Jaime Arrives Today

Jaime arrives today, so what have I accomplished in Beijing for the past 4 weeks?

1. Connected with the local family
   Visited with Marcus & Julia, Ryan, and Gary and Danita
   
2. Made new friends
3. Knee surgery and a good bit of healing
4. Finished the last Pimsleur lesson (30+ were completed here in Beijing)
   
5. 20+ hours of 1-to-1 Mandarin classes - learned many sentence structures
6. Worked on Rosetta Stone (but not enough)
   
7. Traveled throughout many parts of Beijing - learned the bus, subway, and light rail systems
   
8. Taught a little to compen$ate for time in Beijing
9. Had soul searching experiences
   talked with God about my purpose
   His plans for me & Jaime
   explored reasons for personal decisions
10. Went to Ikea (laugh, this is supposed to be funny)

What will we do in the next few days?

1. Have dinner with Glen & Joana
2. Jaime will get reacquainted with China - time zone, culture, food, etc.
   
3. Meet with Marcus & Julia, Ryan, and maybe Gary & Danita
4. Scout out apartments, schools, and various other arrangements
5. Do a little shopping
   A store here sells Uno Attack, Scrabble, and Risk
   Ikea
   Maybe a mall
   Metro or Carrefour
   
6. Go to Shiyan 4:30pm Friday, 31 September.

What will we do next year at this time? We don't know... Please keep us in your Thoughts! We are talking about full time work here in Beijing! This is an exciting possibility.

Stupid Me, Stupid Knee

Did you see my surgery photos on Facebook?

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=11746&l=39cea&id=601795676

This is why you don't spin around and run backwards in the middle of a long run. And it is probably a good example of stacking too many miles too quickly into a training schedule while running an impossible number of stairs.

So, what is the punishment for my excess?

1. I can't use my right leg to go up and down stairs for 2 months. It must not bend like that in weight bearing situations. (This also means that sitting and standing require an abnormal methodology.)
2. I must exercise said leg for many hours a day:
   Doc says 6 to 8 hours of constant motion or it will become scar tissue.
   I must do extension - 200 reps/day to build the Vastus Medialis head.
   
3. I can't ride a bike for 3 months. In 3 months when I can ride a bike, nothing intense, no hills, not fast, and the bike must allow full extension.
4. I can't run for 6 months. (This is about the time that I'll probably have the same surgery on the other knee.)

SURGERY STORY:
No eating after 2am Wednesday, 12 hours before the surgery, and no drinking 6 hours before the surgery - 8am Wednesday August 15, 2007.

I went in early for the pre-op tests, making sure I am not sick, have no heart or lung conditions, and a last round of x-rays, this was at 9am. Then they said I could go home, but I decided I would just wait there. I was thinking I would be hanging out in a waiting room or go to a local cafe if the waiting rooms are all full. However, they decided to give me a room!

I then got ready for the surgery around 1:30pm, but there was an emergency case - it took a few hours. I waited. I was getting my knee shaved and cleaned around 2:30pm and then got moved back upstairs to the room I was just in. The emergency case was a very loud drunk, they didn't want me in pre-op with him. I thought that was a good idea!

They wheel me into the operating room, have me slide onto the table, begin connecting some arm boards, and Dr. Cui says, "Let's shave the entire leg." I am thinking, no your joking, right? Nope. They start up on the inner thigh, which tickles... and then they start to shave the left leg... but just a patch for some electronic monitor. Dr. Cui was saying, "Let's just shave both of them, in fact how about everything below the belt."

At this point I was glad to be given the sedation and pain killer injections!

I woke up briefly after the surgery, speaking Chinese a lot! This was on the way to my recovery room. Don't really know what I was saying, but it was funny thinking about the possibilities later. I think I was saying I am really hungry, tired, and thirsty.

I didn't wake up again until midnight. The radio was on in my room. I didn't know if I could get out of bed. The call button was disconnected. So, I phoned the operator and asked for the nurses station. I wonder why my call button was disconnected. What was wrong with me? Was I a pain in the neck, asking too many questions? I know there was a time when I had a nurse and doctor on each side of me... I was asking a bunch of questions, but don't remember any of it now.

So, I wake up the next morning and find out I am allowed to walk! I was given a walker on getting out of bed, but soon realized it wasn't required or completely necessary. So, I packed up and went home.

This has been the story: "Stupid me! Stupid knee!" by Andrew Hill

P.S. Oh, if you ever have to get this surgery ... ask about irrigating the innards before and after!
Muy importante!

Different Thoughts on Church

This is from my brother's email... it really woke me up to a different reality.

loved ones,

everyone here is doing okay.
i have been getting a little more sleep lately 5-7 hours.
but i switch from day to night so sporadically i am always tired.

it is good that andrew is recovering well.

we had our 1st church service last night.
background:
we are living in the middle of the desert on a well fortified small combat out post.
25-35 guys and one girl (chaplains assistant)
all faiths attended the same service.
in a single wide trailer with cardboard over the windows to block the light at night.
some haven't showered in 36 hours
some are wearing the same uniform for the 6th day (daily high temp 125-130)
we all have weapons and lots of ammo.
the only bible is the chaplain's
no song books.
a few handkerchiefs are spread across the table with a piece of bread, one cup of grape juice, and a small cross.

we sang amazing grace 2 times.. everyone knows the words.
the preacher read psalms about david during some trying times.
the one about his faith being a rock, the Lords rock.

he started communion.
he walked around holding the bread. we each pinched of a small piece. (some of us haven't washed our hands)
we held the bread until every one who wanted to participate had some.
then he walked around with the cup. we each dipped our bread into the cup.
(some of the guys had to get bigger pieces to dip)
we said a prayer and then all ate the dipped bread together.
the whole service took about 20 minutes.
we went out on patrol looking for bad guys doing bad things and things that go boom.


i try to read a few verses each day and we say prayer prior to going on missions.
out here there is no difference in days of the week.
i never know what day it is. (sometimes) it is hard to know what month it is.
i looked at my watch, it was a nice friday night service.
the chaplain won't be here on sunday and won't be back for few weeks.
it makes you think a little differently about church.

love,

JP

Comfort & Opinions

I feel like a man who has many tools, but has never really learned how to use them. Then why do I have them? What does He want from me? Where am I supposed to be? What am I supposed to do? What do You want from Jaime and I? Where do You see us? Where will You call us to serve You and Your people?

The people are all without a Shepherd. They are in danger of going to the worst unimaginable place. If we aren't serving them, sharing You with them, and giving our lives for them, how will they know You? How will they be rescued? How will they find Home? Is this worth my life? Really ... what if I loose it? More close to reality, are these people worth my safety and health? Even closer still, are they worth my time and comfort? Can I be disciplined enough to serve them for You? Can I give up some of my precious free time so others won't suffer forever? (This sounds ridiculous, but isn't it the truth? I never really thought about it so simply, so directly, until He broke open my heart and showed me how calloused I am.)

Is my life supposed to be about them or me? What is most important here? What others think? What I think? Or what my Father thinks?

I struggle with strange waves of emotion. I am aware of my inadequacies, I know some of my shortcomings, but when it comes down to it, I simply haven't given up on my comfort and other people's opinions. I like it when others think I am smart, successful, doing a great service for my King, and really adventuresome. But taking pictures of remote places, teaching people His Word, and even making Disciples isn't what He wants. He wants me truly to give my heart, daily, continually, opening each little corner so His Glory will fill my life - so that His Glory can shine in this world.

He doesn't fill my heart so I can feel good about myself, that is a byproduct. It isn't so that others can think, "Wow, Andrew really loves his Savior" - that is too Pharisaical, and again it is a byproduct with purpose if I am humble. Then why does the Lord of Lords fill my heart? So that His Glory can receive honor, so that His Glory is upheld, and so that I can have a relationship with Him as I serve Him as my Lord and Master forever.

From this, He is longing for my friendship. He is tugging at my heart, asking me to open it to Him, so that He can show me how to have Life, how to Love, and He really wants me to learn His ways of understanding this world, His children, and myself.

I need to experience something of this daily. I need to keep some part of this moment fresh in my heart, so that I am useful to my King.

This is for me... it doesn't matter how much I clean myself up, I still need His cleansing. Yet, I am responsible to prepare myself for service to my King. No matter how old I get, this verse is fitting. No matter how mature I think I am, this verse is useful. No matter, He calls me to strip away the old ways and prepare anew for His service!

2 Tim 2:21-22, "If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work. So shun youthful passions and aim at righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart."

You Know You've Been in China Too Long When...

1. You go to the toilet you start bringing your own toilet paper.

2. You can pick up any type of food using just your chopsticks... even peanuts.

3. The footprints on the toilet seat are your own.

4. You wear the same shirt for 3 days in a row without washing it.

5. You no longer wait in line, but go immediately to the head of the queue.

6. You stop at the top or bottom of an escalator to plan your day.

7. It becomes exciting to see if you can get on the elevator before anyone can get off.

8. You park your bicycle sideways across the sidewalk to impede any walking traffic.

9. It doesn't surprise you that the only decision made at a meeting is the time and place for the next one.

10. You like to stand and retrieve your carry on luggage while the plane is on final approach.

11. You can shake your hands almost perfectly dry before wiping them on your pants.

12. You regard traffic signals, stop signs, and copy watch peddlers with equal disdain.

13. It doesn't bother you any more that people pick their nose and examine the treasure they found before flicking it across the restaurant floor.

14. You go out in public in your pajamas.

15. You have developed an uncontrollable urge to follow people carrying small flags.

16. Taking 6 pieces of carry on luggage on an airplane is no problem.

17. You run the air conditioning in your home with the doors and windows open.

18. You blow your nose or spit on the restaurant floor (of course after making a loud horking noise).

19. You look over people's shoulder to see what they are reading.

20. You throw your trash out the window of your house, your car or bus you are on.

21. You would rather SMS someone than actually meet to talk 'face to face'.

22. You honk your horn at people because they are in your way as you drive down the sidewalk

23. You regularly fumble for five minutes to find 5 jiao despite 10 people waiting in line behind you

24. You have a pinky fingernail an inch long.

25. You forget that the other person needs to finish speaking before you can start.

26. You burp and fart in any situation and don't care.

27. You like to spend 10 minutes at the ATM just to see all the options even if there are 20 people in line.

28. You cross the road without looking or caring if the light is red or green.

29. When having conversations with your friends you start leaving unnecessary words or letters out of sentences and end up talking like an imbecile.

30. Your eating manners in restaurants are now totally shot. Elbows on tables and spitting food out onto your plate is now seen as being dead classy.

31. When you turn the volume on the television in the restaurant up so high that you cannot hear what the person across the table from you is saying.

32. Small children defecting and urinating in public doesn't bother you any more.

33. You eat your food with your mouth open and make load smacking noises.

34. You like to stare into other people's shopping carts to see what they eat.

35. You are not surprised when three men with a ladder show up to change a light bulb.

36. You can tell a good tasting watermelon from a bad one simply by tapping it with the palm of your hand.

37. You talk on your cell phone while sitting on the toilet.

38. You think all trucks should be painted blue.

39. You understand all the above listed references.

Beijing Practices for the Olympic Games!

Each breath seems fresher,
there are shadows on the ground,
distant buildings capture my imagination,
happiness is abundant,
the birds are singing clear blue sky songs,
melodies float unhampered to my ears,
Beijing is practicing for the Olympics!

For two weeks the city will be clearing the air of smog, because few or no factories are in operation, there are a third fewer cars on the street, and they even plan to make it rain!

The downside? I think the temperature will rise by 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit. But that is no problem... considering how beautiful everything is now!

Life in Beijing

I have been in Beijing for almost a week and am getting acclimated. It isn't too difficult. I went for a long walk, maybe two hours long. There are many good western stores here, nothing like in Shiyan. I feel like I am in a huge Chinatown in a US city.

I decided to go with private Mandarin lessons for an hour a day. I study a good bit on my own: Rosetta Stone (computer program) for an hour, Pimsleur (audio only program) one or two lessons a day - each lesson is half an hour, www.chinglish-online.com for half an hour, and then I look over my lesson books. In addition, I talk with the taxi drivers, restaurant people, and anyone else I run into that seems to be interested. Language learning hurts the brain, but it is fun! I hope to spend about an hour or two each day practicing writing the characters too!

Here is my address for the month (express mail only - or else I'll be gone before it gets here):
Andrew Hill
Unit 601, Entrance 5, House 6
Tu Er Hutong, Jiadaokou Dong Dajie
Beijing 100009
China

I am staying in a three bedroom, sixth floor apartment with some nice expats, Joe and Joana. Joe is an architect from Canada and Joana is a Fulbright Scholar who worked in the China Program a few years ago. Joe is single. Joana is dating a very wealthy Australian who offered to let me stay at his executive apartment after my surgery. He has an elevator!

I will have surgery this Friday or next Friday for a torn lateral meniscus on my right knee (http://www.leadingmd.com/patientEd/meniscus/overview.asp). Everything else should be okay. I am still not happy with the constant aching in my knees, but he doesn't seem to have a reaction for that. I'll ask him again after the MRI. I have four MRI sheets from Shiyan, but the pictures are too small. My doctor is a sports medicine doctor with Beijing United Family Hospitals - probably the best hospitals in China! His examination was quite a bit more specific and thorough in comparison to the Shiyan Hospital. From the website, it seems that the other injuries to my knees could heal without surgery, but maybe I need to get extra vitamins specific to joint tissues for quick healing. (Any ideas? -of course, I'll be asking the doctor about this.)