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| Jim Cummings (Excerpts from a letter to Mark Skiles) Thanks for the '82 Chronicle. You're dong a good job keeping us all in touch. I'm trying to improve in that area. Tha's why I'm writing this letter. I hope everything is going well with you. I'm afraid I won't be albe to make it to the class reunion because I don't get out of school soon enough. I am doing quite well. I really love being here. It has really been enjoyable to develop deeper relationships with the students this semester. I have two classes come to my room once a week to practise speaking English. This has been an enjoyable time fo me to get to know them. Although I have enjoyed teaching this year, I strongly believe that He is calling me to go to seminary next year. If He continues to lead me in the direction of serving in the Orien, then, I am thinking about going to Taiwan during the summers to continue learning the Chinese Language. I hope I could study it full time during the summers. I don't get as many chances as I thought I would here, because I am always helping everyone else speak English. I have had great opportunities to make good friends and share the good news. Please think about these friends of mine. They are mostly students, but there are also some teacher and staff members. I am also meeting with some African students who are believers. They really need a lot of encouragement because life here is so different for them. It has been really encouraging to go to a Chinese fellowship. There are so many people who have been attending and from what I can understand the shepherds of the flock are very sincere and speak from the word. There are many young people going, among whom many are from the msot famous universities in China. I had a great winter vacation between the two semesters. I went from Beijing to Shanghai and then to Canton. From Canton I went to Hong Kong and saw some good friends there who I had grown up with in Taiwan. Next, I went to Taiwan and stayed there for twelve days. It was just like going home. I saw a lot of old friends and also my Chinese relatives. I spent my chinese New years in Taiwan. It has really changed a lot. Prices there are so expensive and people are quite wealthy. I had a chance to share with some people about Him. I then went back to HOng Kong where we had our ELIC conference for four days. It was great to see how the other teachers were doing. Some had a real good experience and some could not cope too well. From Hong Kong, I took a ship back to Canton and then took a plane to Hainan Island, an Island by Vietnam. Please think of a man Mr. Tsai who was very interested in Him. I had a great time there sunning on the Hawaii-like beaches for a few days and then took a plane back to dry and cold Beijing. My tan faded very fast. In the last few days Beijing has been warming up, but soon the dreaded Gobi desert winds will blow in. Art Lees, the other ELIC teacher here, is doing well. We really get along well and I am always challenged by his ideas. He hopes to stay another year, if possible. I just got a letter from my sister Becky and my mom. Becky sent me pictures of the family. I didn't even recognize my little nephew, Brandon. He's finally getting some hair! This summer, after the school semester, I am hoping to go on a train from Beijing to Moscow and then down into Europe. I'm really excited about this opportunity, especially with all the changes in Europe. Well, keep in touch! Love, Jim |
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