Emery Kaye
@emeryskaye.bsky.social
writer, teacher, reader, nature-lover, sharer of stories from 20+ years living in out-of-the-way China @ https://waterfortheweary.com/
"Like cool water for a weary soul is good news from a distant land."
"Like cool water for a weary soul is good news from a distant land."
“How beautiful it is,” Jesus might say, “when across physical, cultural, and spiritual divides, humans exist together in harmony.”
waterfortheweary.com/2026/08/14/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/08/14/c...
Closing Ranks
When I made my first visit to China in the 1990s, a group of friends gathered around me in support. Since then, that group has grown both in number and encouragement. Their greatest support has com…
waterfortheweary.com
August 24, 2026 at 2:51 PM
“How beautiful it is,” Jesus might say, “when across physical, cultural, and spiritual divides, humans exist together in harmony.”
waterfortheweary.com/2026/08/14/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/08/14/c...
Writing this post and now sharing it here, these children are on my heart yet again. They are not forgotten.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/07/08/n...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/07/08/n...
Never Forgotten
A picture appeared on my social media feed a few weeks ago, part of a post from nearly ten years ago. In it, I’m surrounded by a small group of primary school children eagerly looking over my shoul…
waterfortheweary.com
August 13, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Writing this post and now sharing it here, these children are on my heart yet again. They are not forgotten.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/07/08/n...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/07/08/n...
No matter who leaves us behind and how, we are never abandoned by Jesus.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/06/02/n...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/06/02/n...
Never Abandoned
Throughout his growing up years, a friend’s son and I shared sweet interactions. All children in China learn English, but Malachi’s proficiency was better than most. At his dad’s urging, I pr…
waterfortheweary.com
June 25, 2026 at 12:47 PM
No matter who leaves us behind and how, we are never abandoned by Jesus.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/06/02/n...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/06/02/n...
Back in my China home for a stint, I've learned how people here are responding to politics on the American side of the ocean. I am deeply disturbed.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/04/21/a...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/04/21/a...
A Gaggle of Gigglers
The other day on my way to work, I passed a group of my elderly neighbors coming back from the morning market. They were so busy giggling that they didn’t notice me. With a big smile on my face, I …
waterfortheweary.com
May 21, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Back in my China home for a stint, I've learned how people here are responding to politics on the American side of the ocean. I am deeply disturbed.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/04/21/a...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/04/21/a...
Back in my China home for a stint, I've learned how people here are responding to politics on the American side of the ocean. I am deeply disturbed.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/03/26/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/03/26/c...
Confusion, Hypocrisy, Hope
Over many years in China, helping people parse out what it means to be an American Christian has been challenging. Early in my time here, people assumed that all Americans were Christians. Since th…
waterfortheweary.com
May 21, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Back in my China home for a stint, I've learned how people here are responding to politics on the American side of the ocean. I am deeply disturbed.
waterfortheweary.com/2026/03/26/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2026/03/26/c...
After a trip into rural areas, I've been telling mountains to "Move!"
waterfortheweary.com/2025/06/06/o...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/06/06/o...
Oasis of Hope
A drive through my Chinese province affords a clear picture of life on the edge of the Gobi Desert. Swaths of sandy ground stretch out toward a border of brown, craggy mountains. On windy days, bil…
waterfortheweary.com
June 9, 2025 at 9:39 AM
After a trip into rural areas, I've been telling mountains to "Move!"
waterfortheweary.com/2025/06/06/o...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/06/06/o...
I've been reflecting on the unsung players in the events of Holy Week. The women.
waterfortheweary.com/2025/04/19/u...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/04/19/u...
Unsung Women
This year reading through the events of Jesus’ last week, the unsung players stand out. The women. Throughout history, their role has been downplayed, going all the way back to the Resurrection whe…
waterfortheweary.com
April 20, 2025 at 3:07 AM
I've been reflecting on the unsung players in the events of Holy Week. The women.
waterfortheweary.com/2025/04/19/u...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/04/19/u...
Every time I think about this post, I can't help but sing the old hymn..."name them one by one"...Who can sing along?
waterfortheweary.com/2025/03/18/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/03/18/c...
Count Your Blessings
Internal migration, the movement of people from rural, economically depressed areas to better developed cities in their own country, has marked China’s history since the 1990s. China’s 2020 census …
waterfortheweary.com
April 2, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Every time I think about this post, I can't help but sing the old hymn..."name them one by one"...Who can sing along?
waterfortheweary.com/2025/03/18/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/03/18/c...
Morning thoughts from the Bible, from Jesus specifically:
"Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." (Matthew 9:13, NLT)
"Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." (Matthew 9:13, NLT)
March 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Morning thoughts from the Bible, from Jesus specifically:
"Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." (Matthew 9:13, NLT)
"Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." (Matthew 9:13, NLT)
Morning thoughts from the Bible:
If you show mercy to others, you are blessed; God will be merciful to you. (Matthew 5:7)
If you oppress people in need, you show contempt for your Maker. But if you are gracious and merciful, you honor the King of kings. (Proverbs 14:31)
If you show mercy to others, you are blessed; God will be merciful to you. (Matthew 5:7)
If you oppress people in need, you show contempt for your Maker. But if you are gracious and merciful, you honor the King of kings. (Proverbs 14:31)
February 27, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Morning thoughts from the Bible:
If you show mercy to others, you are blessed; God will be merciful to you. (Matthew 5:7)
If you oppress people in need, you show contempt for your Maker. But if you are gracious and merciful, you honor the King of kings. (Proverbs 14:31)
If you show mercy to others, you are blessed; God will be merciful to you. (Matthew 5:7)
If you oppress people in need, you show contempt for your Maker. But if you are gracious and merciful, you honor the King of kings. (Proverbs 14:31)
I'm full of appreciation for all the ways USAID funds are used for good. The groups and organization who "benefit" from those funds teach us how to love like a neighbor.
waterfortheweary.com/2025/02/09/l...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/02/09/l...
Love like a Neighbor
“Who is my neighbor?” a church leader asked. Jesus responded with a story that revealed a problem of the pious, their prejudice against anyone not like them, including people of differe…
waterfortheweary.com
February 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
I'm full of appreciation for all the ways USAID funds are used for good. The groups and organization who "benefit" from those funds teach us how to love like a neighbor.
waterfortheweary.com/2025/02/09/l...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/02/09/l...
People in China have been making human connections with me for years, not unlike the welcome "TikTok refugees" received from RedNote users.
waterfortheweary.com/2025/01/23/w...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/01/23/w...
We are your biggest funs!
While the TikTok ban was looming last week, a half million “TikTok refugees” flooded to a lesser known Chinese app, 小红书,1 RedNote. According to news reports, the app’s current users offered a humor…
waterfortheweary.com
February 3, 2025 at 1:40 PM
People in China have been making human connections with me for years, not unlike the welcome "TikTok refugees" received from RedNote users.
waterfortheweary.com/2025/01/23/w...
waterfortheweary.com/2025/01/23/w...
Jesus comes to set us free, including the four teenagers introduced in this post.
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/20/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/20/c...
Come, Set Them Free: A Tale of Four Teenagers
As a guest in my second home, I usually keep my opinions about Chinese society to myself. One exception is in my area of professional expertise. As an educator, observations over many years have le…
waterfortheweary.com
December 23, 2024 at 1:05 PM
Jesus comes to set us free, including the four teenagers introduced in this post.
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/20/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/20/c...
Some practical ideas for stretching our relationship circles to draw others in or allow them to encircle us, especially when they're from a culture different than our own...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/13/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/13/c...
Circles and Spaces
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been sharing thoughts about relationship circles, reflecting on sheep and goats and toilet paper brands. After reading the first of these posts, an author from my writ…
waterfortheweary.com
December 14, 2024 at 1:11 AM
Some practical ideas for stretching our relationship circles to draw others in or allow them to encircle us, especially when they're from a culture different than our own...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/13/c...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/12/13/c...
A humorous aspect of my home and adopted cultures that has taught me an important lesson...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/11/22/o...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/11/22/o...
Of Tissues and Toilet Paper
My favorite tissue brand here in China has a lovely name. As the cover photo shows, the emoji leads consumers to add heart to heart (The first character also means “heart.”) and think of the phrase…
waterfortheweary.com
December 4, 2024 at 12:14 AM
A humorous aspect of my home and adopted cultures that has taught me an important lesson...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/11/22/o...
waterfortheweary.com/2024/11/22/o...
One more example of the kindness I have received in my second home. My holiday, not theirs, and yet this message came through this morning.
November 28, 2024 at 7:52 AM
One more example of the kindness I have received in my second home. My holiday, not theirs, and yet this message came through this morning.
With a cold northwest wind blowing, it's been a beautiful blue sky week in my adopted home.
November 28, 2024 at 1:48 AM
With a cold northwest wind blowing, it's been a beautiful blue sky week in my adopted home.
20+ years in out-of-the-way China have taught me many lessons about life, loving others, and following Jesus.
waterfortheweary.com
waterfortheweary.com
Water for the Weary
Like cool water for a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
waterfortheweary.com
November 24, 2024 at 5:32 AM
20+ years in out-of-the-way China have taught me many lessons about life, loving others, and following Jesus.
waterfortheweary.com
waterfortheweary.com