An Important Day

Yesterday, August 4, 2024, was an important day.

For our church, it was the celebration of Taiwanese Father’s Day. This was the Sunday prior to August 8, which is the day that Taiwanese people celebrate their fathers. The reason for using that date, 8/8, is that the repeated “number eight”  is a homonym for Papa.  It is the most logical day to choose to celebrate those important people.

For those in the broader community, it was the first day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar. That month is colloquially called “Ghost Month.” A large number of the local people believe that is the time each year when the door between the world of the living and the spirit world opens for one month (30 days). Unlocking the door allows spirits of the deceased to roam freely, searching for sustenance and entertainment. People become fearful that the actions of the ghosts will impact their lives in good or bad ways. To protect themselves, believers in the traditional religions will offer food, incense, and other offerings to appease the hungry ghosts.

We believe that Christ is our Protector. He is also the Provider of Peace.

Isaiah 41:10 records God’s words:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 

Please pray for Christian believers to have opportunities to testify to Christ’s peace during this time of the year.

Praise and Prayer

Storms and Losses

The largest storm to hit Taiwan in eight years arrived this past week. The super typhoon Gaemi tracked across the island with strong winds and large rainfalls. Work and classes for white collar workers were cancelled for two days, with an additional day in some areas of central and southern Taiwan.

Flooding, fallen trees, and other damage was left in the wake. Agriculture crop losses are estimated to be about USD$33.5 million. Fruit, whether it had ripened or not, was blown from trees. Our mayor observed that far fields became an ocean. Probably other crops that were growing have drowned in the excess water. There is an additional estimated USD$18 million loss for livestock, fisheries damage, and farming infrastructure damage.

The government is offering financial assistance to homeowners who had flooding of 50 cm (20 in). More assistance is expected for those who must rebuild.

We thank those who prayed for us and our adopted land after seeing news reports or posts on Facebook. We had prepared prior to the storm and God kept us safe. We did not experience flooding. Lorne did need to go out on a balcony of our house to remove a leaf that had blown in and was blocking a drain. But that was minor compared to what many people faced.

Please pray that Christian believers who talk with others about the storm will have opportunity to testify to God’s peace and protection during the storm.

Praise and Prayer

Praying

It has been some time since we have specifically asked you to pray that God’s Spirit will work bringing Taiwanese people to faith in Christ. We feel it is time to remind you that this is the greatest need where we live.

• There is a major temple in our town and many smaller temples. It is evidence of the strong hold that traditional religions have over local residents. Please pray that people will hear about Jesus and be attracted to believe in Him. May they be delivered from fear and experience freedom in Christ.
• Family leaders frequently fear that no one will care for their spirit after their death if people become Christ-followers. Family pressure is one reason why people are reluctant to make the decision to believe in Christ. Please pray that those who are struggling with this will be willing to trust the Creator God to care for their spirits.
• Taiwanese culture discourages (perhaps even prohibits) children from making religious decisions. This means that many people think that individuals cannot make a decision to follow Christ until they become an adult. Please pray that children will believe and that those sharing the Gospel will have courage to trust that children can make this kind of decision.
• Taiwanese religions have become so integrated into the local culture that some people think that Christianity is a belief system for foreigners. This misunderstanding makes them think that true Taiwanese cannot believe in Christ. Please pray that this lie will lose its power to deceive people. Pray for those who do believe to be bold in their Christian witness.

Praise and Prayer

Holistic Growth Camp

Praise the Lord for a successful camp sponsored by the Alliance denomination in Taiwan.

• There were actually three camps held simultaneously–Adult, Youth, and Children.
• The invited speaker to the adult camp spoke on the them of “unity.”
  • Unity is in Christ Jesus: that means in Christ, by Christ, and through Christ.
  • Looking for Unity: Moving from preconceived Ideas to accepting each other.
  • Solving Difficulties: Identify them; Take responsibility; Create trust-building solutions.
  • Practical Steps: Believe that Christ knows what to do; Follow His leading; Do what we are able.

It was an encouraging time of teaching and fellowship.
Thank-you for praying.

Camp

Praise the Lord for a good week of camp!

• The weather was good–maybe a little bit too hot, but it did not rain during camp.
• The teachers all worked well as a team, helping each other and helping the students learn about God.
• The sixth graders who had just graduated elementary school forgot that the junior high school (middle school) would require them to attend orientation classes. So, although they had preregistered for camp, they were unable to attend. This meant that we had less students than expected.
• Those who attended had lots of enjoyment.
• The students loved the music, and participated well in the singing and doing the actions. Songs included: (1) “Lift My Eyes to the Hills“; (2) “Light of the World“; (3) “The Grape Vine Branches“.
• There were 22 visitors (students and their family members) who attended the Friday evening meal at the church after the conclusion of the camp.

Thank-you for praying!

Praise and Prayer

God Loves Baozhong!

The map graphic above says in Chinese: “God Loves Baozhong Township!”

We are thankful to George McFall (a TEAM international worker who promotes prayer for our area of Taiwan) for his work in creating this.

A few of the evidences of God’s love that we are seeing:

• Short-term workers are coming to Baozhong to help our church hold a DVBS-style day camp for elementary students (July 1-5).
• The preparation for camp English-teaching that we are responsible to oversee and participate is done. We think we are ready.
• Each month, two Christ-followers come from Taichung to Baozhong to help with visitation and stay overnight to worship with us on Sunday morning.
• The visitation team was able to visit a home and pray with an elderly member of the family.
• Our church is able to use donated food to bless some needy families in our community.
• The mother of the church member mentioned in last week’s letter had a successful procedure at the hospital and was able to return home on Wednesday. We  continue to pray for her salvation.
• Our church’s women’s fellowship enjoyed a trip to a DIY tie-dyeing tourism shop. The group included someone who is still becoming acquainted with the church and what we believe.

Join us in praising God for his work in Baozhong, and ask Him to do more!

Praise and Prayer

Field Forum Report

Field Forum created many memories:

• The church did have air conditioning–so Lorne learned that he had believed someone’s joke prior to attending the Field Forum.
• The speaker, James Chung, shared about “The Gospel Changes Everything.”
• The Taitung Alliance Church joined us for supper and worship on Wednesday evening. (photo) Young people from the church led the worship.
• Our international worker team is multi-ethnic. People shared about their families of origin and how the gospel has transformed their personal cultural views to become Christ-centered.
• We enjoyed the foods, the sights, and the experiences we had in Taitung.
• A few international workers who attended are recovering from the Covid virus that also attended. So far, Kathy-Lu and Lorne are symptom-free and hoping to stay that way.
• One couple travelled by train. They returned home safely. A later train was trapped in a tunnel by a rock slide. We praise God for protecting our coworkers. We have also pray for those who faced the trauma of being trapped in the tunnel.

Thank-you for praying for us all!

Praise and Prayer

Graduation

It was a privilege to attend the graduation of Taiwan Alliance Theological College and see Jennifer Hu graduate with her Master of Biblical Studies degree.

Jennifer is the daughter of the first pastor we worked with after language study, about 32 years ago. Jennifer trained as a nurse after high school. It is only in the last few years that she has sensed a call to be a pastor.  She will begin as an assistant pastor to her father, in the church where she grew up.

What a privilege to witness the work God is doing in the lives of some people whom we have known for a very long time.

Please pray for Jennifer and other seminary graduates who will begin serving in different roles within God’s kingdom.

Praise and Prayer

A Festive Time

The Dragonboat Festival on Monday, June 10. Traditional sticky rice dumplings, like the one above, are commonly eaten on this holiday.

Because the name of our town is a homonym (sounds similar) for the phrase for wrapping this kind of dumpling, Baozhong uses the day as an annual day of celebration. This year;s event was on the Saturday of the long weekend. After three years of Covid-cancellations, people were excited to gather again. There was a festive atmosphere.

Afternoon activities included DIY handcrafts, booths selling premade handcrafts and foods, educational displays by the health and fire departments, and a place to sign up for the raffle draw at the evening program.

The evening included FuHsing Elementary School students performing a flower-drum dance, the local middle school presenting a lion-dance, acrobatics, music, speeches by politicians, and the draws for a large number of prizes. (We admit that we did not endure to the end, so may have missed mentioning something.)

It was a good time to meet people and see some friends.

Praise and Prayer

Friends Visit

We have been privileged to host Rev. Wilson Tran and his wife Irene at our home this weekend.

Lorne worked with them when he was the Field Team Leader 2003-2005. There are lots of memories of what God did as we partnered together in ministry.

It was a privilege to show them our town and take them to visit other Alliance churches being started in our area of Taiwan.

Dr. Irene Tran shared from Psalm 103 in the Sunday morning service. Among the many things that were shared, she challenged us to pray in the following ways for those who are not yet Christ-followers:

1. Ask the Lord to give people repentant hearts and the gift of forgiveness for confessed sin. (Acts 5:31)
2. Ask the Lord to give people a capacity for clear thinking, so that they can understand the gospel. (Luke 24:45)
3. In Christ’s name break down the strongholds that prevent people from believing in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Will you this week pray in these ways and as God directs for the people of our town that do not yet know Christ as their Saviour and Lord?

Praise and Prayer