This is China: Old Habits Die Hard

Aside from old people, we also saw many temples and shrines on the mountain. Many were Buddhist or Taoist temples, some were for ancestor worship and to honor important historical figures. Even thought China is technically an atheist country, Buddhism and Taoism are 2 of the recognized religions and probably the most tolerated, since they have a long-standing place in Chinese history.

Inside the temple you can see where people have lit incense to make merit and pray to gold idols.

At this newly renovated Buddhist temple, Paul and I were hassled by a woman that sells candles and incense for tourists. She told us that we should make an offering for good luck. I tried to explain to her that Jesus is my God and my Hope and that I don't need to burn candles to Buddha or spirits.

Another seemingly global habit that has yet to die is young people experimenting with taboo items. After I took this photo with these girls. I looked at the cans and asked, "What are you drinking?" The said they were trying beer for the first time. I asked them how old they were. They are 14. I told them they were probably too young to be drinking beer. Please pray for the youth of China as they seek contentment in the things of this world rather than Jesus Christ.

This is China: Old and New Coexisting.

Behind this gate is Lui Feng (or Six Peaks) as the locals call it. It is a rocky mountain that forms a spine running along the edge of the city, separating it from the countryside. While it's not particularly high, it is steep. But it is also picturesque- I love the way the greenery slips into crags and reaches up to the sky. I love how the sharp grey edges dare you to go any further. I love the essence that is found on this mountain- old & new and old & young. I am reminded how amazing Our Creator is everytime I climb it.

Every morning before the sun comes up, many seniors begin their assault on the mountain. It is truly amazing to see how many older people have the energy, strength, endurance and balance to climb everyday. Youthful hearts overcoming aging bodies.

Looking down from the top.

Probably the youngest guy on the mountain that morning, my friend and translator Paul helps me talk and joke with our grey companions.

With bodies that have seen many days but hearts that skip like a child, these older ladies climb the mountain and then stretch, dance or excercise to keep their blood flowing.

Two elders stretch and shout at the top of the mountain as they perform a daily ritual.

Sunrise over the city. One side of the mountain is filled with a busy city that is growing- a new high-rise, a new shopping center and more people- images of the future coming into focus...

large parks waiting to be filled at night with aerobics classes, ballroom dancers and carefree kids.

But on the other side, you see expanses of rice fields, mountains and smaller villages... a postcard from the past.

Above the city haze, a man bends, reaches and meditates to open up his life force. High above the mountain, One looks down and weeps as the man forsakes the gift of an Eternal Lifeforce.

This is China: East Steals West.

Shhh... don't tell the Colonel. Although you can easily find KFC in most of the big cities, you can find it's evil twin, "Dainty Fried Chicken" in the smaller cities too. It's basically the same thing...

...and check out the HANDY-dandy plastic gloves they give you. I guess despite having their children poop on sidewalks thru trap-door pants and hawking loogies randomly throughout the day, Chinese people don't want to uncleanliness of greasy hands from fried chicken.

This is China: Ode to Lingshan

Over the next few days, I will document my trip to China. It was an interesting trip to China, as all of my previous trips have been. It is such a place of diversity, even though it is easy to make generalizations. It is a place at odds with world I know and even at odds with itself. And amidst the hawking, smoking, crazy traffic and icky food there are generous people, cute kids, admirable elders and beautiful landscapes.

(Note: Blogger isn't loading my photos correctly in my text, so I am having to use another program to insert them. Unfortunately, it breaks the flow, but hopefully you will get the picture- pun.)

Above is one of the streets of Lingshan. Right now it is my favorite city in China. I would guess there are about 200,000+ people there. Not a big city- certainly not in China where cities of millions pop up in just a few years (unknown to most Americans).
It's a country city. The locals would admit they live in the sticks. But it is surrounded by mountains with line of them hugging the city, split by a river and swarming with bikes, three-wheelers and motorcyles.

A seamstress works on a sidestreet with a old-school sewing machine.

A cab driver takes a midday nap.

An intense game of Chinese chess.

A spectator contemplates one of the players' moves. It is very common to find men (and now even women) playing Mah Johng, chess or cards on the streets and in restaurants- usually for money.

A barber uses a razor to touch up a haircut. (Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of the dentist. It was set up just like a barber shop, but with dental chairs. You could look in from the street- heck! you could walk right in from the street- as people were getting work done.)

While the youth in China's bigger cities are increasingly more fashion-conscienscious, this kids seemed to miss the day stripes and plaids were discouraged.

The wait staff at the hotel I stayed at. I was the only customer in the main dining area, so I had about 4-8 people hovering over me all the time. They loved trying to talk to me in Chinese and reading my phrase book.

After being called out with the "white person call": helLO!", I stopped by to hang out with these students on their lunch break. They enjoyed asking me the normal assortment of questions (where do you come from? what is your name? what are you doing here? are you married? do you have a girlfriend? and a bunch of things in Chinese that I have to answer with "Wo bu dong.")

Peace out!

On the road again

I will be traveling until the 25th, so probably no posts until then, but then I'll probably have a bunch of photos.
Meanwhile, you can check out my latest post on Focus On Sports (check my links).

Take care,
j

From this morning

"One thing that has become more apparent over the last year is the reality of my inadequacy- my inability to do something truly of myself. This becomes more recognizable as I look at some, but what I see in them, is not really of them. It is of God. It is their dependence on God to work in them and through them. They have accepted and reckoned their shortcomings and weakness and then turned to God to be their sufficiency and the strength.
To be sure God does make and gift us each with unique skills and abilities, but this goes beyond that- this is like a white flag that says, "I can't do this on my own", but at the same time it is like blowing a horn on a battle field that says, "with You, I will surely taste victory."
In the seemingly small and mundane daily tasks this difference is hard to perceive; in the miraculous works of God, it is so blantantly obvious that we overlook it; but in all the things in between, it is easy to miss it, yet it is definitely noticeable. You see it in the people's lives. It is in a sense becoming a blank page and allowing God to write a wonderful story upon it as only He can. We look at the page and read it and think it is the person's story, but if we look closer, we see that it is truly His story.
Somewhere in between the white flag and the battle horn is where the "magic" happens. It is where truth leads to faith and faith leads to hope and obedience and it is all sealed in love. If we try to break it down like a scientist, we mock its existence; or if like an alchemist we try to mix up this brew to "make gold", we labor in vain.
I know it is out there and it is real, so I take my compass and my map and I search for it, even though it may be found in the person seated next to me... or closer."

Red Badge of Courage

Saturday, I played in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament just north of Chiang Mai. It was organized by the SoiDawgz (an Utimate club in Bangkok), a guy named Simon (from the Prem International School, where the tournament was held) and another guy name James that organizes the Saturday pickup games at Payap University here in Chiang Mai.

Above are most of the people that played in the tournament. We had 25+ come up from Bangkok and as far as Singapore to play. We started a little after 9am and went until a little after 5pm, with a break for lunch. It was a blast!

Below you see some of the members of the Champion Team for the Innaugural Chiang Mai SoiDawgz Tournament (hey, who's that sexy guy on the right?... or more precisely, who is that sunburnt guy on the right?) I ended up playing with some great guys and gal for the bracketed round of the tournament and we managed to win an exciting game for the title.

The Winners: Simon, Isaac, Dave, Lance, Sam, Jason, Gi and Ryan (not shown: James)

Early mourning departure

I took Craig to the airport at 5:30am Saturday.

And just like that my good friend was a gone like a vapor (for the summer).