It worked!!!!  So here is more from Qiqihar.  To bring you up to date and some messages from your loved ones and friends.

I arrived on Friday afternoon to find that an amazing amount of work had been done by our hosts, Mr. Wang and Mr. Diao.  They had made arrangements for housing, classrooms, and meals.  What more could an American Teacher want!!!  They had thought of many other things as well with the most important being two young  Chinese University students to serve as my “go to” team.  What a blessing they have been.  Karen is a graduate student in linguistics studying to teach English  and Jerry is studying linguistics to teach Chinese as a second language.  Both are fluent English speakers and this has made my job so much easier.  Jerry is my main man,  I call him the BOMB!  If we need it he has a way of getting it.  Some of the things he has come up with have truly been from the CEO’s storehouse—no other way.  We asked for two water dispensers, one at the hotel and one at the school—Jerry comes up with 9, one for every classroom the teacher workroom and the hotel.  We needed a sound system to amplify the computer CD—He comes up with a unit that will blow us out of the building.  He is a superb negotiator and has been remarkable at helping to make arrangements at the hotel when things in the room (like toilets) do not work.  Karen, is my “go to” for all things related to the classroom and registration of the students.  She is a superior organizer and remains so calm and appreciative.  I have grown to love these two very much.

When the team arrived on Saturday morning, on time, all in one piece, with smiles on their faces, and more luggage that some of the Chinese will see in a lifetime, we were ready for them.  Some of our team were more well rested than others because when the flight from Neward to Beijing had been delayed for four hours they got bumped up to first class.  I will let them tell you that story.  Needless to say the rest of us turn green when we hear the story.

We left the airport and went to the hotel where the team settled in.  Then we went to lunch.  There were many school and city dignataries there to eat with us.  We are in a part of China where there have been very few foreigners.  We are quite the attraction.  People stare at us like we are exotic animals in a zoo.  They are most intrigued by our eyes.  They say they are SO LARGE and ROUND!  When we cross the street to go to the school people in and on vehicles, some motorized and some animal powered will say hello to us.  Or at least we think they say hello—they might be saying get your crazy behind off this street.  We just yell hello back to them and smile. 

The students started arriving on Saturday afternoon.  Our first meeting with them was on Saturday afternoon for dinner.  We had had our team meeting, looked at our classroom teaching and activity areas and went to the cafeteria.  When we walked in the door we were greeted with applause and cheers.  They were so excited to see us.  They did not believe we would come.  Their smiles were worth all the work we have put in to the tirp to date.  They were eager for us to sit with them to eat.  We got our food (real rice, real fresh vegetables, egg plant and lotus root) and spread ourselves among the student to eat and begin the process of building the relatinships which will lead to the purpose for being here.

We returned to the hotel to finish unpacking and dig in.  Sunday moring found us in a time of praise and study followed by an opening ceremony.  Again with more school and city dignataries.  Our young people did a skit about what a day at English camp would be like.  There was much laughter and interest in the activities depicted.  It was an encouragement to us.  In the afternoon we worked to set up our classrooms and prepare ourselves for Camp day 1.  After dinner with the students many of our young people led by Wayne spent the early evening with the students playing basketball, frisbee, and just chatting. 

We have about 100 students in six classes.  The are eger to learn English, they are extremely well behaved, and they are hungry to be filled with the love which comes thru us.  Lift us up to the source of this becasue the voids are great and there is seeking to be filled that is ot humanly possible.  All we do is done to invite questions.  Lift this process up.  It is a delicate one and can only be accomplished in his time and in his way.

He has put together an amazing team which has gelled extremely fast.  It is as though we have known each other for many years.  We are focusing our personal time around three things:  “Ancient Words”, the story he has already written for this team, and the “CEO of this City”. 

I am going to try to send this before I type shout outs.  If this sends, I will be right back to type the messages from your loved ones and friends.

Be on your knees for us.  It is the only way we will go forward.  Thanks.  We love you all.

doug for the team