The Medical Leader

Laura Ford Hall

This past week, the members of the Pikeville Delegation to China were very proud to serve as witness as City Manager Donovan Blackburn and Ankang City Mayor Fong Wi Fung signed the Sister City agreement documentation to signify that both delegations from both cities wished to move forward with this global relationship.  “We are now family,” Mayor Fong said after signing.

“We are pleased to welcome you from the other side of the ocean,” Mayor Fong added. “After several days of visits and seeing the sites of our culture and country, I hope that the Ankang people have made a deep impression on you all.”

Pikeville City Manager Donovan Blackburn responded by stating, “It has been our pleasure to be invited to your city.  It is a blessing and honor to learn from your people in your culture.  We look forward to making our relationship stronger, helping us both to grow.”

“We hope to develop more mutual understandings,” Fong said. “Ankang is a very beautiful place in the south of Shaanxi Province.  We have the Chivi Mountain Range and the Bashal Mountains, with a river that runs through it.  Our land is 80% mountain and 20% land, but our province is growing faster than any province in China.”

Both delegations agreed that developmental land is a problem for both areas.

The delegations discussed natural resources.  While our resources are mostly coal, natural gas, and some lumber, the Ankang government stated that their area is rich in Selenium (a cancer preventative substance or herb), agriculture including rice, wheat, Selenium water, and sweet potato; and Ankang has a silk industry that has been in existence and working to perfection for the past 2,000 years.  Over 3,000 tons are produced in silk products every year in Ankang.

Because of our talks regarding coal, the Ankang government is interested in exploring providing electricity by clean coal technology.  The hydro electric power is not enough to produce the amount of power needed for the growing rate of Ankang.  This is an area in which they have asked advice from their Sister City of Pikeville.

Like Pikeville, Ankang is also working to develop a local airport.  The delegation had to drive 3 hours to the nearest airport, just like we would to get to Lexington.  “We are going to build an airport in the coming years,” Fong added.  “We hope to develop better community exchanges.”

Speaking on behalf of our city was Donovan Blackburn and former Governor Paul Patton.  The two explained about our area’s natural resources, healthcare, education, and other ways our Sister City relationship can develop “There are many ways we can benefit from our relationship,” said Patton.  “You should be very proud of your community and your country.”

Blackburn answered some other questions about the city manager form of government and questions about legal issues.  The mayor was very curious about lawyers, law suits, etc.

Overall, the meeting was very successful.  Mayor Fong closed: “Through our short, warm talks, we have laid a solid relationship for our bright future.”  Then, the agreement was signed.

Gifts were exchanged among both delegations.  A banquet was held at the end with a great amount of entertainment, food, fun, and laughter.  I always pictured the Chinese as serious people, but they like to have a lot of fun.

This will be my last blog from China because I am on my way home now.  I cannot wait to get to Kentucky.  Though China has been a wonderful experience, I am ready to get home to my soft bed and American food.  The first place I’m going?  El Azul or Hobert’s Pizzeria in Prestonsburg.  I can’t wait!

I would like to end my blog on what was the most important issue to me to learn about while in China and that is religion. I have questioned many of our Chinese Delegates from Ankang City because I was curious about religion in China.  They are reluctant to talk about it.  As I understand it, if you are a member of the Communist Party, you cannot claim a religion.  You are not allowed to worship any God or have any ties to any religion.  I assume that the reason for this is so that any energy that would be given to spirituality is given to the Communist Party, or maybe you are to worship the Communist Party, President, etc.  I am not sure.

Before I left for China, I listened to their national anthem and was going to learn it to sing it in honor of our delegation, but I was uncomfortable with it because it was almost like a praise or worship song but instead of praising God, it was praising a country.  I did not learn it because I did not feel right singing it.

So… maybe your “religion” is the communist party.  Please note… I did not do any formal research on this, just observation.  If you are a member of the Communist Party and you are a Christian, you must worship in secret or the punishment could be severe (loss of job, etc).  You can choose not to be a member of the Communist Party and you can claim a religion… Christian, Muslim, Buddhism, Daoism, etc.  However, if you are not a member of the Communist Party, you cannot ever hold a position or job of any great responsibility.  There is no voting, of course, and all leaders are chosen by leaders higher up than them and they all work their way up the ladder.

That is the saddest thing to me… just thinking about more than a billion people who live there who are not allowed to worship freely or go to church to worship their Lord.   I took a Bible with me and decided to give it away while I was there.  I did give it to someone I met who became my friend.  It is only one Bible and in my heart, I wish I could give millions more.  I hope someday that all Chinese will have freedom of worship.

Well, I have enjoyed blogging.  It has been a true task, coming back to the hotel from an exhausting day to write a couple of hours, but I hope that for those that have read, it has been enjoyable.  My dad told me over the phone that Christ Central students were even using the blog to assist them in their studies of China.  I have learned so much and have truly been given a blessed gift from God by visiting there… it was a chance of a lifetime.

What is the worst thing about China (in my opinion)?  Having no religious freedom, THE FOOD, and squatty potties!

What is the best thing about China?  The amazing history, the Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Soldiers and Horses, but most of all… the people… especially the children.  I love them and will pray for them.

A smile speaks more than a thousand words and a smile is universal across any culture.   I smiled more in China than I have in a long while… I would smile at people and they would always smile back.  My time in China will always be remembered as a “smile” in my life.  I will never forget and will always thank God for this amazing experience.

P.S.: At the time of the printing of this blog, the delegation has now made it safely home.  Through a very difficult 15-hour flight over a typhoon near Japan, the flight often felt like a roller coaster, but we made it safely to Chicago for an unexpected 7-hour layover.  It was a good naptime for all of us.  Kim Carter found that she had the talent of sleeping sitting straight up, head straight and all.

When I got home, I was so happy to be welcomed home by my family.  There is nothing like family and it should be cherished.  My cousin, Sara Sanders Castle, from Atlanta (originally from Pikeville) and her husband were there to greet me as well as my beloved Aunt and Uncle.  We are pictured from left Steve and Sara Sanders Castle, Brad, me, my Aunt Beverly Sanders, Uncle Johnny Sanders, and my baby cousin, Hadley Castle, Sara’s daughter.