Bright Lights in His Presence

New Year’s Greetings from Beijing,

I write from my study, watching a spectacular display of fireworks all across Beijing on this last night of Chinese New Year. Dayna has a few more days in the Hawaiian sunshine. I arrived last Friday and jumped into a busy weekend of ministry with the Beijing International Christian Fellowship. Last Saturday and Sunday I team taught a course on the ‘Work and Life of a Leader’ with two pastor/colleagues. We’ll finish the course this coming weekend. About a dozen aspiring leaders from all around the world joined in. I also began preaching through the book of Acts Sunday morning. It was magnificent to reunite with our family of faith here. They are going strong.

Meanwhile, Dayna is with her family back in Hilo, Hawaii. We were there together for the funeral of her elder sister, Gaylyn. It was a celebration of her 60 years of life, and most of all her entrance into the everlasting Day of His presence. You can see the family gathered below, even her husband George (4th from left in back row in blue/green shirt), can smile through the tears.


The next day the whole family enjoyed a warm and sunny day in Hilo. Best of all Dayna and her 5 surviving siblings, and other family members, spent the day with their Mom. It was a special time of being all together. Just before we left that night, all her children gathered for a picture as they gave her a kiss good-night.


She went to bed and woke up in heaven. Dayna and I found out when we were already in Honolulu. I needed to proceed to Beijing. Dayna and Nathan went back to Hilo. I just Skyped with Dayna who said her funeral services today went very well. Many family members and friends gathered to celebrate her 85 years of life. Dayna is booked to arrive here in Beijing Monday night.

Thanks for praying for Dayna and her family as they adjust to life without these two dear ones. Knowing Jesus in every season of life is a great comfort and joy.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support for our ministry. Many here do not yet know the everlasting comfort and joy through His Gospel.

Yours in Him who is the Resurrection and the Life,

Mark and Dayna Blair

Our Email blairstan2@gmail.com

or markblair@bicf.org or blairstan@psmail.net (secure)

Our Mission

Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA

www.pioneers.org

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/sermon-zgc

Our Mailing Address

Beijing International Christian Fellowship / Zhong Guan Cun
Raycom Infotech Park, Tower C, Room B115,
2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100190

No Place We'd Rather Be

Aloha from Kauai,

The Lord has graciously enabled us to fulfill our church visitation schedule. We leave for Beijing February 9. Your prayers, love, and financial support are a great encouragement as we begin our 22nd year of missionary service. We thank God for you. Our USA phone - until February 9 only – 808 – 315 – 5364.

No Place We’d Rather Be

A little boy watched in awe as the visiting missionary wolfed down Mom’s best home cooked foods Sunday after church. He soon understood that these missionaries trek from church to church – from sumptuous meals to tasty suppers. Later when asked by his mom, “Johnny, what do you want to be when you grow up?” He shot back, “A MISSIONARY ON FURLOUGH!” After three months in USA the clothes we can no longer button say its time to get back to the gym in China!

Here’s us grazing at Tommy’s in Pasadena with eldest son Nathan and wife Heather (foreground) and youngest son Aaron and friend Tavia (background). No, Mark did not miss this burger feed, he took the picture!

We’ve had a fabulous time at home. The Mandarin word for America is ‘The Beautiful Land’ – and it truly is. It has been wonderful to reconnect with beaches, burgers, and good buddies. Last week as the Congress rose to applaud President Obama’s affirmation, “There is no place we would rather be” we also cheered. But we’d add the word, “There is not a place we’d rather be FROM…” We both feel a strong sense He wants us to leave this Beautiful Land for Beijing. There is no place we’d rather be – at this amazing time of Gospel opportunity – than China.

Family News

After a fight with cancer, Dayna’s elder sister Gaylyn went to be with the Lord this week. We will be going to Hilo to be with family for a short visit right before we leave for Beijing. Please keep her husband George in prayer.

Nathan and Heather are both full-time students in Portland, Oregon. They both graduate this Spring, Nathan in Product Design, Heather with a Master’s in Education (Credential for teaching High School Science). They plan to move to Beijing this summer and pursue employment. We will be glad to welcome them!

Josiah and Maylee are in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Maylee just turned 7! Josiah is reading the news on Caspionet TV as Kazakhstan hosts the Asian Winter Games right now. He is on about 1:15 pm (Pacific Time) at www.caspionet.kz

Aaron works full time at the King Estate restaurant in Eugene, Oregon. He is a part-time student at Lane Community College. He is focusing on work as he decides what degree to pursue. Thanks for keeping our family in prayer too.

2011 Plans

We look forward to resuming our work at Beijing International Christian Fellowship. Mark is planning to preach through the book of Acts for most of 2011.

Mark will team-teach a course on the Work/Life of a Leader in the BICF seminary this month. He will teach several other courses throughout this year.

Dayna plans to resume full-time Mandarin lessons with the new term in March.

Dayna will also be mentoring and encouraging women in leadership in His Church.

We are invited to Uganda in June. At the Lausanne 3 meetings in Cape Town last October, Mark was reunited with John and Ruth Senyonyi, pictured below:

During the late 1980’s we taught at what was then Bishop Tucker Theological College for the Church of Uganda (Anglican). We had about 250 students. Today BTTC is part of the Uganda Christian University, led by John Senyonyi, with 7000 students!

John wrote: It was such a glorious surprise to find you at the Congress. Such a joy just to think that we could have this apparently ‘chance meeting’ but obviously the Lord had it in His plan… We would love to have you come and speak at UCC
19th-26th June, 2011 - Missions and Ministry Conference
As a missionary you would have much to speak to us about. Fortunately, the Church of Uganda is not new to you; it is your ‘home’ church in Uganda! You know our need for involvement in Missions…. Blessings in Christ, John Senyonyi

Please pray with us about this exciting invitation to return to Uganda. It would be a great joy to reunite with friends and leaders we have not seen in 20 years.

So we look forward to getting back to our ministry in Beijing soon. There is much to do for His Kingdom.

Trusting Him for new opportunities in 2011,
Mark and Dayna Blair

Our Email blairstan2@gmail.com
or markblair@bicf.org or blairstan@psmail.net (secure)

Our Mission
Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL 32832 – USA www.pioneers.org

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/sermon-zgc

Our Mailing Address
Beijing International Christian Fellowship / Zhong Guan Cun
Raycom Infotech Park, Tower C, Room B115,
2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100190