Peitong Anne Therese Jing

 

Mount Hua is one of China's Five Great Mountains, and has a long history of religious significance (Daoism).

1. 大家好! 我是景沛桐(Peitong). "Pei" means water and abundance, and "Tong" is the name of a type of trees. A lady(by the Holy Spirit) told me last year that I am a tree planted by the living water (Jeremiah 17:8, Psalm 1:3), so Praise to God!  I will be a junior at University of Wisconsin-Madison next fall. I major in economics and international studies with a certificate in environmental science.

2. I will spent my day copying/drawing this picture and that little boy will  be changed into a little girl with a dark pony tail (that’s me!!) (I think I will actually do it after our trip when I am back home in China.


3. Classic hymns and ancient Chinese music. I also love country music especially when the lyrics are good.

4. First, it has to be THE WORD (which is also A Person)! Many inspirations came from hardships such as being sick or finding a brown cockroach on my brown pillow. Nature: I am so blessed to live on a campus that has a big lake, beaches, hills, gardens…until WISCONSIN WINTER comes.

5. My home and family are in Jinan, Shandong, China. I have been to Australia, South Korea and USA!

6. Sunset!I really enjoy running away from the sunset into the dark blue clouds, because this shows me that my Heavenly Farther always watches over me from behind even when I cannot see Him and when my life journey is overshadowed by darkness. I can almost feel the warmth of the sun through my memory and the power of Faith which is totally a gift from God! Also running away from the sunset means I am running towards the moon whom I often think as being Mary because (the moon) reflects the beauty of God (the Sun) so perfectly!

7. Matthew 26-29, the Lord’s supper:
26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
(I don’t like the taste of alcohol on earth.)

8. Everything about the trip is so exciting and I am too excited to figure out what to say. The people, the bugs, the trees and the Church…

Laura Scharmer

This is me with some of my disciples at Columbia.  And a dog.

1. Your name, year, school, and major

Hola, I'm Laura.  I graduated from Vanderbilt University and studied International Development and French.  Now I'm still studying International Development at the University of Denver earning my Master's degree.  In between those two I was a FOCUS missionary at Columbia University (3 years!) and now I work for FOCUS Missions!!

2. If you could spend one day doing anything, what would it be?

I would wake up in a little cabin in the woods and drink coffee on the porch as the sun rose.  Then all of my favorite people would show up and we would go mountain biking in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  After that we would have a picnic by a big beautiful lake in the mountains and then we would swim and canoe and stuff like that.  The evening would bring a campfire with s'mores and guitars and we would stay up til the wee hours and look at the stars and sleep in tents. 

3. What kind of music do you listen to?

Umm I like Indie stuff, especially Indie Christian stuff.  I'm talking Josh Garrels, the Oh Hellos, Audrey Assad.  I also like Head and the Heart, Lumineers, but I could also go for classic rock, Sinatra, and anything from the 90s.  Don't make me listen to techno, please.

4. What inspires you?

OMG like all the saints because they are all so different and they became saints by becoming who God made them each to be.

Seeing others' faith and zeal really get me, and people who are strong through persecution and suffering.  So cool.

5. What countries have you traveled to/lived in?

I lived in France for 4 months, have traveled to India, Togo (West Africa), Tunisia (North Africa), Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Italy, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Canada (does that count?)

6. Do you prefer sunrise or sunset and why?

Sunrise because it's so quiet and peaceful and everyone else is usually still sleeping.  Plus it's a start to another beautiful day.

7. What is your favorite passage in Scripture?

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stuble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grown weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

[Isaiah 40: 28-31]

8. What are you most excited about with this mission trip?

To witness God to awesome things in people's lives.  And to know that He is working even if we can't see it.

Can't wait to meet y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!