2020 #36 September 14

Working Together

The international worker team in Taiwan is a diverse group of people.  Last Tuesday some of us gathered for fellowship and prayer (photo).  Others were unable to join us but are still valuable members of the team.

God is using our team to share about Jesus and fulfill the Great Commission among a variety of people groups:

  • the Taiwanese Working Class
  • the Vietnamese Diaspora
  • the Indonesians working here
  • the Thai foreign workers (an Alliance World Fellowship Initiative)
  • the Younger Generation with different values and goals

People need to hear the good news about Jesus.  Thank-you for praying that our efforts will lead people to faith in Christ and an increased testimony for Christ in Taiwan.

Praise and Prayer

  • Praise the Lord for an encouraging start as we began English teaching and Bible storytelling last Thursday.  Please pray for creative ways to help the children learn lessons from the stories, while staying true to the emphasis in Scripture.
  • Please pray for church members to be able to mutually encourage each other while living in a culture that can at times be hostile toward Christians.
  • Helping new contacts sometimes means helping with English homework, visiting people with different accents, and adjusting our schedule so that we can study the Bible with them.  May God help us with the adjustments we are making.

2020 #35 September 7

Keep Praying

Thank-you for joining our church people in praying.  We pray:

  • for people recovering from illness and surgeries
  • for people recovering from addictions
  • for people visiting and searching for a church home
  • for people who are grieving the loss of loved ones
  • for people facing emotional stress as the country fights Covid
  • for people feeling insecure because of political situations

There is much to pray for.  Thank-you for praying with us and for us.

Praise and Prayer

  • Praise the Lord for visitors from the community the last two Sundays.
  • Please pray for us as we start teaching in the elementary schools on September 10.  Pray for wisdom as we prepare both stories and English lessons for the students.
  • Please pray for church members grieving the death of a loved one.
  • Please pray that seeds of truth being planted will produce a harvest of faith.

2020 #34 August 31

It is Gone!

Driving past a dragon fruit field, we were surprised to see that half of the plants have been uprooted.  A few days before we had seen fruit on the branches of the removed plants.  But now, it is gone.

We are unsure of the reason that made the farmer decide to remove the crops.  The sight did remind me of John 15.  God is the gardner, and plants that do not produce fruit are cut down and removed.

Recently, a missionary with OMF wrote an article reflecting on the definition of success for cross-cultural workers in Taiwan. The observation is made that “there has been no spiritual breakthrough among the working class in Taiwan. For years the missionaries have continued to befriend, witness, and care for them. Many of the missionaries were nearing retirement with little to “show” for their missionary careers.”

The harvest is a measure of success.  But God has additional standards of measurement.  He cares about faithfulness.  God wants “people of varied backgrounds who pray for their local friends without necessarily telling them so, people who display the unity of Christ when working in teams, and people who invite their local friends over to dinner without having an agenda.”

We believe that is true, but it does not satisfy the desire in our hearts to see a spiritual breakthrough among the Taiwanese people.

Please join us in praying for God’s Spirit to work, helping people to hear and respond to God’s invitation of salvation.

2020 #33 August 24

Dealing with the Unseen

Walking through the market to buy fruit and other items we need, I can see that  something is different.

Last Wednesday was the beginning of the seventh month (July) on the lunar calendar.  According to Taiwanese tradition, each year the ghosts of those who have passed on freely roam among the living during this month.  Such beliefs have led to a long list of taboos, and the traditional religion adherents have special ceremonies to placate any spirits that might want to create trouble for the living. They believe it is the responsibility of the living to provide for those in the next life.  (Note the paper mansions designed to provide for the spirits in the next life.  People transfer these to the unseen world through burning.)

There is a fear, a worry about the unseen world and how it might affect the overall well-being of individuals and their families.  There is an innate sense that this must be dealt with.

How different for the Christ-followers!  The One Who died and rose again provides grace and mercy for those who are living this mortal life.  Knowing the One Who is sovereign, our lives are not controlled by fear of the unseen. We are able to have a “Peaceful July.”

Please pray that we will have opportunities to help more people discover the extraordinary peace provided by Christ.

Praise and Prayer

  • Please pray for JR who is recovering from surgery performed today.  He was willing to have the surgery at this time because Christ is his Lord and keeps him safe.  Please pray for his recovery.
  • Praise the Lord that the discussions with elementary school administrators went well.  We will begin teaching English and telling Bible stories on September 10.  Pray for us as we plan and develop teaching modules.
  • Lorne is finalizing the budget projections for next year. Please pray for wisdom as he sets the anticipated exchange rate and includes the different anticipated needs.

2020 #32 August 17

Erosion

The wind, rain, sun, and other environmental agents, combine to create some wonderful natural beauty.  On one of the walks we did this past week we were able to reach the lookout to see the two chimneys.

Erosion creates as well as destroys things.  That is true in our lives as well.  Our experiences and our environment combine to shape our lives.  God’s power is great enough to create beauty.  His power is greater than any destructive forces we encounter.  His goal is to conform us to the holiness, perfection, and beauty found in Christ Jesus.

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”  (Eccl 3:11)

Praise and Prayer

  • Masks, temperature checks, and hand sanitizing are back in effect in Taiwan.  This includes all public venues and all church meetings.  Even when it is 34-38 degrees, God’s grace is sufficient!
  • Please pray for a number of church members with physical needs.
  • Praise the Lord that Henry Chuang arrived in Taiwan safely and has started his home quarantine.
  • Pray for meetings with school administrators to arrange telling Bible stories and teaching English starting in the Fall.

2020 #31 August 3

Opportunity Knocks

The July 27 headline screamed at me!  The Taiwan Ministry of Education is planning to recruit foreign English teachers.

The plan is to hire 300 English teachers per year.  Previously they hired 80 teachers per year.

This is an opportunity for qualified Christian believers to come live and work in Taiwan.  It is an opportunity to talk with teachers and youth about what you value in life and why you do so.

Please pray that God will use this opportunity to advance the proclamation of the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Praise and Prayer

  • Efforts are being made to recruit more students for children’s Sunday School.  Please pray for wisdom for those overseeing this initiative.
  • Please pray for Charlie to experience God’s peace as he has another operation on his foot this week.
  • Praise the Lord that a suitable house has been found for the Chuang family.  God has answered last week’s prayer request.
  • Praise the Lord for the care shown by the movers last Thursday when they moved Chinh and Lieu Truong’s belongings to their new ministry location.

2020 #30 July 27

Mixed Emotions

This week as we communicate we have mixed emotions.  There are both highs and lows as we think about the past week.

A highlight was the baby dedication.  We have seen quite a few, but it was the first that Lorne officiated at in 30 years of ministry in Taiwan.

Charlie was at church service on Sunday.  He has agreed to share a testimony next Sunday.  He told me he wants to make sure that Jesus is honored.

But there has also been sad news.  A Christian friend from the community has gone to be with the Lord.  He leaves a wife and two sons, as well as a large extended family.  Pray for Lorne as he seeks to be a pastor to many people who do not yet believe in Jesus.

We are trying to bring that all to Jesus.  He has offered to take our cares and give us divine TLC (1 Peter 5:7).

Praise and Prayer

  • Praise the Lord that Charlie recovered enough to attend church.  He was sharing with me the divinely arranged coincidences that permitted him to get treatment just when needed.  He will give testimony in church next Sunday.
  • Please pray that suitable housing can be found for the Chuang family.
  • Pray for wisdom as we try to manage financial resources well.  The process of planning and determining the budget needed for 2021 is just beginning.  It is hard to make projections in uncertain times.  Pray that we will know God’s will as we tackle this challenge.

2020 #29 July 20

Another First

In the timeline of starting a church there are many “first experiences.”  This last Sunday saw the first meeting of the Church Board.

We are thankful that God is working and these members are willing to take on this commitment.

First decisions include:

  • Celebrating Taiwanese Father’s Day in August
  • Mid-Autumn Festival initial planning for an outreach event
  • Desiring a Fifth Anniversary Celebration to praise God for five years of Sunday Services

Please pray for these leaders as they exercise faith and prayerfully oversee the church ministries.

Praise and Prayer

  • Please pray for Charlie who was readmitted to hospital to deal with infection.
  • Praise the Lord for the safe arrival in Taiwan of Wendy, Timothy, and Theodore Chuang.  Please pray for an uneventful quarantine.  Their relatives have graciously provided an apartment in Taipei for their Q time.
  • Pray that our Taiwan Team will be able to help the Chuangs find suitable housing in Chiayi by middle of August at the latest.

2020 #28 July 13

God Sends Help

This week we have exciting News!  We have been asking God to send more teammates to minster to the Taiwan working class.

God has answered!

Henry and Wendy Chuang will be joining the team in Taiwan, and will work with Albert and Elaine Lu at the new church start in Chiayi.
Please pray:

  • Wendy and their two sons want to arrive this week so that they can complete 2 weeks quarantine and one week self-monitoring prior to school beginning on August 10.  They would like to be able to move into the dorms on August 9.  Please pray that suitable airline tickets can be purchased.
  • God has done miracles over the past few weeks to help the Chuangs be ready to come to Taiwan.  We are asking God to do another miracle.  We are asking Him to provide a house that is the right size and in the right location.  Please pray with us about this need.

Praise and Prayer

  • Praise the Lord that Charlie is being released from hospital today!  Please pray for his continued recovery.  We look forward to seeing him and worshipping God with him.
  • Praise the Lord for supplying an airline ticket so that the Truong’s daughter can travel back to Canada.  Please pray for her as she adjusts to living away from her parents for the first time.
  • Praise the Lord that Lorne and Kathy-Lu will be able to take a couple of days this week to relax at a hot springs.  Please pray that we will be refreshed after a very busy few weeks.

2020 #27 July 6

Empowering Leaders and Churches

Sunday afternoon, July 5, Lorne attended the Thanksgiving service celebrating that Pastor Wen-Yuan Ho (何文源傳道 also known as Pastor Nguyen in Vietnamese) was installed as the lead pastor of the Agape Alliance Church.

Pastor Ho has been serving at the church for one year, under the mentoring of an advisory pastor. Having completed that process, the church requested the denomination to recognize him as the lead pastor.

The C&MA in Canada has a special connection with this church.  It was started by Rev. Thu and Hanh Nguyen (now retired).  It is exciting to see God at work helping pastors who work with other church leaders to evangelize and disciple others.

The photos above is when all the pastors present gathered around Pastor and Mrs. Ho to pray for them.

Exciting News at Other C&MA Churches

Sunday July 5 was a fresh start of ministry for Taichung Alliance Church under the leadership of their new pastor, Rev. Zi-Wei Zhong (鍾子葳牧師) .

Pastor and Mrs. Hao-Ran Chen (陳豪然傳道) also officially started their ministry at Amazing Grace Alliance Church in Yuanchang (about a 10-minute drive from our church).

The first service at the Chiayi Alliance Gospel Center (being started by Albert and Elaine Lu) had 20 adults and 6 children attend.  The group included some from the community as well as believers who were present to support the start of the new work.

We rejoice about God working and establishing a strong witness for Christ in all parts of Taiwan.  It is always happening, but at times like these we take special notice of God’s workings.

Praise and Prayer

  • Praise the Lord for a day of fellowship and fun on July 1 as we were together with Canadian C&MA friends for a Canada Day outing.
  • Praise the Lord that a lease has been signed for the Truong family to live near Agape Alliance Church. Please pray for wisdom as moving arrangements are made.
  • Pray for the Baozhong Alliance Church members and Pastor Joshua. Sunday attendance numbers have dipped recently. Pray that they will be encouraged from God’s Word. Pray that God will send new people. Pray that as they testify for Christ the Holy Spirit will work and produce fruit.  (You can pray this way for us too!)