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Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Sunday, August 5, 2007
home again (prematurely)
Hello dear friends and family,
We are actually back in the states, about 2 weeks ahead of schedule due to a medical emergency. Jojo lost the vision in his left eye. After an examination by a team of pediatric ophthalmologists in Shanghai, it was determined that it was safe, and best, for us to fly home ASAP. Thankfully, Jojo was seen by an ophthalmologist at Kaiser and by a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist at Children's hospital the very same day that we landed in LA. They determined that it was a transient functional vision loss (a temporary blindness without anything physically wrong with the eye), possibly starting with an inflammation. And, it should completely resolve with time. Praise God!!!!!
Anson will probably return to Shanghai on Thursday now that the family is healthy, but Christine will stay here with the kids. The work in China has been a wonderful experience and we are completely amazed by what will be happening with our humble efforts with the mobile medical healthcare projectnow called "Love in Motion". The team of doctors and pastors we had formed in Hangzhou will be mobilizing others within the larger Jiejiang province to reach further villages. In addition, the pastor who heads all the protestant churches of China has slated 10 other cities to begin setting up teams with mobile medical units using Hangzhou as a model. There are several more meetings scheduled for August which we hope Anson will be able to attend.
We are now able to see the hand of God in every meeting, every contact, every meal we shared with seemingly random people in China. The doctors that we simply had over for dinner were invaluable and extremely gracious when we suddenly needed to find a pediatric ophthalmologist on an emergent basis. We have felt the support and prayers of everyone at home and appreciate you all very much!
We are also very happy to be home and look forward to what God has for us in the future.
We are actually back in the states, about 2 weeks ahead of schedule due to a medical emergency. Jojo lost the vision in his left eye. After an examination by a team of pediatric ophthalmologists in Shanghai, it was determined that it was safe, and best, for us to fly home ASAP. Thankfully, Jojo was seen by an ophthalmologist at Kaiser and by a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist at Children's hospital the very same day that we landed in LA. They determined that it was a transient functional vision loss (a temporary blindness without anything physically wrong with the eye), possibly starting with an inflammation. And, it should completely resolve with time. Praise God!!!!!
Anson will probably return to Shanghai on Thursday now that the family is healthy, but Christine will stay here with the kids. The work in China has been a wonderful experience and we are completely amazed by what will be happening with our humble efforts with the mobile medical healthcare projectnow called "Love in Motion". The team of doctors and pastors we had formed in Hangzhou will be mobilizing others within the larger Jiejiang province to reach further villages. In addition, the pastor who heads all the protestant churches of China has slated 10 other cities to begin setting up teams with mobile medical units using Hangzhou as a model. There are several more meetings scheduled for August which we hope Anson will be able to attend.
We are now able to see the hand of God in every meeting, every contact, every meal we shared with seemingly random people in China. The doctors that we simply had over for dinner were invaluable and extremely gracious when we suddenly needed to find a pediatric ophthalmologist on an emergent basis. We have felt the support and prayers of everyone at home and appreciate you all very much!
We are also very happy to be home and look forward to what God has for us in the future.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Update!
We have been unable to access this site from China so our siblings in the states are helping to update this blog on our behalf. The trip so far has been amazing and we will have to share more in detail with each of you when we return. The first 2 weeks were packed with traveling to Hong Kong, Shantou, Guilin, Shanghai, Hangzhou and finally back to Shanghai.
We have now officially stayed in one city for more than 4 nights. We are so thankful that the kids have done well and have not gotten sick. They have actually been amazing eating Chinese banquet food every night and sitting through 3 hour long church services in Chinese, trying all the new foods, toughing it out in the heat and humidity, not to mention the mosquito bites. They started school last week and again have exceeded our expectations. They are the only English speaking kids in the school but are "shadowed" by a teacher who translates a little for them. Bethany, of course, has managed to make several friends already and takes care of JoJo too. They are already more willing to use the little Mandarin that they know and I'm sure will progress quickly.
It is clear that He is in the timing of our visit here to China. We had a very informative meeting with the head of social services of the church here who escorted us on a visit to Hangzhou. We joined a team of doctors on a visit to a local village where there were many who had never had seen a doctor before in their lives. This is probably the site where our first efforts will focus-to provide a medical mobile unit that can serve this and other villages on a rotating basis. We have also met up with several local Shanghainese doctors who are interested in helping with this effort. This group will be coming over for dinner at our place this Wednesday (7/11). We plan to head back out to Hangzhou in 2 weeks to meet again. So many times, we've been amazed at how "non-coincidental" these contacts seem to be. We only look forward to watching how things will fall into place in the future.
We are finally feeling settled and not eating out every night. We are able to go to the "wet" market and buy our own fresh meats and veggies. Unfortunately, some of it is so fresh that you pick the live chicken and they kill and pluck it for you to take home. (when in Rome...).
We feel so fortunate to have this opportunity to be here this summer. But we miss you all very much and covet your prayers to sustain us!
We have now officially stayed in one city for more than 4 nights. We are so thankful that the kids have done well and have not gotten sick. They have actually been amazing eating Chinese banquet food every night and sitting through 3 hour long church services in Chinese, trying all the new foods, toughing it out in the heat and humidity, not to mention the mosquito bites. They started school last week and again have exceeded our expectations. They are the only English speaking kids in the school but are "shadowed" by a teacher who translates a little for them. Bethany, of course, has managed to make several friends already and takes care of JoJo too. They are already more willing to use the little Mandarin that they know and I'm sure will progress quickly.
It is clear that He is in the timing of our visit here to China. We had a very informative meeting with the head of social services of the church here who escorted us on a visit to Hangzhou. We joined a team of doctors on a visit to a local village where there were many who had never had seen a doctor before in their lives. This is probably the site where our first efforts will focus-to provide a medical mobile unit that can serve this and other villages on a rotating basis. We have also met up with several local Shanghainese doctors who are interested in helping with this effort. This group will be coming over for dinner at our place this Wednesday (7/11). We plan to head back out to Hangzhou in 2 weeks to meet again. So many times, we've been amazed at how "non-coincidental" these contacts seem to be. We only look forward to watching how things will fall into place in the future.
We are finally feeling settled and not eating out every night. We are able to go to the "wet" market and buy our own fresh meats and veggies. Unfortunately, some of it is so fresh that you pick the live chicken and they kill and pluck it for you to take home. (when in Rome...).
We feel so fortunate to have this opportunity to be here this summer. But we miss you all very much and covet your prayers to sustain us!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
the Yew family in China
Background:
It all began in 2004 when we were visiting Shanghai without the kids. Caught up in the frenzy of the moment (or was it during a foot massage?), we could sense the energy that was emanating from this "new" Shanghai.
Anson had a sense that God was calling us back to Shanghai in some way. Christine didn't think so. But she was sure that if God was calling us, He would make it clear with a specific reason to go. We prayed over the idea for a year.
During this time, unbeknownst to us, Christine's parents were approached by their contacts in China looking for ways to improve health care delivery to the villages. When the idea of a mobile medical unit emerged, it became clear that this was the "specific reason" for which Christine had been praying.
We began taking steps toward that possibilty and things started falling into place. Anson was approved for a sabbatical, we were offered housing by Christine's uncle, our visas were granted, programs for our kids were provided, our house and cars are being cared for and used by friends and missionaries, and we are left with little doubt that God had everything planned out for us so perfectly.
The kids also took some convincing. It isn't easy leaving for a few months away from your friends and toys. However, God has been working in their hearts to a point where they are now very excited about going.
Please pray for our journey. Safety, health, efficiency, patience, relationship building, favor with those in positions to make decisions, and the ability to make a difference.
It all began in 2004 when we were visiting Shanghai without the kids. Caught up in the frenzy of the moment (or was it during a foot massage?), we could sense the energy that was emanating from this "new" Shanghai.
Anson had a sense that God was calling us back to Shanghai in some way. Christine didn't think so. But she was sure that if God was calling us, He would make it clear with a specific reason to go. We prayed over the idea for a year.
During this time, unbeknownst to us, Christine's parents were approached by their contacts in China looking for ways to improve health care delivery to the villages. When the idea of a mobile medical unit emerged, it became clear that this was the "specific reason" for which Christine had been praying.
We began taking steps toward that possibilty and things started falling into place. Anson was approved for a sabbatical, we were offered housing by Christine's uncle, our visas were granted, programs for our kids were provided, our house and cars are being cared for and used by friends and missionaries, and we are left with little doubt that God had everything planned out for us so perfectly.
The kids also took some convincing. It isn't easy leaving for a few months away from your friends and toys. However, God has been working in their hearts to a point where they are now very excited about going.
Please pray for our journey. Safety, health, efficiency, patience, relationship building, favor with those in positions to make decisions, and the ability to make a difference.
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