I’VE GOT THE JOY!

“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart”.  If you have been a Christian for a good while — and have lived a long time like some of us then you have probably heard this song. If not, click HERE to listen and put a smile on your face. After all this life is about eternity, right?! We have many happy things to share.

Last week our Southeast Asia mission team met for a debriefing. OF COURSE THERE WAS FOOD! Hok-tek team members prepared Bah Kut Teh. This is Chinese herbal broth with Pork Ribs 肉骨茶. This is popular among Hokkien in SE Asia, but hey . . . I love it too. We ate together and  . . .  well it was delicious! However, we also took the time to share our thoughts and also suggest ways in which we might improve in preparing our ministry for future mission trips.

Several things really struck me.  1) God has really brought this team together and we love each other. We support each other. We are FAMILY.  2) We are happy and it’s obvious that the JOY OF THE LORD is present. And then 3) we enjoyed being together so much that we had a hard time saying good-night.  FAMILY.

Our sharing time was so REAL, so full of passion and reflected love for each other AND the people in SE Asia. We thank God for bringing us together. Please pray for future ministry as we seek to honor God and follow HIS lead.

We want to be sensitive to see where God is at work and JOIN HIM. Hokkien people are dispersed in different areas and we seek to partner with and support local workers as they lead and direct ministry in these areas. Where to next? We don’t know, but God does. Thanks for joining us on the journey.

PRAYERS ALWAYS APPRECIATED! 

IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE – PRAYER NEEDED!

Mission trips are something we anticipate and are excited about.  We’re often going to new places and meeting new people.  We plan activities during these wonderful ministry opportunities, and when it’s all complete — we return home to our “normal” lives — whatever that means. As we debrief and think over these mission trips, we have to come to the conclusion that the most important thing about all of them is PEOPLE.

The Bible, in Matthew 28:19-20, tells us to GO, and we desire to obey and follow that charge. However, we go in order to share God’s love with people, to help people, to minister to people and to connect with people.

So we ask you to join us in praying for these fishing island people in SE Asia.

1. Ask God to continue to give wisdom and strength to the Hokkien team that comes by boat from a main island in SE Asia every Thursday to visit in homes, encourage and lead worship on Thursday night. Pray especially for Pastor N, MP, J and another pastor from the mother church who work among these people. There are also many additional workers who rotate in ministry there. Keep them all in your prayers.
2. Join us in prayer also for R & M and workers who travel there on Saturday to teach the older children and teenagers. This is such a critical ministry and they do a great job.
3. Pray for direction in children’s ministry. Leading and loving the children in this place is very challenging. Pray for open roads that minister to families and positively assist children in their growth and development.
4. Pray too for this team as they seek ways to disciple these believers. This is always such an essential part of follow-up with new believers. Some people can read and others cannot.  Pray for these believers to mature in their faith.
5. Pray for the landlord and family to come to know Christ. The church has been told that they may rent this building until next spring. They really do need a new facility.
6. The group has located a building for sale on the island. Pray with them as they seek the Lord and consider purchasing this property. It requires a lot of repairs, but is in a good location. Ask God for wisdom as they move forward.
7. Pray for the first family who accepted Christ in this ministry. They own a bicycle shop on this island. The father, mother, son and daughter have all accepted Christ and been baptized. There are few Christians on the island. Pray for courage and strength as this family grows in Christ. Also pray for their son who faces many challenges emotionally. Ask for God’s healing. This is such a loving family – they have real servant hearts.
8. Ask the Father to help another family reached in this ministry. The husband has had a stroke and the wife herself has many special needs.
9. Please pray for SL and her family. This mother struggles with deep depression, but has made a decision to follow Christ. Pray for her, her husband and their children as they face challenges.
10. One of the husbands on the island has also had a stroke which required surgery. He is not able to work. His wife has opened a breakfast shop in front of their home. The church has been ministering to them for quite a while now. Pray for this family to come to know Christ.
11. Each time we have gone to the island we “run into” a man who is a heavy drug user. He is just skin and bones. The future does not look good for him, but in Christ all things are possible. Pray for these workers as they interface with him. Pray for a miracle.
12. Pray too for the owners of the hotel where we stay when we are there. They are very helpful and friendly, but are not believers. Ask God to speak into A’s heart so that he and his family will come to know Christ.
13. When special dinners are given or events are planned, we often use the restaurant at the front of the island. Pray for this older couple who are the owners there. Ask God to bless them, and pray for the pastors and team as they connect with these people. We pray that they will have soft hearts and open eyes as they hear HIS message of salvation.
14. Pray also for a woman who is very tiny — the size of a baby, but she is in her 40’s. The team went to visit her, and SHE prayed for the team. God has worked miracles in a very challenging situation. She is not able to get up and walk, but her spirit definitely reflects God’s love and grace. Pray for her and her family as they journey through their daily lives.
15. Pray also for a new restaurant run by people who are believers from the local religion in this nation. It is illegal to share Christ with this group, but our Father has no barriers in speaking into the lives of people. Pray for them to hear the Gospel, dream about Jesus and have an opportunity to know Him as Savior and Lord.
16. We also mention the medical staff on this island. They too are part of the local national religion. We appreciated their help so much while we were there, but also greatly desire for them to know Jesus.
17. The population of the island is listed at about 10,000 people; however, there are probably about 7,000 on the island at any given time. Pray for the Gospel to open hearts and draw these people to know God as Savior and Lord.

THANKS FOR PARTNERING WITH US ON THIS JOURNEY!

MISSIONS – WIND AND WAVES!

Our 17 member Taiwan team just returned from our SE Asia mission trip and it was an adventure for sure. So many of you partnered with us in prayer!  Thank you so much . . .

Our week was filled with so many opportunities to minister, meet new people, work with adults, children and youth, and share our faith.

As we take a step back and glance at all the ministry, workers and local people involved, we see God’s handiwork. We had different local Christian workers that rotated days in walking with us through this ministry. They used their money, their time and they do it every week. J & A spearhead the ministry and are involved in so much. MP and J were willing to do anything to assist us. A former shaman (a Taoist intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds — some would say “witch doctor”) is also a very effective worker on this team. R and his wife M work weekly tutoring students, and the students love them. J who is J and A’s helper, also came out to cook, and in addition others joined us at the youth retreat. Local “new believers” also teamed with us during this week. And we don’t want to leave out anyone . . . they have a mother church and even more people who are involved in their weekly ministry.

We had lots of connecting opportunities with morning exercises, crafts, visitation, prayerwalking, evening programs and closed out with an evangelistic service on Thursday night. For us, island ministry concluded on Friday at noon. Then Saturday morning we took a speed boat — and boy was it speedy — to the main island to help lead a youth retreat. With 100 students in attendance, about 80 of them were not believers. About 40 or more of the students were from the fishing island. There were 8 professions of faith and lots of seeds sewn during that fun time!

NOW, I’ve shared the highlights. HOWEVER, in the middle of all of this ministry, about 12 of our team members came down with the flu — some more serious than others. Just about any kind of flu symptom you can imagine was part of the journey. 4 people were taken by medical staff from the island for further evaluation. One was given an IV, and one was hospitalized and later released on Sunday. Talking about a week of happenings . . . there were a lot of adjustments and changes that had to be made. The team was AWESOME! They joined together and did what had to be done with great attitudes . . . no matter what the challenge. It was not easy, but it was necessary. AND we cannot say thank you enough for all the help given by our local partners to assist with medical needs. They were a HUGE blessing to us. Thank you all for your prayers.

We had our plans and had used so much time to prepare, but none of us knew all that we would face.  HOWEVER, God knew and HE kept us together and brought us back.

Please join us in praying for:

… those who heard the Gospel but have not yet trusted Jesus.

…local team members to have strength and wisdom as they continue the daily and weekly ministry there.

…wisdom for workers as they seek to buy a building (for ministry and worship) on this island — not easy!

…other youth who attended the youth retreat to come to know Jesus.

…the nine people (total) who made decisions to accept Christ . . . for their spiritual growth and discipleship.

…the Gospel to spread throughout this nation so that all will have an opportunity to know our God.

…Taiwan team members as they regroup and recover from flu illnesses