PICTURE PAGE
Final Message
Well Well . . . What a day!
We had an incredible Church service yesterday at Christian Revival Church
in Hong Kong (Dennis' Church). What a GREAT service we had, even tho we
had to wear headphones and listen to the English interpreter . . .
and today we had a 3 hour class on the History of Missions in China . . .
that was SOOO interesting . . . it was so valuable to anyone interested in
missions . . . I believe Bonnie taped it to a digital player, so we can
download it to the Church Website if anyone wants to hear it . . . over
30,000 people a day are getting saved in China . . . the underground church
is thriving there, but so is the 3 self Government Church . . . Amazing!!!
The Holy Spirit is being poured out even in those Churches . . . I have never
seen anything like it before . . .
Well, we leave tomorrow at 1:20 pm, so please remember us in your prayers . . .
everyone is excited to get home and sleep in their own beds . . . YEAH!!! Me too!!!
Looking forward to seeing you all very soon and giving a Great Report of what God
did through your prayers . . .
We are Still Going after the ONE!!!
Love Mark and the China Team!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Greetings from Hong Kong . . .
We just arrived a few hours ago after a NICE 16 hour flight . . . WOW!!! I guess
Ramona doesn't seem that far away anymore :) A Missionary picked us up, and took
us to his house, where we are staying in an apartment style building, nice and
cramped, but . . . there IS a 7/11 on the corner! but no slurpees . . . what kind
of 7/11 is THIS! It is 10:45pm right now, and we will be leaving in the morning
for Kunming at noon, then we have a 5 - 6 hour bus ride to the University. Everyone
traveled REALLY Well, no one is sick Praise God, and We just want to tell you all
How THANKFUL we are for you, our prayer partners . . .
Continue to pray for:
Safety in Travel
Health for the team
Unity on the team
The students we will be ministering to . . .
We had a great time of Worship and Prayer when we got here . . . I will update
again when we get to the university.
God Bless . . . Pastor Mark and the China Team
PS . . . when we get to China, I will not be able to write freely . . . I will
need to use code words, because the Gov. filters EVERY Email . . .
Sunday, March 25, 2007
The team will depart Hong Kong International Airport at 12:00 PM / 9:00 PM
The team will arrive in Kungming at 2:55 PM / 11:55 PM
The team arrive at Mingzi and the Honghe University by bus at 8:30 PM / 5:30 AM
Monday, March 26, 2007
Greetings from China . . .
After a 2 hour flight from Hong Kong, and then a 6 hour bus
ride, we made it here safely, and everyone had a GREAT nights
sleep!!! PTL! We have a really nice place we are staying here
on campus . . . very comfortable! (Beds are really hard though) . . . but
thank you all so much for your words to Dad for us!!!
We had our 1st day of classes today . . . We learned about Chinese Music, and
local Chinese Instruments . . . then we took an 1 1/2 Chinese language
class... you want to talk about some funny stuff . . . Listening to Rick Dial,
Jonathan Rizzo, and Bruce trying to pronounce the words . . . . . . PRICELESS!!!
We will be spending time w/ some of the students tonite, which will be VERY
Exciting!!! Going after the ONE!!! we will have some GREAT oppertunites I'm
sure!!! will write more to you later . . . thanks for your Comments and Requests
to DAD! Love to All . . .
Mark and the China Team!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Hey China P. Team . . .
Well, what an Awesome Experience we are having . . . little did we know that at this
years M. conference, our theme would be "going after the ONE" . . . and that is exactly
what is going on here in China . . .
Yesterday was ONE of those Days... Bruce B. actually said that it was one of the Best
days in his entire life . . . We started out with classes on Chinese Culture, then we
learned to speak Chinese. After lunch, we took a Martial arts class (YOU won't believe
the VIDEO) lets just say, can you imagine some of our team members doing Kung Fu??? It
was SOOOO Funny . . . then we took a Tai Chi class, all the while a local Chinese News
station was video taping us to do a story on our team for the news . . . they should be
posting it on their web site soon . . . when it is, I will send you all the link . . .
We then played a basketball game with one of the PE classes... US vs China... we lost by
one point . . . sorry folks . . . but, Rick Dial's 3 pointer at the buzzer was one basket
too late . . . and we thought we were gonna miss March Madness!!! Believe you me . . .
yesterday was TRUE March Madness!!!
For dinner, they taught us to make dumplings . . . you should have seen the guys trying to
make them . . . a VERY funny site indeed . . . Bonnie was so impressed with John her husband,
that I think John might go into full time cooking!!! He looks GREAT in an Apron! :) after
dinner was the real reason for coming . . . English Corner, where we each take about 5 - 8 kids
in a group and talk about any and everything!!! We tell them about our Father, and How Great
He is . . . many of them are our Family Now . . . MANY!!! Oh to see their faces and Joy that
comes with our talks . . . I can't tell you how proud I am of ALL the team here . . . None of
them want to go back to their rooms after English corner . . . in fact, it is supposed to be an
hour long, but goes on for about 2 1/2 hours . . .
The people here could not be nicer . . . all of us have been given Chinese names . . . and many
of them we have given American names . . . like Faith, Joy . . . Etc...
Thanks again for all of your P's...We have really seen the Favor of Dad on this trip . . . Many
lives are being changed . . . and truly, Going after the ONE, is the Motto here . . .
We will be heading to Hong Kong in 2 days, so P. for our travels . . .
We Love you all very much and I will try to write more tomorrow . . .
We will be playing Table Tennis against the Chinese tonight before English corner, so please pray
for us that NO ONE gets hurt :)))
Going after the ONE . . . Mark and the China Team
Friday, March 30, 2007
Hello everyone . . .
We just arrived in Hong Kong about 2 hours ago... What an INCREDIBLE
trip this has been . . . Sorry I haven't written for a few days but
we have been Very Busy.
Our Team has made SUCH an impact here on these college kids . . . it's
been AMAZING!!! I actually believe the University will Never be the
same!!! It was one of those trips that EVERYONE connected w/ someone;
we saw many, many of the kids get saved . . . When the Bible talks about
the fields being white, and ready for the Harvest... WE WERE THERE!!!
The Kids were so ready for the gospel, it was really amazing!!! We played
basketball, hung out, taught classes, and made very close friends that will
last a lifetime . . . many of us shed tears when we left . . .
We just arrived here in Hong Kong and I need to go to dinner, so I will write
more details soon . . .
Continue to Pray for us . . . It's VERY hot here, and no AC.. OUCH!
Going after the ONE . . . Mark and the China Team
Message From John and Bonnie
It is ten thirty at night on the 30th and that means it is 7am in CA. We have
had a wonderful and very fruitful trip at the University and will be coming back
next year to do more teaching. My Powerpoint on Education was received very well
as was John's ppt on HP. I brought 70 pix of our family activities and the students
took all of the pictures. They were so cheerful and friendly. We have made many friends.
Two vietnamese girls just loved John and called him Grandpa. Everyone wanted their pix
taken with us. Maany of the students want us to give them English names. John named
one girl Bonnie. With each one that came to me, I would try to carefully think what
name would be good for them. Now we have an Esther, Becky, Sarah, Jewel, Iris, Sharon
and Richard. They also gave me a chinese name named after two famous women. I am Cai
Wen Juin!!
We have many pix and MANY stories. I will write more when I am home. Love to you all.
We will be home in Ramona around 5-6pm on the 3rd...same day we came home from Israel
last year.
Love to all Bonnie and John
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Hello from Hot and Muggy Hong Kong . . .
Well, today will be a very fun day... we are going to Dennis Balcombe’s
church for service. A group of us will be singing, Bruce and 4 others
went to a smaller church to preach, but will join the rest of the group
when they are through.
We are looking forward to what God has in store for us today . . .
Continue to pray for opportunities for us to talk to the "Ones". God
is SO Good!!!
Yesterday was our day off . . . we went . . . SHOPPING!
The team had a great time . . . we went w/ the local missionary contact
here, and we got to spend all day w/ Kathy Balcombe, Dennis' wife . . .
she gave us a tour of Hong Kong, we laughed, enjoyed American food for
the first time in 7 days, and laughed some more . . . lets just say we
probably will NOT be stopping at Panda Express to eat on the way Home!
Hong Kong is such a modern city . . . in fact, we enjoyed a Starbucks
in the morning before we went shopping . . .
Thanks again for all of your prayers . . . tomorrow we have a special
3 hour class with Dennis about Missions in China . . . it will be a
Very Special time for the team to learn first hand from someone who has
been here over 30 years . . . then, we will celebrate Dennis' birthday
with him . . . then Tuesday morning we will board a plane to come home
to Good Ole USA . . . our flight comes in at 11:30 am in LAX . . . Hong
Kong to LAX on Cathay Pacific, for those who want to join us . . . Just
talk to Mark Dela Cruz . . . He might need a Driver or 2 . . . (Check
this OUT . . . we leave Hong Kong at 1:30 in the afternoon, and arrive
LA at 11:30 in the morning the SAME DAY . . . 2 hours before we LEFT!!!)
Now THATS making the most of your day :)
God is moving in the World Today, and great things are happening . . .
Go after the ONE!!! They are out there!
Love to all . . . Mark and the China Team
ps . . . Please continue to pray . . . it's the Difference!
Monday, April 2, 2007
Well Well . . . What a day!
We had an incredible Church service yesterday at Christian Revival Church
in Hong Kong (Dennis' Church). What a GREAT service we had, even tho we
had to wear headphones and listen to the English interpreter . . .
and today we had a 3 hour class on the History of Missions in China . . .
that was SOOO interesting . . . it was so valuable to anyone interested in
missions . . . I believe Bonnie taped it to a digital player, so we can
download it to the Church Website if anyone wants to hear it . . . over
30,000 people a day are getting saved in China . . . the underground church
is thriving there, but so is the 3 self Government Church . . . Amazing!!!
The Holy Spirit is being poured out even in those Churches . . . I have never
seen anything like it before . . .
Well, we leave tomorrow at 1:20 pm, so please remember us in your prayers . . .
everyone is excited to get home and sleep in their own beds . . . YEAH!!! Me too!!!
Looking forward to seeing you all very soon and giving a Great Report of what God
did through your prayers . . .
We are Still Going after the ONE!!!
Love Mark and the China Team!