Well, of course we made it or you wouldn't have gotten the last post
from the plane. Coming in for landing over Beijing, it seemed like going
anywhere else until the plane got low enough to where you could read
signs and billboards. We are not in Kansas anymore. It was a very good
trip as far as all day plane rides go. We got through all the
checkpoints very easily and got our bags quickly. Then, after passing
through the last line for customs so we could not declare anything, it
was like someone flipped the switch on utter chaos. Outside baggage
claim at the airport looked like the floor of the New York Stock
Exchange with people looking for each other, holding up signs and waving
hands. Luckily, our guide found us thanks to the buttons CHI gave us to
where when we got off the plane. Then it was off to the hotel, which was
an interesting ride. Joyce, our coordinator for the next couple of
weeks, seems really sweet and she did a good job getting us to our room.
We are on the same floor with two other couples in our group. We went to
the market with one of the couples to get some water and got a quick
introduction into what to expect over the next couple of weeks. Imagine
Walmart on a Saturday afternoon packed full of people, then imagine half
of the people are screaming out solicitations that you can't understand
and the other half are cutting in front of you on every aisle when not
being run over by the stock boys moving their pilot jacks. Well, maybe
that's not much different from Antioch after all. We came back to the
room and laid down for a quick nap. Anita is still "napping" 4 hours
later. I'm going to have to wake her up so she can get ready for bed. We
didn't make it back out for dinner and probably won't eat again today.
I'll be posting pictures on the website rather than adding to email, so
be sure to check there in the photos section (www.lanes2china.com). Over
all, I really felt all the prayers today and felt little to no anxiety
about the trip and everything went smooth. Thank you God for a safe trip.