FYI, end of short-term ministry.

Thank you for your prayers and support!!!

Last Tuesday, a brother from Tanzi Church invited us for lunch there.

L-R: Carol's husband, Zak (Fengyuan Church co-worker), Janice, Siomie (SEND missionary to Fengyuan Church), Wilma (SEND missionary to Tanzi Church), Joy & Victor (SEND missionary and Pastor of Tanzi Church), Harry (the brother from Tanzi who also attends Fengyuan's Young Pro fellowship), Carol (led Naomi to Christ and who introduced Harry & Naomi together), Naomi (Harry's gf and daughter of the owner of the restaurant)

It was a great time of getting to know and catching up with one another. After that, we went to a farm rented out by Carol's church. It used to be a business where the young and old can do crafts and enjoy nature. When it ran out of business, the church rented it for its congregation's use.

Their coffee shop where people can relax or do crafts. The church's pastor and wife take care of the place.

It is a huge farm. The background is part of it.

They welcome their congregation or even people from other churches to raise their own plants or livestock. No need to play Farmville on Facebook when you have a real farm where you can raise your own.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

* That I may be sensitive to and grab every opportunity to pray with the elderly at the elderly home I visit; boldness to share God's word.
(While my actions show that I care, there are many times when I fail to realize or did not seize the opportunity to share the gospel, encourage them with God's truth, or pray with them, out of fear or embarrassment.
Love w/o truth = hypocrisy. Truth w/o love = brutality)

* That the elderly and I will somehow be able to understand each other more when conversing with one another. Their Taiwanese-Chinese and my Hokkien-Chinese have more differences than I thought.
(It is not simply the accent but many words are completely different as well.)

* That the Holy Spirit work in them and that they finally believe and receive God's gift of salvation before it is too late.
(Every morning, the owner would share God's word to the elderly. May the time of harvest finally come.)

Special prayer meeting hosted by SEND last Monday; with United Missions of Taiwan (if I remember the name correctly).

The overall theme/burden is to build healthy churches through discipleship. Please keep this in your prayers, not only for Taiwan churches, but also for your/our own church.

Pastor Chao and his wife

2 Thursdays ago, one of the leaders of EFC (Evangelical Formosan Church) visited the elderly home to share their testimony.

Grandmas, church and elderly home workers listen while the pastor's wife shares her story.

Thursday afternoon is usually a time of sharing God's word to the workers. This day was a special one. Grandmas were wheeled out to meet and listen. Grandpas remained in their room. The sound system was used so that the bedridden and those who preferred to remain in their room can also listen in.

L-R: Grandma Yui Ye is 96 years old and the only one who can stand and walk (few teeny-tiny steps). Grandma Cha Mei invited me to sit by her bedside on my first visit. I can comprehend her Taiwanese and Mandarin best. Grandma Su Lan is the only one who can wheel her own wheelchair so she's the only one who can move freely around the area. Grandma Lin Siu is mostly quiet and observant. Grandma Ah Si would always express a happy countenance when interacting with her.

L-R: Head Nurse, cook and caregiver Siu Lin, Nurse Su Chin, Grandpa Shi Yui and Su Lan, (father and daughter), Director Gao, Grandma Ah Si.

After sharing, the question on who wants to accept Christ Jesus to be their Lord was asked. Head Nurse, Grandma Su Lan, and Grandma Ah Si raised up their hands. It was a joyous occassion! We all celebrated their new birth in Christ with a mouth-watering cake.

(Grandpa Shi Yui is 100 years old and (Grandma) Su Lan is 80. Grandpa accepted Christ some time ago, also during a time of sharing in this elderly home. Nurse Su Chin usually leads the Thursday sharing time. Like Director Gao, she also goes to the same church I serve.)

Please pray for God's grace and mercy to be upon the workers and inhabitants of the elderly home; that the rest of the grandpas, grandmas, and workers may also believe and accept Christ's gift of salvation before it is too late.

Pray that God may bring brothers/sisters to regularly follow-up/encourage the new believers; that their faith in Christ grow more and more.

Fengyuan Church, where I am given the privilege to help serve in their various ministries.

Where I hang out most weekday mornings - Elderly home 3 blocks from the church. The owner goes to the same church.

Sunday service at Fengyuan Church with a guest speaker from L.A. Fengyuan Church was established 2 years ago. The local missionary who is looked upon as the leader of this church recently stepped down to take care of some matters of his existing business but remains a volunteer. The church is now praying for a pastor+wife, preferably, to shepherd the church.

Lunch fellowship after the service. This particular Sunday was potluck.

Prayer meeting with neighboring (church) leaders every Sunday night to share and pray for the concerns of each church - ministries, members, contacts, other issues, and that the surrounding non-believing communities, steeped in idol-worship, might finally KNOW and fully COMMIT themselves to the only one true and living God, who alone is worthy of all worship and praise, who longs to be gracious to them, and who alone can set them free from the fear and bondages they are afflicted with.

L-R: Siomie (full-time missionary with SEND International, who I live with), Esther (another local missionary of Fengyuan Church), Pastor of 72 Degrees Church (I have yet to know why the church name), Road evangelist Bro. Chao, Pastor of another neighboring church, Director Gao (owner of the elderly home), Pastor Feng of Poteli Church.

It used to be that the local missionary and Esther worked hand-in-hand, But after the local missionary stepped down, most if not all church responsibilities has fallen on Esther. May God continue to give her grace, strength, and wisdom to remain faithful to Him and the work entrusted to her as she/the church waits on God's provision for a committed pastor/leaders/workers.

Once-a-month prayer meeting with SEND International missionaries at the SEND office.

L-R: Will Brown, Wilma, Ron, Leslie, Victor & Joy (leader of Tanzi Church), Siomie, Suzy Brown, Ruth Harbour, Brenda. Rod, who used to teach ESL at Fengyuan, had to leave early.

SEND office in Beitun, also where Beitun Church, the mother church of Tanzi Church is located. Wilma's church in Tanzi, and the church I'll be serving in Fengyuan.