October 9, 2011

Sunday October 9, 2011

We are home from our tip to travel the Silk Road; it was a great experience from many different perspectives. The people we traveled with were an outstanding group with a lot to teach. I saw some things that really delighted me, some things that make me very sad.

Observations

· Although the Muslim religion has strict rules about the way food is prepared, at every other level it seems that they are a people content to sit in filth.

· Buddhists walk around a shrine three times to signify the first life, the life they are living now and if they don’t achieve Nirvana the life they will lead after this life.

· China has the worlds hardest beds

· Smoking in China should definitely be outlawed.

· In Urumqi we walked the square at about eleven o-clock in the evening and saw several older couples ballroom dancing. The weather was perfect. The square was full of people flying kites, talking, playing cards, all kind of activity.

· I saw the moon for the first time since arriving in China.

· The west of China is much cleaner than eastern China at least in the metropolis areas.

· In a Uygur village that has been inhabited continually for over a thousand years I saw women washing their clothes in a stream. This same village the people lived in pounded earth homes that were filthy but many of them had satellite dishes on the roof.

· Our first really good Chinese food in a small restaurant in Turpin

· Wynn Ferrell brought fine pounds of See’s candy to share. Heavenly!

· Some really scary bathrooms.

· A bathtub Ahhhh!

· I sat by a lady on the plane who couldn’t figure out how to unbuckle her seat belt. I wasn’t sure if it would embarrass her if I helped but after watching her struggle and get frustrated I finally reached over. She wasn’t embarrassed she was relieved.

· Camel drivers who use cell phones in the middle of the desert.

· I love clean white sheets

· The Book of Ether lives in China

· You really can feel the Spirit easier in a clean environment, our hotel in Xi’an was clean, smelled nice and the bathroom didn’t have things growing in it. I felt my body instantly relax.

· I ask myself several times and thought seriously, what brings someone to the point where they decide it is O.K. to kill, no matter what the reason; in defense of freedom or for power. I think I am a pacifist, but under what circumstances would I think differently?

· We met a couple, quite well off, who have sold all their belongings except for her pans and some personal mementos, pictures etc. so that they are unencumbered in their desire to serve. The implications of that are brewing in my thinking.

· A beautiful light and water show in Xi’an , another beautiful people space like that in Urumqi.

· A quote by the Palmers a couple serving who have some issues with their ability to walk. They served a public relations mission inThailand and were able to implement a nation wide family home evening program sponsored by the Queen. When we were talking with them about some of the physical limitations they were experiencing they said, Quote:” We can hobble around China, or we can hobble around home.”

· Our stories really do turn the hearts of the children to their fathers. Our guide Marvin shared the story of his grandmother who was born in1911. Her feet were bound as was the tradition and married a man who she found out later had another wife. But Chinese tradition says that once a woman is with a man she will be dishonored if she goes with another man even if she has been widowed. Her husband fought the Japanese but sided with the Nationals. He was later shot by the Communists. Because the grandmother was the widow of a Nationalist she was not given work even though she was a teacher. She has three children when her husband was shot and was pregnant with the fourth. She was only 29. Eventually she walked three days along the railroad track to see if she could find her husbands brother who was a member of the Party to see if he could help her. He was able to write a letter that satisfied the authorities in her town and she was able to get a teaching position. During the Cultural Revolution she again was considered undesirable because of her husband association with the Nationals. She had to resort to begging. Her oldest son was in the university and was ask to leave because of his father. At age 60 she suffered a stroke. This caused problems for the family because instead of being able to help with the grandchildren she became a burden. Her daughters-in-law treated her very poorly. She was farmed out to a different child’s home every year. She died in 1992. Marvin said it did not know the story of his grandmother until his oldest Uncle who is now in his 80’s wrote it a couple of years ago. The Chinese have a time in spring when they return to their homes to honor their ancestors. Marvin said he has always been too busy in the past but since reading his grandmothers story he has made a point of returning to honor her.

· Our guide in DunHuangalso shared that his family had been farmers for many generations and that when the Party came into power they ordered the farmers to grow things that were not suited to the climate and area. The farmers of course worked long hours and then had to attend government meetings at night. He expressed some bitterness because his parents were not able to raise him; he had to be taken care of by his siblings.

· The terra cotta warriors take your breath away.

· I’m a sucker for scarves.

· I rode a camel in the Gobi Desert.

· A sleeper train is a great way to travel if people aren’t allowed to smoke. In China they are allowed to smoke.

· Both a camel ride and the sleeper train were on my list of things to do but I never thought I would ride a camel in the Gobi Desert.

· I’m glad I took the good camera.