Christina

Christina is one of the student workers at our hotel front desk. We live on the top floor of a hotel, it sounds really nice, but it's a Chinese hotel. We (Stan, Kevin and I) have been stopping to talk to her every night we come in. We will stop and talk to her for a while and just keep her company while she works at her boring job. She is just so cute and she tells Stan and Kevin they are "So Lovely". This is a common saying and it has more than one meaning to them. It can mean "cute" or "I love being around you" or "funny" or any others I don't know. A couple of weeks ago she asked Stan why he was so happy. He said, "I don't know....I just like being happy. Maybe it's because I am a "C". But he said it. He showed her the verse about "Counting it all joy" and she liked it. He told her where it was from and she said she knew what it was. She said she didn't think she would be able to understand it because it is too deep for her. We told her we don't even understand all of it, so we study it often to help each other understand. She seemed interested in that. Then Stan told her if she wanted to look at it some more we could do it together. Her face lit up and her reaction surprised me. Her reaction was so happy and she said, "Really?! You will do that?!" And then she just couldn't say anything else, and kept smiling. She seems really interested in it, but shy about it.

A couple of nights ago we told her we wanted to hang out with her sometime and decided to have dinner. After dinner we went to Starbucks (the new one out in our area that we are so excited about!) We sat and talked and just got to know each other a little better. An on-going theme I saw in her (and it may just be the Social Worker in me, but I saw it) was a lack of self-confidence. Sadly, you see this a lot in Chinese girls. Christina is different though, because she is confident around us. We told her one time that we noticed she does not run away or stop talking when she doesn't know the English word to something she is trying to describe. She is confident and waits until she finds the word. She said she thinks it is because we make her feel comfortable and confident and she can say whatever she wants. But while we were sitting there at Starbucks, she kept saying things like, "I don't think I am smart enough for that (topic of conversation)". I hope our being around her helps her to realize she is beautiful the way He made her. I hope we can be His hands to show her that. I think He has already done that and there's more to come! I ask you to think of her and help her to have an open heart and mind.

I have a picture of her, but I don't think that's a good idea. Just know she's as cute as a button! :) Thanks for reading and don't forget to think about us in China!! I love you all!