Chinese Students in Van Wert, OH Feb. 2013

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A group of 11 Chinese college students who visited Van Wert recently pose with trip coordinator Aaron Burns during a tour of Vantage Career Center. (photo submitted)

It wasn’t only a group of Chinese college students visiting Van Wert and other U.S. cities as part of the Grow, Learn Overseas (GLO) program who learned, and grew, but local residents also were changed positively by the experience of hosting students from another country.
The 11 Chinese students spent three weeks in the United States, with much of that time in Van Wert, although the group also spent time in Chicago and Ohio’s Amish country as part of the trip.
Pastor Jim Burns of Liberty Baptist Church, whose son, Aaron, lives in China and coordinated the students’ visit to America, said he was amazed at how much impact the Chinese students’ visit made on church members who helped house the young people.
“GLO Ohio and our Chinese guests coming to Van Wert County made the biggest impact on our local church than anything I have ever experienced in my 37 years of pastoring in four different churches,” Rev. Burns said of the experience.
For many of the Chinese students, the trip was eye opening — and life changing — because of the friendly local residents they met. Although their English wasn’t always the greatest, the thoughts they shared were. Here’s what they said:
Wu “Leo” Qinyan, a student from Nanjing, spoke in lofty terms, noting that his visit to Van Wert “meant a chance to experience the American life, to know the American spirit, to befriend American people.”
Some of the most meaningful experiences for the Chinese students were events that most Americans would take for granted. Liu “Claire” Wenjing, a student from Yantai, China, said visiting Mayor Don Farmer’s office, as well as the Van Wert police and fire stations, was meaningful because she wasn’t able to do so in China. “We can’t be accessible to those places in China,” she added.
“The trip to Van Wert makes me know deeply about unconditional love, which cannot easily be found in the areas I working,” said Zhang “Eden” Xiaoping, who lives in the Chinese capital of Beijing. “I learn how to be humble, how to be kind, how to be strong … I love these people and I would try my best to see them again.”
“My visit to Van Wert is a turning point,” said Zhang “Florence” Yaxing, who lives in HanDan. “I feels lots of love for the very first time come into my life. The most important and unforgettable part is new friends and families (which) are a great sum of treasure for my whole life. I love them forever.”
Gao “Jackson” Gao Jiaqian of Dongguan said he enjoyed “not only the beautiful sights, but the people there. It was such a blessing to me that I had the chance to visit Van Wert.”
For Yuan “Jessie” Dongyang of the Chinese city of Zhengzhou, her time in America “is the most precious memory in my whole life, and I’m so lucky to have a family there. I will never forget what I experiences in the USA.”
“The visit in Van Wert broadened my view and opened my heart because of all the love shown by the people we met, and all the amazing things that we tried for the first time together,” said Zhang “Lynn” Ruilan, also of Dongguan.
Zhang “Mary” Lin of Nanchang, China, noted that “the visit to Van Wert let me understanding what love really is, and it’s unconditional.”
Han “Nancy” Xiaonan of Luoyang, China, said she was grateful for the chance to visit America and Van Wert. “This is a great memory in my life, and I will never forget about the love and care I got from all of the people in Liberty Baptist Church and my host family,” she said. “Their love and encouragement make me feel braver and stronger.”
Lu “Scott” Yang of Shandong, China, noted that, before his trip to Van Wert, “I was confused and trying to find the meaning of life; as time went by, I lost my hope and did everything passively. Life a touch of sunshine, it (the trip) brought me hope and made my life brighter.”
Zhang “Sophia” Xiao of PuYang, China, said that, because of her poor English, she didn’t dare to speak with people in that language before coming to America, adding, “but when I arrived to America, I found the people are all very friendly to me; they all took care of me, make me feel warm, so I become confident. I’m very thankful for all of them.”
Liberty Baptist members who participated in the cultural exchange program agreed with the Chinese students that the experience was memorable and also helped them understand that, while the government of China may not be something Americans like, the Chinese people, which the students represented, was a different story.
Van Wert City Schools psychologist Doug Grooms and his wife, Sandy, said the experience was very positive. “We were truly blessed to host Nancy and Jessie in our home as part of GLO; we enjoyed having them cook for us and to have them try our foods,” the couple said. “It was fun to see them grow so much through their friendships with the other Chinese students and the people they met here in Van Wert. This experience has made a lasting impact, not only for them, but also for us.”
Sue Eickholt agreed. “The students were a very receptive group of kids, very appreciative of anything we did or gave them. It didn’t take them long to use the words ‘I love you’ and really mean it,” she said. “They were loving and eager to be involved in any activity. I really believe we planted some good thoughts about a country with freedom of religion and a better way of life.”
Ashley Kittle said the three weeks she spent with the Chinese students “will be forever etched in my memory. I thought by having them here we could teach them a few things about life, but, in reality, they taught me more than I ever taught them.
“Americans take so much for granted,” she added. “The Chinese students were full of love and happiness and such a good example to me.”
Local couple Doug and Marcia Germann have hosted other exchange students, but said having two students was really fun. “They could communicate with each other in a comfortable language and together help clarify something to us if we weren’t understanding,” Marcia Germann said.
“Hosting the students gives us the chance to more personally understand how different their lives are from ours and how we have similarities,” Doug Germann added.
Marcia Germann said some of the more interesting experiences were those that involved the Germann farm operation and the animals they have there, including the cows they saw in the Germann’s backyard. “We also have horses, and most of them had never seen a real horse before,” she said, adding that the “open spaces” of Van Wert County was also a shock to the city-dwelling Chinese students.
She also noted that the differences in culture between Americans and Chinese were something she hadn’t considered. “They aren’t used to seeing smiles on people’s faces, which is what several of them told me they loved about our area,” Marcia Germann said.
Lisa Hawn said the experience allowed her to get a glimpse of a bigger world outside America. “GLO Ohio has opened my eyes to what’s on the other side of the globe,” she said. “It was so exciting to see the Chinese experience life here and they were so appreciative of everything, something we could take a not of. They definitely made their mark here and won’t be soon forgotten.”
Terry Reynolds said he learned that people everywhere had a lot in common, as well as their differences. “Some of the things I came away with is that the students, even as far away as China, are the same people,” he said. “They have some of the same fears, joys and laughter as we have.
“I also noticed the way they responded to the freedoms that people in the U.S. have, and how they do not have those freedoms in China.”
Aaron Burns, who has lived in China for a number of years, said he was very pleased with the way the trip turned out. “GLO Ohio is simply amazing and a blessing to be a part of,” he said. “As the coordinator, it was so encouraging to see the Van Wert community come together to make a difference in these lives from China.
Burns said he has been in touch with each of the Chinese students since their visit to the United States and all of them now have a great impression of America: “The people they were able to meet and become friends with, and the love that they saw in people working together in unity simply for them.”
He also thanked those who took the time to make a difference in the Chinese students’ lives and hopes that a second trip can be arranged because of the success of this one.

POSTED: 03/01/13 at 8:19 am. FILED UNDER: News

A Little History of Gun Control

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control.  From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952,  20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Uganda established gun control in 1970.  From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Cambodia established gun control in 1956.  From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.  You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!
The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.
With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are “subjects.”

During WW II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!
If you value your freedom, please spread this antigun-control message to all of your friends.

SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!
SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT MALE BETWEEN THE AGE OF 20 & 34 THE PROPER USE OF A GUN AND THEN THEY ISSUE A RIFLE TO EACH MALE CITIZEN IN THEIR COUNTRY IN EACH HOME.
SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!  IT'S A NO BRAINER!

DON'T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.
Spread the word everywhere you can that you are a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment!

It's time to speak loud before they try to silence and disarm us.
You're not imagining it, history shows that governments always manipulate tragedies to attempt to disarm the people~

Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Hug your kids and grand kids tonight! 

Here's the list of all the victims from yesterday's heartless shooting in Connecticut.  Please pray for the parents, grandparents, family members and friends of these precious souls that were murdered yesterday.

All six adults killed at the school were women.  Of the 20 children who were shot to death, eight were boys and 12 were girls.  All the children were ages 6 or 7.

The names and birth dates of the victims:

Charlotte Bacon (2/22/06), 6 years old, female

Daniel Barden (9/25/05), 7 years old, male

Rachel Davino (7/17/83), Staff member, 29 years old, female

Olivia Engel (7/18/06), 6 years old, female

Josephine Gay (12/11/05), 7 years old, female

Ana M. Marquez-Greene (4/4/06), 6 years old, female

Dylan Hockley (3/8/06), 6 years old, male

Dawn Hochsprung (6/28/65), Principal, 47 years old, female

Madeleine F. Hsu (7/10/06), 6 years old, female

Catherine V. Hubbard (6/8/06), 6 years old, female

Chase Kowalski (10/31/05), 7 years old, male

Nancy Lanza, 52 years old, female (mother of shooter Adam Lanza)

Jesse Lewis (6/30/06), 6 years old, male

James Mattioli (03/22/06), 6 years old, male

Grace McDonnell (11/4/05), 7 years old, female

Anne Marie Murphy (7/25/60), Staff member, 52 years old, female

Emilie Parker (05/12/06), 6 years old, female

Jack Pinto (05/05/06), 6 years old, male

Noah Pozner (11/20/06), 6 years old, male

Caroline Previdi (9/07/06), 6 years old, female

Jessica Rekos (5/10/06), 6 years old, female

Avielle Richman (11/17/06) 6 years old, female

Lauren Rousseau (June 1982), Staff member, 30 years old, female

Mary Sherlach (2/11/56), Staff member, 56 years old, female

Victoria Soto (11/04/85), Staff member, 27 years old, female

Benjamin Wheeler (09/12/06), 6 years old, male

Allison N. Wyatt (07/03/06), 6 years old, female

Hobby Lobby's Dictation from ObamaCARE

Per Snopes:  this is true and in November of this year a Federal Judge up held Obamacare and told HL to comply.....

    http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/hobbylobby.asp

A Letter from Hobby Lobby Stores CEO By David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn't much bigger than most people's living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God's word. From there,Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation's largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family. We're Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I've always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony with God's laws, and (2) to focus on people more than money. And that's what we've tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of the week's biggest shopping days, so that our workers and their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We've not only added jobs in a weak economy, we've raised wages for the past four years in a row.. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage. But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don't cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines. Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that's raised wages four years running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It's not right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it's the same for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't exempt them for reasons of religious belief. So, Hobby Lobby and my family are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit. My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that's a choice no American and no American business should have to make. The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church. Since you will not see this covered in any of the media, pass this on to all your contacts. Sincerely, David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

Little Nashville, Indiana - Thanksgiving 2012

My wife, Coletta and I "escaped" to the land of Little Nashville, Indiana for our Thanksgiving get a way this year.  Beautiful town about 4 hours southwest of our town.  It's a quiet tourist town known for their scenery, craft shops and artists.  We got a packaged deal at the Brown County Inn, which included a HUGE Thanksgiving Buffet on Thursday, and a nice Breakfast Buffet Friday morning.
Great R & R,  but, it's also great to be home again. 

My Snow Skiing Accident in West Virginia Monday

  I was in a ski accident Monday morning Feb. 6, 2012 at Snowshoe Mt. Resort, in WV.  I had been saving for this trip and looking forward to it for months.  It was kind of a Christmas/Birthday gift from my wife, and I took a young father from my church, Scott Dicke, one of our trustees, as he loves snow skiing also and had never ski'd outside of Ohio before. Monday was Scott's birthday, so this was his birthday present from his wife.   I wanted him to experience one of the best in the East, and Coletta INSISTED that I take another guy with me "in case something would happen."

I had a new goose down black ski jacket, a new bright green florescent shell wind breaker, new gloves that matched my helmet and I was ready to take on the "Double Black Diamonds!"   My first skiing for this winter, and Scott wanted to start out on the beginner slopes until he got warmed up.   That was fine with me, cos the beginner slopes at Snowshoe are long and beautiful and have some pitch to them also.

We were both acting like Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed as we were strapping our helmets on and shoving our gloves on at my mini-van.  Temps just under freezing and the sun was bouncing off the granulated snow.  We beat most people to the chair lift, did a few stretches, and snapped our boots into our skis.  Scott asked me to lead the way, because he didn't know which slope to start with.

We took two long runs and had a blast.  At Snowshoe, one major difference is that you start at the top where the lodge's, restaurants and shops are, you park up on the top and then ski down to a mountain lake.  THEN, you ride the chair lift back up where all the cars and stores are. 

On our third run down a beginner slope, it was pretty steep to start out with, so I let the "steep" gravitate me to a high speed and then when the steep slope leveled, I hit a thick groove of granulated snow and instead of the ski's just crashing though the "ice snow,"  it caught my sky tip on my right ski, and as the ski's stayed, I went.

I rolled about three times and the impact was so hard I think I would have cracked my skull,  but thank the Lord, I wear a helmet.  Scott stopped beside me asking me if I was O. K. and I tried to get up, could not, and I said, no, I'm hurt.  I thought my back was broke.  I asked Scott, my friend from our church to stick my ski's uphill from my body in the snow making a cross with the ski tips pointing upward towards the ski and holler for help.

The ski patrol took me on a board sled to  a chair lift and hauled me up to the top of the mountain in a mummy sled strapped to a straight board with my neck in a brace.  An Ambulance took me to Pocahontas Memorial hospital in Buckeye, WV.

The E.R. staff pulled my outer clothes off of me and started doing all the normal checks for ski injuries.  Monday, I had 2 E.K. G's and all total in this ordeal, I had three CAT Scans.  After nearly a day strapped to a hard board with a neck brace on, the E. R. staff at the Pocahontas Hospital gave me morphine and at the same time a nitroglycerin pad on my chest due to my severe back, chest and arm pains.  The E R. doc thought possibly my heart was bruised.

I started to pass out from the morphine and nitro, so E R did a "stat" and about 7 hospital staff people ran into the E. R. and started working on me like crazy with some real FEARFUL LOOKS.  Most "good Christians" would tell you they weren't afraid at all.   I will tell you the truth.  I was horrified!  But, I prayed to Jesus and asked Him to comfort me and give me peace.  I told him I was ready if he wanted me (but, I didn't want to go to heaven right then).  Jesus did give me peace!  

The E. R. Staff  were all being quiet, whispering and asking me some very serious questions.    My blood pressure dropped like an elevator going down to the basement and my heart rate also dropped rapidly.  Life Flight was called from W V University Medical Hospital Trauma Center.

A rain storm came and the chopper could not land at Pocahontas Hospital, so the Helicopter dispatcher asked ambulance to drive to Buckhannon Airport where the storm had not come yet and the skies were clear.  The ambulance took me on a 2 hour drive.  The chopper and medical flight team met us at the Buckhannon Airport and flew me on to Morgantown, WV.  I learned that I was being taken to the top trauma team in the state of West Virginia. 

They called in a Priority "One" from the chopper and after landing on the hospital roof, the Medi-flight nurses ran me into the Trauma E. R. due to possible heart trouble and the allergic reaction I had to the morphine and nitro.  The next morning, the Trauma Center chaplain and the main Trauma doctor of the hospital both explained to me that when they get a "P-One" on their communication radios from a chopper that that means, "Move all the other patience out of the way and bring in your main trauma team now!"

I thank God for Scott Dicke for sacrificing your birthday ski trip to stay by my side through such a nightmare, and a wonderful church family and friends around the world praying for me. Someone asked me,  "When did you know you were going to be O. K."  And I said when my beautiful blue eyed "Coletta" walked into my hospital room!  Thanks also to Deacon Fabian Canales and his wife, Dolores from our church for driving my lovely wife to West Virginia to be with me, and the return trip back to Van Wert, Ohio.  Another huge blessing is that  I just learned yesterday that I had people in China and Africa praying for me.

However, of all of this,  probably the thing that has stirred my heart the most is that my brother, Johnny who has been a Medi-flight pilot in OK City, OK for years learned about my accident and already knew that the medical flight company that flew me is the same company Johnny flies for.   He has called me 4 times, then waited until my helicopter flight crew got back to their base airport in Buckhannon, WV.  and called them at 2:00 in the morning to thank them for flying his "little preacher brother" to help save my life.

I'm home now and getting better every day.  I can't say enough to thank you for praying for Coletta and me through all of this.  I'm closer to God now, and all my pastoral E. R. calls in the future will never be the same.  I also picked up several new sermon illustrations and have some good used ski equipment for sale.

I only broke two ribs right behind my collar bones, my chest, back and shoulders are very bruised, but, my head and neck are O K,  and PRAISE GOD,   my back is not broke.  

Thanks for your phone calls, Emails and prayers.

Love in Christ,

Jim Burns, Pastor

Liberty Baptist Church

Van Wert, OH

PS.  We have met our health insurance deductible!

Email:  jimmycburns@aol.com 

 

HAITIAN PASTOR SPOKE AT LIBERTY!

Pastor Thierry Belade from Haiti preached and gave his Christian testimony at our church last night.  This is the first year Pastor Belade has ever been to the U.S.  We had several visitors and a house full at church last night. 

I think he preached about an hour or more, but it was packed with spirit, emotion and the power of the Holy Spirit.  He left Van Wert today on a bus to New York to meet up with his wife and his baby boy that was just born a few weeks ago.  Due to complications during pregnancy, Mrs. Belade was flown to New York for medical care.  She and the baby are doing fine.   Please pray for the Belade family as they return to their mission work in Haiti.  Pastor Belade has started 13 churches and is the overseer of the mission that helped start these Baptist Churches.