BEYOND WORDS!

This week we once again God gave us the privilege of partnering with  local Taiwan co-workers in rural Tainan at a government adult educational facility for special needs.  We have shared before about Pastor Tan and his wife and their desire to reach out in all directions to families in the rural community of Liong-Kia 龍崎  (Dragon Slope).

Pastor and Mrs. Tan have done a good job of seeking out co-workers to join them in ministry.  This week we met a new team of people who did an outstanding job of leading worship, sharing a Christian educational game, and leading in ministry to disciple these new believers.

One of the serendipity experiences for us was the opportunity to hear and meet one of these team members, a former Buddhist nun.  Wow!  God is something else for sure.  She was very committed to the Buddhist way of life and left for the US with lots of money in hand to build a Buddhist temple there.  HOWEVER, God had other plans, and someone shared Christ with her and today she is a follower of Jesus Christ.  She indeed has a story of GOD’S AMAZING GRACE.  We also met a pastor’s wife who shared that her husband had passed away.  She is raising four children — one in college, and three in high school. She spoke of God’s blessings in their lives through these challenges.  It definitely was a day of encouragement for us.  Oh believe me, I could share so much more about this team . . . maybe in the days ahead.

The goal of this ministry team is to disciple these believers and equip them to do ministry among the 140 something people within the walls of this facility. Praise the Lord for strategies such as these.  Join us and praise the Lord for his saving grace and for future ministry in this place.

♦ NEVER GIVE UP ♦

Our family arrived in Taiwan in January of 1984, and like most families we were busy trying to set up housekeeping and “figure-out” how to maneuver in a new culture.  One of the blessings that came our way was the hiring of a house cleaner, cook and well I think she can do anything you asked her to do.

Abi (pronounced Ah-bee) is a wonderful friend and during the many years that she helped us and cared for our children she did an outstanding job.  To this day she is still a dear friend. At about the age of 18 or so she began work with American military in Taiwan, and believe me did she learn how to cook. She taught ME to make delicious southern gravy and her pies . . . well they’re like bakery pies — banana cream, chocolate, apple — whatever — she is one awesome cook.

Before she began to work for us, for years she had also helped one of our friends, Faye Pearson.  Faye would tell you the same things — she is an outstanding house cleaner and amazing cook.  And even now they are wonderful friends.  She has also worked for many other foreigners as well.

We cherish this relationship but even more than that we cherish your prayers for Abi to come to know Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.  She knows the Gospel.  She has been shared with so many times and we pray for her every week.  Life has not always been friendly to hear and she has faced and still faces many challenges.  We love her and desire for her to know Jesus.

When we returned to Taiwan two years ago, we made contact but no face to face meeting. When our son, Jonathan, and his wife, Pam came with their children to Taiwan these last two weeks, they wanted to see her.  Well, I put that in God’s hands and yesterday God miraculously worked that all out.  We love her to death and desire for her and her family to know God’s grace and peace.  Our daughter, Lisa, and her husband, Rhett, and their boys will join us in June — another opportunity.  Abi has already invited us to come to eat with her at her house!  We’re praying for a miracle.  Join us in prayer for Abi and her family.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES ○ ○ ○

This week has been very special for us because our son, Jonathan, his wife, Pam, and their two children, Sophie (2 1/2) and Noah (7 1/2 months) are with us in Taiwan.  So as we carry out our ministry responsibilities, we just “drag” them along with us — visiting families and doing what we do.  Even filling up the car with gas, stopping along the road for a quick tea, being surrounded by groups of people to feel, touch and see “babies” all provide opportunities to tell people WHY we have come to East Asia.

Yesterday we had lunch with one of our dear friends.  We met these Taiwanese friends, Bill and Lisa, when we worked to start our first church in Taiwan. Their entire family attended English Bible classes and as a result they all accepted Christ. BUT the story doesn’t stop there — I’ve shared a little of this before with you.  So many of their extended family members are now believers because they led them to Christ. So yesterday we met at a mountain side restaurant to have “Hot Pot” in a very creative healthy environment. Their specialty is mushrooms — all kinds of mushrooms.  This is the restaurant of Bill’s younger brother and his wife who live in Taichung. They are one of the few in Bill’s family who have not come to Christ.  So pray with us for the Lim family. God has done powerful things in this family AND some of them are now on mission taking the Good News abroad and supporting missionaries who are on the front lines.  This is a family that is very serious about Jesus’ mandate:  THE GREAT COMMISSION.

So THE JOURNEY CONTINUES and one of the greatest gifts we have been given is to see how GOD has brought people to himself and used these new believers to spread HIS love among the nations.  It’s amazing more than words can explain.