I think one of the biggest differences I have noticed since being in China is that our weeks seem to fly by twice as fast as when we were in the UK.  Time really has been going so fast.  I cannot believe we have now been here 6 months.  Nearly half a year!  Wow that went quick.

Well quite a bit has been happening in China over the last 4 weeks since our last update.  Chinese New Year took place and this is the big holiday of the year.  Pretty much February is all holiday and people are getting on trains and planes to go and see relatives and friends all over china.  It has been quite an incredible time to be here as China turns into a 24/7 firework bonanza for about 2 weeks.  They let them off during the day, night, early hours, ALL THE LIVE LONG DAY!!!!   They let them off using their cigarettes as lighters, they smoke in the firework shops and they even let them off the backs of their vans as they drive around.  It is incredible compared to the Health and Safety laws of England.  Steve Mclaren, Health and Safety Officer, of Bishop Vesey Grammar School would have a field day out here!!
Robin puts on a display each year for HFH and the nannies and their families.  I have to say it was one of the best firework displays I have ever been party to.  We had a 30 minute display going constantly, ending with a waterfall effect shower firework draped over a wire and then two of the biggest boxes of fireworks you could ever imagine going off at the same time.  Visual effects rating I would say 9 out of 10.  Safety Aspect - well let’s just say only one guy got hit by a rogue firework so by China standards that’s a successful SAFE show!!

After this incredible display we headed off to Tiananmen Square for what Robin informed us would be an incredible spectacle at midnight.  He was absolutely right; you could see fireworks in the distance going off everywhere.  Only thing was nothing actually happens in Tiananmen Square at all and no fireworks are allowed within 2 miles of it.   So the incredible spectacle was 2 Brits and 2 Americans standing in the freezing cold plotting the downfall of one Robin Hill!!!!!   Rumour has it he fled to England!!!

 
   Ling Quan (Andrea Ellen with her new year  pet – Aki) Remember her, she is the  one I pick up in a morning for kindergarten.
 

THANK YOU

• For all my birthday cards and gifts.  They are still arriving, even now, so it is great to see what will come each day.

• To Melanie Tipper and her housegroup for their phone call in the week, it was worth getting up for and fantastic to chat with you guys.

• To my Mom, for my new slippers from BHS.  Comfort for a western sized foot at last!!

• For the family that sent Becky some Iron Tablets.

• The funds that people keep putting into our account to support us for treats.

• Matt Wallace for such an informative email on AYF and an encouragement to us.

• Nottingham St. John’s have confirmed that they will defer my place at Bible College a further year.

• To Ethan Hooley (6 years old) for his Chocolate Heart Valentines day gift.

CHURCH

Capital Community continues to go well.  Recently we have been going into the little kids’ class to teach them songs that they are going to lead the congregation in worship with.  “Our God is a Great Big God” and “Peace like a River” are now being used over here which brings a lot of memories back for us with the children of Holy Trinity in Clayhanger.

Church has also been the main source of the beginnings of some friendships outside of HFH.  This has been nice to meet with people to hear their stories and get to know some of them better.  Last week we were treated to a very special evening when we went to a dinner party where they had brought a chef in to cook.  We just thought they were the most relaxed people on the planet when it came to catering as they chatted away to all their guests.  Then a Chinese chap popped out of the kitchen and starting putting bread rolls out.  The food was amazing I think it was the first time we had ever had separate Salmon and Steak courses in one meal!!!  This is the strange life we lead of a rural foster home in a Chinese village and a church that is Expat American, in the main, living in nice complexes, that look like a piece of America.

Becky continues to be sorting through paperwork on different charitable projects that the church is looking to support this coming year, in her role as missions coordinator.  She is currently planning a visit to one of them for us, so we will update you next month on this.

PRAYER NEEDS

• Becky has new helpers volunteering in the kindergarten, pray they would settle in well as they are non Mandarin speakers.  Pray the kids will understand them and vice versa.

• A Miracle that God would grant us the ability to speak Mandarin.  We don’t have any lessons or training just picking up words one day at a time. No teacher to give us a big star!

• Becky’s energy levels

• Some people say 6months in can bring a reality check.  Pray for our motivation levels, our hearts to grow in a role of servant heartedness, our alarm clocks to wake us up!

• We have been missing home a lot over the last 3 weeks.

• Waist lines – we have two weddings in May and the food here is just not good for the figure!!

• My Guitar – sounds weird to pray but the electrics are playing up, pray it would be a simple fix.

• My mom and her friend Glenys come to HFH for one week on the 1^st March (28^th Feb for you guys!!) please pray for safety and simplicity of their travel arrangements.
   

 Well again thank you all so much for the way you support us, we appreciate the emails and prayers so much. The creative ways so many of you contact us, the creative things you send us really keep us going.  Thank you.