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Ok, just a quick update before I head home on the 6th.

This week is basically a winding down week. It is also a winding up week. Haha. On Tuesday (Feb 1st) we will all head out to a small village just outside of Wuhan called HuaShi for the GOJ Winter Camp. This will consist of 6 days of fun in the su… err snow. Well, at least we hope we will have snow. There will be many things going on. Games, classes, meetings, encouraging times, etc. This is one of the times of the year the students love the most because most of them are so poor they cannot afford the other seasonal fun stuff. So Gift of Joy started their own Summer and Winter Camp. Anyhow, its going to be awesome.

I’ll be leaving in a few days so I’m getting kind of anxious. Leaving here is going to be hard in one way, but easy in another. I have peace because I know that I’ve been called home. I just hate leaving everyone. They’ve become like a second family to me. I love spending time with all of them and hanging out with them. However, I also know that I need some time back in my own culture. I’m culturally tired and have been for a few months. I didn’t think it would happen. I always enjoy new people and places and cultures. However, they say it happens to everyone. I just figured that a year couldn’t possibly be enough time to get culture shock. Guess I was wrong. Anyhow.

I want to ask all of you to please pray for me over the next few weeks. Re-entry, from what I understand, is often just as bad, or worse, than culture shock. I just need to know when to chill and be still and when to be up and at ‘em. Patience is a must as well. It’s not necessarily something that I lack, but I’ve seen it waning over the past few months. My big New Year’s Resolution was Discipline. 2005 would be the year of Discipline. Something that I need more of in my life. Just for the sake of clarity, I’m not talking about the punishment kind. I’m talking about learning how to do things you have to do whether you want to do them or not. So those are my biggies for my return. Keep me in your prayers and I’ll be seeing a lot of you very soon.

Financial Update:
Current Finances: $620
Transportation:
Wuhan to Hong Kong: $40
Hong Kong to Roanoke: $750
Transportation in Hong Kong, Travelling food, and extra emergency cash: $100
Total Transportation: $890
- Current Finances $620
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$270 Still Needed for trip home

Insurance Payment: $208 Due Jan 1st, Deferred until Feb 28th for the sake of transportation costs.
Accomodations at Gift of Joy (Electric and Water for Sept, Oct, Nov, and Dec): $160, Deferred for the sake of transportation costs (must pay ASAP through GOJ PayPal)