Faces of China



Children are an heritage
of the Lord. Psalms 127:3

I hope this is a girl

   

A basket load of baby

 

Out for a stroll with grandpa

Sugar Cane fresh from the field

    

 

       


It is hard to beat a popsicle on a hot day

 

       

 

 

I'll see your bottle of water and raise
you a bottle of Coke

We have been able to travel China from the north near Mongolia, to the south to Hong Kong and Macau. We have been east to Shanghai and west to Urumqi.  We have taken many photos of the beautiful landscapes and architecture. However, the greatest asset of any nation is its people. The people of China are resourceful and creative.  The photos that capture our attention as we review the past year are not of the places we have seen in China but of her people. Let us share with you some of our favorite Faces of China. 

Daddy, will you carry this rock home for me?



What is that blue color behind the children?
Oh! it is sky!

      

 



Family Portrait

 

The older generations now living have witnessed dramatic shifts in their way of life a number of times. The past ten years have been a time of economic growth for most Chinese. Their standard of living has increased, they are becoming more educated and there is a growing middle class. Historically, when there is a rising middle class, reforms follow. Over the next ten years it will be very interesting to watch China become a second then perhaps a first world country.

This couple showed affection in public. They were smiling, holding hands as they strolled. Rare here.

Majong is a favorite pastime on the street.

A nap on a park bench is a pleasure



Notice the bow tie!

 

Love the hat (his girl friend's)

   

 

Time for prayers at the mosque

Time for a visit to the chiropractor

      



Ni hao



Weiger banjo

Chinese two string fiddle - urhu

A peculiar fact of life for Chinese people is the status of migrant workers. A migrant worker here is completely different from our concept of a migrant worker in the US. Here if you live in the countryside as a farmer or you leave your assigned "home county" to work in a different place you are called a migrant worker. Migrant workers are Chinese citizens, but they may be working in a factory away from their place of birth. Each Chinese citizen has an ID card that permits them to attend school or be admitted to a hospital (at their own expense) in their assigned home. They are not allowed to use the resources of another province. For example, a child of a migrant worker in Xi'an doesn't attend the same school as an official Xi'an resident. A child born in Xi'an to a migrant worker is not a resident of Xi'an, but of the parent's town. If you get a high paying job or are a person in demand, then you can change your resident status. Our students' resident status depends on the job they get after graduation. After some time (3 years or more) they can apply for a change of residence and then they receive a new ID card. This system is a big social issue that must be addressed in China.

 

Xi'an, a city of 8 million, has nearly 1 million migrant workers. This is a major industrial center so there are lots of unskilled and factory laborers. One of my students is the son of migrant workers. He told us about the hard life of this underclass and his volunteer work at a center that assists migrant workers and their children. We visited the center on Saturday, shared some things about America, sang songs and taught them to play checkers. We felt like VIPs, and were in fact the first foreigners many of these kids had met. It was a great experience.



Suzanne with children of migrant workers