BBQ Joints and the ensuing Craziness!

Hey everybody!  I hope that everything is going in your life!  As the video says, things here are great!  I am learning alot about the Chinese culture and am having a blast living here.  Obviously, your prayers are very much appreciated so thank you for them! 

My daily life here is pretty consistent. Everybody always talked to me about the prospects of having to adjust to the new diet over here, and I must tell you that the stories that you have heard are true!   One place that my friends here like to frequent is "Chinese BBQ"   I would love to tell you the actual name for it, but at the risk of sounding dumb to my chinese friends, I will refrain!   The idea is that you go up to a little grill on the side of the road and pick some meat on a stick and give it to the grillers.. Then they will grill up right and bring it to your table!  The meat is relatively good, but the most interesting thing that I have had to eat there is the pig intestines!  and the thing that is funny about the certain BBQ places that my friends like to take me to is the place that doesn't clean out the intestines before they grill it. So most of the intestines are "stuffed" with whatever pig intestines are stuffed with when they are killed. Kinda wild!   You can also eat frog there but I haven't taken the plunge yet!  

 Here are some of the frogs!!

This is the Sr High Leadership team eating dinner before one of our meetings.... These people are awesome nd we will make a great team!   Amber, the fellow youth leader-in-charge, is on the far left with the red hair... She has already become a good friend and fellow co-worker!

Please continue to lift us up as we try to figure out where Father wants to lead us... Your prayers are coveted!

Grace and Peace,

Kenny

First Impressions

So I am officially here :)  and I love it!!   

It is very clear to me that these past few days have been blessed because I have already experienced some doubt and frustration and negative thoughts, but our Father has put some very awesome people in my path that have experienced the same things that I'm going through. And they offer encouragements and words from Truth!!  

My heart is burdened for the people in this city already... 3 of my new friends here in the city took me down to the big marketplace called Lo Shwan(sp?)    We were walking through the marketplace and heard a really loud ruckus... We saw a lady on a cart and a lady walking, and they were both screaming really loudly at each other. My friends translated for me and told me that the lady on the cart had hit the lady walking, and the lady walking was instantly demanding compensation for her "injuries". It was so sad to see because the desperation in both of their eyes was evident.    Please keep opportunities like this in your Thoughts and lift them up daily. 

This picture is from the window in my bedroom of my apartment. Notice the mountains behind the buildings!!! its a beautiful city, but there are definitely poverty-stricken areas, and more affluent neighborhoods... My apartment is in the upper-middle part of the city...  I am blessed by a nice place to stay...

There will be more pictures and updates to come, but please keep the city and myself in your thoughts....  

Love ya'll!!

Happy New Year

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday time....  I know I did.. the opportunity to spend quality time with my family will always be cherished in my heart because so much has changed over the past year...   Erin and Bobby had their 4th baby (Caleb), Brittany and Justin are pregnant with their 1st, and I'm moving to China in two weeks.... 

Here are a few pictures of the prettiest babies in all the world!

This is Reagan - a normal face for her!

This picture fits Audrey perfectly... She is such a comedian!!

Casie is my beautiful young girl..  It is amazing to see her growth over the last few years!  she is so smart and cares about people so much... its amazing to see her love on Caleb the way she does

This is the newest addition to our family.... Caleb.. People say he resembles me, which is pretty cool!  

This is Audrey singing... I will listen to this all the time in China

These memories will make this time easier! I find my strength in Christ, but to be completely honest, there are so many times that I state with my mouth I trust Christ, but in my actions I live on my own... this happens more often than not...    my prayer for my life has and will always be Psalm 73: 25-26 

"Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever!"  

I pray that this is your heart and your desire! no matter where you are in life, spiritually mature or spiritually immature, please take this Scripture in your heart and meditate on it... Seek after God!!!

Talk to ya'll soon