Children

It seems that there are more and more children in our lives recently.  This is a good thing, right?

Wednesday afternoon, we were at the church (not pictured) to tell a Bible story and practice English.  The final registration for the After-School Program is four students. One has tutorial class on Wednesday afternoons, so that meant we were with three students. The response is pretty good. We will need to think about whether we will continue to have both of us participate each week or adjust to only one of us.

Thursday mornings, we are at Fuhsing Elementary school.  We received a warm welcome for our first classes of the new semester.  The students were engaged as we told the creation story. We are both looking forward to continuing this teaching opportunity together.

Sunday mornings, we have a whole crowd of children who come from the community.  Our worship service numbers are about half children.  Kathy-Lu is one of the teachers who rotates teaching responsibility during the Sunday School class time. The students are full of energy and are gradually adjusting their expectations so that they participate more.

Working with children is one focus of our church ministry this Fall.  Please pray that we will represent our Saviour well and that the students will desire to know Christ as their personal Lord.

Praise and Prayer

Good News

Hector dropped by for a visit while back in Yunlin. He is entering his third year of university studies. He participates in the leadership of the Christian fellowship on campus. It is always encouraging to receive news of people continuing to live for Christ.

Colossians 1:10 refers to the hope we have as we teach and pray for people.

“Then the  way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.”

May God help Hector to continue to live for Christ as he continues his college studies.

Praise and Prayer

Currents

The bodies of water around Taiwan are frequently being mentioned in the news.  One reason is the military exercises in the South and East China Seas. The map shows the locations of those bodies of water in relation to Taiwan.

The Kurioshio Current flows from the tropics towards southern Taiwan. It brings rich nutrients that feed the corals and aquatic animals near Taiwan.  The warm air that accompanies it makes southern Taiwan warmer than the rest of the island.

The current passes through waterways that are important for international shipping and for fishing.  Conflicts with neighboring countries are not just about democratic freedoms.  They are attempts to stake claim over potentially resource-rich areas.

We sometimes use the image of currents to refer to influences that bring changes to our lives. While scheduling and planning we often have opportunity to identify and reflect on such currents:

• Institutional change: there are new ways of doing things and improved ways of reporting.
• Spiritual change: the annual events associated with traditional religions and superstitious practices dictate which topics can be openly discussed without causing offense.
• Political change: the decisions of those whom God has entrusted with authority determine the type of religious freedom available.
• Relational change: people leave and people come into our lives as they pursue employment and education.

In addition to being an anchor during change, God gives wisdom, insight, and opportunities to live out a spirit-empowered life.  Sometimes that means holding firm to what we have been doing, and other times it means trying new things. In all circumstances we are loved and receive all that we need to live and serve Him.

Praise and Prayer

Waves

We saw lots of massive waves this past week.  The influence of pressure systems related to the two typhoons that passed nearby meant that
swimming activities were banned on the beaches.  But the noise of the waves and the unique beauty in each one made for some restful relaxation nearby (out of their reach).

There are different kinds of waves that we experience in life:

• Waves of joy: especially when we see evidence of God working in someone’s life. (We spent time last weekend with friends who are excitedly following God into a new area of ministry.)
• Waves of frustration: when the sound system does not work on Sunday morning.  (Yes, this happened yesterday.)
• Waves of anger: when we see injustice and prejudice harming people. (Community leaders are using multiple excuses to avoid disposing of a large quantity of bagged refuse. May God give perseverance and help us find a way to help this less-advantaged family.)

I think you get the idea. A feature of waves is continuous repetitive action or emotion.  They seldom stop without an outside influence  such as:

• Provision of answers.
• Miraculous calming of the storm.
• Breakthrough in a situation.

Let’s trust God to provide what is needed to fill us with hope and faith for each wave-washed situation.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord for restful times during our vacation.  We also made some new friends.
• These two weeks are the time when we must write the 2024 budget request.  We need to request financial resources for anticipated ministry in the next calendar year.  Please pray that we will be filled with faith and wisdom as we work through the process of creating the budget request.
• Planning for Fall ministries is happening. Please pray for God’s guidance.
• And, there are people we desire to visit.  Pray God will make a way for that to happen.

Reading and Writing Camp

There are students from our town and from surrounding towns who have registered for the “Reading and Writing Camp” which will be held at our church this week. (The publicity is in this week’s photo.) The class times are each morning.

The instructor is a member of the FuHsing Alliance Church in YungHo.  Some of you may remember that we worked with that church in our first term of service in Taiwan.

Pastor Joshua will tell Bible stories each of the three days.  Please pray that hearts will be open to receive truth and that there will be some who respond to the invitation to have a relationship with Christ.

(A typhoon is predicted to come across the island on Wednesday, July 26.  Please pray that it will not cause cancellation of any days of this camp activity.)

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that we experienced a wonderful week of fellowship as we attended the Taiwan Missionary Fellowship Conference last week.  The theme for the week was ‘Collaboration.’
• Praise the Lord that our short-term team members have arrived home safely. Please pray God’s blessing on them as they recover and as they process the memories of their experiences.
• Please pray that we will be successful in applying for passport renewal.  We must travel to Taipei for this.
• Lorne is investigating whether it is suitable to use the ‘Peace Generation’ curriculum here in Taiwan.  Please pray for God’s leading and for his provision of help with the translation if we choose to use it.

Plan Your Summer 2024!

We have just finished the Elementary Student English Character-Building Camp.  It was a blessing.  AND, we had three first-time attendees in Sunday School after the camp!

We have talked with Pastor Joshua, and we are looking for a short-term team to come in early July to teach at next year’s camp.

Are you available?
Is your church willing to sponsor and send a team?

Write us and let us know!

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord for a good response from the students at the camp.  The dinner for their families on Friday evening at the church was attended by quite a few students and some family members (Sorry, I forgot to count how many.)
• Thanks to Victoria Chinese Alliance and Heritage Alliance Churches for their financial help for camp expenses.
• Thank-you to the short-term team members who sacrificially came, giving of their time and personal finances to be a part of our event.  They have departed from Baozhong and will soon be arriving at home.
• Praise the Lord that we had 11 elementary-aged students in Sunday School on Sunday morning.

An Exciting Start

The short-term team arrived from Abbotsford last Friday evening.
Happenings in the first two days of being together include:

• A visit to the Teresa Teng  Birthplace Memorial resulted in us meeting a man who is reading the Bible.  Hopefully Lorne will have opportunities to meet with him to talk about his reading.
• A request from another lady at that Memorial to have a large-print Bible.
• A team member having a conversation with a young man who is seeking truth.
• A team member sharing a testimony in the Sunday morning service.
• Times of laughter and talking about living in Baozhong.

It is an exciting start!
We are trusting God to give them more opportunities to serve.
We are asking God to help us meet more people who are seeking something more than they have experienced to this point in time.

Thanks for praying for us!

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that the team from Abbotsford BC arrived safely. 
• Please pray as we all prepare for the three-day camp that starts on Wednesday. It will be a half-day DVBS-like camp.
• Please pray that short-term team members from Abbotsford and Victoria will have energy to lead fun learning activities in Taiwan’s hot weather environment.  The apparent temperature (what it feels like) increases to be about 41 degrees each day.
• Please pray that students will be willing to listen and accept the Bible truths being presented.

Off to Camp!

For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Taiwan C&MA is holding family camp.  Actually, it is three camps held simultaneously at the same location.  Children, youth, and adult camps will be held at a facility in Taichung.

Camp is Sunday afternoon through Tuesday lunch. The planning committee has been busy over the past year creating the program for this year. There will be a large number of activities packed into those few days.

Please pray that God will use this to bring unity to His church in Taiwan, and encourage individual believers in their faith.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for travelling safety for the short-term team (STM) members travelling from Abbotsford to Baozhong on Thursday-Friday this week.  We are excited they are coming and are almost ready to host them. Their first days with us will be spent learning about Taiwanese culture and our lives here.  Then they will be camp leaders at the Elementary Student Camp.
• Please pray for final preparations for the Elementary Student Camp (July 12-14).  It will be a half-day DVBS-like camp.  STM members from Abbotsford will teach English and STM members from Victoria will teach handcrafts.  Pastor Joshua will tell Bible stories.  Some youth from our church will lead games.  Please pray that we will work well together.

Pastors

A recent letter to pastors of Alliance churches in Taiwan mentioned that many are tired. They feel that it is a challenging time to do pastoral work. Some are discouraged.

Here are some ideas of how you can pray for Taiwan’s pastors (and your own pastors):

• Pray they will walk closely with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit .
• Pray they will have insight and wisdom as they apply Scriptural truth to their own lives and the lives of people to whom they minister.
• Pray that God will give them creativity and resilience as they communicate at a time when society is pursuing values that clash with God’s Word.
• Pray they will have a good work–sabbath balance in their lives.
• Pray they will see evidence of God establishing the work of their hands and that God will give them fruit for their labours.
• Pray they will hear encouragement and words of affirmation, not words of criticism only.
• Pray they will be refreshed during the summer months when the church ministry rhythms are slightly different than the rest of the year.

Thank-you for praying for those who serve as pastors in God’s kingdom.

Praise and Prayer

• A well known sect is sending groups of people to our town on a weekly basis. They are trying to pressure people to become followers so that a local chapter of their group can be started in our town. Some of our friends are frustrated by the pressure being put on them. It is culturally hard to refuse hospitality to visitors from outside our town. Please pray that people will sense the lack of light in what is being presented. Pray they will not be deceived into accepting a belief system that is contrary to Scripture. 
• Please pray for final preparations for Camp (July 12-14) and for those who are travelling to help as leaders.  We will also spend time with the team from Heritage Alliance Church, introducing them them to Taiwan’s culture and our ministry.

“The Past is Invading!”

An invitation to the elementary school graduation arrived in our mailbox.  As we examined it, we discovered a photo–OF US!–on the back of the card. That is from quite a few years ago!

It is a blast from the past!
The past has invaded the present!

We are thankful for the long-term relationship that we have with the FuHsing Elementary School.  The principal described it as being different than many others who have provided help to the students.  The difference is that “we came and lived among them.” (that is a translated quote.)

That is what Jesus did.  He came from heaven and lived among people.  Through His presence and example, He revealed God’s plan for fullness of life.  Then He sacrificed His own life so that everyone has access.

Our prayer is that people will remember Jesus, more than they remember us.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord FuHsing Elementary School has requested that we return to work with the students on a weekly basis starting in the Fall.  Tentatively it will be on Thursday mornings–to be confirmed before school starts.  Please pray that God will nudge our hearts to know which set of stories will draw the  hearts of the students toward belief in Christ.
• Camp planning is in the final push.  There are many details that people are working on.  Please pray for health and wisdom as teaching plans are finalized.  Needed teaching aids are being created or purchased. Camp dates: July 12-14.
• Graduates from elementary, middle and high schools are finished classes for the school year.  Some will drop in to visit the school, the homework club program, or perhaps a teacher. Please pray that we will know the right questions to ask and have the right advice to give when these situations present themselves.