February 08 Newsletter
China celebrated Chinese New Year (CNY) on 7th February as it introduced the Year of the Rat. The whole of China stands still for this festivity and the Spring Festival which follows as everyone goes back to their hometown or village to enjoy time with their families. Can you imagine the extra demands placed on the transport system as tens of millions of Chinese criss-cross the country trying to get home?
To make matters worse central China suffered its coldest period in anything between fifty and a hundred years depending on which source you choose to believe. People were trapped in cars and trucks on snow blocked highways for weeks, and at the railway station of a nearby province capital 600,000 people camped out for days trying to board trains which couldn’t run anyhow.
We managed to escape the cold by visiting China’s Sanya on nearby Hainan Island to the south of China for five days. We swam and lazed on the sand every day as the temperature reached 27 degrees. We returned to Shantou in time to travel to friend Maggie’s village at Jieyang an hour away. We spent CNY eve and the next night with Maggie, her parents and her five sisters (there seems to be some grey areas in the one-child policy) who were all home from boarding school and work in other cities for the occasion.
Following this we flew to Guilin in Guanxi Province, a place we had been trying to get to for a number of years. The Guilin/Yangshuo area is famous for its spectacular limestone karst peaks, best viewed via a peaceful 83km cruise lasting a number of hours (including lunch) down the Li Jiang River connecting the two cities.
We were advised earlier in the month that approval has been given by the Changsha Welfare Centre for Deborah to travel home to Australia with us for a holiday, subject to normal passport and visa issuance. Unfortunately we hadn’t planned on travelling home this year for various reasons and we initially considered taking Deborah home next CNY. Then we realised CNY falls in late January next year and as there is no teaching at the medical college for several weeks leading up to CNY (the students have exams), we sought and have been given permission to be home for Christmas. God is good.
Back to Shantou and the reality of returning to work for a new semester, we became most concerned for Suzanne’s daughter Donna who was having complications with her first pregnancy. These had persisted for a number of weeks to the point where Jack Nathan Fraser (number four grandson) had to be taken by C section more than eight weeks early.
Our plans for Suzanne to go home in April to see her new grandson and help Donna settle in were thrown into disarray and she left on 29th February instead, to go to Canberra. Donna has been released from hospital but baby Jack is still in intensive care. Suzanne will be a great help and comfort to Donna in the weeks ahead.
Praise Points:
Praise Him for the safe arrival of Jack Nathan.
Praise Him for our safe travels to a number of destinations over CNY.
Praise Him for His faithfulness to us in so many ways.
Prayer Points:
Continue to pray for Donna as she leaves her new baby in hospital each day.
Pray for Suzanne as she travels to Australia to spend time with Donna, Nathan and baby Jack.
Pray for Ray as he runs our classes by himself, as well as having to take over Suzanne’s university classes.
