Twas the night before Christmas...

I have always had such a love affair with Christmas, thanks to the exuberance of my mother no doubt ;o) She always planned each detail perfectly, giving her Martha Stewart touch to each bough and branch. Its been so strange, watching the days on the calendar creep by without the sights and smells of my own home filling them. I haven't felt much of the Christmas spirit this year, being far from them and everything familiar. The Chinese idea of Christmas is far from my own...but last night something magical happened. I had been suffering my monthly bout of insomnia, laying there in tossing a million things around in my head. Then I looked over and saw the clock - 12:04 am. Christmas Eve. Suddenly everything got quieter. The earth shifted and settled, a calm came over me and I felt a peace I hadn't in quite a while. I was suddenly reminded of something. Imagine the blessing I have...I am surrounded by 1 billion Chinese people who are covering their windows with plastic Santas and buying Chin-glish Christmas cards, but they have no idea what they are celebrating. I am blessed among men, for I have been given the gift of life. I get to remember today that miraculous moment when my GD made himself so small just so that I could see Him face to face. I am filled with the wonder of my LRD. And you know something else...my Abba is sending me SNOW to complete my awe.
So tonight and tomorrow I will spend the day with people who have made my heart so full. There are festivities to be had, no doubt, and I will be sure to fill you in on them soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since Christmas is family time, I think its about time for some family news! Our family in Shiyan is growning rapidly and I am thrilled to have almost 10 new girls to call my sisters (and a brother!). It so obvious that He is fighting for the people here and to realize that I have been chosen to fight with him, its an awesome privilege and responsibility.
We have been talking a lot recently about taking the spirit of the Son from our hearts to our hands. Angelyn and one of our brothers have started visiting the people we pass on the streets each day: talking to them about their needs, looking for ways to bring healing to their physical and spiritual pains. I am exploring ways to be His hands as well.
Come to find out a while back that Priscilla and I both had hearts for the women of Shiyan living under the pink lights. (We call them pink lights...you might know them better as red) It was actually one of the reasons I chose China as a place to come because I plan to work against international sex trafficking in the future. Priscilla has also been feeling a pull towards them after driving past them nightly. We decided we wanted to pursue this work have begun PRYing, thinking and planning how to begin.
A few weekends ago when I was in Wuhan, I had the opportunity to meet the foreign women who are leading a similar effort in Wuhan's pink light district. I got to speak with Kelli and Heather, who had begun the MNSTRY 1 year ago. The spoke to me about the logistics, how they go about each day, and the success/troubles they have been faced with. Heather shared a really encouraging story with me about a visit to the Beijing MNSTRY, where 4 women have left the pink light work and are living in a rehabilitative house. They go to night school, and support themselves by making jewelry that they sell online. Its called the starfish project, if you would like to Google it! I was also blessed to speak to two girls who had just joined the work there, and they gave me such a unique insight into what we were undertaking. I am so grateful that Abba gave me the gift of meeting with them, it really opened my eyes to what we were about it begin!
In light of lessons learned from meeting the women in Wuhan, and PRYRful consideration, Priscilla and I have a fresh outlook on the work we would like to do. The next two months will be filled with constant PRYR and careful preparation. I never want to underestimate the seriousness of what we are undertaking. There are a number of very serious things to consider, and so here is where we are in need of PRYR warriors such as yourselves! Please keep the following in your conversations with Him:

1. The LRD will raise up leadership among our Chinese sisters to take control of this mnstry, it would be impossible without them. (We were looking specifically for one sister who really had a heart for this work to join with us in leadership, and He answered our prayer so quickly with the most perfect sister! But we are still searching for all others to help!)
2. The LRD will give strength, dedication, and insight to Priscilla and me as we try to be his hands and feet
3. The LRD will prepare the hearts of the women in the pink light districts to be open to our friendship
4. The power to overcome in the spiritual battle we are about to enter into
5. The pink light MNSTRYS already underway in Beijing and Wuhan

The actually logistics of the work as still very much up in the air, as we would really like to have our Chinese sisters leading in the preparation stages. There are a number of possibilities that are looking promising, such as offering free medical checks, or giving clothes or other basic necessities. There will be various roles to play in the MNSTRY; women actually going inside to talk with the pink light ladies, PRYR teams out on the side walk, and PRYR assignments throughout the city to cover us. (A great way for the men to be involved!). We are hoping to spend the time between now and Spring Festival PRYing, and then preparing so that we can begin when we return in February.
We are so blessed to live as daughters of the King and to know the reality of His love. It is our hope that we can give the women of Shiyan a glimpse of that great gift. I wanted to share all of this with you, as well as the verse we are keeping in our hearts to constantly remind ourselves of the place of these women in our father's kingdom.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness, and I will speak tenderly and to her heart. There I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor to be for her a door of hope and expectation. And she shall sing there and respond as in the days of her youth and as at the time when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be in that day, says the Lord, that you will call Me, Ishi [my Husband], and you shall no more call Me, Baali [my Baal]. For I will take away the names of the Baals out of her mouth, and they shall no more be mentioned or seriously remembered by their name. And in that day will I make a covenant for Israel with the living creatures of the open country and with the birds of the heavens and with the creeping things of the ground. And I will break the bow and the sword and conflict out of the land and will make you lie down safely. And I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. I will even betroth you to Me in stability and in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord. (Hosea 2: 14-20)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last week Brian, Angelyn and I took a much needed family vacation together to Chengdu. What had been described to us as the most magical place on earth was a considerable disappointment, but the time spent with these kindred spirits was wonderful none the less! I would compose a short novella to you all here, but are they not already all written in the books and annuals of the king? (hehe, clever 61 study joke inserted here) What I am trying to say is that Angelyn has already blogged her heart out and he words convey our adventure far better than my own could. Please check out http://angelyninshiyan.blogspot.com/ for full disclosure! I inserted a few videos here, so you could witness a few key moments in our trip.
Video #1 is of the adorable baby pandas in at Chengdu's panda research base. Witness the snobby American who thinks she can get away with anything being admonished by the luckiest Chinese person on the planet...

Video #2 is further proof that birds are in fact the spawn of Satan himself. Those of you who have spent any amount of time with me at all are aware of my great fear. Witness Brian proving his bravery and my near death experience as the bird charges...


And since I still don't think you have enough to look at! Here are the links to my Chengdu trip:
Album #1: Destination December, Part 1
Album#2: Destination December, Part 2
Album#3: Destination December, Part 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight...Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night...Sheng Dan Kui Le!

GWG ~ Jessica