Back to Hengyang!

From the desk chair of Chris...

Last week Allie and I ventured back to our old stomping grounds-- the good ole' city of Hengyang, China. It was a quick trip, about a 30 minute train ride, and we were gone for just over 24 hours. But, it was amazing to get to see some of our old friends. I never thought I'd get nostalgic about that place! Here are some of the highlights of our trip:

The dancers. Always a fun group to hang out with! You probably remember seeing them in some of our Wii dance videos and pictures of Allie's crew. We stopped by the old dance studio and spent a few hours catching up with them. They are all doing well and are still breaking the night away!

We also went to our favorite breakfast place. OK, I'll be honest, it's probably the only place we would eat breakfast in Hengyang. And by "place" I mean food cart on the side of the road. But hey, don't knock it until you try it! This guy stews pork all day and when you get there, he'll heat up some "biscuit-like" bread and then fill it with the roasted pork. If you ask nicely he'll even top it with a fried egg! And as always, like most take-out food in China, it is served in a tiny plastic bag.

And finally, the best part of the trip. Spending time with Cole, Edward, and Victor was one of the best things about living in Hengyang, and was definitely the highlight of going back. We ate every meal with these guys while we were back there and spent most of our free time with them too. They are all doing well, busy studying for the post-graduate exam that they will take in early January. Cole is moving back into the dorm with everyone and I think the fellowship will be great for him. Edward recently broke-up with his girlfriend, which I think was a great decision for him. Victor is loving his new glasses and seems to be happier than he ever was. He continues to draw closer to the Father and this has had very evident effects on his self-worth. He calls me about once a week to ask me to talk to the Father with him. Please continue to lift these guys up!

** With the upcoming government change in China (it happens once every 10 years, and will begin in about a week) our internet and other methods of communication may be limited. Please bear with us, and we'll send updates whenever we can! **