Nov. 7 - continued...

Well, i didn't think that i'd get a chance to write today but since i've been up since 5:30 - i have some time! There are 7 girls in our bunk room and 1 is sick - please P. for her... She was up coughing and so i decided to get up and tell you about our experiences last night.

Let's see... i think i left off around lunch time before VBS - after lunch and VBS stuff was set up, i walked around the campus taking pics - i don't think i'll have time to send them today?? I also visited the workshop - i can't remember if i've already posted about this??? oh well. There is a workshop in one of the back buildings that about 4 ladies work in everyday making banners. PHF has to have this workshop in order to be licensed as a business in this area. When Tim purchased these 5 acres for 1 yuan from a business man 10 years ago, this was a requirement in order to settle here - to be registered as a business. Anyway, the ladies were so delightful - they loved looking at the pics of my family:) of course, who wouldn't - they are beautiful:):):) Well, i need to buy a banner but just not sure which one...

- I am so thankful that we used the curriculum that we did - it went much deeper than any past groups that have been here - i am hoping that it will truly make a difference in their (kids and nannies) lives. The message yesterday was to be "followers of C." Everyone did such an awesome job at their task during VBS and we all truly enjoyed the children. Just to see their faces light up, to see them sing the songs, to see them enjoy the crafts, sensory stuff, games and snacks, to see them P. and to for us to spread G. love on them was a priviledge! We are hoping that we will be able to play with them next week too while we are here.

After VBS about 5 of us cleaned that mess up and the others had to carry several loads up 3 flights of stairs to carry stuff back up into the attack - ugh.. i'm so glad that i had other priorities:):) Then, we loaded a bus to go to dinner at the "Garden Restaurant" - When you walk in there are pictures of about 50 different dishes that you can order (they also had live fish, shark etc.. in tanks that i'm sure they used for thier dishes) Then we sat down in a "booth" area that was designated by plants - there were plants EVERYWHERE!! it was quite beautiful! i have a few pics that i hope to send... Damon, Brooke, Tamara and I sat together - Damon ordered pig tails -which they brought out first - NO THANK YOU!! He ate it and others tried it :( We also had a scallop cake, mushroom soup, dumplings, a spicy chicken plate and of course rice! We ended up with 7 huge dishes for 184 yuan - not bad:)

Then we were off to the massage place - i'm thinking that it is one where we are all in a room together and they just rub our back really hard or something - OH NO!! it was quite an interesting experience!!! They shuffled us upstairs - and wanted 3 in each room - Brooke and i luckily snagged Melanie (who speaks chinese) They first had us soak our feet in EXTREMELY HOT medicine water and then they rubbed our feet - it felt like they were rubbing the skin off! They (we each had a lady massager) came back with boxer shorts that they wanted us to take our jeans off and put on. We all look at each other and start to wonder what we got our selves into! They came back and had us lay down on our backs onto this huge foam bed. And lets just say that they rubbed, poked, slapped, cracked EVERY part of my body! It was actually quite hilarious! I found out that i am very ticklish in my groan area - yea - i'm sure what you are imagining is what happened!! :):)LOLOLOL! Brooke and i had the giggles so bad that we were crying and i still laugh thinking about it! They also pulled limbs in directions i didn't know that they could go! And at one point they had us flying in the air - i can't explain it - i'll have to show you! It ended with an awesome neck and head massage - i think that i fell asleep! It cost about 130 yuan each (so divided that by about $6.50 and that is the american price!) And that was our night!! Quite the experience!!! NOt sure if i'll do it again but it was something that was fun to experience!!

We then came home and off to beddy bie! and here i am now:):)

Today we are off to Beijing in about 1 hr (7:30 am) and will be home late - not sure if and when i'll be able to post...

Love and hugs to all!
Thanks for your P's.!!!