Uprooted Hope

Listening to the end of a sermon by a famous preacher, my attention was drawn to the above verse.  It seems to describe what everyone is experiencing at this time.  Our hope has been uprooted like a tree.

Two questions immediately come to mind:  (1) Where will I find hope to replace that which is lost?  (2) How will I help people find hope in the current situation?

Thankfully that is not the only verse in the Bible that talks about hope.  That same preacher drew my attention to Job 14:7.  “There is always hope for a tree. If it is cut down, it can grow again. It will keep sending out new branches.”  This statement brings perspective.  God can bring to life that which appears to be dead.

And I remember the words of the prophet in Joel 2:21-32.  It is a message that God can restore what is seemingly lost.  He can replace what the the locust swarms have eaten.  Those promises are given right before the promise that God will pour out His Spirit on ordinary people.  With the help of God’s Spirit those people will do extraordinary things.  And I believe that one of those extraordinary things is to find hope where it is lacking.

Together, let’s trust God to fill us with hope and be able to share hope with those around us.

Praise and Prayer

• We continue to give thanks to God for His protection and for health to serve Him and the people around us.  Thank-you for remembering us in your prayers, even as we remember to pray for you.
• With the possibility of mandatory quarantine facing people who travel to minister to others, short-term teams and speakers at conferences are needing to make difficult decisions about their ability to act on plans previously made.  Please pray that in the spectrum between panic and recklessness, they will have Holy Spirit inspired wisdom to make the right decision specific to their situation.

The need for the church to have financial resources to minister to needy people remains and may even be greater than last week.  Please continue to support your local church and the worldwide efforts to take the good news about Jesus to those who have not yet heard.  Let’s keep praying and trusting God to enable us to do this.

Viral Influences

Above is a photo of Bible Study.  (Lorne’s chair is the empty one.)  The number of people attending is less than before.  COVID-19 virus spread prevention means that some people’s regular work is suspended.  They have taken on temporary shift work to insure the family continues to have income.  Others had other family responsibilities that kept them away on Sunday.

Everyone seems to be monitoring the spread of this virus and noting the influence it has on people’s lives.  But we also have another kind of viral influence in our lives that is less obvious.  Posts on social media sometimes go viral.  Videos are being used to promote opinions, and some go viral.  Facebook is giving free space to the World Health Organization, hoping that their posts can counter some of the misconceptions about COVID-19 that are going viral.

The viral influence of this current sickness is much more visible than the influence of our speech on others and theirs on us.  Our societies are pleased that there is freedom to say just about anything.  But similar to the COVI-19 viral outbreak, we see that not all viral communications are healthy and good.

The Bible has many verses that teach us that we need to be careful what we say and what we hear regardless of whether it goes viral or not.   May God’s Spirit help us to be careful about what we say and what we fill our minds with.  Consider these three examples of God’s teaching:

“Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.”  (Prov. 12:18)

“Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.” (Prov. 13:3)

“Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” (Prov. 18:20)

Praise and Prayer

Thank-you for praying as we began teaching in the schools last Thursday.  We used English to talk about hand-washing, etc., so that we can stay healthy.  We have since learned that some schools in Taiwan have forbidden volunteer workers to be on campus until at least April.  We feel very privileged to have the opportunity to teach English and tell Bible stories to the students at this time.

Preventing Disease

Not becoming sick with the Covid-19 Virus is becoming an international effort.  We received a multi-lingual version of the above directive telling us how to recognize the symptoms of this disease and how to protect oneself from becoming sick.

We appreciate the wisdom of government leaders in Taiwan as they have carefully constructed methods to reduce transmission of this new disease.  But even such measures are not reducing the fear in people’s hearts.

We join with others in praying that the efforts of the different governments will be successful in containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. 

We will have our temperature taken, and will wash our hands, and will wear masks in order to teach in the classroom this week.  It is a small discomfort we must endure in order to have the opportunity to tell the students about the God Who loves them.

Jesus instructed (Matt.10:28) “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

The fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives is one thing that protects us from the sin and evil that destroys the soul as well as the body.  May we be as vigilant to watch over our souls as we currently are to watch over the health of our bodies.

Praise and Prayer

• Thursday (March 5) will be the first opportunity of this semester to teach English and tell a Bible story.  Please pray that the students will build a relationship with the God who can calm all fears.
• Please Pray for Charlie, as he is returning to former habits.  Please pray that Christ would help him break free from his bondage to alcohol.
• Due to the adjustments in the school year, the elementary summer camp has been cancelled.  We are working on a plan for a 2 1/2 day junior high summer camp.  Please pray as we continue to work out a myriad of details.

Evaluating Choices

Travelling through the airport in Taipei last week, I was  able to capture the above photo.  There are three different religions offering the opportunity to pray.  Each has its own prayer room because what is being offered is actually quite different.

Many people we interact with believe that all religions serve a common purpose and lead to a similar destination.  However, our investigation would indicate that statement is less than accurate.  There are differences.

We affirm individuals and even families to make choice about their beliefs, but we also believe that everyone should have the opportunity to hear about the choice to believe in Christ.  That is why we are committed to providing access to the gospel.  Last night we talked with a taxi driver and shared that we believe people need more than a set of rules to obey.  Rules are easily broken.  Rather we need a relationship with a God who loves us and wants us to respond to Him in love.  That is the path to having a transformed life.

Please join us in praying for the people you and I meet.  May we be courageous to take opportunities to provide people with access to Christ.

Praise and Prayer

• Thank-you for praying as we attended the Grip-Birkman Basic Coach Training.
• Please Pray for Charlie, as he is returning to former habits.  Please pray that Christ would help him break free from his bondage to alcohol.
• Please pray that the efforts of the government will be successful in containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. 
• Elementary, junior high, and high school students return to class tomorrow (Feb 25).  We have been asked to wait until March 5 to begin teaching in the elementary schools.

Weighing Options

A suitcase we purchased has a scale in the handle to help the user know the approximate weight while packing.  But often, we find life is different than packing the suitcase.  Some decisions we make seem heavier and more important than they really are.  Others appear to be light, but need extra allowance in our time, thinking, and prayer before a wise option can be found.

As we work with short-term teams that are planning to come in the summer months, we find ourselves being challenged by the options available, and some options that seem to not be available.  Please pray for us and our colleagues to have wisdom from God as we consider:

• Due to the current epidemic and the efforts of government leaders to contain it, the school year will now continue until July 15.  This means summer camps planned for July need to be rescheduled or maybe cancelled for this year.  “God, what should we do?”
• Travel plans for teams must be adjusted to fit a new schedule.  However there is a cost involved.  Should we design a different partnership experience for them to allow them to keep the original itinerary, or should we ask them to consider paying the additional cost?  “God, how should we manage the resources you provide?”
• The uncertainty of how long the epidemic will last weighs on our hearts.  How many more will become sick?  Should the risk influence our decisions, and if so how much?  “God, what does it mean to trust you in the midst of this uncertainty?”

Thank-you for praying for these and other decisions.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for travelling safety as we attend the Infusion Leadership Training.
• Please pray that God will help us discern His will as we are taught new skills for leading others.
• Please pray for God’s protection over international workers in our region, especially those who live close to the location where the Novel Coronavirus epidemic originated.

Come and Gone, Not Forgotten

The short-term team has departed for home and other places.  But there were memorable moments throughout the week.  Even Kathy-Lu and Lorne learned some things they did not know previously.

• We all learned about the Operation Dawn.  Both the Dawn Rehabilitation Program to help addicts and the Dawn Spiritual Training Center for equipping workers have influenced Pastor Joshua’s life.  He volunteers each week in the program, helping others who struggle in the rehabilitation process.
• The nearby C&MA church plants were visited and the pastors shared.  We prayed at each location.  One church was facing uncertainty about how long they could keep meeting in their current location.  That was one of the requests we prayed about.  Yesterday we received word that the owner is donating the building to the church.  God answers prayer!
• We visited the homes of a couple of people, listened to their stories, shared, and prayed together.
• There were meals together.  They were able to pray with some of the owners and servers at the locations where food was purchased.

Our thoughts are full of these and many other memories.  The times of praying together are something we cherish.  It is something we wish we could do more often.  Our recollection is that each time people come and pray with us here in Taiwan, shortly after we see breakthroughs in one area or another.  Prayer is the work!

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for travelling safety for the team.
• Please pray for preparations for the Infusion Training sessions.  On Wednesday (Feb 12) we will have a video call with a regional leader to debrief two types of assessments.  Those assessments and the ensuing explanations will help us better understand how we relate to the Body of Christ and the strengths we bring to team working relationships.
• Please pray for God’s protection over international workers in our region, especially those who live close to the location where the Novel Coronavirus epidemic originated.

Plans are Changing

The short-term team has arrived.  BUT on the day they arrived the government issued an order cancelling all activities at schools.  The decision is an effort by the political leaders to protect people from contracting the coronavirus flu.  Following that directive, we have cancelled the Elementary School Camp scheduled to begin Monday Feb. 3.  It is a disappointment for everyone.

This decision means the plan for what the short-term team would do while visiiting us is now changing.  The focus will now be to show various ministries being done in Taiwan.  The hope is that God will use this to make clear how our partnership with their church might step up to the next level.  Does God only want them to help us with camps, or is there something else they can become involved in?

We do not know what God is planning for this week, but we are excitedly anticipating that He has something special planned for all of us.

Please pray for God’s protection as we explore God’s will together.

Prayer Requests

• Please pray for opportunities to witness for Christ in the midst of the flu epidemic here in East Asia.  (So far, Taiwan has less cases than many of the surrounding countries.)
• Please pray for safety as we do more driving with the short-term team than was originally planned.  Pray that God will use the prayer times and what we see to help us dream about future developments for our partnership.
• Pray that international workers in our region will have wisdom to know how to be safe during this epidemic.  Pray for God’s protection.

Lunar New Year

Our town, similar to some other places nearby, is celebrating the Lunar New Year with a Lantern Festival.  The lanterns along the main street will shine at night from January 17 – February 9.  (The traditional Lantern Festival Day is on Feb. 9 this year.)

The Lunar New Year is an important time for families to be together.  Because of the importance of family reunions, Lunar New Year is now the largest annual migration of people.  People from many East Asian nations participate.

This year, we invite you to join us in praying that God will extend grace to the members of our church, allowing each of them to have favorable opportunities to be people of influence among family and friends.  As they imitate Christ, may they be witnesses for him using both words and actions.

Praise and Prayer

• Pastors, their families, and some church leaders will gather January 20 for the Annual End of Lunar Year Meal.  We will attend the celebrations. The day following, there will be a retreat for all the C&MA pastors and their families.  Please pray that the time together will be used of God to strengthen and encourage each other.
• Praise the Lord the registration for the Elementary School Winter Camp (Feb. 3-7) is now close to 50 students.  This is an increase from last year.  We know from the past that some may choose to not come due to last minute circumstances.  We are praying for God to prepare each student’s heart for the truths they will hear.
• Please pray for safe and uneventful travel for the short-term team coming from Victoria Chinese Alliance Church to teach at the camp.

New Year, New Focus

Pastor Joshua has been leading us to focus on a new theme for the next two years.  If you find reading Chinese difficult, the meaning is:  “Leaving the Past and Entering Canaan, Becoming Disciples and Preaching the Gospel.”

We will teach from the Bible passages in Exodus and Acts.

It is exciting to reflect on being transformed to live in God’s Kingdom, and how to be a true Biblical disciple.

Praise and Prayer

• The cleaning begins!  Taiwanese use the Lunar New Year preparation time to do major cleaning.  Houses will be cleaned inside and out.  There is a church work day to clean windows, walls, floors, and anything else that needs cleaning. There is much to be done before January 25,  Please pray that people will insure that they are spiritually “clean.”
• Praise the Lord for a peaceful election.  President  Tsai was re-elected.  Her political party continues to have a majority in the legislature.
• Praise the Lord for 37 students registered for the Elementary School Winter Camp.  Pray for God to prepare their hearts for the truths they will hear.

There are still many Taiwanese who have not heard about Jesus.  Worldwide, there are many other people groups who need to hear the good news of the gospel. Thank-you for praying and providing financial support so that we can participate in efforts to help people hear before Jesus returns.