Luke 10: The Good Chinaman

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a good cultural story with you all. I hope that it gives you a small snippet of the Chinese mindset and helps you understand how rare an experience like this would be. I also hope you get a kick out of it and see the encouragement and grace that was extended to me both in the midst of difficulty, and through even more difficulty.

Stop right now and read Luke 10:29-37. Now.

It was Friday morning here, and things were going really well. I had been feeling down and alone for a while, but things were starting to look up and I was truly happy this particular morning. The weather was beautiful and sunny out here as fall is just beginning to eclipse summer. After my quiet time, I decided I was going out to climb a mountain that juts up here in the middle of the city. So, I hopped on my scooter that I had recently purchased at a sweet deal and took off racing to the mountain.

After just a five minute joyride from my place, I found myself stopped at the last major intersection waiting for the light to turn green. I had pulled up to the right of a fellow scooter rider whom I had observed to be approximately 55 years old and wearing a goofy shirt and equally goofy helmet. "Only sissies wear helmets," I thought to myself. "I'll show this old fart how a real man rides a scooter!" "Zzzmmm zzzmmm," my maroon, bad-boy hummed.

The light flashes green and, as most of you know, I'm a wild-child on the road, so I gun it all of 10mph through the intersection because I just really needed to beat this goofy-looking rival of mine. Suddenly, out of nowhere, another rider emerges crossing perpendicular to me from what must have been either a dense, invisible, mystical fog, or a portal from another scooter-driving universe. As I grip both brakes as tightly as the muscles in my arms and hands will let me, this Chinaman I'm about to viciously annihilate makes eyes with me like Blue Steel, confidently awaiting his fate.

My men-stincts fail me for the first time in my entire life (sarcasm) and, in the blink of an eye, my front end T-bones the tail end of Mr. Ping's (just decided to name him that) own electric hog. Upon impact, I immediately slip into an adrenaline-filled state where my focus subconsciously shifts from scooter-preservation to self-preservation. I tried to fight, but now I literally must flight.

So, with the graceful acrobatics of a mytholgocial griffin, I indeed fly, flip, and spin through the air (as told by eyewitness accounts) at high speeds between 5-8mph. I believe it was due possibly to the dampness of the air here, (or possibly my diet of beef gristle and noodles) but my landing more closely resmebled that of a sperm whale skidding across hot, dusty asphalt (Google sperm whale pics and imagine it). The judges scored it 5, 6, and 5 anyway. I was robbed...

The next thing I know, I hear a few gasps from the sidewalk, but choose to ignore it and save myself from the embarrassment of making eye contact with anyone. In a split-second, I'm instinctively getting myself up off the ground and scanning myself internally and externally for any severe injuries. In just those brief two seconds, I determine that I'm fine and begin picking up my belongings and soon after, standing my scooter back up.

No one is helping me in this moment, and I honestly don't expect them to from my experience with Chinese people. It's just not to anyone's benefit to help, so they simply don't. They gasp and observe for a moment, then move on. I think nothing of it, but do glance over in the opposite direction of my onlookers to observe that Mr. Ping, the true embodiment of Blue Steel, is riding away unscathed.

Keep in mind, the above four paragraphs cover about eight seconds of time. So, as I'm standing up my scooter (it's no accident I purchased one with a bumper and elected to keep it attached even though it "looks funny") and minding my own business, like someone else appearing from that mystical portal to another scooter-driving universe, that goofy-looking old-timer is suddenly behind me having already parked, dismounted, and walked to my aid. 

WHAT?!

My men-stincts immediately kick back in and I pridefully tell him, "Don't worry, don't worry," as if it's all good. As he asks if I'm really okay, I finally glance at him. I actually see some genuine care and concern in his eyes, and this truly took me back. Suddenly, I was seeing him as a bit of an angelic being in the back of my mind. It all just didn't compute because this whole time, most Chinese people have just been unfriendly if I'm really honest.

I was still (by Dad's grace) in a good mood, and had a mind to climb that dang mountain on this beautiful day. That Good Samaritan earned himself a genuine "thank you" though, and then I promptly took off again toward the mountain. No big deal...just a few scrapes and a bit of a bent handle bar.

I parked where I normally do, just up the road from the wreck. As I'm re-examining myself to make sure I'm okay before I go and climb a mountain, here comes good-ole, Chinese Mr. Rogers puttering back up to me on his scooter and comes over again to check me out himself.

He starts asking all over again if I'm okay and telling me I need to "slow down a bit" because these wrecks can happen so easily. "Don't be in such a hurry," he insists. I pridefully brush off his suggestion like, "Yeah, yeah thanks," but in the back of my mind I'm seriously blown away that this guy cares so much. Then he takes it a step further and asks me to follow him to this little Chinese-y, medical-ish, urgent-care-shack-place around the corner to clean up my scrapes. Against my better judgment (Chinese medical care is just not okay), but for some reason, I agree to go with him. Something in my gut about this guy required me to go.

At a snails pace, I follow him around the corner before we park and walk into this establishment of sorts supplying IV's out in the open air with some medical supplies stashed in a glass jewelry counter near the entrance. He buys some medicated oil that smells like menthol, Q-tips, and band aids for less than a dollar. I, of course, was prohibited from paying.

Then Mr. Kind Stranger goes even further and has me come sit down with him on a pair of stools in front of his blanket shop just around the very next corner. "Is this dude about to patch me up himself?" I ask myself with eyes growing wider. I'm dying a little on the inside thinking about it as a possibility. He indeed tells me to hold still and relax. So I did. I sat there silently for a few minutes while he tended to me like a son. Just blown away and unable to speak.

Eventually, I came-to and was able to ask him what his name was. The Good Samaritan then revealed himself to be Yang Xiu Ke. Cool name I guess... He told me again to make sure I go slower, and then asked if I have a helmet. I said no, but I'll be sure to get one very soon. Yang then began to stand up and pace away as he argued with me about my ability to get one at a fair price because I'm a foreigner. I agreed and then he held up a finger and told me to wait and rest a minute. He disappeared into his shop for a few minutes and as soon as the kids nearby found the courage to approach me, Yang re-emerged with a pretty little pink helmet with a clear visor. I chuckled as he walked to me, dusting it off with his shirt to present it to me.

It doesn't register for Yang or any Chinese person that it's pink and I'm male. They don't have the luxury of buying the perfect item that fits their desires. Just whatever works. I try to refuse it both because he has already done so much for me, and because it's pink, but in the end I had no choice but to accept it. I thank Yang for what seems like the twentieth time in as many minutes. I wanted to give him something but I just didn't have anything. I decided to exchange numbers with him and come back another time with a good gift and a great story of good news to share.

Before parting, Yang asked for some pictures with his kids to which I gladly obliged. Then he made me let him guide me back to the mountain and he made sure I knew the best parking spot where no one will easily steal my scooter. He was truly looking out for a brother. I thanked him again and he rode off into the sunset. My hero and my special grace from Dad for this specific Friday morning (even through an epic, somewhat embellished scooter wreck)...Yang Xiu Ke.

Now go back to Luke 10 and read 1-9. Now.

Please be lifting up Yang. To this point, he has been an embodiment of the "good guys" in Luke 10. A person of peace and a Good Samaritan. Ask the Father to make his heart soft as I go back with broken Chinese and a tract to share with him. Ask Dad for his love, grace, and salvation to be poured out on Yang. Thanks for reading! Check out my helmet...

Peace. Love you all.

Learn, Adapt, Change

Good morning friends! If you don't already know, I'm back in China and I'll begin teaching English at a university in a few weeks. Welcome to my blog!

I finally got a solid VPN working, so not only can I get to Google-affiliated sites like Blogspot, but I also feel 99% comfortable posting security-sensitive info for you to know about. Let me catch you up!

It's Sunday afternoon here, so I've been in country for about 5 days. Just before leaving, I learned that I won't start teaching until the end of the month because I'm going to teach freshmen only and they have a few weeks of required military training before classes. I'm a fan because now I don't have to rush into things. I can prepare and take a few extra deep breaths. Whew...

Upon my arrival, I stayed with the Americans I know here. I didn't plan to stay with them 3 nights, but my school wasn't able to have my apartment ready for me right away. I just moved into it on Friday night, and it's a pretty livable space actually! I have a comfortable full size bed, A/C and heat too I believe, hot water, a western toilet, wifi, a fridge and stove, and peace if I need it because I'm living alone. I can dig these digs!

I didn't have a base camp, per se, to prepare in and go out from for the first few days, so that hindered my ability to do much until now. I had to be ready for the school and repair people all day every day in case they needed access to my room or computer. Yesterday, I finally got out with a local friend from my trip in June. We bought some odds and ends for my apartment, and had some good hot pot and conversation together so that was encouraging.

Today, I went with some other foreign teachers to get a physical at one of the government buildings. It was interesting to say the least! I got an ultrasound, blood work, XRays, and was hooked up to a very scary, jumper-cable-looking EKG. It may not sound like much, but it was a real adventure and I had to laugh my way through some of it haha. Crazy Chinese...

I also got a haircut today. For the past 7 years, either my dad, or myself have cut my hair, but yesterday I turned on my clippers and something seemed off with the power running into them. After about a minute of waiting, they shut off and started smoking. Mmm don't you love the smell of burnt hair in the morning? Haha, I know I would have ended up looking foolish had I started cutting it myself, but the cut I got from the local shop is pretty questionable as well! Whatever, I guess. That stuff grows back.

So yeah, things are going pretty well! Aside from the frustrations I've had with the school not having things ready for me after I bent over backwards for them the last month, I'm doing well and am in good spirits. Going into this my main concern was loneliness, and I have felt it some, but Dad has been good and gracious to reassure me and plant confidence in me. Ask that it would continue to grow if you would. I'm also in good health so ask that would continue as well, please. I'm looking forward to all of the relationships I will get to share in soon! I'll keep you posted.

If you don't already know, with my current financial situation (young guy with school loans), this school can't pay me enough to stay on top of that and live well and meaningfully at the same time. I am depending on our Dad to provide gifts which will help pay my expenses due at home, as well as keep me prepared for life's emergencies and surprises. If you want to help me stay here to serve these people with English teaching and sharing the Good News, there are two ways to give.

1) Send a check and note specifying why to:

J Craft

2807 Coleen Ct

Louisville, KY 40206

2) Visit gofundme.com/jon2china to give electronically

Check out this amazing and fun little video a talented friend of mine made to show a bit about what life in China is like. It's beautiful!

Peace. Love you all.

Going Back! (Highview Trip)

Dear Friends,

            I’m very excited to share with you just a few details about my team’s June miss. trip to East Asia! But first and foremost, thank you so much for expressing your interest – it’s very encouraging to know we have so much support as we prepare for this journey. It’s going to be challenging in many ways, but especially sp*ritually. The enemy works against the things of our Dad each day, and we covet your pr*yers as we fight to follow Him for the sake of the Good News.

            To get you up to speed… I moved to Louisville in August 2013 after returning from my last trip to East Asia to be further equipped for cross-cultural service. I came specifically for a s*minary education, but for financial reasons, that endeavor is currently on hold. I’ve also searched for a local body to aid in this preparation and after almost twenty months, I’ve joined Highview B*ptist Ch*rch. The community I’m able to have at Highview since September has been vital for my sp*ritual health and growth. I’m so blessed to be a part of Highview’s ch*rch. family and m*nistry. Thank you for lifting me up as I transitioned from Southern Illinois – it’s been a great experience thus far!

            Last summer, my community group (Young Professionals) took a vision trip to East Asia to assess what we could do to aid and assist Highview’s M’s there. Since that trip, many contacts have been made and the Good News has been shared with many. There are so many interested people that our M’s need assistance following up with them! Our team’s task, therefore, will be to reconnect with these people, show them the love of Christ by sharing meals, games, cultural exchange, and laughs, and further explain the Good News of Jesus as well as answer any and all questions that we can. It’s our hope that these meetings lead to many being joyfully drawn to JC, believing in Him as their L*rd, repenting of their old ways, and faithfully following Him with their lives.

            It will be a short trip due to different personal schedules and limited funds, but we believe that committing ourselves to this calling, even for just ten days (June 6-15), can result in so much fruit for the Kingdom! As we prepare, please pray for the following: that Dad would be glorified by our preparation for and participation in this trip; the health of our M family in East Asia (call them D&T); that Dad would soften the hearts of those we will be speaking with; that there would be a harvest of souls for the Kingdom; energy and good health physically and sp*ritually for our team of six; and that we would be granted safety in travel and full access into and out of the country.

            If I’m able, I will update a few times during the trip. Thank you again for your encouragement.

In Him,

JW

I Am Faithful

I am inspired to blog as I sit here on the couch in my cockroach-infested apartment across from my best local friend as he quietly studies the good book in preparation to lead his small group for the first time tomorrow night. If you knew him like I do, you would know this is a true step of faith for him.

"Know therefore that the Lrd your Gd is Gd, the faithful Gd who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations..." Dt.7.9

Our father is so justified in calling himself faithful. Not only here in Asia have I experienced that, but he has shown himself so in such immense ways here - like my shy, self-conscious friend across the room preparing a good book group study - that I am overwhelmed with thankfulness.

Before I left for East Asia I didn't know what would happen, but I was asking dad to do something massive and just really, really big through me and my teammates. I really wanted to be part of a faith movement that would make news headlines across a new world more like the coming kingdom.

Up to this point, I haven't been part of that movement. I haven't gotten exactly what I wanted.

There have been no news headlines here. Praise him, there are no news headlines. He prevents pride from calling out to me in this way.

But there has been a faith movement of people once dead who have received life eternal and gladly praise dad for it. There is a new world more like the coming kingdom because of what dad has gracefully done in them.

I don't care that it's composed of twenty or fewer people because even one black heart made undeservingly pure and righteous is worthy of endless headlines and shouts of rejoicing in the heavens. And my friends and I here are only one of those small specks in what is to be a universe of redemption.

I'm encouraged to think of how I can live gladly right now with brothers and sisters from East Asia in what is only a shadow of good things to come. What a shadow our faithful father has given us to live, rule, and serve in!

Like David's 126th Song

Hey everyone. Hope you're all doing well and enduring the long winter with patience. Don't worry, the day will soon come when life makes an overwhelming comeback in it's battle with winter's chilly death. I wanted to take a timeout to give some updates on my life and all the happenings here in East Asia.

I've already written you about the slow, slow winter here - that students were nowhere to be found and I lost my way to some extent without them. Well I am happy to report that with the return of the life of spring and students, the death of winter and sparse good work have made their exit. Things have really picked up again and Dad is doing great things among us.

I still have the pleasure of meeting with a few groups for good book study each week. Some in those groups are still separate from the family and reluctant to take steps forward in faith, so I hope you would labor hard in your talks with Dad for them. Those who are in the family are doing great! It's amazing to see Dad grow their hearts, minds, and souls and enable them unto good works. I am still hopeful to gather more of my friends into some other good book groups. That has been made more difficult than usual because all the students seem to be so much more busy during the spring semester. Many of them take additional night class a few days a week or just have extra commitments. That has been a little depressing because I really want to do what I came here to do. You know? Sometimes I take it personally like they don't want to see me, or allow it to convince me I'm not being efficient or effective, but that's probably the enemy. They are just genuinely busier and I have to deal with that fact. Ask that I would be patient and also that Dad really would provide more time for studying the good book.

It's so cool that I have really seen Dad answer your talks with him for me and the work here! I see it especially in the way he prepares hearts for when we meet. He's orchestrated many meetings this semester with soft-hearted folks who have been curious and searching for truth for a long time. I'm so glad to tell you that he has heard you and I hope it gives you all the more reason to continue speaking to him in those ways. He is so good!

I've told you before how amazing it is to be in this city. The vast ethnic diversity is something we don't really experience much of in the Midwest, so it has been a special treat for me. In my time here I've befriended people from countless countries and even some areas an American would be hard-pressed to ever enter. That I know and have specific handshakes with people from countries with what we perceive to be hostile governments and borders closed to Americans is sometimes incomprehensible even to me. Dad has been so gracious to me in that and it has affected my worldview in many positive ways. And he won't relent either! I've recently been informed by a local friend that there are some folks from another one of "those" countries who would like to meet me/us. We have been given a special heart for people from places like this and consider it a huge opportunity to make his name and his good news known in these upcoming encounters. Please remember this! It's more incredible and important than I can put into words.

In other news, I'm healthy, happy, and still enjoying my time here. That my return home is coming soon is a reality I'm having to start to deal with and I have to admit my mixed feelings about it to you. To be focused overseas is my call in life and I find real joy in it. At the same time, I love home and have joy in so many people and things there as well. I want both! The fact that I will be continuing my education for a few years back home doesn't sit perfectly with me right now either as I feel the pull back to this work will be strong and constant. I'm sure Dad will provide contentment if I remember that it comes from him and not my geographical location. I hope you will all help me remember that while I am back home and encourage me to be a servant in the country which has served me so well.

I will write again soon! Much quicker than I got this one out to you. Thanks for keeping up with and remembering me.

Peace. Love you all.

Round Two

Howdy!

Yes, yes, I realize it has been more than two months now since I last posted. Very sorry about that. Thank you for your patience and forgiveness - you all deserve to know what has been happening here. I'm excited to let you know, so I'll try to keep it short. Please remember to be lifting up these things as you read them. Thank you!

I last wrote before Christmas, so I'll finally let you know how that season went. It was amazing! Dad once again showed us so much favor. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we were inviting all of our local friends to coming Christmas parties at our NEW APARTMENT. So thankful to have a place of rest...the dorms were getting to be too much, so I'm really happy to have been given a quiet place. We wrapped up our English corner around the 20th, and weren't sure what kind of turnout we'd have at our coming parties. We were pleasantly surprised to have over sixty friends show up at our two parties where we decorated the tree, sang, danced, gave gifts, played games, and shared the good news of not only the son's birth, but also the details from beginning to end. It was a really blessed and fruitful time - unlike any Christmas I've been apart of no doubt!

My good friend W has gone back home now to finish his degree, so before he left I began to absorb many of his responsibilities, contacts, and study groups. Together, we had three separate groups meeting together each week to study the good book, and basically function as a body during that time (sharing about life, talking to Dad, study, encouragement, accountability for those who are like-minded) to prepare them for what we hope will become a local fellowship. With that model, we hope they can carry on and propagate themselves with the guidance of the spirit in due time.

Those are all great, however, just before the turn of the New Year, school let out and almost everyone went home. Sad face. I was no longer meeting with groups, really wasn't able to share with many folks, and kind of lost my place for a month. I was here, but I wasn't doing a whole lot it seemed - especially in comparison with the wildest, most stressful, craziest six months of my life beforehand which I'd actually gotten pretty used to. Sometimes the enemy crept in and led me to believe I was being disobedient for not doing those things, but I'm thankful I was also reminded that my acceptance by Dad is not based on that performance, but rather on the performance of his son. So for the last month or more I have been able to rest well. 

I, and my new work partner M, are still very much looking forward to the students coming back here in about three weeks. I look forward to seeing how Dad has been at work in my new brothers and sisters whom he drew just before leaving, as well as those who already believed.  As a team, we all look forward to new relationships and sharing, gathering interested friends into new group studies, establishing a new English corner on our sister campus, and growing together in the Father's love.

Please lift up our cause as often as you can! We trust in him and we are privileged to be used here by him. I hope all of you are well and have been often experiencing Dad's grace.

Peace. Love you all.

It's Christmas Time In The City

你们好我的朋友们! 我很想你们. (Hey friends! I miss you guys.) Thanks for checking this latest update and bearing with me although I struggle to fill you all in as often as you deserve. Know that I would love to post more, but I get really caught up in the daily grind out here. It's quite a great grind though if you're wondering!

First things first... As you're all aware, Thanksgiving has past, we're all really fat, and the Christmas season is upon us! Mmmm so sweet. If you've been a part of a traditional fellowship most of your life, you are probably familiar with the LM Christmas offering. If not, do a quick search and you will see that, as an offering, it's an opportunity to give sacrificially of your finances in order to further the spread of the good news internationally. Like I said, it's an opportunity. This offering is not mandated in the scriptures and our father is without a doubt fully capable of gathering the nations to himself alone. But our father is a lover and he wants to be present in the world through the hands and feet of his people. He loves you and me despite our hostility towards him. And not only that, but he gave up everything he had, his very son, to have us in his family. He pleads with us to join his great family and his work of loving the world literally to death. And there's no greater cause because it's his. So take the opportunity. Make it your joy to GIVE part of your GIVEN life away for someone else's. Big or small, it's about the compassion in your heart. I beg you, do something.

As for what's going on with me lately, I guess I have a few things to say...

Dad is definitely working on me personally. I find myself often convicted about my sins. I'm convinced it all stems from my lack of love for dad, and the consequent idolatry of...whatever else it is I choose to love more. It could be sleep, laziness, lust, skipped opportunities, unforgiveness, unbelief, anger, pride, etc. I know I am a mess. Perhaps the greatest failure in all of that is my unbelief that dad, while constantly looking upon me, sees only his son in my stead. I have all these screw ups, but fail to believe he loves me the same. In these times the despair kicks in and the enemy gets in with all the rest because I feel unworthy. It's vicious and leads to destruction. I believe I've written in a previous blog challenging you all to "fight to believe more", and I myself have failed in the fight. But as I said, dad does still love me just the same. That's my good news. Lift me up that I would not forget it for a moment. Thank you.

As for work, we are meeting with three different groups for study each week. One of the groups is becoming a house fellowship. However, we're uncertain if the folks who are a part of it will be around after this semester to continue together. If that's how it turns out, no problem. Just remember R and S. Ask that they would be strengthened and encouraged to fight the good fight with or without one another and to live out their individual callings with great faith. The other two groups are studying the good book with us going through Mark. As the core of the good news, we want to show them the truth about the son and challenge them to really follow him. A few are believers, but most are not. The times with them have been very blessed though, and we are hopeful for them to make great decisions soon.

Our E corner is also continuing to be great for service and fun, and it compliments our task well. Because our local language skills are still pretty poor, it's important we find people we can actually communicate with. For that, the corner is a beautiful thing. We make some new friends each week with some English skills (some better than others) and we try to make it a point to share the good news with them sometime that week outside the corner. We have to do this outside because when we set up the corner they asked us not to use it as an opportunity to talk about dad with the students and we promised to comply. They know their stuff. We definitely don't want to be shady, so we made it an official club with the university. Hopefully this will give it longevity and the people will be served well. Continue to lift up the corner. It's pretty vital to our work.

The semester is coming to an end. My language finals are coming up and the due dates for my papers back home are creeping close as well. We've been doing well with work on our papers, and I've also found a little time to study my language textbooks and flashcards outside class here and there. It's a little absurd they expect us to learn to read and write Mandarin at the same pace we understand and speak, but it's a goal of mine to pass the final (all reading and writing) regardless. I'm thinking "D" for "diligent" right now. Although I will miss my trusty sidekick, there is a lot to be excited about for next semester too. Ask that Wade and I will have a good last month, say our farewells feeling accomplished, and that the coming partnership for next semester will be just as blessed and favored. Thanks!

That about does it friends! Again, remember the LM Christmas offering opportunity. It will do the world a lot of good. Until next time! 

Peace. Love you all.