We left the Amazon jungle for China on September 8, commissioned the previous evening by the senior pastors from 10 churches of Iquitos. There was a great sense of excitement as we entered into the unknown. After a 30-hour bus ride followed by 26 hours of flights and layovers, the enthusiasm only modestly abated. We spent a few days in Hong Kong where we ministered with a local church as well as engaged in spontaneous ministry. (Hong Kong enjoys freedom of religious expression in contrast to mainland China.) The “spunk” of our team became evident in a local park: when a local Christian music band took a break from playing, some of our team members boldly introduced themselves and asked if they could play a set. In short, this was one of the most extroverted teams I have ever worked with. They had energy that lasted until well after midnight! Anyway, the park crowd grew as they played rhythmic Latino music with Spanish lyrics. They endeared themselves to the crowd – a quality that quickly became evident over the next few weeks.
We entered into mainland China intending to take a 29-hour train ride from Hong Kong to Kunming, changing trains after 3 hours. When we arrived at our stopover city we found out that there were neither beds nor seats available on the train. We would be standing in the aisle for 26 hours! The mettle of the team was tested. Almost all the team members stood in the cramped aisle for more than a whole day. Maybe for some this would have been a drudgery to be endured. Not so for our ministry team! We got out our Spanish-Mandarin dictionaries and began to try to learn how to speak some words. We mostly amused the locals and did manage to learn a word or two. Our Chinese travel companions received us warmly – a reception that became characteristic of the entire trip. We also played board games with the other passengers, learning how to play their favorite games. Later in the trip we took out musical instruments and played typical Peruvian folk music. Our team engaged with the people in a way that transcended the barriers that could have otherwise limited us. I was amazed that the cultural, linguistic, and even legal barriers that would normally separate us simply melted away as each team member sincerely befriended those around them.
We were happy to get to our first destination – Kunming - and looked forward to sleeping on a bed rather than dozing upright in an aisle. After a good night’s sleep we hit the ground running, engaging in cultural presentations throughout the city. We worked with the underground church, though I cannot share any details for security reasons. We also met in private settings with university students who had begun to show interest in the Christian faith. Although we needed to be careful in this country of restricted religious freedom, time after time it was encouraging to have heartfelt encounters with people with whom we could share our treasured Christian faith.
We also traveled to the province of Sichuan. This province was devastated by an earthquake in May 2008 that left as many as 86,000 dead and 4.8 million homeless. Our state governor here in Loreto, Peru, Ivan Vasquez, was thrilled to know that a delegation from Peru was going to China to celebrate the cultural and moral values of our nation as well as assist the earthquake victims. Our local Peruvian government sponsored us with Peruvian uniforms as well as Peruvian flags. In the Sichuan mountain village we lived among 1,700 children who were homeless as a result of the earthquake. Side-note: I am proof-reading this before sending it and each time I read it, this part fills my eyes with tears. We stayed in the same temporary shelters as these kids; we were with them 24/7. This “up-close-and-personal” contact with the kids over an extended period proved to be the most meaningful time we had while in the country. All of our activities were coordinated through the local authorities. We had more than just favor with them – they became friends as well. Because of our close day-to-day contact with the people in the village, it was quite evident to them that our Christian faith had moved us to visit and help them. Even though Buddhism is by far the predominant religion, we were genuinely welcomed along with our Christian faith. As evidence of our acceptance, the local authorities invited us to toast with them utilizing the local beer as the drink of choice! We were touched by the friendliness and kindness of the Chinese people and we are certain that they were impressed by Christ’s love expressed through us.
As the end of the trip drew near, our team members knew they would return to the Peruvian jungle forever changed. The Great Commission was no longer a command on a page of the Bible, but a real person in a far-away land who had little or no knowledge of Christ. They knew that once back in Iquitos they would need to redefine the mission of their respective churches. This team of young leaders is comprised of mostly youth pastors, some with 200-800 youth in their respective churches. They are the next generation of leaders across the city of Iquitos, and will likely become senior pastors of prominent churches in the years to come. I know the China Project was the first step for them, with many other steps to follow. As YWAM, we are actively praying about what should come next and will certainly keep you posted on future plans. Thank you for your words of encouragement, your prayers, and support. It was quite a faith adventure that brought wonderful results. Thank you for your part in China Project: 2008.
I returned to Peru 2 weeks ago, got over jet lag and started catching up on neglected work. Please pray for my health. The whole time in China I was sick with something. I felt bad because the whole team never got to know me healthy. It was one thing after another. Upon arrival to Iquitos my health quickly recovered, but last week one of our teams came back from the jungle, after building a church, and they seemed to have brought sickness back to the base too. Because my system was already weakened, I caught whatever they brought back after 2 days of their arrival. For 2½ days my fever soared around 102°. Thank God, this past Friday morning I bounced back. Please pray that God would protect my body from all the sicknesses that surround me that my system is not used to. Paula knows it, I don’t give sick often, but when I do, I am useless.
I will be returning to FL around the middle of December. I will be visiting family in Port Charlotte and planning on spending some quality time in Tampa. Please let me know what your calendars look like and where you are planning on spending the holidays. I would love to get with you personally to “catch up”.
Love and miss you bunches!
Sylvia Barnard
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