Countdown to departure

Amazingly I feel calm. One more day and then I'll be on a plane to San Francisco where I'll meet up with Peggy, the leader of this trip, and catch the flight to China. I think I'm more nervous about keeping my checked bag under 50 lbs than I am about speaking. Maybe that's due to the past experience of speaking without much prep in Uganda. Maybe it's the effect of everyone's prayers for me. Maybe I'm finally learning to let go of control and perfection. Meaning: I cannot prep totally for this - I have to trust God and trust His work in me up until this moment. All I need to do is share my story with the Chinese people. Though I will have a Chinese translator as I am speaking, God is the one who will translate my story into transformation.

This doesn't mean I didn't prepare for any talks. I did. Just a couple. But I have a sneaking hunch other topics will arise. One already did even after Peggy helped identify two for me to work on. This is why knowing a little about a lot of things but not being an expert at any one thing comes in handy.

I finished reading the book Wild Swans by Jung Chang in which she writes the story of her grandmother and mother as well as herself growing up in China during the early years of communism. It was heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. Such courage in the midst of terrible suffering. I am so glad I read this before going - it opened my heart to the Chinese people.