed a delicious dinner with them. Thomas and Daniel basically went to sleep at dinner; the kids had such a long day and we were all still recovering from jet lag. We headed for bed as soon as we could. What a great day, and what a great God!

In Hong Kong

We are so sorry to those of you who have been checking our blog and seen nothing. There was a major firewall there and we were unable to access Blogger or Facebook, but tonight we are in Hong Kong, and I am trying to play catch up. We so enjoyed the last week. This was sort of our "visiting/tourist" week as we spent time with some dear friends that were close enough to Cambodia that we couldn't bear the thought of being so close without seeing them for at least a short time. Our visit with them was wonderful! Read on if you want more details about what we were up to. Tomorrow morning at 6:45 am, we head for the airport to catch our flight into Cambodia. We are excited about it, and so thankful for your prayers that we will be an encouragement to the people there, at that the Lord will work in our own hearts as well. THANK YOU so much!

Flying High

We made it to our first destination happy and healthy! The flights were perfect, and the short spell of turbulence was just enough to give us the opportunity to remember that keeping our airplane in the air is a simple task for our infinite God, and also remember that even if we died, we would immediately be in Christ's glorious presence, which means more happiness and exhilaration than ever, so that pretty much diminished all my fears, and I pray that my children would take comfort, too!

The kids did so well on the first flight. They played with the activities given to them by the Cooks, a dear family in our church that filled backpacks for each of them with novel activities that they couldn't wait to get their hands on.

So for 13 hours we raced towards Asia, 37,000 feet over the Pacific at 588 mph. We arrived in Tokyo at 4:45pm local time (it was 1:44am in Dallas). As we landed at dusk, we all had a clear view of a huge, orange-yellow moon right over the wing of the plane.

We had just enough time to get through security again and buy a quick snack before it was time to board our next plane. I was concerned about everyone being fussy, but everyone was happy and cheerful and excited!

Our next flight into Beijing was 3 hours, all of which we peacefully slept. The kind man next to David gladly gave up his right arm rest for David's sleepy head - and he seemed to do it cheerfully and affectionately!

That's all for now...everything has been wonderful. I look back on those flights and am so grateful for God's care. Thank you so very much for praying! Can't wait to share more about our experiences so far!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

But we DO know when we'll be back again (Lord willing!).

All eight of our bags are packed, weighed, and ready to be dragged onto the plane! We're headed off to Asia tomorrow, Lord willing. Thank you so much for all of your donations of toothpaste, soap, toys, monetary gifts, and most of all, THANK YOU for your prayers. We aim to update this blog as often as we can. No promises on amazing literature here, but at least you'll know what we're up to!

We plan to be visit a couple of different families in East Asia from Dec 1 through Dec 9th, then we plan to arrive in Cambodia Dec 10th, where we will stay until Jan 12th, Lord willing.

We appreciate your continued prayers for
(1) fruitful ministry - that we would truly encourage the people we are going to see, and effectively share the gospel with the people there.
(2) our children to love this trip, and truly enjoy being a part of sharing the gospel and encouraging the saints - that they would see how valuable this is and treasure Christ most of all
(3) our health and safety

What greater joy is there than knowing and serving the Lord Jesus Christ? He's the only one worth living for! We hope that this holiday season proves to present you with more and more opportunities to treasure Him more. Thank you so much, again, for your encouragement and prayers for our trip. We hope you are just as well cared for as you've made us feel!

In His Grace and in His Hands,
Kris and Julie Pate
Anna, David, Thomas, and Daniel