Bright Red

These pictures were almost forgotten, intended to be shared with you much earlier. While in Zhang Jia Jie we noticed this red steeple along the riverside. Thirty minutes to kill before train departure, we stopped by the empty building and tried to get in. The front doors were locked and missing their handles. Along the sides we peeked into windows, finally attracting the attention of groundskeeper woman who was listening to a white hand-held audio Bible player (popular item). She and another elder brother kindly showed us around.

Don't read into any of this. Merely describing what we saw.

The structure was completed in the 90s, facades now cracking off and layers of dust caking on all surfaces, scent of cat urine rising up from basement staircase. Faded photos of three middle-aged women pastors were taped on the bulletin board. According to the groundskeeper, 2000 souls file in on the weekend. One crippled man with dark skin and white beard sat under trees of the front yard, his possessions a canvas bag and that same little Bible-player gadget. The neighborhood garbage pile was burning and blowing smoke across the front-porch view of the mountains. A few paces down the road, in the home materials market, large bath tiles decorated with erotic images of women, for sale.

related: here's a description of the legal church in Changsha.

unrelated

counting the graces

thank you Father for
a humbling moment

Drew's facial moles

small hot-air balloon lanterns rising away over dark river, stippling black sky
Titus sleeping beside us, we awake to his 4am laughter, "I had a funny dream!"

frozen bananas