Annual Pilgrimage

Please pray for the people of central Taiwan, including those living in Baozhong Township.  (In the above map, Baozhong is the most northern coloured town, and the name is spelled using a different romanization system.)

The very large annual Matsu (“goddess of the sea”) pilgrimage will be held this year during April 9 – 17. An idol of Matsu will be carried in the procession in a sedan chair throughout the trip.

Typically, many thousands of pilgrims will walk from a temple in Taichung City’s Tachia District to a temple in Chiayi County’s Hsinkang Township (in the Beigang area), a round trip total of about 335 km (210 miles).

They are scheduled to get to Hsinkang on April 11. On the 12th they will have a special ceremony in Hsinkang and then start their return walk on the 13th, arriving back in Tachia on the 17th.

• Please pray that God will open the eyes of the Taiwanese to realize that “gods” made by human hands are not “gods” at all!
• Pray for the witness of the Christians of Taiwan to the truth that the only true God has sent His only Son to bear their sin on the cross that they might have eternal life.
• The pilgrimage this year overlaps with Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. Pray for the efforts to proclaim the gospel to people in the Matsu pilgrimage.

(Thanks To George McFall for compiling this information)

Praise and Prayer

• Pray for the preparations for Good Friday and Easter services, as well as for the outreach events planned during the Easter season.  Pray for God’s Spirit to reveal Himself to people so that they can discern the truth.
• Praise the Lord!  Lorne was able to obtain an appointment at the Taiwan Visa Office on April 19.  Please pray for grace and help from the agents to process the needed notarizations.