Spring-time
Greetings from Beijing!
Our Zhong Guan
Cun church of the Beijing International Christian Fellowship must move by June
30. The business center which has been our home for 7 years plans major
renovations. We are encouraged that the government religious officials are
quite supportive and open to us finding another venue. So we are busy in search
- an auditorium for 500 people with rooms for 150 children for just one day a
week in the high-market university district of this global city – at rock bottom
price! No problem for the God who owns it all. Please stand with us in prayer.
We want to continue to declare His glory in the capital city of the world’s
most populous nation.
Travel Report
We had a tremendous trip to Kazakhstan, Abu
Dhabi, Kuwait, Jordan, and Israel in April. We loved seeing our son Josiah and
granddaughter Maylee (now a 9 year old young lady!) in Almaty.
Mark had the privilege teaching a seminar for a number of Kazakhstani pastors and church leaders, several of whom were our former students there.
Our first trip to the ‘Holy
Land’ was amazing! We are so thankful for dear friends in Israel who showed us
many of the Biblical sites. Already we are reading the Scriptures with a bit of
an ‘eye witness’ perspective.
The blessing continued as our youngest son Aaron
came from Oregon when we got home. Together with our oldest son, Nathan and his
wife Heather (who live here), we enjoyed about a week together. Here we are wearing
essential Beijing tourist gear…on some days!
A Great Read
One of the many talented members of our church is, Aminta Arrington. She has written a popular book: “Home is a Roof Over a Pig: An American Family's Journey in China” (ISBN-10: 1590208994). Her balanced insights present a very helpful picture of the life of a foreign family in this amazing land. It’s been a great read.
Gathering, Growing, Going
These three ‘G’s’ are the motto of BICF ZGC. As you can imagine for a
‘student church’ our focus is on the last G
just now. It is extremely heartening to hear students say how the Lord has
blessed them through the ministry of our church during their time in Beijing. A
number candidly share how they arrived from their Western homeland with a big
cynical chip on their shoulder about God, religion, and especially evangelical
Christians. But after a few weekends trying out the many bars and clubs in
Beijing and feeling just as empty as all that made them feel at home, they come
to admit that Christians are the most sunny and sincere folks they meet here.
And slowly they show up at small groups in dorm rooms, meals in café’s with
friendly Christ-followers, eventually even coming to CHURCH! We have seen a
number come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! Last Tuesday night Dayna
and I went to visit one of our 16 University small group meetings. It was so
encouraging to hear 22 bright students from 10 different nations picking
through the points and passages of the sermon I had preached to them two days
before. (Very surprised they could find so much!) In less than a month nearly all
the young adults in that meeting will leave to continue their University programs
in Korea, England, Vietnam, Canada, Germany, France, Malaysia, Australia, and
the US. Several hundred people who are now part of the ZGC family will be “Going!”
And we – and YOU through your generous prayers and gifts – are sending
them out better equipped in His Word than when they came. And God willing, in
our new location somewhere nearby, we will “Gather” several hundred more in
August and September.
Yours
in the Lord of the Harvest! Mark and Dayna Blair
Our Mission
Pioneers - 10123 William
Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA www.pioneers.org
(Support checks should be
made out to ‘Pioneers’ – with a separate note on the check saying: ‘Mark and
Dayna Blair, Beijing.’ Some have asked, and you can send funds through
electronic transfers too: http://www.pioneers.org/Give/AutomatedGiving.aspx
)
Our Blog www.blairstan.blogspot.com
Skype blairstan
Our Ministry
Beijing International
Christian Fellowship - www.bicf.org
Hear Mark’s sermons at: http://bicf.org/english-service 
