CNY 2010

I know where most of you live, February 14 is a very important day. It's Valentine's Day, of course. But where we live, February 14 is the beginning of Chinese New Year. And, folks over here have been busy preparing for this 15-day long holiday. The local kids are out of school for about a month. Most government-type jobs will have about ten days of vacation (including two weekends). And, people are decorating, buying gifts, and stocking up on food items as they prepare to travel to be with their families during this time.

They say our city will be a virtual "ghost" town. We can't imagine it. We will continue with work and school as usual. Please remember us as we hope to have many opportunities to share HIStory while people are a bit more relaxed and have a lot more free time. Xin Nian Kuai le! (Happy New Year!)

CNY Explained

Article adapted from “Company” website:

A Lovely Day to Celebrate

The cold, crisp winter temperatures lend themselves to the excitement already in the air. Chinese people scurry to buy special treats, clean house, buy new clothes, buy tickets to travel home, and greet their neighbors with a sense of exuberance comparable to what you might expect to see at Christmastime in America. Chinese are preparing for their biggest holiday of the year, Chinese New Year. Known as “Spring Festival” in China, the New Year is determined by the lunar calendar, and almost always falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. This year, it just happens that Chinese New Year’s Day falls on a holiday familiar to the rest of the world, Valentine’s Day. February 14, 2010, ushers in the Year of the Tiger. Traditions

Spring Festival is no quiet holiday, and there are definitely no “silent nights” involved. Fireworks illuminate the night skies. Not even a good pair of earplugs can drown out the explosive sounds emanating from the constant popping of firecrackers day and night throughout the holidays.

In the weeks prior to the holiday, Chinese people battle the winter cold and stand in line for hours at train and bus ticket counters, hoping to find affordable tickets to their hometowns before they are all sold. Getting home to share a special meal with family on Chinese New Year is the goal of almost every Chinese person. Different parts of China have different traditions, but foods that are eaten on Chinese New Year’s Eve may include chicken; long, uncut noodles; and dumplings called jiaozi. The traditional holidays last for 15 days, with the 15th day being the Lantern Festival. Shops are often closed for the first three days of the holiday. Schools are often closed for a month at this time of year. Traditions during the holiday include visiting friends or family and taking them gifts such as fruit or cookies. Adults give children red envelopes containing money. It is important to clean the house prior to the festival, but sweeping and dusting can never be done on the first day of the festival, as it is associated with sweeping away one’s good fortune in the coming year.

The numerous traditions associated with the festival all have a special significance or superstition attached to them. Although modern Chinese will be quick to tell you that they do not believe all these superstitions to be truth, they nonetheless carry on the traditions as part of their Chinese culture; it also keeps their childhood memories alive as they pass them down to younger generations. For some Chinese, appeasing the “kitchen god,” praying in a temple, and scaring away evil spirits by setting off firecrackers are very important rituals. For these people, the holidays are a time of fear, stress and bondage to evil spirits.

A Time for Sharing HIStory

Many Chinese people work far from home, with only one opportunity to see their extended family members during the year, on Chinese New Year. For Chinese people who have become siblings during the previous year, Chinese New Year affords them their first opportunity to return to their hometowns, talk to their families about their new life, and share with childhood friends. For new siblings, this can be both joyful and stressful. Their acceptance of HIS eternal plan is not always met with enthusiasm or acceptance. Many young adults in China have grueling work hours with no free time; they work 16 hours a day, seven days a week; they live at the factories where they work. Chinese New Year is one of the few times during the year that they are able to mingle with people outside their workplace. Chinese New Year is an opportune time for many of them to freely interact with those who can share HIStory with them.

Loving the Chinese

Chinese people living in countries throughout the world also do their best to celebrate this special day. Cities with Chinatowns may have parades and special celebrations. However, for Chinese who are integrated into mainstream western society, this day may be just another workday, a lonely day that fills their hearts with longing for their homeland and loved ones. This year, as you celebrate Valentine’s Day, let it remind you of HIS love for those in the Chinese world who are celebrating their New Year. Pray for your brothers and sisters in HIM in China and around the world. Pray for open hearts for those Chinese people who are hearing about HIM for the first time during these holidays. Ask Father to pour out His great love on all Chinese people.

Pressing On!

In HIS name, we find the strength to press on!

Our family arrived in TW on Christmas Eve. So, we were able to enjoy some Christmas events with our university friends, our little national clubhouse, and our international clubhouse on the mountain on December 25, 26, and 27. Above is one of our SS kids performing for the little national clubhouse program on Christmas Day evening.

And, the youth group performing a skit during the program. Sure wish someone would come over and help us with this little national clubhouse. It would be great to have summer activities (i.e. VBS-type event, youth retreat-type event, sports camp, English corners, fellowships, etc.) for the children's group, the youth group, and the young adult group. They are a great bunch of folks with SO MUCH potential to reach their peers. Some of the children came dressed up for the

evening's program. We had quite a few Asian angels.

(Of course, they are all angels to me.)

And, we even had an appearance by an Asian Santa.
After Christmas weekend, I was sick for about 2 weeks, but Esther was able to spend New Year's Eve with Twiggy and her family watching the spectacular fireworks from the rooftop of our old apartment building. We'll be starting our HOME BOOK study with our friends from our old apartment building on Wednesday, January 27 at 7 pm. Please keep this event in your daily thoughts.

Far More than Our Wildest Dreams!

HE can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever
imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!
Ephesians 3:20 ~ The Message

We're back on our little island, and Father has provided so much more than we ever imagined, guessed, or requested in our wildest dreams! HE has provided the perfect apartment in the perfect location. We are five minutes from our former apartment building, so we are already familiar with the neighborhood and the neighbors. And, we have just the right layout for hosting friends...those we know now and those we are yet to meet. Plus the new apartment came 2/3 furnished at no extra charge. The only things we have had to purchase so far are bedroom sets and a few household items (heaters, microwave, water purifier, dvd player, etc.). Without purchasing anything, we can already seat 16 on chairs/sofas plus the rugs. All the window treatments, rugs, wardrobes, shelves, etc. came with the house. (It even has wallpaper.)

Dining table with 8 chairs (furnished)
Two sofas, chairs, entertainment center,
tv, rug, tables, window treatments (furnished)
Long, Wide kitchen for Cooking Classes and Parties
And, yes, that is a full-sized American oven. We purchased it
from some retiring "m's" headed back to Arkansas. Come on over and help us cook up some wonderful treats to share with all of our local friends.

Ghost Month

(The following information is copied with permission from a co-worker's blogsite.)

Ghost Month has begun on our little island. During this time, it is believed that the gates of hell are opened and all spirits are turned loose to roam the world. If they have not been treated well during the previous year (via lots of sacrifices), they may choose to wreck havoc. It is a time of fear.

Mounds of foods for sale in the local stores to appease the hungry spirits

Altar table and a brazier for burning paper money

Many sacrifices will be offered, especially on the 1st, 15th, and 30th days of the month. People may be even more involved this year because of the recent typhoon destruction.

Please remember believers in non-believing families who will be pressured to participate in these events. Ask that Father's peace will begin to overcome the lack of peace throughout this island. Ask that the fear that binds people to continued appeasement of the spirits will be cast out by His love and presence. Ask that believers on our island will demonstrate His peace and hope during these days.

Typhoon, Part 2

(The following information is copied with permission from a co-worker's blogsite.)

It has been over a week since the typhoon hit our island. The damage down south is incredible. Bridges, roads, railway lines, and an untold number of houses and other buildings have been destroyed. The president stated today that many displaced families will be in temporary housing for up to a year while homes are rebuilt. Some bridges and roads may take up to three years to rebuild.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from mountainous areas, in many cases pulled across raging rivers by cables and pulleys. There are still hundreds more awaiting rescue; many of them have been without clean water and food for days, and many are injured and still awaiting medical treatment. Rescuers are working non-stop in the attempt to reach the most isolated areas, but washed-out roads and bridges, dangerous rivers, poor weather conditions, and the risk of further landslides has hampered efforts.

A pilot carries a survivor to safety.

In the village of Shiao Lin, the help came too late. A massive mudslide wiped out the whole village of over 160 families, destroying all but two structures and burying the town and its inhabitants under up to 5 stories of mud. Only a handful of people survived; it is estimated that up to 500 people were buried alive in the landslide. Following local tradition, families honored the dead on the seventh day after death: surviving relatives gave gifts of food, paper money, and toys (for the children) to the dead, and called out their loved ones' names, urging their spirits to return home.

A survivor grieves.
A man shows photographs of his lost loved ones: his mother, brother, sister-in-law, and niece.

Families returning to the site of Shiao Lin village to mourn the dead.

A muddy plain where the village of Shiao Lin stood a week ago.

Our island is now soliciting help from the international community, and the US and other countries are now delivering supplies such as portable shelters to the affected areas. The local people have been showing their generosity as well, donating food and supplies to those in need. A local community group organized a clothing and supplies drive at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial last week, but it had to be called off after a couple days because so much had already been donated--their delivery trucks were full!

Please continue to remember those suffering in our area.

(Photos from CNN.com and BBC.com.)

Typhoon Hits Island

(The following information is copied with permission from a co-worker's blogsite.)

By now, many of you have seen in the news the terrible destruction left behind by the typhoon that recently hit our island. In our city, people are fine and safe. Originally, the northern part of our island was predicted to take a direct hit by the typhoon, but the storm developed in such a way that it dumped tons and tons of rain over central and southern parts of the island instead. Some parts received well over 1oo inches of rain--that's more than 8 FEET--in the course of three days. Crops and livestock have been destroyed, roads and bridges washed out, and at least one village completely covered by a mudslide. There are reports of hundreds buried alive by the landslides, and relief efforts are hampered by poor weather and the remote locations of the devastated areas (most are in mountainous parts of the island). Our co-workers are looking into ways to help; there are several local organizations collecting food and supplies, and everyone is hoping to find a more direct way to be involved in relief work soon.

Here are some pictures that show some of the incredible destruction. These photos are from the internet, and most are AP/Getty/Reuters images (want to give credit where it's due).

A collapsed apartment building.

A man trapped by floodwaters gesturing at rescuers.

A baby rescued from the flooding.

A woman waiting for word about her missing father, who was buried in a landslide.

More flooding.

A washed-out bridge.

A massive mudslide.

An elderly woman resting at an evacuation site.

A hotel falling into a river. The river first washed away a row of shops and a road in front of the hotel. Everyone in the hotel had been evacuated.

A man standing on his roof amid floodwaters, awaiting rescue.

Please remember the people on our island daily.