2013 Christmas on our Little Island

We were blessed to spend about 40 days in the USA during November and December attending meetings, speaking to groups, and visiting friends and family.  It was wonderful to spend Thanksgiving with Elizabeth and Esther and to be involved in their daily lives and activities.  But, it was also good to come back home to our little island for the Christmas season.

The children and adults participated in the Christmas program at our little Chinese clubhouse.  Jack and Jessie even participated.  Jack played the guitar while Jessie sang in Chinese.

Then, our big English speaking clubhouse choir presented  an amazing Christmas musical!

On Christmas Eve, we gathered with brothers and sisters at GBC for a Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

On December 28, GBC celebrated its 60th anniversary.  We were thrilled to be a part of this event since our company personnel started GBC many many years ago after being forced to leave the Mainland.  We were honored to be a part of such a historical program.

Together in South Asia

Recently, we had the opportunity to join 15 local national brothers and sisters for a cross-cultural M trip (East Asians going to serve South Asians). 

For nine days, we ministered to people in West Bengal.

Part of the team used their Medical and Dental skills to share HIStory.

Every day, they also used music, skits, and a brief message to share HIStory.

Some of the team also pryed with locals.

It was GREAT for East Asian believers to work alongside of South Asian believers.

Jack and I did 4 days of Leadership Training with Indian and Bhutanese leaders.

The Bhutanese only have the New Testament, so much of their learning was ORAL MEMORIZATION.

All of the leaders worked very hard to learn HIStory from Creation to HIM!  They also learned a lot about how to tell TRUTH from cults.

One unbelievable opportunity arose.  Four young monks who recently became believers and left the Buddhist monastery were there to receive training.  They learned all the stories of:  creation, fall/curse, commandments, animal sacrifice system, birth, miracles, death, resurrection, and prodigal son.  How exciting to see these young men learn the complete story,
so they can train others.

Just like you do it in America

In August, we had the wonderful opportunity to serve on the southern tip of our island alongside our national partners, co-workers, and unsaved Cram School teachers in a Summer English Camp.  All of our lessons centered around various aspects of Creation:  light, water, land (including the promised land), animals, and people.  The children learned songs, verses, and stories from the BOOK....just like you do it in America in the public schools, right?  We even had a Saturday morning production for all of the parents, school administration, and local public officials.  Well, this time in our blog, we're trying something new....videos.  Enjoy!!!

Volunteers Working Together 2

2013 Happy Camp was held in the mornings during the first week of July.  This year, they asked us to use the C2C English Camp materials.  We were so thankful for national sisters and brothers helping us translate each day.

For the first time, we turned our 4 day camp into a 5 day camp, adding Mother's Day and Father's Day to the curriculum.  On this day, the students learned the consequences of the Fall, the Ten Commandments, and the Sacrificial system.

Every afternoon, the same materials were used at a camp in a public junior high school.  Again, we had great national sisters (teachers at the school) translate for us.  We also had two additional American high school students from Missouri join us.  They are spending a month on our island helping out in various ways.

The second week of July was spent in Colossal Coaster World.  We arrived each morning at 7:30 am and finished each day around 6 pm.  It was a LONG (but fulfilling) week serving 500 students.

Facing Fear, Trusting HIM!

Father has truly blessed us this summer with great opportunities serving alongside USA volunteers, local brothers and sisters, and co-workers!  Together, we're BEST!

Volunteers Working Together

Summer 2013 is in full swing, and multiple events in every corner of our country are planned to reach the millions who have never heard or accepted HIStory!

Two volunteers from TN are here for 5 weeks to help with C2C Holiday English Camps, Vacation B Schools, Southern Cross BOOK distribution, pryer walking, etc.
They are also making individual contacts and setting up appointments
to chat over meals, coffee, day trips, etc.

Three volunteers from WV came to help us for one week with our annual C2C Holiday English Camp at WanLi Elementary School.  It's the 5th year our WV family has sent volunteers for this camp.
And, every year, the door swings wider and wider to share HIStory with the teachers, students, and parents in this area.

During C2C Holiday English Camps, we use 5 American Holidays to share HIS complete story:  Thanksgiving (Creation/Fall), Mother's Day/Father's Day (Commandments/Sacrifice system), Christmas (HIS birth), Easter (HIS death and resurrection), and Valentine's (HIS teachings--the prodigal son).

The students are all given a B story coloring book, a dvd of HIS life, a booklet explaining how to know HIM personally, and their own copy of the BOOK.

So many students...so many schools....so many still to hear.  The harvest is plentiful.  Would you come and labor in this field?

Spring in the Big Country

Feels like home to us.....

Recently, we had the opportunity to spend 10 days in the Big Country.  We were very happy that our trip coincided with some of our long-term partners' trip.  Esther was on the team of 5 from WV, so we got to visit with her for a few days while other members of the trip took in some of the local sites.

Most of the WV team's trip took place in the SW area
of the Big Country.

They spent a lot of time working with local children and teachers, hosting English events.

But, father and sons together also got many opportunities
to share HIStory.

After, Jack and I sent the WV team and Esther back to the USA,
we headed to the Northeast part of the Big Country
(near our old stomping grounds).

And spent the rest of the week hanging out with old friends, 

sharing meals, and doing some training in the rural areas.  

ONE SPECIAL NOTE:  Some of you remember hearing stories of our first local partner when we moved to East Asia, Winter Flower....the one who helped us do EVERYTHING when we knew no language, no culture, no people, nothing....well, she's getting married soon, and we were able to spend two days with her and her new husband-to-be!!  It was great to hear about their continued faithfulness to HIM and to share laughter, tears, and memories together!!!!!!

Partnerships

This month, we'd like to highlight two very important long-standing partnerships:  SBs of TN and WV

The Duck River Association, TN, has been partnering with us literally all of our lives.  This is Jack's home association.  He was dunked at Winchester, FBC; served as a summer intern at FBC Cowan; and attended a TN SB college. TN SBs supported him during sem days, for our first CP in Michigan through the TN/MI partnership; for our second CP in Florida; for our third CP in Manchester, TN; by sending teams to WV and MT; and now, for the first time overseas by sending a team to work during March 2013 on our little island.  (Duck River will also be sending us two summer workers from June 15-July 22 this year:  one from FBC Tullahoma and one from FBC Estill Springs.)  To say, we are thankful to the folks in Duck River and TN is a definite understatement!  

You are our family!  Together, we're best!

 

Good Shepherd BC, WV, has been partnering with us since 1996. While Jack served on the WV State Convention staff  from 1996-2001, Jessie served on staff at Good Shepherd.  Elizabeth was 7 when we moved to WV.  Esther was 3.  WV has sent summer m's and teams to help us in Montana, in the Big Country, and for the fifth year, they will come to help this summer on our little island!  One of the highlights for us this past year was Good Shepherd's decision to share their facility with a local Chinese congregation in WV (pictured above).

Esther was dunked at Good Shepherd on Mother's Day, 1999.  This year, on Mother's Day 2013, Esther will begin her service at Good Shepherd as a summer intern.  She will accompany the WV team on a trip to the Big Country in May and will assist with their children's programs, youth programs, a new CP, and the Chinese congregation throughout the summer.  So, to say this club has had a tremendous impact on all of our lives is a definite understatement! 

You are our family!  Together, we're best!

Our Life in the Spring

Wow!  We've had a busy spring so far.  Started with three weeks of travel to Thailand and Turkey for various meetings.  Along, the way, we got to visit with LOTS of co-workers and even celebrate Valentine's and both of our Birthdays together!  During the past 29 years that we've know each other, we've rarely had this opportunity (due to various obligations).  So, it was a REAL treat!

The trip to Istanbul was very exciting.  The culture, sites, sounds, smells, tastes, and feel of Central Asia are very different from our regular life and work.  It was also WONDERFUL to spend time with great friends and to hear how Father is at work with Chinese people in all parts of the world:  North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and all of Asia.

But, we are ALWAYS happy to be back on our little island.  The weather is great right now; we understand the language/culture; we get to spend time living and working with committed co-workers and nationals; and best of all, we have a group arriving from TENNESSEE on Friday to help us share HIStory of Easter in public schools for the next week!!!  

2013 Year of the Snake

Chinese Lunar New Year is today, February 10, 2013.  Our city is on the very northern tip of our island.  Most people leave our city during CNY to go to cities in the middle and southern tip of our island.

One of our good friends, Ocean, went to visit her family in the south. Her parents and family members are not believers.  Although everyone looks forward to a holiday, many of our believing friends have a little "dread" in going home to spend a week with parents and family members during this time.  They feel a lot of pressure to participate in "non" believing practices.  Many times their family members are openly hostile to their beliefs.

But, our Heavenly Father loves these family members more than we can ever imagine.  He often has much greater things in store for them than we have ever dreamed or imagined.

Here is an account of Ocean's experience with her family today in her own words:

The first day of CNY, and God did major thing in my family. One of my dad's senior high school classmates came to visit us in Kaohsiung. The special part of it is that he and his wife are Christians and they know I am a believer too. I was very anxious because I thought that surely they are going to talk about Christianity in front of my parents, and in my family, we've never done that before, especially in front of my mom. I was so afraid that my mom would be offended and I would be thrown out after they leave. 

But God has much bigger concern than I thought.

They came to share the gospel with my dad!!! During the whole visitation, they kept witnessing for God. I was so touched and got all the goose bumps especially when his wife said that after he became a Christian, all he asks about is to let him find my dad, since they have been out of touch for long time. He prays that God will allow him to live longer so that he can find my dad and share the gospel with my dad.
(They live in California, United States now)

This is the true living God! My God! He loves me and He cares for my family's salvation. I'm out of words to describe His love and His faithfulness for me.

I'm out of words...

I can only give Him all my praises and worship, my whole being...He deserves it!

Together, we’re better.

     When we first arrived on our little island in 2008, we had some wonderful company personnel take us “under their wings” and mentor us in sharing HIStory in the public school system in our city.  Through these training opportunities, we made many new local national partners, and we were given many venues to share (especially during Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, etc.)

     This past July/August 2012, we had the opportunity to join with a national M here in our city and start a Friday Night English Club for some local high school students.  For two months, we met with them every Friday night (teaching them the foundational stories from Creation to HIM).  We also had opportunity to work alongside our summer m’s and five national brothers and sisters who volunteered to continue the group. (http://www.jjee2.blogspot.tw/2012_09_01_archive.html)

     From September until now, we have turned over the group to the local national partners and have only met with them once a month to continue sharing.  In December, a group of students came to our city for three weeks through the Christmas in TW program.  The local high school students took the USA volunteers to tour night markets, temples, Christmas decorations, etc.  The Christmas in TW students again shared HIStory with the high school students, and three girls made decisions for HIM!!  Now, the USA students will continue to disciple the local students via email and facebook.  We and our local national partners will continue to disciple them face to face.

     So, it’s all about partnership and HIS timing.  We thank everyone involved for your support through your pryers, your giving (to the LM Christmas Offering and CP), and your coming!!  Because we worked together (company personnel, local national partners, summer m’s, Christmas in TW team members, and YOU), these precious three girls are now YOUR sisters in HIM!!

Together, we’re better….may we NEVER forget.