Learning together

These notes are meant to share impressions over the 12 months my wife and I played a role in China, and received the imprint of China and Chinese people.

We were in Nanjing, a major Chinese city, 5 million inhabitants, a few hours by train up the Yangtze River from Shanghai.. Antoinette Wire was doing research and lecturing on the New Testament at Nanjing Theological Seminary, and I, Hugh Wire, taught English conversation at China Pharmaceutical University in Nanjing.

Partners in Development

Chinese leaders have welcomed outsiders as partners in building up the nation since early in the 1980s. In 1984 I was one of group visiting a fish farming project in Guandong which Church World Service, a U.S. church-based development agency, was helping fund. County government officials welcomed us with cokes and cigarettes.

Activity that promises to strengthen the economy has been the priority, whether through business or non-profit alliances. But my son-in-law's father is also welcomed when he comes each year to share his knowledge of surgery, partnering in health. Beginning in August, 2001, my wife and I became one of thousands welcomed each year to China as partners in education.

A Special Opportunity to Serve and Learn this summer, July 2 to August 3, 2003. See details on an opportunity to experience much of what is described below as a short term volunteer in the Summer English Program of the Amity Foundation. See also Middle School Teachers, a glimpse of their importance in China's development (written July 2002).

Our work Who we are. ...... Our program sponsor: the Amity Foundation

.....Glimpses of the first weeks of Hugh's teaching .... November 3, one day in an urban teacher's life

..... Nanjing Theological Seminary, where Anne taught

......We had a long break during Chinese New year. Here are pictures from a visit to Anne's former home in YunNan Province, January, 2002. On the way home for two weeks we summarized our first six months in a New Years Letter, February 5, 2002

Glimpses of the church and of rural and urban society

..... Visit to countryside in AnHui Province, January 11, 2002 (written July 3, 2002) ..... . Urban Community Service, first hand views of newly developed community service centers in Nanjing (written July 2002).

..... Visit to churches in countryside, Li Chang, Shandong Province, March 16, 2002....... Pictures of the visit

..... JiangSu Lu Church, Nanjing, where Anne and Hugh Wire worshipped.

Hugh Wire, November 21, 2002
Send email to Hugh Wire: hughwire@hotmail.com, hughwire@yahoo.com