Happy Mother’s Day

Most cultures are taking the opportunity this weekend to celebrate and thank mothers.  We may all say: “Happy Mother’s Day!” but there are other things that will be done differently.

The Taiwanese, like some other east-Asian cultures, do not have a habit of speaking words of praise and true affirmation to others.  There are occasions when this is done indirectly, such as a parent boasting to a friend in the hearing of a child. about the student’s scholastic success.

Sometimes on Mother’s Day, as on other days of the year, a mother’s contribution to family life is expected and not mentioned.  There is an unspoken idea that it is her role to act in caring ways because of her role as a mother in the clan.

Today, during the church service, congregants were given opportunity to step outside of that usual cultural tradition.  Above is a photo of me speaking words of affirmation to Kathy-Lu, thanking God for His grace making her to be the mother she is.

So on this Mother’s Day, no matter what life is like at the moment, we pray that you will sense God’s presence with you.  May you remember that those who believe in Christ have the everlasting arms under them, providing grace, mercy, comfort, and strength.

God says:  “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Isa. 41:10)

Praise and Prayer

• Summer is approaching. Please pray for the planning and for registrations for all of the events.  Baozhong Alliance Church is planning:
  1.  Elementary English Camp (July 12-14);
  2.  Elementary Student Essay Writing Class (July 27-29);
  3.  Guitar Classes (Wed & Fri July 5 – Aug 18).
• Heritage Alliance Church (Abbotsford, BC) and Victoria Chinese Alliance Church are sending short-term workers to assist with the July 12-14 camp.  Please pray for them as they prepare and make travel arrangements.  The decision to invite them to participate in the camp was made within the last week.  So there is pressure to complete preparations quickly.
• Two of last week’s three meetings with our Canadian C&MA international worker couples have been rescheduled into this week.  Please pray that we will ask the right questions and provide encouragement.
• Please pray for the Women’s Tea that is now happening on May 20 so that more ladies can attend.  Pray for Kathy-Lu as she hosts the event.

Chiayi Alliance

The Canadian C&MA International Worker Team has started another church work southeast of Baozhong.  It is the Chiayi Alliance Church.

We went and worshipped with them, May 7.  It is their first Sunday in their newly rented facility.  Renovations are mostly done, but still need some finishing touches that will happen over the next week or two.

Lorne preached, Rev. Henry Chuang officiated at Communion, Rev. Wendy Hsieh led worship, and the intern pastor Ms. Hu read Scripture and played piano.  A small group discussion followed the service.

Praise God with us for the new meeting location for the church.  Please pray that God will guide the international workers assigned to the work and their Taiwan partners as they join what God is doing to see the church established.

Praise and Prayer

• Next Sunday is Mothers’ Day.  Please pray for churches like ours as we invite friends to join our worship service as part of this year’s efforts to honour mothers.
• Praise the Lord that renovations on the rented facility in Chiayi were sufficient to permit a first service at the new location.  Please pray that God will add people to the church family.
• We will have meetings with three of our Canadian C&MA international worker couples this week.  Our desire is to be an encouragement to them.  It is a chance to check how they are doing and discuss the work being done.
• Please pray for a Women’s Tea that Kathy-Lu is possibly holding on Saturday afternoon.  Invitations and plans for this potential event are happening, but she is not sure whether people will have time to attend on Mothers’ Day weekend.

Not for Everyone

Today, May 1, is a holiday for some people in Taiwan.  It is International Labor Day.  Most factory workers and laborers are granted a day off from their work.  However, government workers, and most white collar employees will still be going to work.

It is only a holiday for some people.

Many of the people we interact with consider themselves to be the working class.  Many of those in the public service grew up in working class homes and return to help with farming or other endeavors when needed  Those who own or work in small businesses recognize the necessity of continuing to work. Although their job classification may or may not be ‘blue collar’ related, they have a heart connection with that kind of a lifestyle.

Each relationship is unique.  We relate to each person in a slightly different way, as if we have different hats or roles.  Priority is having a friendship so that we have opportunity to introduce them to our best friend, Christ Jesus.

Please pray for us to know how to do this well.  Ask for God to help us adapt to each situation without compromising the holiness of our God.  Please pray that God will use these relationships to introduce others to Christ. (1 Cor. 9:19-23)

Unlike International Labor Day, a relationship with Christ is available to everyone willing to welcome Him.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for a friend that Kathy-Lu was able to meet with last week.  Pray she will have wisdom for handling life challenges and for her to be strengthened in her faith in Christ.
• Praise the Lord for safety while we travelled do different places for ministry-related activities this past week.
• Please pray for the right words and the right attitudes as we tell Bible stories to students.  Pray that God will help them grasp the true concept of Who Christ is.
• The renovations on the newly rented facility for the Chiayi Alliance Church are nearing completion  Plans are for Lorne to preach in the new location this next Sunday.

Drought to Floods

Last week we travelled to Sun Moon Lake on our day off.  Our goal was to see some mountains and trees, commune with God, and relax away from our usual area.  The water level at the lake was quite low as Taiwan has been experiencing drought conditions.

It is the worst drought in decades. This is exacerbated by the fact that no typhoons have made landfall in Taiwan since 2020.  Tropical storms that passed nearby have helped, but the lack of rainfall from the usual parade of typhoons making a direct hit on the island has caused a shortage in the fresh water supply.  In addition to needing water for daily living, Taiwan uses massive amounts of water for irrigation and for the electronics industry.

Two days after our trip last week, the first heavy rainfall of this year happened.  Flash floods, mudslides, and flooding were experienced in some parts of northwest Taiwan.  Our house had some small amounts of rainwater seep in, but there were no major problems.  Our house has enough elevation, and the drainage nearby was sufficient to weather the storm.  The rainfall is a welcome respite, something we have been praying God would send.  And forecasters say more weather fronts are approaching.

One of the consequences of an extended drought is that the soil near the surface dries out and hardens. (Photo captured from a Taiwan Plus News
Video.)  The result is that it is less able to absorb water.  It will take time for it to gradually soften and be once again able to receive the moisture and the benefits that accompany it.

Jesus told stories about soil that were metaphors for how people live their lives.  The nature of the soil determines their response to God’s truth.  At other times, the Bible described how people hardened their hearts.  The result is that they were unable to respond in appropriate ways to communications from God.

I (Lorne) am reflecting these days about Jesus being the Source of Living Water.

• Is my heart ready to absorb the blessing of having that moist nourishment in my life?
• Are there ways that I (and the people I associate with) are becoming hardened toward God and His truth?
• What process does God want to use to create “truth-absorbency” in my life and the life of those around me?

My hope is that these reflections and the things God says through daily quiet times with Him will help my life to continue to be fertile soil that produces fruit.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray as we seek to provide practical help to a friend who has some large challenges in her life.
• We will spend a number of hours on the road this week.  Please pray for God’s hand of protection.  Unexpected actions by other drivers sometimes create dangerous situations.
• Praise the Lord that the husband of the friend we prayed for last week is recovering well.  He is now home.  Please pray for God to reveal to him the need for belief in Christ.
• The renovations on the newly rented facility for the Chiayi Alliance Church are in progress.  Please pray for wisdom as many decisions are made.  Lorne will preach there the beginning of May.
• Praise the Lord for some answers to prayer, including some prayers for our children.  Let’s continue to ask in faith to the God Who hears and answers prayer.

Winning

An email arrived saying that we had won sixth prize! 

Some of you are skeptical, thinking that it is a fishing email or spam mail.  But it really was legitimate.

The government in Taiwan wants people and businesses to pay taxes.  Businesses with an income below a certain amount are exempted from needing to collect the 5%VAT (Value Added Tax).  To encourage people to shop at locations that collect the VAT, the government provides unified invoicing receipts.  At the top is a unique number for that receipt.

Once every two months, there is a prize draw.  Prizes range from TWD$2 million for the Grand Prize to  TWD$200 for the sixth prize.  (At an exchange rate of about 22:1, sixth prize is about CAD$9.00.)  For January-February receipts, a special prize of TWD$10 million was added.

Winning was not a motivation when we paid the telephone bill.  Desiring the phone service was enough to get us to pay.  We wanted to continue using our phones to have the connection with other people using our phones.

It is another example of  how important relationships are!  Thank-you for staying connected, receiving our weekly emails.,

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Praise and Prayer

• Kathy-Lu was able to spend time with a friend talking about belief in Christ this past week.  The friend is facing many life challenges.  Please pray that God will use such opportunities to lead people to belief in Christ.
• The weather is getting warmer, with daytime temperatures exceeding 30 degrees some days.  Please pray for stamina on those hotter days.  We are attempting to not use the air conditioner too early in the Spring.
• A friend’s husband is recovering from surgery.  Others are facing struggles related to a relative’s alcohol addiction.   There are many different needs that we are taking to God in prayer.  Please pray that people will experience God’s loving care and give glory to Christ.

Happy Easter

Jesus is alive! He invites us to not only participate in His death but also in His resurrection.  The truth that Jesus was the first to be raised from the dead and experience everlasting life is an encouragement to us. 1 Corinthians 15 reminds us that we will experience everlasting life with Him and in Him.

On Good Friday, we joined with other nearby Alliance churches to reflect on the suffering of Christ.  Lorne was asked to read Luke 23:13-26 which describes being judged by Pilate. Thinking of Jesus as the Creator and the Lord of the Universe being willing to silently endure this humiliation is somewhat overwhelming.  He did it because of obedience to the Father and His own loving desire to redeem sinful people.

His victory over evil and death is proclaimed by His resurrection, according to the plan of redemption created by God.  Looking at it in any other way, it is an unexpected event.  Things do not usually happen that way.  But God loves to do the seemingly impossible.

May you once again be filled with the wonder of God’s love as you reflect this year.

Perhaps you will find this parable helpful in your reflections.

Praise and Prayer

• Lorne was thankful to talk with a friend last week.  He asked to hear one of the Bible stories that we had read previously.  Please pray that God will continue to work, helping him understand the gospel.
• Attempts to have a brief conversation with neighbours about Easter did not seem successful.  Please pray that God will create more opportunities.  May God help them to hear things that will convince them that they do not know all the answers about who Christ is.
• Praise the Lord that the Chiayi Alliance Church has been able to rent a meeting facility above the Farmer’s Bank. A Thanksgiving service to celebrate God’s provision is planned for June 3.

Opportunity

We are told to make the most of every opportunity.  It definitely relates to the building of God’s kingdom and telling others the good news about Jesus.  But sometimes, it also means taking advantage of an opportunity for lunch together.

Self-care is important.  We must take care of our bodies, our minds, our emotions, and our relationships.  It is a part of loving God with all our hearts, soul, and mind–not to mention loving our neighbour as our self.

This was a coffee shop we discovered prior to attending the recent strategy meetings.  We were impressed with the creative name.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord for good interactions with pastors and international workers at the recent strategy meetings.  We came home with hearts full of valuable ideas and encouragement from being with God’s people.
• April 4 is the annual Clear and Bright Festival.  It is the time when families tend the graves of their ancestors.  For many this includes the traditional practices of burning incense, burning joss money, and praying for prosperity for the family.  Please pray for Christian believers who spend time with family but choose God-honoring ways to respect ancestors and bless their families.
• Wishing you all a blessed Holy Week as you remember Christ’s suffering and prepare to celebrate His resurrection.

Kingdoms and Castles

We visited a castle (replica) on our day off last week.  It is a marketing plan by a company selling personal products.  It was interesting for both of us.

As you can see, what attracted Lorne was slightly different from what captured Kathy-Lu’s fancy.  Getting our photo beside a palace guard figure and eating afternoon tea was something that we both enjoyed.

It may be similar for people who are learning about God’s kingdom.  They may feel drawn toward certain aspects, and less so by others.  Often there is an attraction toward things that bring personal benefit.  But all those different characteristics of the kingdom become unified in Christ.

Please pray that people will be pulled toward Christ and not seek to use Him to gain personal advantage.

Praise and Prayer

• The Leadership Team of the Baozhong Alliance Church meets the first Sunday of each month.  Please ask God to give them wisdom as they manage resources and decide church priorities.
• Please continue to pray for God to add people to the Baozhong Alliance Church fellowship.
• A financial subsidy is still being provided for the Baozhong Alliance Church.  This is needed because local giving has not yet reached the level necessary to support ministries.  Gifts to the “Hidden in Plain Sight” Partner Fund provide the resources to meet this need.  Please pray for local giving to grow and for God’s provision in the meantime.

CAWF

The Taiwan Alliance sent a delegation to the Chinese Alliance World Fellowship meetings in Manchester, United Kingdom, March 14-17.  (Photo from FaceBook Feed)

Not only did they report on the Taiwan ministry, they also heard reports of what God is doing in Chinese ministries in other parts of the world.

They will report to all the Taiwan pastors and international workers (including us) at the Strategy Meetings at the end of this month.

Please pray that they will be encouraged and will carry that encouragement to those who did not attend with them.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that seven students from the Homework Club attended Sunday School.  Participation in Homework Club requires that they attend at least twice each month.  This was the first time most of them had come.
• Praise the Lord for providing employment for our son Ethan.
• Please continue to pray for God to add people to the Baozhong Alliance Church fellowship.
• On the 4th Sunday of each month, the Family Fellowship meets.  The purpose is to support those with family members recovering from addictions.  Please pray that these people will develop a personal relationship with Christ.

Teaching Children

Each Wednesday afternoon at 2 PM we teach for one hour at the Homework Club (the after-school program run by our church for elementary school students).

We practice some English pronunciation and we tell a Bible story in Chinese.  Our goal is to plant truths from God’s Word in the lives of the students. (Yes, that is ginger in the photo on the screen.)

Our first set of stories has been from the Book of Daniel.  This week, Kathy-Lu will tell the story of Daniel being rescued by God from the lion’s den.

Please pray that God will use these stories and our interaction with the students to demonstrate His love and desire to be in close relationship with each one of them.

OH!  We should mention that there were not enough students registered to offer the ukulele classes that were planned to begin this month.  We are disappointed that we will not be seeing the music students as often, but know God has a purpose in this too.  Please pray for Pastor Joshua and his wife Ilaine as they give leadership to the children’s ministries and are trying to build relationships with the families of those who attend.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for Pastor Joshua and Ilaine as they invest time with children and their parents, seeking opportunity to share biblical truths when the relationships permit.
• Please continue to pray for God to add people to the Baozhong Alliance Church fellowship.
• Please pray that God would bind the unseen forces that are opposing people to hear and believe the gospel.  Pray that Jesus name will be exalted and that people will be drawn to Christ.
• Please pray for the Chinese Alliance World fellowship meetings being held in England.  We are not attending, but it is a time when Chinese ministries from around the world share about what God is doing and share resources. A number of Taiwan pastors are attending.