How are you? Have you had a good weekend?

This is a special week:

Except Mrs. Kat Allie (she is on the 9th photo on the left) - the Department Chair of Fine Arts and Humanities and Fine Art Gallery Manager, Ms. Stephanie Cramer(she is on the 9th photo on the right) - the Director of Program & Expositions of Springfield Regional Art Council and I had a good meeting on Monday and made sure the time of my new art exhibition will be sponsored and held by Ozarks Technical Community College Feb 7 to Feb 28, 2014; during the time, I will offer some Chinese Painting and Chinese poetry classes for the students of OTC, and also, I must be in Springfield Jan 27, 2014; I had a good talking with Mr. Patrick Sells(he is on the 10th photo ) in Missouri State University and had a good talking; my American student Lulu (she is on the 11st photp) and her mother came to me to celebrate Thanksgiving with me together; I went to the Campus Chinese Baptist Church of Missouri State University, to report that I will be baptized and thanked them for their good lead and help… The most importance was: I was baptized and became a Christian in Springfield Chinese Assembly Church, Missouri, USA on Sunday, Dec 1, 2013.

Many friends were so surprised about my decision so that they wanted to know why?

Here is the Journey of My Heart:

First of all, my own experience makes me believe there was a God in my life to lead me to go forward step by step until today.

I started to touch Christianity for I had to answer a question and to pass an examination of my journalism (news) study in 1999: “ What role of Christianity played in the development of America after World War II. ” I have forgotten most of the content that I had recited from the textbook, but I still remember that “ Christians appreciate the people who are working hard. ” :- )

First time I heard the bells of churches and went into the famous churches such as Notre Dame de Paris, La Grand-Place of Brussels, the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, and Vatican in Rome… Visited most beautiful art works by those greatest masters, such as Vinci, Michelangelo and Rafael … in 2000. I was surprise the best classical buildings in Europe were churches and the greatest art works related to the Bible and Christianity.

In Europe, I saw Bible in all of the hotels first time. Then I wondered why so many people in the world believe the God, what did Bible write inside, so that I bought my first Bible in Hong Kong, but for my poor English, I could only put it on my bookshelf and always I read the “ Genesis ”. :- )

Realized that my English was limiting my international communication, in Europe, I made a big decision to improve my English by editing and translating a series books via talked something about American music, movies and daily life, in the process of helping Chinese to learn American English, to improve my own English as well. Therefore, I called two American English teachers Mr. John Hayden and Mr. Miguel M. whom I did not meet yet from France, wanted to translate what they had written and hoped to get their help and support. I was lucky enough that I got their promise; then I got the actual help from Dr. Su Xijia and Dr. Chen Jieping from Hong Kong City University and two professors in Shanghai right now, got the good support from Dr. Wang Hua - the Vice president of Jinan University and President of Jinan University Publishing Press and now the President of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics. My first translated series books with 4 DVDs Together with Me, Learn True American Englishwas published in Oct, 2002, with 0.93 million words.

Then in the same year, the company I had serviced for 10 years and had paid 200% of effort was sold in one night; my son who was my sprit support and motivation to live and work hard for 15 years went to Australia; my elder brother who was closest and whom I could talked and relied on my spirit was dead; something else important happened one by one… I did not know what I should respond at all, so that I thought, since the life of human being was so fragile and since I could not hold my own fate in fact, maybe it was the time to pursue my own dreams from my childhood?

With many confusions still, in the 6 days my elder brother passed away, Nov, 22, 2002, I made a cell phone to my first Music teacher Ms. Ma Xuan according to her advertisement, started to learn vocal music until now.

Then in Dec, 2002, I found my first American art teacher, Mr. Charlie K, re-started to learn painting (I was an art teacher before I went to the University, for some reason, I could not continue my art study) until now.

Since then, no matter how busy in the company, I got up at about 4:00am often, to paint, to read in English and then to sing in my car on the road to work. Even though the supervisors or some big bosses came to eat with the managers or had a dinner party in the company, I would certainly leave for my music or painting lesson at the time my teachers came to my home. So that my bosses made a job: it would be their Honor that could invite Shirley to have a meal with them together. :- )

In 2005, I found my own web site by the good help of Mr. Charlie Zhang and Mr. Mike Joyce.

In 2007, I was chosen to study in Wright State University in America by the International Training Center of Shenzhen Personnel Bureau. No any hesitate, I refused to go.

In 2008, I got the call from the same teacher Dr. Robert Rao from the International Training Center of Shenzhen Personnel Bureau once more. I was no any interested in it, but he advised me once and once. Ok, since then, I could try, during the process to work on the application, the American university was changed to be Missouri State University. But on the day I got the enrollment notice from the University, and Dr. Rao had arranged an appointment for me with the Guangzhou Consulate, I changed my idea.

Can you imagine? On the coming weekend, Dr. Rao talked with me for 2 hours over a cell phone, and wrote a long letter to me. He said, “ Whether you go to USA or not, there will not one coin relation with me at all, but just I feel that you are a good and talent manager, I do feel if you go to America, it will open your eyes and offer you a bigger stage to develop yourself. ” I was quite touched by him, but I did not change my idea, until something special happened -- my immediate boss who had been treated me very well, suddenly lost his temper when I handed in a work report that I had worked for whole of the weekend. With many tears, I called the manger of the Human Resources Department, whether the document that the company approved me to the USA still there? If it was there, please gave it to me. Then I called Dr. Rao, asked him to connect with the Guangzhou Consulate for me.

When my boss said Sorry to me in the afternoon, the appointment had been done…:- )

I had no much confidence to get an American visa in fact, but for I had to give the company and the International Training Center of Shenzhen Personnel Bureau an answer. So, I felt a little bit delight when I saw 4 people ahead me in the line were refused. However, a wonder that has surprised many people happened: I got my visa after I had talked with a lady visa officer just for 3 minutes. That day was just my Birthday and I got the best birthday gift.

Since then, in China, I had been getting the best and biggest help and support from my this boss Dr. Zheng Song, a bigger boss Mr. Zhou Ming and our company when I studied in USA, I was sick in Shenzhen and I studied in Beijing. Especially, they refused to accept my application to retire ahead because of my poor health in 2010, but they had been keeping my big and single office even though there was few single officers in the company Sep, 2008 to Sep, 2012. Also, they had been offering me a basic salary when I was sick and studied in Beijing until Sep, 2012. If there was no my company’s support, I would not be able to complete the expensive art study in Beijing while to fight with the sickness at the same time…

At the same time in America, I saw and touched by so many things around me, from the first little squirrel that brought me happiness by the street, to the first a group of drivers of cars let me go first on the roads in the first week; from the bright and friendly smiles of the local people, to the fact that I could stop my shop cart by the bathroom and needed not worry about my things in it in Wal-mart, I could also go into any university’s library with my computer bag and anything else; from I saw a wife and a gentleman to pick up our Chinese students to their church to teach us English free ( for 5 years ), to a church sent 2 groups and 4 missionaries to teach me Bible free every Friday… I saw the high level civilization in America and I started to feel that powers of religion...

Can you imagine? In the city there is a pupolation 150,000, there are more than 300 churches...

Sep, 2009, my first art exhibition with Chinese poem and I myself created music sponsored and be held by Springfield Area Chamber of Commence, Springfield Regional Art Council. Not only got my master degree in USA , but also my long –term dream was true. At the same time, by the Good help of Dr. Bill Booth and Mr. Yiran Zhou, Kentucky State opened their gate for me.

Then, I had no much special feeling to Christianity and to Springfield, MO, so that I did not apply social security number and I sold my car and sent most of my things to the others and left for China in Oct, 2009.

Then in Dec, 2009, after 2 surgery in my digestive system, my ery throcyte sedimentation rate kept on 105, more than 5 times higher than the normal level, from Feb to May 2010, my eyes could not see clear more and more, 4 Shenzhen hospitals had 2 opinions about my sicknesses, I did not dare to take any medicine at all, it was Missouri State University sponsored an art exhibition for me in PSU gallery, during I was waiting for the schedule in Kentucky in May, 2010, I could go to see some American doctors, helped the final diagnosis in China in August.

Via this art exhibition, also I found the charming of Chinese painting among university students as a comprehensive art. I had more confidence about combining the original 4 elements of Chinese paintings ( poetry, calligraphy, painting and stamps) + music + article + language to work online, but I had no idea to connect them in the realistic society yet.

Anyway, what Missouri State University and Springfield people did for me, made me want to return this land and the people here, after leaving 64 paintings here, hold my comprehensive art dream, I went to China Central Academy of Arts in Beijing after 4 surgeries in Dec, 2010. There, my ideas got some positive comments, but almost people thought it was a too difficult topic for me.

Until Sep, 2011, I had an opportunity to take part in the Conference of Kentucky World Language by the good help of Mr. Zhou Yiran, Kentucky World Language Association, Confucius institute at Kentucky University, and Kentucky Chinese Teacher Association. During the process to write a paper, I found the basis of the theory for my project, meanwhile, base on the 4 elements of Chinese painting, first time, I had found a way to connect Chinese painting as a fine art with Chinese language art together, via the helping of poetry.

With this idea, I went to the highest art research organization of China – Chinese National Academy of Arts, Oct, 2011. There, I had a wider and freer room to work on my project. Nov, 2012, I created the first Vocal, bilingual poetry and painting series of China.

Then in May and Sep, 2013, first time, I started my Chinese language classes by leading students to enjoy Chinese painting and music in 5 publish schools 12 times; meanwhile, the first volume of my comprehensive books names, Poetry, Painting and Music, Comprehensive and Artistic Chinese Language ( Together with me, Learn Chinese Culture and Language by Enjoying Paintings, Music and Poetry) was published formally in May, 2013 and got the positive comments of National Hanban in August.

Something I had to say: During I was studying in Beijing, I had gotten so much help not only from my professors, tutors, classmates in Beijing, but also from England, Canada, China and USA, If saying Mr. Mike Joyce, Dr. Darragh, Dr. Dennis Hart, Dr. Steve K. Olson, Dr. Weirong Yan helped me by correcting my writing in English; Dr. Bill Booth helped me on arts and art education, then, Mr. Steve Robinette, an associate Vice President of Missouri State of University helped me on my thought and work style，very often, with a simple but clear note, he pointed out the key.

If saying the help and support from my company from China is on finance and my psychology, the good assistance and support from America and Europe is on technique and management.

If there is no all of their good help and support, I could not complete the study in Beijing for 3 years at all.

Today, when I recalled whole of the process, every thing sounded like accidentally happened, everything was not alone, just like there was someone controlled it and arranged it. So that I had thought, maybe that was the God was helping me?

Right now, I do believe about that. I would really like to continue the road that God had arranged for me already. To help more people while to improve myself.

Secondly, I have been living among the Christians, got their guide and help at each important time, they were just like the massagers of the God came to me and helped me at each key point.

Anyway, I did not realize about this until this time, Jinan University Press asked me to write a book relates to American culture, I started to pay more attention to the inside world of people, then I surprisedly found: 92% of people whom I had interviewed, I have been respected, admired and made them as my examples, are in fact Christians. Their life and work instruction is in fact Bible.

This finding is really one of the most important reasons that I wished to be a member of the family of Jesus:

-- The fact that Mrs. Wanda Nava kept going to a prison to help the prisoners for 13 years made me see the power of the Christianity and Bible;
-- The fact that Dr. Qiao Yuhua kept working on her doctoral degree while she had birth and raised 2 babies made my heart full of the respect to the little American Chinese lady;
-- The picture that Dr. Steve K. Olson painted for me: an original person is self-serving and wants to get everything from the others, but Bible and Christianity wanted to teach people to service for the others and to give love to this world and more people.
-- The fact that Dr. Olen Greer told me that Bible is his living instruction, really made me feel that my soul was touched.

Base on the Bible Studying Sep, 2008 to Sep, 2009 by the good help of Mr.David Lawson and his missionaries, the new Bible studying in Springfield Assembly Church and in the Campus Chinese Baptist Church of Missouri State University in 2013, made me know that Bible is a classical book, a wisdom book and a book helps people to nourish soul healthier, first time, I started to learn Bible with a more respect heart and truly serious attitude.

If saying, Dr. Wenping Qiu and his wife Lisa first time led me into the gate of Sunday Service, let me feel the warm of the family of Jesus, had the idea to go into them someday. The professional jobs of Pastor Philip Cheuk and Mrs. Cheuk resolved many confusions in my heart and push me forward to make the final decision.

Since I have been cared for and looked after by the God and his messengers, there is no any reason that I should continue to wander out of the family of the Jesus. To be a members of the Jesus and work with his so many excellent children together, should be my honor and lucky.

Thirdly, the more I studied Bible, the more I believed many of my own views about life and about world are so near the ideas in Bible, especially I so agree with the Bible that a person should think of the others and the others’ interest at the first, then to think of ourselves . As a Christian does not mean for helping only himself, but for helping more people who need help. As a Christian should often make self-examination about our own actions and minds, to grow up as a more purer, more kind and honest person at the first, then we can help the others and this world truly…

A life of a Christian should be the life to learn something new and good always and to make progress every day.

Since I often feel many views in Bible sound like just written for me. I myself maybe originally a child of the God and Jesus, there is really no any reason to continue to wander out of the door of the Jesus. I should really nock the door of the God and to go back the home of Jesus...

Here are something I am dreaming and I want to do after I become a Christian:

-- I will follow the instruction of Bible, to improve myself, to train myself to be a more pure, kind, honest and responsible person.

-- I should perform a missing to help more people via Studying, Teaching, Researching and Creating with what I have been learning, researching and exploring. One hand, continue to work on my cross-culture and comprehensive project, to share a little best part of Chinese culture, art and language with global users; the other hand, continue to learn, research and explore some way to share the best part that I have realized in the Western world with Chinese users.

So, tomorrow, I will go to OTC, to see whether their free English lesson will be continued between Dec, 2013 to Feb 2014. If they do, I will give up the travel to go back China before my new exhibition ( since even though I go back, I must come back Springfield Jab 27, before the Chinese New Year), but catch the good opportunity to improve my English...

Also, do you know? On the Black Friday, by the good help from my former classmate Mr. Zhu Bin ( I often said, he is just like a messenger of the God, since I met him by the leading of a American friend Mrs. Wanda Nava in the Chinese church, just like the God wanted me to be given two wings in the Internet times: 4 wheels of his car and a wised former foreign trade manager, my work in Springfield was pushed quickly forward) and my new friend Mr. Zhen Xu, I bought a big board that is higher than my wall, a big sheet iron, magnets, nails, plus a felt... I am going to make a professional Chinese painting board, not only share some professional technique of Chinese arts that I have learned from Chinese National Academy of Arts, and China Central Academy of Fine Arts with the local American people, but also bring some professional tools for Springfield area, Missouri...

Do you know? Just today, 4 local American friends specially came to the church, to see and to celebrate my re-birth with so much sincerity and gifts from me from far away…

What a lucky sister I am in the family of Jesus!

You are welcome to hit the link to see the big size photos.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share?
Shirley Yiping Zhang
Dec 1, 2013