The Strange Story of the Stranded
Chinese Acrobats
By Alex Douglas
It is a small world. It is not small because we can fly in planes, it is small because God is so big. I don't make a point to read the news anymore. However, the hospital that my wife used to work for closed down, and I was told that it made the news. So I decided to look it up in the Dallas Morning News on line. Next to that article was a link on the Chinese Acrobats stranded in Dallas and staying at the Union Gospel Mission.
My family has supported this mission for the homeless for years. We even volunteered to help serve lunch for a Fourth of July several years ago. The fact that Chinese Acrobats were in Dallas was another point of interest, so I naturally had to read the article .
According to that article a promoter from Wisconsin, Gary Tullberg, ran out of money and could not house the performers since the contract for the Dallas performance seems to have fallen through. So eighteen performers were stranded at the airport. Gary called the Union Gospel Mission for overnight lodging. I called William Thompson that night, but he was busy, so I had to call him again this morning.
The acrobats are no longer at the Mission, but went to Kaufman county where an animal trainer, Doug Terranova, who trains animals for circus productions resides. I called Doug, who corrected the first story over the phone. The article had said they came with one way tickets. That was nonsense, sense the Chinese government would not release them unless they had round trip tickets. It turns out that they had lost their luggage and only had the ticket to get here in their hands.
This is a real comedy of errors. Doug said that while they were at the mission, they had no idea that it was not a hotel. So when the media came to videotape them, as well as other news stations, they had no idea what was going on, and thought that the newsman were there for a promotional taping. So that began performing for the cameras.
Doug told me that he also supports the Mission so was known by them, which is why they are now in Kaufman. According to the Dallas Morning News follow up article the leaders of the Asian American Baptist Church in Richardson came to the Mission to help.
When the leaders of the Asian American Baptist Church in Richardson heard that the Chinese acrobats were at the shelter and couldn't speak English, they offered to translate and to give them food, shelter and transportation.They helped in transporting them to Richardson. Doug told me that he had spent time with the Chinese acrobats in the past and knew them. Which makes this point noteworthy.
>br> "We want to make sure they are taken care of," said Alvin Lee, the church's assistant pastor. "We just want to show grace and hospitality to some stranded people."
When Mr. Terranova arrived with greetings in their native Mandarin language, the boys gave him high-fives and bear hugs. He said that his family became close with the acrobats during the summer and that his children were excited to get to see them again.
I offered as a member of Texas Acro to help in what ever way I could. I had called the Region 3 Director, Brandi Lewis, last night to see if WOGA could help. At this point, however, it may not be necessary. Doug told me that the performers would stay on his ranch for the week while they find out what happens with Gary Tullberg's contract. They could leave for China today if they had to. I hope not. I hope they can tour Texas and promote acrobatics. He told me to wait a week, and if needed I could come down to Kaufmann to visit then.
Meanwhile, Doug told me that the local churches in Kaufmann have stepped up to the plate to help house them while they stay in Kaufman. As I said in the beginning of this report, it is a small world because we have a big God over it. It is obvious that God loves our fellow Chinese acrobats and that He is taking care of them. Thank you, Lord.