...for they shall bend and not break! This is a quote a friend shared with me concerning surviving life in China and the certain instability it brings. Quite timely considering how we have been able to practice our flexibility this past week....
We received a phone call from our landlord on Saturday a week and a half ago, telling us they had decided to sell our apartment in which we are living. We still have a year and a half left on our lease, but by Chinese law the owner is really under no obligation to us. So our landlord is saying that she is only going to sell to someone who will keep our current lease agreement, but we know enough to know that the chances of that happening are slim to none! Because our landlord is a keen business woman, she was crafty enough to wait until the week after she'd received our next 6-months lease payment; which leaves us in this pickle. We have a clause in our lease that says we can't break our lease agreement without having to pay a penalty fee; the landlord however can sell the apartment at will. So we are stuck not being able to look for another apartment to rent without having to pay a steep penalty while she has 6 months of the apartment being paid for by renters in which she can have people coming whenever to look at buying the apartment. Now the good news is, we are assuming that we should have no problem getting our rent money back for the months we don't live here, assuming the apartment does sell before our August 15th date; but we haven't even clarified that yet at this point! We're just going off of precedence from what others have experienced... We've also found out that even if they sell our apartment today, they should give us one month legally before they can force us to leave. So we're thankful that our apartment is not too big and has very little storage space, leaving us living off of necessities rather than the "stuff" that can so easily accumulate!!
Our other area of flexibility practice came after Kevin's recent discussions with our potential business partner who lives in Beijing. After this past week's meeting, it seems like the business that we thought our friend would have started by now still has quite a way to go--which means we are still quite a ways away from that being a possible visa option for us! Considering that our student visa status is up in April, we're obviously counting the days and really putting to pr what our next step is. Kevin is more than done with being a student--he's really flown through all the material they have to offer and is honestly just ready to be done in the classroom after almost 3 years. I, on the other hand, feel like I've really hit my groove this year as far as hitting some major mile markers in language, and would LOVE the chance to devote more time to my studies. So our best option at this point is for me to go to school as a full-time student starting this fall (which would be 4 mornings a week), being as all 4 kids can be in school at that point (Noah going each morning for half-days either at the international school or possibly even the Chinese local school--still debating and pr-ing over that one!); this would provide me a student visa and Kevin and "accompanying spouse" visa--enough for our family to stay and have another year to figure out what long-term visa options might be available.
With all this instability and how quickly even the biggest things in life change here with such a feeling of being so out-of-control, I'm really thankful for the "experiment" I've been running for the last 3 weeks! As I mentioned in my last post, I've just come off this week of a "hostessing sabbatical", and I am so refreshed and renewed from the time! I am thrilled to announce that my hopes were surpassed; I was truly able to feel the difference of stillness and peace in my heart as the weeks progressed and I was able to be still longer and "go deeper" in my time with the Maker. It is a difficult thing to describe. I don't think anyone on the outside will see any major life change as a result of the past 3 weeks. But I also know that a change was wrought in my heart. A yearning for intimacy with Him re-awakened. A desire to know fully and be more fully known. A sense of joy over just being His child rather than necessarily seeing of being a part of His work. I am wondering if this "experiment" was providential in His timing, knowing the hurdles we're having to face now with the instability of knowing we might have to pack up and move at any given moment and knowing that we, after one and a half years of thinking we had a great business plan in motion, now seem to be back to square one in how to stay in this place we now consider home. I can truly say in the midst of this chaos that peace reigns--in our hearts and in our homes in an incredible way! And now we're back in the saddle again; we picked right up with our schedule of hostessing and spending time with friends. One slight difference--we're trying to pr through each opportunity and use our time as wisely as possible, and we're going into this next semester feeling more re-charged than usual!
Kevin walked in the door from class last week to find Karis sitting with our household helper (ayi) with her Book open on the floor in front of them. Now, keep in mind, besides "no", ayi doesn't speak a word of English. And Karis speaks about as much Chinese! Nonetheless, Karis was attempting to share, and ayi was graciously trying to understand. Upon Kevin's arrival, Karis had Kevin come and sit with them and spend the next 20 minutes translating the Story, from the beginning to the end, making sure to include all her favorite parts. Ayi kindly listened, and then they all walked away, with Kevin thinking ayi had just humored Karis because of her great love for her. But about an hour later, ayi approached Kevin, asking him pointed questions that we've never heard her ask in the 2 years she's worked for us! Kevin and Karis were both elated, and the story continues, but probably the rest of the exciting details will need to wait to share in person, as we're hoping that this journey of discovery for her is only at the beginning! Oh, and the other funny providential piece is why Karis was at home. All the kids had gotten a fever virus that circulated through our house. On Sunday afternoon, Karis and Eli both still had fevers, so I begrudgingly agreed that they should stay home from school the following day, going against everything within me that said "surely they are healthy enough to go to school and don't need to stay home!". I listened to that still small voice instead, however, and allowed the two kids to stay home from school with ayi while I was out, thus providing the opportunity for this precious interaction to take place! We decided even sick days every now and then can be used for His glory and are well worth any discomfort they may bring!
I concluded my 3-weeks off this past weekend by attending a conference in Beijing. Unfortunately I can't give a lot of details, but suffice it to say that the most encouraging aspect of the time for me besides the time just being away from my normal routine with a bunch of women who were all on the same page with big life things, was that I was drawn to be so thankful for so many aspects of the life that I've been called to here in Tianjin. So many of the women I met were from places where life is just hard! Some lived in places without any running water, and they had to haul their own water daily to use for showering and washing dishes. Others lived 5 hours from any other English-speaking foreigners, making their regular fellowship practically non-existant. Others had husbands who were on the road most of the month, leaving them home with kids and in a context where women aren't really allowed to leave the home without a male (husband) escort. Others had no other option but to homeschool their kids, and truly despised the role! I came home with a new perspective; filled with thankfulness that I love spending time with my husband, that my children are a true joy and a blast to be around (notice the swords, ninja-style, stuck in the back of Noah's shirt as he helps me wash dishes in the picture!), that I have an amazing school that we can (somehow, but the grace of God!) afford to send them to, and that I can call up the import store in town and (usually) get chocolate chips when I want to! I realize just how many blessings I have and how many count the cost in such greater ways than I do. And it motivated me and stirred my heart to no end to see the joy with which so many are doing just that!
The last thing that I can't close out without mentioning is concerning adoption. Our closest friends here, Sam and Charis, have been waiting for a full year now for a "match"--which means they are given the name and information of a child who they will soon be able to adopt and bring into their home. And on Tuesday this week, it happened! After an excruciating process (for them and for all those walking the road with them!), they were finally given the name and photos of a little boy that they can hopefully have officially as their own in about 5 months. And I can't tell you the rejoicing in our home! And not only that, but also some dear friends back in Dallas were on the same match list, finding out the identity of their soon-to-be-adopted little girl, who is also in China in an orphanage right now! It is everything both Kevin and I can do to not jump the next train to the towns where the orphanages are and try to get in the front door to love on these little ones who will soon be in the homes of some amazing parents! The picture I've included is of a group of friends celebrating with Sam and Charis on the day they got all their paper work in to accept the child they've been matched with--a day well worth celebrating!! I can only begin to imagine the sp parallels concerning the adoption of each of us into His eternal family, and the joy it brings when one is brought in among the fold! No doubt His party puts our own to shame... :)
