I don’t have much time, or a fast web connection … but I visited JiaYou this morning. Actually, I ran into JiaLou along the mountain road. Wow!  This was one of the most moving experiences of my life.  Education is the key to happiness. Here are some photos:
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Molly and I are spending a few days in Guangzhou before leaving for JiaYou. Some highlights include a 2,000 year old emperor’s tomb, and visiting a Buddhist temple while a service was being sung. In addition, this evening everyone is outside carrying paper lanterns to celebrate Sweet Autumn Festival.
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Actually, Molly and I have just arrived in Guangzhou, China after 23 hours of travel.  We’re collapsed in an airport hotel to recover a bit.  Our daughter Karen, who is a newly minted 1st grade teacher, surprised us with a packet of letters … from the children on Grainwood Elementary in Prior Lake, Minnesota to the kids of JiaYou.  Time for bed … finally!
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My church gave Molly and me a rousing send-off for China this morning. We leave on Saturday, and we are super excited to meet the children of JiaYou and see our school! New donations are coming in again! I’ll post updated totals before we leave, but for now … enjoy the story of JiaYou’s new school … and our send-off.

• How JiaYou’s School was Built
  (may take a moment to load … will start playing at around 10%)
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• Our Send-Off from House of Hope Lutheran
  (very short audio clip)

In two weeks Molly and I leave for JiaYou! We now have photos of our new school. We are thrilled and excited. There is nothing more important than education! Although the mountains of southern China near the Vietnamese border are definitely "off the grid", as I am able to I will blog and podcast the trip!

I’ve inserted below one photo which outlines the entire effort to build JiaYou’s school. Use this link to view a photo album of the construction process … from old to new!
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