Xi'an May 2002
    Update
   Church
   Terracotta soldiers
   The Nestorian tablet

Six Virginia Baptist volunteers arrived on Monday, July 1, four will serve in Inner Mongolia as part of the Amity Summer English Program (SEP), which provides a month of oral English classes for Chinese middle school English teacher, and two will be in Xi'an, working with the YMCA, providing oral English activities for junior and senior high students.
   Above, from left in the back are: Jill Strickland, Barbara Bates, Sidney Bennett, and David Shriver. These four are the SEP team. In front are Sarah Harpe and Abby Carter, who will be in Xi'an. As we walked along the Bund in Shanghai, a Chinese family wanted to take pictures with us. McDonald's is multiplying outlets in China; here is one at the edge of the historic district in Shanghai. Sarah and Sidney are shown with Ronald McDonald.

Food is always important in China. I always take people to the old part of the city, which goes back 400 years, and we usually have lunch in the City God Temple market area. To the left, Barbara, Jill, and Abby practice using chopsticks to eat a dumpling that Shanghai is known for. That evening, we had dinner at a traditional Chinese restaurant. Our guests were Pastor Shi Qigui and his wife, Fan Peilan. Another guest was Rosie Zheng, a friend who works for a travel agency and who provides lots of help to Virginia groups who come through Shanghai.

After the dinner, the young people and I walked to the hotel along Nanjing Road's pedestrian mall, marveling at the bright lights and crowds.

On Wednesday morning, July 3, we went to Nanjing where we attended the Amity orientation for the SEP. This year, there are nearly 100 volunteer teachers going to 22 different sites in 14 different provinces. As part of the orientation program, each sending group was asked to lead a devotional period at the beginning of each session. Here, the Virginia team leads a devotion based on the overall theme of "A Time to Build," Psalm 127:1.
   On Friday, Abby and Sarah flew to Xi'an. That evening, the SEP participants were treated to a performance by the Nanjing Traditional Instrumental Music Orchestra. This is an outstanding troupe; they give their performances with enthusiasm and warmth.
   From Nanjing, it's on to Inner Mongolia.