China- A Busy First Week

Concert- Played the piano concert for about 575 Chinese seventh grade students at #7 Middle School. This is a private boarding school where Lisa and Adam both taught this past semester. Adam’s students were older and did not attend the concert, but many of Lisa’s students were there. The kids were very polite and clapped a lot. Several of the students had rehearsed little introductory speeches to welcome “Mr. Wei (Way)” (my name in Chinese is Wei Da Wei) and I was given a big bouquet of flowers at the end of the concert. Then it was time for Q&A, and I had several students ask some fun questions such as what other instruments did I play, was I married, and when would I be back. “I hope soon”, I replied. Was mobbed afterwards signing autographs. The kids were so cute.




Dinner Out- Got to go to a really nice restaurant with some friends of the family, Jackie & Cindy, who were in Lisa and Adam’s wedding. Jackie brought a bottle of wine which he was very proud of, but I had to laugh at the small wine glasses they poured into. Apparently, the Chinese have a low tolerance for alcohol, so the portions are a lot smaller than Americans would typically have.

Wholesale Market & the Tailor- Lisa and Adam took me first to their tailor to find out how much material he needed, and then we went to the wholesale market to buy fabric for shirts. The market was very interesting and very crowded. Adam pointed out some of the ethnic minorities from different parts of China. Had an interesting time at one booth with a very animated lady unwilling to barter, but I think Adam was just having fun with her. She was very nice.

Western Food- Okay, for all you that know me, I’m not being an ugly American only eating at McD’s. Even the Pizza Hut and Subway here have been a good foreign experience. It may have an American corporate name on the door, but it is definitely not entirely the same. I mean, when’s the last time you went to PH and ordered ostrich or tuna pizza ?

Hot Pot- This is a very traditional Sezchuan style meal similar to fondue. Small plates of food, such as meatballs, vegetables (including lotus root and mushroom sprouts) are ordered and then placed into a boiling pot of hot pepper oil. It’s a lot of fun to do as a group, and it’s good spicy food, which I love.

Chopsticks- Well, I’m not going hungry, that’s for sure. I only have had to break down and ask for a fork once, and that's because the fancy restaurant had very slippery chopsticks that I couldn't seem to grasp. It’s actually a good thing I’m NOT using a fork, or I’d eat even more. I fell into my own style of using chopsticks which my sister says is more like how the Chinese hold them, so I’m doing good.


Foot Massage- Went to a nice salon to get a foot massage. While not technically a “pedicure”, it was nice. The attendant worked on different reflexology points on the bottom of my feet and it was somewhat relaxing. I kind of prefer a regular back massage (see previous post).

Other piano "gigs"- I got to play piano/keyboards for some Chinese who were singing Christmas carols at the local computer mall. It was very chaotic and loud, but it was neat to get to use my talent in whatever way possible. Also, I played for a Chinese Christmas party held at a big hotel. Chinese kids don't often do extracurricular activites like American kids do, so playing the piano here is a bit of a novelty.

Scenery- Here is a nice shot of a greenbelt area along the river shot on an overcast day.

A picture showing of old and new China.

Lisa & me at an outdoor mall in "Oldtown Chengdu"


More to come...

China- Day One

Chengdu- this city is a very bustling cross between old and new China.


Had fun walking to my favorite Scottish restaurant for breakfast


and for a while was followed by a cute little girl enthralled with this giant foreigner. The Chinese are very friendly, polite and hospitable. My first taxi ride to lunch was memorable (YIKES),

and my first genuine attempt at using chopsticks didn’t leave me hungry. We had some really good food at a sit down restaurant, and the three of us ate lunch for 37 yuan (about $4.50).


Toe Sheds-Because the city is dirty and polluted, the Chinese don’t wear their shoes inside their homes. Also, the tile floors are very cold, so my sister graciously provided some slippers to wear. I’m remembering them as “Toe Sheds” because the Chinese word for them is Tuo Xie, which is pronounced like, you guessed it, Toe Shed (without the D).

Elevator Off Button- The Chinese are very much ahead of Americans in their technology. For example, in the US, I’ve always wondered why, when you hit the wrong floor button in an elevator you can’t change your mind, push the button again to toggle it off and choose the correct button. Well, here you can. These Chinese are amazing !

Shopping Cart Ramp- We went to a large two-story modern market. In case you’re wondering how you get from produce to housewares on two separate floors, here again is an example of the amazing Chinese technology. They have an inclined moving sidewalk like you’ve seen at airports. Somehow, the wheels on the cart won’t move while on the ramp, which obviously prevents pranksters like me letting go of a fully loaded cart at the top and yelling, “Clean up on aisle four”.

2x4- Speaking of “four”, I asked directions at the airport for my lost luggage (another long story, sigh). The airport security guard I asked spoke little English, but held up two fingers and proudly told me it was on baggage carousel 4. No wonder the luggage got lost.

Canadians- Well, leave it to our neighbors to the north to confuse me, eh? I didn’t realize I was supposed to pick up my baggage in Vancouver, so that it could clear customs. Since it was checked from Spokane through to Beijing, I didn’t even think to look for it. Apparently, it sat in Vancouver for a day, lost and lonely, until I filed a missing luggage report in Beijing. Should get it tomorrow. Had a nice time talking on the plane with Kirk from somewhere in Alberta who was importing motorized skateboards from China. He made the long trip interesting, and I made a new friend.

Longan fruit- My sister described the as being like an eyeball within a husk, and she was right. It kind of tasted like a cross between a grape and a grapefruit, but had a slimy coating. Here is some more information on the longan fruit, described as “tropical”. By the way, the tangerines here are wonderful !

Tourist Bargain- While ordering lunch, I was approached by someone wanting to shine my shoes, and was provided with a pair of Toe Sheds while eating. I was charged 2, rather than the customary one yuan (about 12 cents) because “the shoes are so large”.

Seasonal Things

Here's a couple of fun seasonal things I was sent today:

First: A little off-beat humor to lighten your day. Keep your sound on.

Second: Pictures of some very interesting "Ice Sculptures". That must have been some storm !!

Google Earth

What an incredible site. After downloading a small program, you can zoom in and out onto anywhere on the planet, and view things from different angles while the site renders a 3-D image of what you're looking at. I spent some time tonight creating placemarks for some of the mountain peaks or other landmarks around Lewiston. Then you can "fly" by touring from one placemark to another. Very, Very Cool. The best part is that it's FREE !

Presenting Dave Wiedemann in Concert- Chengdu, CHINA 12/21/05

魏大伟---美国钢琴 演奏师圣诞钢琴音乐会

While In China this month, I'll be playing 2 concerts showcasing American piano styles to groups of Jr High and High School students. Primarily, it will be a Christmas concert, but I'll have a chance to play some jazz, pop tunes, and praise songs.

LTG- Life Transformation Groups

Cultivating a Life for God, by Neil Cole

Although this book has the worst cover design I've ever seen on an otherwise FANTASTIC book (I guess the picture is supposed to represent fruit), this book has only begun to have a huge impact on my life and my ministry. I read it straight through from cover to cover, excited about the possibilities of discipleship, evangelism, and mutual accountability, all in one easy to duplicate format. Below is a more detailed description copied from SacredOnline.org.)

Life Transformation Groups

What are they? Living life as a follower of Christ can be challenging. It can be difficult to hear God’s voice and maintain personal integrity in our fast-paced and ever-changing world. You aren't meant to do it alone. We are called to follow Christ in relationship—both with Him and with one another. One way of discovering and cultivating a deep relationship with another person is through a Life Transformation Group.

An LTG is a simple way to develop a vital spiritual walk that allows the Holy Spirit to change your life from the inside out. It’s a simple tool that you’ll find encourages you and leads you into a deeper relationship with God and int an authentic, Biblical friendship with another person.

LTG’s all have the following in common:

1. They meet once a week for at least an hour.
2. They include two of three people.
3. They are gender specific. Men meet with men, women with women.
4. There is no leader.
5. There is no workbook or training needed; just people and the Bible.
6. Each group strives for accountability and mutual confession of sin, regular personal reading of the Bible, and specific prayer.

Starting An LTG If you are interested in creating a Life Transformation Group, your first step is to pray about it. Ask God to show you whom you should partner with, and then wait until He tells you. Sometimes that means someone will approach and ask you to form a group with them. Or, God will lay someone’s name on you heart to approach.

Second, talk the person God reveals to you. Ask if they would be willing to commit to a regular weekly meeting time with you, and if they feel they can be honest with you about their life. You also need to know if those things are true for you. Do you feel as if you can commit to this other person? Can you be honest with them?

Then, set aside a regular time each week to accomplish the following:

Talk about your lives. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:24-25 that we need each other. We need to develop relationships that are built around mutual honest confession and prayerful support. Use a set of agreed-upon questions to direct your conversation. Starter questions are included below. As your group develops, you may want to adjust the wording of the questions, or include additional questions that pertain to your individual lives.

Be accountable for reading the Bible. Decide on a book of the Bible you and your partner will be responsible for reading this week, with a goal of reading 20-25 chapters each week. If the book you chose is shorter than that, agree to read it several times during the week. If the book is longer than 25 chapters, divide the book into parts. When your group meets, ask if the reading was completed. If anyone was unable to complete the reading, the whole group repeats the same reading again for next week, until everyone has completed reading the chapters. This repetition is often helpful as theHoly Spirit will reveal new truths in the text each time you read it. Once everyone has read the assigned chapters, move on to either additional chapters or another book of the Bible.

Pray for specific people and problems. Each group member should identify two or three people in their lives to pray for. Write down the names of these people in a place you will refer to—perhaps on a bookmark in your Bible. Each member of the group will pray for everyone on the list by name as they read their Bibles during the week. You are also encouraged to pray for you LTG partner and any challenges he or she might face.

Where to begin? If your group includes people who are new or who are exploring a relationship with Jesus, consider beginning with one of the Gospels, like Luke or John. If your group includes people who have walked with God for a while, consider reading a book one of you hasn’t read before, or begin with one of Paul’s letters, like Philippians.

Why Two or Three? LTG’s are limited to two or three people because the smaller size makes it easier to establish community, practice accountability, maintain confidentiality, schedule regular meeting times, and invite others to join in.

Sample Character Conversation Questions

• Have you been an example this week to the greatness of Jesus Christ in your words and actions?
• Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another person this week?
• Have you lacked integrity in your financial dealings or coveted something that does not belong to you?
• Have you been honoring, understanding, and generous in your important relationships this week?
• Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face-to-face?
• Have you given into an addictive behavior this week?
• Have you continued to remain angry toward another?
• Have you secretly wished for another’s misfortune?
• Did you finish the reading and hear from God? What are you going to do about it?
• Have you been completely honest in answering these questions?

Each group member should also create one personal accountability question tailored to his or her life.

The First Post

I kept running into various blogger blogs while doing other random surfing, so tonight I created this one. I plan to list my thoughts about various events, mostly having to do with travel, church, music, and home improvement escapades.