No, we didn’t win the lottery.

No, nobody got promoted.

No, the war is still ongoing.

No, poverty still exists.

And no, plastic bags still cost 1 RMB each.

BUT . . . over here in Shanghai, China, something is about to change!

No more trying to figure out which aisle paper towels and straws belong.

No more pushing and shoving a billion other people.

No more waiting in long lines at the checkout.

No more fighting for taxis.

No more lugging 20 bags of groceries in/out of taxis or up the 10 flights of stairs. Because . . .

Yes, Carrefour now offers online shopping!

Yes, the website is in English.

Yes, you can save your favorite items.

And YES, they will deliver your groceries to your doorsteps for FREE (minimum 200 RMB order)!!!!

AMEN!

(This is quite a change from the days of 2001 when shopping at Carrefour was the highlight of the week.)

Another happy news: There’s a new Carrefour that just opened in Zhang Jiang area. So even if we miss grocery shopping at an actual store, there’s a closer Carrefour that is almost within walking distance.

Life can’t get any better than this!

Here’s a video of the printing press in action!

Click here for pictures from the trip.

The video below is taken from a farewell concert last week for our friends Terry and Buffy who are leaving Shanghai to go back to Canada.

We played this duet during our wedding. Most married couples had their “first dance” at their wedding. We don’t know how to dance. We had our “first duet” instead.

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Our friends Terry and Buffy singing “When I Get Old.” They’re wonderful musicians who taught at SMIC Kindergarten this past school year and will be leaving to go back to Canada.

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Franck Violin Sonata in A Major, 1st movement
Buffy Flick, violin
Jason C. Wong, piano

Franck Violin Sonata in A Major, 4th movement
Buffy Flick, violin
Jason C. Wong, piano

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Some people have dreams of playing for the Red Sox, some people have dreams of going to Harvard med, and some people have dreams of owning a VitaMix in China. Yes, that was her dream for many years and finally, tonight, she’s the proud owner of a Super 5000 Vitamix!! It’s fully 220V China-compliant and 100% Jason-friendly!

Susan’s ready to retire from her technical writing job and start her own Jamba Juice business in Shanghai. Get ready for a cool, refreshing summer!

For those of you who found this post googling “vitamix 220V” or “vitamix china”, the main distributor for VitaMix in China is TNC HK. The Shanghai sales office is via Oriental Engineering. Send us a message and we’ll give you the contact info and pricing information. Be prepared to pay twice as much. Definitely not for the amateurs.

Video footage, from NBC Nightly Live, of the earthquake in Sichuan, China. 

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By now, you’ve all heard about the devastating earthquake that struck Sichuan province last week. The death toll is still rising as rescue workers frantically dig through the rubbles to rescue the thousands that remain buried. Their family and loved ones wait in angst. Time is running out. The entire country watches and grieves for Sichuan.

A moment of silence was observed this afternoon — people, cars, taxis, buses, everything came to a holt for 3 minutes as the entire nation of 1.3 billion stood still to remember and mourn for the many lives lost. There is nothing like the tragedy of a natural disaster, beyond any human power or control, to shake the entire nation, the entire world.

And yet, in the midst of heartache, grief, sorrow, and despair, we see something of redeeming value — hope in the midst of tragedy and a country united as one. Never have we seen such selfless giving of the Chinese, a united and concerted effort to help those who have fallen. People giving whatever they could to help — money, blood, service, cell phones, rescue effort, etc . . . Taxi drivers carrying injured to the hospitals. Beggars donating hundred yuans worth of maos and jiaos (pennies). The injured helping other injured. Companies donating in large sums. Rescue workers braving the rubbles and the aftershocks to pull whatever survivors remain.

Even though lives are lost, homes destroyed, and families devastated. . . there is something of greater worth that cannot be taken away. It’s called Hope.

Let us pray for China. Pray for the people in Sichuan. Pray for the Chinese, that they find this Hope — the hope that good can come out of the bad, that all things will be made new, and that human suffering ultimately leads to the hope of the One who has come to give Life.