Pause the Story--Going to China

I'm leaving in the morning for Beijing!  I'm going to women's conference for missionaries there.  Knowing that China is a gospel-restircted nation (depending on one's nationality and location in the country) I'm a wee bit nervous about convening with dozens of missionaries there.  After I booked my tickets and signed the dotted line, this reality struck me.  I was on the phone with my BFF Jen, who is meeting me in Beijing from her home and mission field in Thailand.  When it dawned on us, we kind of chuckled in nervous laughter and said something like, "Um, we're going to a conference right?  Not prison, right?  Right?  RIGHT?!"

I'm hoping to see the Great Wall on Saturday and also walk around Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City (confession: I don't even know what the Forbidden City is...sounds hard to get into.  I'll wikipedia that later.).  The average temp in Beijing right now is about 12 degrees.  Yes, TWELVE.  That will be painful.  I'll do my best to post news and photos (of me in a borrowed rabbit fur hat) while I'm there.  If my freedom on the internet is, ahem, hindered, I'll be back here at the blog in a week.