My apologies for taking so long in getting back to my travelogue. My heart has hurt for the people of China as I’ve watched the news coverage of the earthquake in Wenchuan. We really need to pray – especially that the weakened dams in the area will hold. If they were to burst, literally millions of people would be in danger.
I want to thank my assistant Amy for keeping the blog going with book reviews and photo albums. You’re the best!
This month has been a whirlwind of work and celebration – the most important celebration being John Michael’s college graduation! Way to go, my sweet son!! We’re so proud of you.
But now, back to China…Jessica, Linda and I left Hong Kong with a suitcase full of wonderful memories and an excitement for what lay ahead. When we landed in Shanghai, we discovered a beautiful, modern city built on land as flat as Hong Kong is mountainous. Our hostess, Marianne and the conference team (mostly American expatriates) made us feel right at home with their sweet hospitality. 
The day before the conference, Marianne and a friend took us to Hu Gardens and to the famous Nanxiang Dumpling Restaurant.
It was my favorite meal of the trip, but it was the shopping that captured Jessica and Linda’s imagination. They spent most of their time in Shanghai navigating the subway system and exploring the underground copy market, though I was able to join them for a day of shoooooopping (as my husband puts it) as well.
We enjoyed our time with the ladies at the conference on Saturday, and the next afternoon we had the privilege of attending a Sunday service at one of the international churches in Shanghai. The worship was beautiful and we enjoyed meeting the group of people who call that church home.
Our four days in Shanghai flew by quickly – too quickly. It was hard to say goodbye, but after a very exhilarating taxi ride to the airport (and I mean EXHILERATING!) the last segment of our trip, Beijing, was just a few hours away.