Ever wondered what a Chinese hotel room looks like? This one in Chengdu is my most favorite!

This is one of my favorite places to stay in China. It's actually in Chengdu. My other favorite place is in Beijing in a hostel down in the old part of the city. This hotel is more western than most. I appreciate the western toilet. But the fun thing about this hotel is that the view outside the window is incredible and it sits on a tourist street that the Chinese have transformed into the Ming Dynasty era. Red lanterns line the street and are lit at night and the atmosphere is magical. People laugh and talk at the tea shops below until the wee hours of the morning. I love hearing all the conversations going on outside my window. The Chinese love this street so it's always packed out and festive. It's a fun place to people watch. Look! You can see the trees on the temple grounds next door. So lovely!Oh the western toilet! I do appreciate them when they are available. It's sooo funny. I've seen footprints on toilet seats countless times all across China. They just don't like sitting on something to go to the bathroom. They think it's totally "unclean!" So they squat on them by standing on the lid!So this is what a squatty potty looks like. This also happens to be an exceptionally clean one that I found on the overnight train. Which way do you face? What do you do with your pants? Does it flush? There's obviously no toilet paper. What do you do with it after you've "used" it? It doesn't go down the little hole (there's a little trap door that you can't see)! Mmmmm...I've figured out how to use one "successfully!" If you really want to know how - I suppose I could do a post on it! Isn't it a fun street! The hotel is on the second floor. I could leave my windows open all night.On the whole, I don't like tourist spots. But the Chinese love this street so much that they really make it a lot of fun to visit! It's just not "foreigners" who like to go. The Chengdu Giant Panda Research Center is about an hour from here. I should totally do a post on that place. You'd love it!
* This hotel costs around $35 USD a night.

ART - From China to India, Mexico and Little Rock

Graffiti on a building in downtown Monterrey, Mexico - Pretty cool, huh! And it was really big.Silhouettes hand cut in the Old Shanghai District, Shanghai, China - I had one made of Grant!
A hand painted mural at a roadside stop out in the middle of nowhere, India - I loved this mural immediately when we drove up!Mural on the Flying Fish down at the Rivermarket, Little Rock, Arkansas - I never can figure out how they can paint something that big and it turn out "in proportion..." Mine always ends up wonky!

An ELEPHANT Story - Grant and Jasmine Take a Ride in INDIA

Grant and I really wanted to see an elephant while we were in India. When you think of India, don't you think of elephants? Well right in the middle of town stood an elephant munching away on leaves off a tree in the middle of a busy road. I couldn't believe it! Albert said that we'd see one but secretly I didn't believe him. But there she stood - just like I had imagined. We HAD to stop! Of course! So after looking her over and touching her and asking all kinds of questions, Grant and Jasmine decided they wanted to take a little ride...
Don't you just love the way they paint them! (Their hair is prickly.)There was some tugging and pulling involved to get Grant up there. Jasmine - we just gave her a toss!Off they go!

Isn't Jasmine the cutest thing!
So what's up with all the elephants? Well one of the Hindu gods is named Ganesh. His father, Rama, was also a god and one day he got mad at his son and cut his head off. After he did it, he felt bad so he put the head of an elephant on the body of his son. Today, Ganesh is known to be the god of success. There are actually hundreds of gods in the Hindu religion but Ganesh is one of the favorites. Elephants obviously represent him and offering gifts to the elephant is like offering gifts to Ganesh himself. While Grant and Jasmin rode the elephant, several people stopped her to give her an offering. One man, leaning out of his car window, gave me an offering to give her as he drove by. (Her nose tickles when she takes something from your hand. Oh, and it's wet too.)Statues of Ganesh in the temples.
The bell hanging above the man is there to alert Ganesh that someone has come to worship him.

My Favorite Dogs From Around the World

China - Down in the Antique Markets of Chengdu
India - Grant with the Neighbor's Dogs - Her name is Bhurhee - She had 9 puppies after we left.

Monterrey, Mexico The States - Murphy - At My House - Celebrating her 12th birthday. She's 14 1/2 now!

This is Edward

This is Edward. Isn't he cute! He lives in Uganda in the slums where our friend Cari works. He's eleven or twelve years old. We're not sure because he is an orphan. Both of his parents have died and no one can remember his birth date. He is very polite and never complains. He likes to play soccer. If you are looking for him, Cari says that he's usually at home helping his grandmother. Eric met Edward earlier this year when he went to visit Cari. Edward along with several of his cousins live with his grandmother in the slums. They are all orphaned from HIV. Eric, Grant and I sponsored Edward in March of this year. He's going to school now, has food to eat and is learning about the Love of Jesus. He has never been to school before because there was no money to pay the school fees and to buy the uniforms and books - but he's already made it to the 2nd grade! I can't believe I get to sponsor him! Really, what an honor it is to play a part of his future - immediate and eternal! One day soon, I hope that Grant can visit Edward and meet his grandmother and cousins and maybe even play soccer with him! Now how fun would that be. You can sponsor a child too that Cari knows. There are many who are waiting. Our friend Cari will send you a picture and tell you your child's story too. You can find her on our website - www.untilallhaveheard.org or the Vision of Destiny - http://vodafrica.org. Cari is one of Every Nation's missionaries. She started Vision of Destiny. She's making a difference one life at a time.
Johnathan needs a sponsor...
So does Kevin...
Eric with Cari in the slums near her school - March 2009.

TIBET - A Journey into the Foothills of the Himalayas

Tibet. It sounds magical doesn't it? When I think of it I think of the movie The Bucket List when Edward and Carter wanted to climb one of the Himalayan mountains. I also think of Buddhism and golden statues. Before I went, I really didn't think much of who actually lived there, what they did day in and day out, or even how they lived. I guess because I just didn't know how to picture it in my head. When I arrived in this tiny Tibetan town school children dressed in their uniforms came streaming down the main road headed back to school from their lunch break. These three boys (pictured above) saw me and started yelling for me to take their picture. They grabbed each other around the necks and smiled for me without me asking. Then they disappeared behind the school wall. When I turned the camera around I was captivated. Look at their faces! Tears began to fall down my cheeks. They became the face of Tibet for me. Three young boys on their way back to school. They're just regular kids wanting to have a good time. They were happy! Would they be trapped in Buddhism their entire lives? I cried again because most likey, they will be. We walked on and came upon the temple. There were beautiful ladies dressed in traditional coats and clothing sitting in front of the prayer wheels. The prayer wheels are full of hand written Buddhist prayers and when they spin them they believe the prayers are sent up to God. So even if you can't read you can still pray by turning the wheels. The wheels are turned constantly by everyone in town - all day long. The statues were huge. The monks were busy cleaning and tending to the temples. There was a festival the next day. They walked along holding hands (it's a sign of friendship) and carried prayer beads. Most were friendly and some even wanted to talk to us through our interpreters. The Tibet I saw was full of color. It was quiet and poor. There were friendly people who were interested in foreigners and welcomed us in their town. There were people who were questioning and stared. I watched the people walk around the statues and bow down before them touching their heads to the ground over and over again. I want them to stand in the glory of God's love and grace. Pray for Tibet - for her children - for her people!

A Nerd, Trick-or-Treating and a Candy Swap

So I've watched "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown," bought mums and put them outside my backdoor, went trick-or-treating with Grant, Hannah and Stephen, and got my fluffy brown jacket out. It must be autumn! My favorite time of the year! Although I think you can out grow trick-or-treating, if you stay a child at heart you don't out grow dressing up! Grant googled "how to dress like a nerd" and came up with his own costume this year. I think he did a bang up job - even though Hannah and Stephen didn't know what he was! He took them from house to house and then when they came home they dumped their buckets of candy out on the floor and began the "trading session."
Hannah: "I'll trade you two sour balls for one Snicker."
Grant: "No way! I'll trade you two sour balls and two picksy sticks for one Snicker."
Hannah: "Ok. That sounds fair."
Anyway, they ended the evening with Grant on the floor wrestling with them. It was a fun evening at the Graham house! Happy Autumn!