A glimpse into Huangshi

So over the past few months I have taken random afternoons to walk through out my city and try to capture what is Huangshi. To give all of you more of an idea of where I live and what life is like here. Although I feel like these pictures hardly touch all that this city is but I wanted to share a little of what I see everyday.. I know it has been a really long time since I have given an update but am planning to spend the day blogging away to catch you all up! These pictures are mainly from the parts of the city directly around me..





The infamous street food that makes life so convenient when you just feel like grabbing something quick to eat... I guess you could call it the "fast food" of China! :)

This is by far one of my favorite little treats of the street vendors.. its what I like to call trash can bread and sweet potatoes. YUM! 

 

And this is the product of a construction site used at a dump...so many people, lots of trash and littering.. yep, nothing like clean trash non polluted air to breathe.. ;). Healthy right?! 

This is one of the newest buildings to go up in town. 

Street fruit vendors..one of
my favorite things in
China!

Nothing like grabbing a quick bite to eat on the side of the road for lunch..

They are very cautious drivers here in China.. cant you tell?!

Babies and grandma's hanging out in the park for the day! 

This is a picture of my students getting out of school.. you cant tell from the photo but it literally is like a stampede. 

And this is where I live.. all of the numbers you see everywhere are actually the way people advertiser here. Ha. They are all phone numbers to different businesses. 

View of the city from across the lake. 

Life has been pretty calm over the last few months. I have just been living out daily life, teaching, spending time with friends and doing life with the people around me. I am learning so much and being stretched in ways I could have never seen coming. I have found that in my weakness my flesh has revealed itself and that I am really nothing without Him. Warfare is real. And I have learned more of the truth in our fight not being against flesh and blood but things of the darkness and principalities of this world. Through this knowledge and experience I have also found the truth in His grace, faithfulness and strength. I am completely humbled when I think of everything I have gained through Him in the last eight months. I honestly can't believe its already May!! It feels unreal to think that the last year of my life has flown by, gaining experience, love, independence, confidence and what I know to be a firmer foundation in His truth. Mostly through my own failures and trials I have come to know my creator in new ways. To see His heart, the bigger picture and the eternal purpose of life. Yet I know it is all still only a tiny portion of who He really is and all that He contains. I am honestly overflowing with joy as I think about everything He is doing and all He has done. As I press in for the sweet, loving, and caring people who have taken me in as their own since I arrived, I am believing for the fruit of the work He has begun in this place. I believe in His provision and heart for these people. I believe in His truth as a savior. And I am believing for break through in His saving grace. I have learned that there is something greater in love. Something that goes beyond me. 

I am also very grateful for the body near and far that has believed in who He is in me and who has encouraged me through out each step of this journey. Your love and encouragement has helped me to see His love and faithfulness. To press on even when it felt like I couldn't. For the realness in struggle and hardships in pursuit of the finish line, always directing my vision back to who He is standing at the end. Speaking truth over and into me, building me up and pushing me on. 

I hope you've enjoyed a little glimpse into my city! 

More updates coming soon..