It doesn't look at all like Christmas.

Dear All,

A very Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year!

It's been an eventful holiday season once again in Taiwan.  What with caroling down the neon-lit streets and musty back alleys, the students' colorful tree decorating contest, the church's musical Christmas celebration as well as our own American Team Taiwan "family" gatherings filled with sarcasm and good ol' American humor, I haven't had time to catalogue it all until now.

Perhaps the best way to show you what we've been up to is to share these videos with you:

Halfway through December, I realized I didn't care at all about Christmas coming.  That's not normal; I am a girl who adores everything about Christmas.  I used to say that I live for Christmas.  But since I'm not with my family and friends, it seemed easier not to care.

I once had the privilege of hearing a Holocaust survivor speak.  During the question time afterward, I asked him if his faith helped him through that difficult time.  He responded, "Without our temple, our Sabbath, our menorahs, our dietary laws, we had no faith."  I was always baffled by that answer.  My minor discomforts cannot compare to the horrors of the Holocaust, but I do understand that man a little better now.

It's hard when the way you worship God is changed.  It's strange being in a foreign land with different customs, operating under a different calendar so that I lose delineation between seasons, that Christmastime and Eastertime become just time.  Smells of cinnamon and peppermint that instantaneously connect with the Nativity in my mind are replaced with fish, soy sauce, cabbage dumplings.  Carols that I could sing in my sleep suddenly have unintelligible lyrics that I can't pronounce fast enough to keep up with everyone else.  Whereas Christmas used to mean a week of uninterrupted family laughter and games, I can afford two minutes with each one I love through a computer screen on Christmas Day.  Everything I knew about Christmas has been torn away, except for one thing: the fact that over two thousand years ago, in a tiny town in Israel, a boy was born who was God in a human body.  He chose to leave his perfectly comfortable home in heaven and come to earth to feel pain, sickness, tiredness, hunger, cold, heat, sadness.  Whereas changing countries is a shock, I'm sure the difference between heaven and earth is infinitely greater!  Jesus didn't hold onto heaven, his power, his comfort.  (Philippians 2) He let it go and left His home for us.  And He endured it all for joy. (Hebrews 12:2) Our joy at being reunited with God, and God's joy in gaining sons and daughters.

As soon as I realized I was subconsciously disconnecting myself from the upcoming holiday, God gave me strength to change.  He gave me strength not just to fake happiness, but to really be so filled with joy that I sang those Christmas hymns at the top of my lungs.  I handed out cookies and cider with relish.  I shouted "Merry Christmas!" to strangers.  I requested every Christmas hymn in the hymnal for sing-a-longs.  I can honestly say that God filled me with joy this Christmas season, and we celebrated in new ways and old ways alike.  It's silly for me to be sad on Christmas, because there is absolutely nothing to be sad about!

For all of us who are away from home, or missing a loved one, or without a job, we can still have joy.  Our joy is not founded in the tinsel, cookies, music, pageants, gifts, trees, or even (as much as we cherish it above all else) family time.  Our joy is in the birth of our Savior.  We have that no matter where we go or what we do, who we're with and what we eat.  May you be filled with the joy of the Savior-- and also have your fill of family, carols, and cookies!  The enemy cannot take our joy away!

Merry Christmas.


In Christ,

Anna Gruen

Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving

Last week a Taiwanese lady from our church told us she wanted to initiate a traditional American Thanksgiving lunch after church the following Sunday.  It started with her asking us for advice on what dishes to make, then turned into going grocery shopping with her, and before I knew it, I was suddenly in charge of making everything!  Me-- who's never cooked a Thanksgiving meal in my life, who has trouble cooking for myself let alone for everyone in church.  Mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, stuffing, apple pie, the works!  I could have been upset, but I didn't have time-- it was already Saturday and I had too much cooking to do-- besides, I guess I never refused, so I couldn't anyone but myself.  I stayed up past 1:00am making those apple pies. Early Sunday morning came and I was bleary-eyed.  Our church sister came to the door and helped me load the dishes into her car, and we headed off for church.  

While en route she told me why she funds a large church dinner once a month; she can't sing or do anything else for the church, so this is the way she serves the congregation and shows her gratitude to God.  She also told me about her health conditions.  I never knew that she spent 5 hours in the hospital every other day getting her blood cleaned since her body cannot do it on her own.  She's been like that for 18 years.  She took my hand and placed it on her other arm, made me feel a lump of a machine vibrating under her skin.

"I'm telling you because you ask.  I don't always have to tell people how sick I am.  But when other people have health problems, I can stand in front of them and encourage them.  God has really carried me on his back these years."  She said, wiping a tear.  Suddenly I was very thankful to have this time with her.

We toiled a few hours before church started and right through the sermon.  "Shouldn't we go to church?"  I asked, exhausted.  "Feeding our spirits is more important than feeding our bodies."  

"Don't worry," she assured me. "On days I know I need to cook during church, I always watch sermons on TV beforehand.  I find time."  For having so many health problems, she sure had WAY more energy in the kitchen than I did!

The Thanksgiving lunch was a huge success!  We fed over 50 people.  The Taiwanese LOVED the mashed potatoes, and even ate the apple pie-- even though Taiwanese react to cinnamon the way Americans react to cherry cough drops (it's a medicine for them) and even though I burned the bottom of the pies due to using an unfamiliar oven and pans.  Some men volunteered to clean after the lunch-- which was a HUGE blessing -- and there was plenty of food leftover.

Thank God that I did not drop in a pathetic heap of back pain and lack of kitchen experience!

Thank God that people volunteered to help Saturday night and Sunday morning!

Thank God everyone was fed and all turned out well!

Thank God for his provision!

Thank God that He was glorified!

I am thankful.

And completely turned off of Thanksgiving food for another year.  >_<

Happy Thanksgiving!   I hope your Thanksgiving meal experience is just as joyous as mine (but maybe a little less stressful!)  It is truly a blessing to be able to celebrate God's bounty with family and friends.

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

His love endures forever."     --Psalm 136:1

In Christ,

Anna Gruen 谷恩娜

November: Blessed to be a Blessing

Last weekend our team had our annual fall retreat-- a time to run away from school-related work and be reminded of why we're here.  We took a bus to the mountains where we met a church of aboriginal people called the Tsou tribe.

Photo above:  A Presbyterian mountain church of the Tsou tribe.  Below:  Pastor teaches us how to play the nose flute.  I could play "Amazing Grace", even though they said my nose was the wrong shape to play their flutes!

The congregation is quite small with many elderly members, including five widows who own small plots of coffee trees.  In order to help these women make a living, the church buys the beans from the widows at a generous price, pays to skin and roast the beans, and then sells the finished product.  Both the widows and the church benefit from this agreement.  As part of our retreat, we learned all about processing coffee beans, and even got to spend a couple hours helping ama (grandma) pick her beans.

 The rest of the time we spent hiking in the beautiful mountains, reading God's Word, worshiping, and learning more about each team member and how we work as a team.  Special guest Sean (missionary working in the Philippines and Taiwan) helped out with leading worship and cooked us some delicious meals.

Pastor Carl led us in devotions with our theme "Blessed to be a blessing", based on God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2.

In our devotions we were reminded that part of being a missionary is going through the grieving process of what we left behind.  Just like Abraham, we are called to leave our country behind and follow God to the place where he sends us.  Undoubtedly Abraham had struggles along his way.  But when following God, even hardships overflow with blessings.

"What does this have to do with my life?"  You might be wondering.  "I'm not a missionary."

We are ALL called to leave things behind as we follow God.  Maybe that thing isn't our country, but maybe it's our tendency to worry, our quick-as-lightening anger, our greedy eyes that idolize someone else's house or car or body, our grumbling tongue, our comfortable spiritual apathy.  Basically, we're called to leave OURSELVES behind and follow God to a place of blessing.  There is always struggle.  But God promises that even through the difficulties of following Him, we will be blessed and will be a blessing to others.  This promise is true for all of us.

I pray that all of us remain willing to daily leave our worldly comforts behind for the best prize-- struggling along to follow God and being blessed in the process.  Let's not be found sleeping when the Master returns home.

In Christ,

Anna

Prayer requests:

1.  For Noel, a team member who is undergoing some serious health tests this week.

2.  For a Jehovah's Witness whom I have been talking with on a weekly basis.

3.  For students, teachers, and student teachers at Concordia Middle School and their salvation, that God would open their hearts to His Truth.

4.  For the Philippines, our neighbor in Southeast Asia, which remains devastated after the cataclysmic hurricane. 

October

October is filled with blessings, as all months are.

We have four American girls, one American grandpa, and a Taiwanese teacher in our house.  Every morning, we four American girls start our day with 6am exercise.  We hold each other accountable.  We knock on the doors of sleepy team mates.  We leave little "congratulations" notes to mark another success.  At 8:30am, we pray for each other before we leave for school.  Part of our ministry here is learning to love each other, taking care of each other as we take care of our students.  Our American grandpa helps us take care of the house, he listens to our struggles with stubborn students, and forgives us when we're crabby.  He is a model of selflessness and humility for us to mimic.  Our Taiwanese coworker is a good roommate and we always share silly stories of the what our students have been up to and sometimes watch tv shows together.  I'm so blessed to have them, each one of them in this house.  It certainly is a beautiful place. 

It's necessary, because teaching is not without it's struggles.  Of course.  Any teacher will tell you that.

A teacher's work is never done, nor is a missionary's.  There is so much love and grace we want to give, but at the same time we must be disciplined in order to keep the high standards of the school and in order to keep our authority (students know that American teachers are a bit softer than Taiwanese teachers, and they're good at using it to their advantage!)  Most of the struggle is just classroom management.  When we struggle with that, we also struggle with feelings of failure.  But we must keep going, and we must keep loving in a firm way.  God gives us grace to not give up.

Spanish classes are my biggest struggle.  We have no textbooks, and no fund to buy them.  I did my best to construct a first semester curriculum for the students' to use, but I cannot do the job of a team of professionals.  I'm waiting to send my request to the administration for a Spanish textbook fund... if that doesn't happen, I'll be talking with Lutheran schools in America to see if they have any old textbooks that they can donate.  I am in prayer about this, as a solid Spanish program could be a real advantage for Concordia and keep its reputation as an elite school.

A few weeks ago we had a young person's confirmation at church, and next week a student is getting baptized.  I'll post some photos.  Praise God that He is the one who changes hearts!  We cannot do it, but His Word is powerful.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."  -- Ephesians 3:19-20

The weather is cooling, and I'm finally able to sit at my desk and walk to my class without sweating profusely.  Mango season is almost over, soon to be replaced with oranges in the marketplace.  Chinese classes are going well and I'm reading a second grade textbook right now (it's challenging enough!)  My colleague has been teaching me free of charge, which is a real Godsend, and so I always try to gift her with fruit or other food to show my appreciation (as is customary in Taiwan).  I'm resigned to the fact, however, that no matter how fluent my Chinese may become, I'll forever stick out in Asia with my blond hair!

Thank you so much for your encouragement and your prayers.  I love hearing from you all, via emails or facebook, and you are a joy to me in my ministry.  Remember that you are not alone in your faith-- along with you, millions of Christians from all over the world are setting their sights on eternity, renouncing this world and its ways, living lives of love and waiting for Christ to return as He promised.    You are not alone!

In Christ,

Anna Gruen




A letter that keeps me going...

New Year, New Goals

And so starts our first week of the new school year.  I'm happy to say that it's going well and I am excited about getting to know my kids.  I am teaching the same courses I taught last year, so everything will be a bit smoother and easier, now that I know what to expect.  I am glad to be here for two years; it was definitely worth the investment.  I hope to give more this year, grow more, teach better, love better, reach higher.

My goals this year:  

1.  I want to make Team Taiwan a priority.  I want to build stronger relationships with the other Americans, pray for them, help them when they need help, and take time to enjoy their company.  We are a team and the body of Christ.  Our relationships with each other set the tone for our relationships with others around us.  

2.  I want to clear our my schedule and make room for new ministry opportunities.  Last year tutoring filled my schedule.  This year I'm not doing that.  Instead, I'm starting with nothing but my teaching hours.  In a week or two, I will look at the different options and see where God is leading me to be involved-- in Friday Night Bible study, or an on-campus Bible study?  A music ministry?  A student prayer time?  We'll see, and I'm excited and open to being more intentional in sharing God's Word outside of class.  I'm learning that it's better to be fully-invested in leading a few ministries than be divided amongst all of them.

3.  Studying Chinese.  I want to actively make time to study the language, so that I can continually improve my understanding of the Taiwanese people and culture.  That is so important for missionaries and something I enjoy very much.

I hope that your Labor Day was relaxing and memorable!  For all the teachers and students out there, enjoy your new semester and work hard!  

"God sells us all things at the price of labor."  Leonardo da Vinci.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."  Colossians 3:23.

In Christ,

Anna 

A Whole New Year

It's amazing that I've been back in Taiwan for four weeks now.  Times flies and I have so much to say, so little time to write:

SUMMER IN THE STATES

God provided for all my financial needs through brothers and sisters in Christ in lightning-speed this summer!  My sincerest thanks, again, for providing me the opportunity to serve the people of Taiwan for another year!  But my time in the States went by so quickly--  and I wish there was more of it to spend with all of you.

SUMMER SCHOOL

The last four weeks have consisted of teaching summer school-- a light schedule, but difficult breaking in the new 7th grade students to the school's high expectations, and monotonous teaching the very basic English lessons we begin the year with.  I have one particularly wonderful class-- the students are all responsive and respectful-- and another particularly challenging class-- undisciplined and uncaring.  I am being stretched in my ability to manage a classroom, to discipline students, and to be patient.  So, thank God for new challenges!

THE PRACTICE HOTEL

Other than that, my role for the last couple of weeks has been helping organize and update the house we live in (which we have named the "practice hotel" because it used to be a hotel used by the school to teach hospitality courses to students).  Since missionaries come and go rather quickly here, the house was left outdated, cluttered, and in need of repair.  The school agreed to update some things for us, and we missionaries spent a lot of time cleaning, organizing, sorting and rearranging.  The girls in our house are all excited to have a new kitchen and washer/dryer.  It's so nice to have a comfortable house that looks fresh and clean.  The last couple years have been riddled with mice, fleas, and cockroaches.   As of right now, I think we're mice-free and I haven't seen any cockroaches in a while.  Needless to say, we are so blessed with what we have now!

NEW MISSIONARIES

We've also been busy helping new missionaries adapt to life in Taiwan.  Each new team member who comes is an investment, and it takes time to teach the ins and outs of what we do here.  Everything from how to order tea at a tea stand, to grocery shopping, to proper eating etiquette, to driving a motor scooter, to getting around the city, to learning necessary Chinese-- it all takes time and someone to show you how.  I really enjoy this aspect of team life, and I'm glad God is giving me so many opportunities to teach all the things that have been taught to me.  Every challenge that can inhibit people when they come to Taiwan can also be an equal sense of accomplishment once it's mastered.  The language barrier can be a huge struggle for newcomers, but it is such a joy once you can order your food by yourself in Chinese!  So we encourage each other by teaching each other.


That's all I have for now.  By Wednesday we'll have our full team and start to get a feel for team dynamics.  It's different every year, but always a HUGE blessing to have partners in ministry.  The fall semester starts in two weeks, so I'm hoping to do a little traveling the week in between summer school and the fall semester.  I'm hoping to learn more about the aboriginal cultures in Taiwan of which I am particularly passionate about learning.  I'll be sure to tell you all about it. :)


For all of those starting a new school year in the States.... have fun and God's blessings!  Enjoy every moment of it!  Learning is such a joy.  Praise God that we always have new things to learn every day.



In Christ,


Anna Gruen

Home!

I'm finally home!  It's so good to be back in the States and to see some old friends again.  First of all, thank you so much to all of you who made this last year in Taiwan possible.  I strove to teach the Gospel as best as I know how and it was coupled with constant prayer for my students.  Missionaries often do not see the fruit of their work right away, but I know for a fact that God works through Concordia Middle School in a powerful way.  It was an unforgettable experience and I have probably learned just as much as my students have.  Thank you.

I will be giving two more presentations while I'm home, one at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa, WI on July 14 at 9:30, and one at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Antioch, IL at 10:45.


I'll be home until July 25th when I will be going back to Taiwan to teach for another year.  The purpose of my return to America is to see family and friends but also to raise support.  Since more than enough funding was raised last year, my current need is only $5,425 for my next year in Taiwan.    Some missionaries have to raise $90,000 for a year of work, so I am very blessed!  Still, I can't do it by myself.  If you are interested in partnering with me in this mission or just want to read more about what we do, here's my LCMS webpage:


www.lcms.org/gruen


You can give directly online.  It should be fast and simple.  If there are any questions, please contact me at anna.gruen@cuw.edu .


"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."  1 Corinthians 15:58

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Galatians 6:9

Whatever ministry or service you find yourself called to, whether abroad or in the Midwest or another place, it's just as important!  The Lord has you there for a purpose, and your work is not in vain.


In Christ,

Anna Gruen

Bible Class

Yesterday was an exciting day full of Bible classes.  Not only did we have a controversial lesson about Faith vs. Science planned for that day, but I was also handing back papers to the students.  The papers were the students' questions about God given to me a while back, along with the carefully-worded answers I wrote to them.  There were questions of every kind:


"Is God a male or female?"   "How do we know Jesus created the world and not other gods?"   "How do we know the stories in the Bible actually happened?"   "Where can I find God?"  "How did Mary have a baby when she was a virgin?"   "Why should I believe in God?"   "Does God really answer my prayers?  Sometimes it seems like he doesn't." "How can Jesus be fully God and fully man?" and "Where does sin come from?"


My students are deep-thinkers, and they're at the age where they can process multi-faceted arguments such as these.  A simple, matter-of-fact statement will not suffice to answer all their questions.  So, I did my best to answer them, which usually took up an entire page of printed paper.  The students wrote the questions anonymously, so they could feel free to ask any question, and so I spread out the answers on the desks in the back and the students had to find their question and my response.  Students sat and read, or stood right where they found it and read.  Some students were deep in thought, others turned to their neighbor and began whispering and giggling, some were exchanging papers to read more.  Some students asked me more questions.  For answers that I answered according to the assumption that the Bible is the true Word of God, the most common question that came up was-- "but teacher, how do we know the Bible is true?" So we backed up even further.  (I'm starting to think we could use more apologetics in our Bible curriculum, showing the students historical data and evidence that the Bible is trustworthy and accurate... So much to tell them and so little time!)  If nothing else, the question activity that we did showed my students that:

1.  Their questions about God are valid and valuable.  They received a thought-out, academic answer to their questions (which I don't always have time to give them during Bible class... nor do they often ask thought-out, academic questions.)  Written conversation allows for more depth than verbal conversation during class.

2.  It's good to ask questions about God.  It's good to think, use our brains, and consult the Bible.  We can learn a lot by asking questions, rather than just blindly accepting what we are told.

3.  The Bible isn't just a matter of Western culture.  It's a matter of faith.  Do you believe it or not?  It changes your entire worldview.  Ultimately everything comes down to "what do you believe about Jesus?  Who do you say He is?"


As students read and thought with each other, I went around asking students, "does this make sense?  Do you understand?  What do you think?"  I asked one girl in my class who often comes to chat with me during lunch.  "Teacher, it's just opinion," she said.  My heart ached.  How can I get them to see?  I feel that I shouldn't push them anymore in this class; I already have made them uncomfortable many times by bringing them to the realization that these questions matter.  What they believe matters.  They know it's a matter of faith.  If I push too much, I'm afraid I will push them away.  Where is the line?  Share the Truth in love.  Wait patiently.  Pray.

All I could do was pray for my students, even hours after I returned from the office.

Sex Talk

I'm amazed at how many opportunities to influence my kids come up on a regular basis, and during non-Bible lessons.  In my Junior 3 writing classes (equivalent of 9th grade), all the students wrote a story.  I was surprised at how many students chose to write about a couple who was living together before they were married.  So I sat them down and we had a sex talk.  I asked them why they wrote about boyfriends and girlfriends living together, since it's not common in Taiwan, and we concluded that it was the influence of Western movies, music, and other media (or perhaps just pop culture).  I was able to tell them that just because it's in every American movie, it doesn't mean it's right, or even that every "modern" person lives like that.  We talked about what God says about sex and why He tells us that it's only for marriage.  The kids were open to talking about it and were able to give me good reasons why God gives us the rules He gives us.  I think it was important for them to see the difference between American culture and a life led by faith.  Many times, students think learning the Bible is just a "cultural" thing or that praying before class starts is learning "American culture".  But no, it's not a matter of culture, it's a matter of faith.  And suddenly, during our sex talk, the "Bible culture" that they've been learning at Concordia clashes with "popular Western culture", and they see that they have to make a judgment call based on some standard of morality.  It's not about culture anymore; it's about morals, values, and ethics.  I'm not hear to teach students about American culture; I'm here to teach them about the Truth of who God is, who we are, the condition of this fallen world and the hope we have through faith in Christ Jesus.  As a class, we were able to put culture aside and talk about right and wrong, using God's Word as the ultimate authority.  I pray that this is a good model for them to follow the rest of their life.  I pray that they know what we learn in class is more than just learning to appreciate a different culture.

Retreat!

We ran away last weekend.

Our spring retreat to Kenting in the southern tip of Taiwan was so refreshing.  It was a time to rest, play, think,  and pray.  It was a time to swim in the ocean and build sand castles.  We enjoyed the company of Team Taiwan, our boss Matt, and missionary from Thailand Dennis.  Matt and Dennis led us in devotions every day with the theme of "seeking God first".

group building activity on the beach

celebrating our friend Matt's birthday

devotion time and toasts for missionaries returning to America

praying together

Mark and his guitar

Matt, our fearless leader, preaches for us on Sunday morning

(credit goes to Graham G. for photos)

Dennis shared a message with us about Elijah running away from Queen Jezebel.  He was depressed and exhausted so much that he ran into the desert and fell asleep under a tree.  After a while some angels woke him up and told him to eat the cake that was by his head.  He went back to sleep until he was woken up again and told to eat, and then rolled over and slept again.  It seems like for a long while all Elijah did was eat and sleep.  Sometimes that's what we need, and God provides it.

Our retreat was well-timed.  Many of us, including me, were feeling burned out from constantly giving at school and church.  The retreat was a breath of fresh air that helped me to come back to the office on Monday ready to work, pray, and love my students.  I am so thankful God gives us rest when we need it.  I am thankful for the infinite ocean and open sky that reminds me how big God is.  I'm thankful for the shimmering waves of light on the water because it reminds me that God has His eye on the details, that He's intimately displaying His beauty everywhere in creation.  I'm especially thankful that the jellyfish that stung me wasn't poisonous, that my sunburn doesn't hurt too badly, and that we all came back 20 pounds heavier than when we left. :)

As you go about your work in America-- heading to the office or going to the classroom, booting up the computer or hopping in the car-- you can be confident that God will give you the rest you need right when you need it.

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  Matthew 6

In Christ,

Anna Gruen

Taroko and the story of Chi-Oang

The four of us left for Taroko, sleepy-eyed with a long journey ahead of us.  It hit me as we began our journey that this was actually happening, and it was strange: we were going to stay with aboriginal people in the mountains whom I had only met once.  But their generosity at my last visit and their story of coming to know Christ was something I couldn't forget, and their one request rang in my ears for three months:  "Please come back and teach English".  So there we were, four women with packed bags on the 7am bus out of Chiayi.

~*~

The small town of Taroko is located on the Truku reservation— people of Chinese descent cannot buy property there.  The Truku tribe, one of Taiwan’s 14 aboriginal peoples, were notorious for their head hunting less than a hundred years ago.  That all changed when a middle-aged woman named Chi-Oang went searching for the truth in the 1930s and found a church.  After studying the Bible for a year with the help of pastors and American missionaries, she was baptized and became the first Truku Christian.  When she returned to her people to share the good news of Jesus Christ, they received her message with joy and gladly turned to Jesus. 

But World War II under Japanese occupation was hard for the Trukus, and they had to hide Chi-Oang during the day so she would not be killed for spreading the Gospel.  At night, Chi-Oang taught the other Truku Christians God’s Word and led prayer hidden in the safety of a nearby cave.  The end of the war brought religious freedom, and when the American missionaries came back to Taiwan they found thousands of believers among the Truku tribe.

~*~    

My first trip to Taroko was a simple hiking trip that I made by myself last fall.  As I was walking through town, I saw a church with stained-glass windows.  I decided to check it out, and that’s when I met Pastor Kowsang and some of the Truku people.  They fed me and invited me back for church on Sunday.  That was when I first heard of Chi-Oang and the Truku Christians and the cave where they hid.  The church I had stumbled upon—or more accurately, the one God led me to— was the very first Truku church built-- Chi-Oang Memorial Church.

Last weekend, my three friends and I went back to Taroko to do a short English camp.  We stayed with pastor’s family and got to experience unbelievable Truku hospitality.  Friday during the day we hiked and prepared for our English clamp.  Saturday morning we led an English program for the elementary kids, about fifty in all.  On Saturday night we worshiped and prayed with the youth group and connected quickly with so many of them.  On Sunday, we led a song in church.  The little work we did that weekend didn’t feel like work at all.  We went to bless the church, but all of us returned having received more than we gave.

Praise God for his work!  In His Word, He promised that distant islands would see His Light and rejoice in Him.  “The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice!”  (Psalm 97:1)  I’m joyful to report that we have countless brothers and sisters in the farthest reaches of Taiwan.  God is Lord of all the earth, and His fame has spread beyond our understanding.  I am so blessed to have experienced this in an intimate way here in Taiwan.  Please pray for the Christians of Taroko, as they are ardently praying for us.

In Christ,

Anna 

Back to Taroko

Remember my post about the church in Taroko?  Well, tomorrow I'm headed back there with three American friends to teach English and serve the church there.


It's amazing to learn more about this tribe.... they were once notorious head hunters and fought viciously amongst themselves, and then against the Japanese when they arrived in 1895.  But when one small middle-aged Taroko woman ended her search for Truth at a presbyterian church, she became the first Christian from her people, and the tribe was forever changed.  Now, the majority of the 10,000 member tribe confess Jesus Christ as Lord.  It's my privilege to know them and to return to their church to do a small VBS / English camp program.  If I had stepped foot on their land a hundred years ago, the rational fear would be of losing my head; now, my fear is that I will leave more blessed than I am able to bless them.


Will write when we return!  We're off to Taroko!


In Christ,

Anna

Quake

Yesterday's earthquake was a nice segue way into my Bible lesson about Paul and Silas in prison.

Visitors

Our missionary house serves as a hub for other ministries and missionaries coming and going.  Right now we have a student teacher Molly from Concordia Wisconsin who is here for three months.  Also visiting this weekend is another student teacher Anna who is doing her internship at a Christian school in another city in Taiwan.  Long-term missionary, pastor, and professor Hank Rowold came from the seminary in Northern Taiwan to preach for us in our home and serve us communion.  Sitting in our living room around our coffee table where the bread and wine were waiting, I had a picture of Jesus in the upper room with his disciples sitting around a table, chatting and eating their Passover meal.  Our communion was a little unorthodox in that we gave each other communion one by one, handing them the wafer saying, "Emily, the body of Christ for you," and "Michael, the body of Christ for you", and the same as we passed the cup.  It was very personal.  During Hank's lesson, I found myself leaning in close to hear every word.  Even as teachers and missionaries, we still crave being taught. And it's such a treat to be able to sit and listen to someone else do the teaching and encouraging.


Our visitors Molly, Anna, and Hank remind me that it's so refreshing to have visitors here.  Now Anna's gone back to her city to teach and Hank is returning back to the seminary.  As I show Molly the ropes and introduce her to different things, it's kind of funny to remember that that was me only a year ago!  It makes me realize how much I've learned.  I'm looking forward to working with Molly in my Spanish classes and to learn from each other.


All in all, our house is full right now and that makes us pretty happy campers.  Thank you, God, for bringing more people to Taiwan!

Sick

Most of the time I love my life in Taiwan.  I am living in the moment, with my mind on my job here and now, and not in some far-off stretches of the past or distant dream in the future.

But when I do think of home, when I talk to friends and family, I get so homesick.  I can taste snow on my tongue, feel the touch of my bed's flannel sheets, inhale the familiar scents of dryer sheets and stew.  I have snapshots in my mind of my mom's summer flowers and dad's English cap and our freshly-mowed lawn.  I remember old jokes with friends and evening strolls and games with family.  Home has always been a transcendent place for me, even magical.  This is by far the longest I have ever been away, and it's hard.

But I am not overwhelmed by the challenge; I am encouraged.  I am thankful to be here in Taiwan and to have the job that I have.  I am thankful to have such a wonderful home.  I am thankful that our eternal home is in heaven-- endless, perfect, face-to-face with God.

If anyone reading this is sick for home or missing a time long past or longing for familiar faces, know that you are not alone.  Don't let it distract you.  Keep on running towards your goal.  Be thankful for the time that you have.  Be prayerful and watchful as God prepares you for your eternal home.

Dear Dad and Mom,

Thank you for making our home a beautiful, beautiful one.  I can't wait to come home!

But first... we have three more months full of days full of moments full of opportunities to take.

加油!  Fuel up and keep going!  Let's go!


Love,

Anna

Let's Pray

In my writing classes, my students are working on composing short stories, so today was a free work day.  Usually I start class with prayer, but today I didn't.  I started giving announcements and directions, and one of my students raised her hand and said, "teacher!  we didn't pray!"

"Oh!  Well.... would you like for us to pray?"  I admit I sounded a bit incredulous.

I saw several heads nodding and heard an "uh YEAH."  I'm pretty sure I beamed at those kids.


Thank you, Lord, for my students.  Thank you for how you work in our hearts little by little.  Please let our daily class prayer teach them how to talk with you as children talk with their Father.

Thankful

Today I'm thankful for: maple syrup, English radio, baseball games.

I had fun with the 6th grade boy I tutored today.  He comes from a good Christian family, but I was never really sure what he believed personally.  He's a smart kid, but his English level is fairly low.  He used to come in and sit down and not say much, only answering my questions with a mumbled yes or no.  But after praying and brainstorming about how to connect with him, I had some ideas.  I remembered that he liked science, so I gave him a picture of the universe and asked him to explain.  He was flabbergasted when I first pretended to know nothing about the universe, but then he vigorously started explaining to me how the universe works, using circumlocution around the big English words he didn't know (like revolution and gravity).  I'd never heard him speak so much!  Since then I've given him pictures of the water cycle, a volcano, a plant diagram, and he always amazes me with how much he talks and what giant concepts he's able to convey.  That also broke the ice.  Today we laughed a lot, and now he even speaks freely with things unrelated to the science pictures.  

In our conversation today he mentioned how the parades in Taiwan are bad.  "Why?" I asked.  He said a Chinese word that I didn't understand.  After thinking about how to explain it, he said, "When we die, we go to God.  He is in heaven.  There is another place, with Shadan." 

    "Oh yeah, Satan,"  I caught on.

     "Yes.  And Satan is in the Chinese parade.  I don't like."

     "Yes, I agree.  Those gods are not real, right?  They are made of wood.  They cannot do anything."

     "Yeah,"  my student laughed.

     "I am so glad that our God is strong.  He can do everything!"

      "Yeah,"  he laughed again.

It was a simple conversation that ended there, but I was glad to hear my student confess his faith in the true, uncreated God with childlike simplicity.  I am glad the Christians in Taiwan are raising their children in the knowledge of the God's Word and how we should interpret our world through God's Word.

Yeah, it was a good day.

Did I make a difference today?  Am I making any impact at all?

Doubts buzz around my head.  My to-do list seems lengthier than my will, and I can't seem to scratch anything off it anymore than one can scratch out air.  As the midnight clock splits the emptiness with each thunderous tick, my own mortality knocks on my cranium, refusing to be forgotten.  My time, my days, my every breath is an investment from my Heavenly Father.  Will I bury it in the dirt, refusing to draw interest?  Will I while away the time until the end, wondering where it's gone and wondering where I missed my chance to make a difference?  Or will I hear at the end of my days a "well done, good and faithful servant"?  Stepping off the plane and onto the mission field is not a guarantee that I will make a difference; it's only the first step.  It's the daily walk with God that bears the fruit, one day at a time, one step at a time.

We are not called to be wielders of a shoulder-shrugging faith.  Through the Holy Spirit and by the blood of Jesus we are born again with authority to be radical, transformed, set apart from the world, to be people of integrity.  We are empowered to stand firm in a shaking world, to pray for our enemies, to protect the helpless, to be thankful in the midst of trials, to be joyful in the face of death.  God does great things in us, his children.

Are we making a difference?  With the Holy Spirit of Yahweh living inside of us, how can we not?  But we may not see the impact we have.  If you are like me, wondering if your walk with God is making a difference in the world, take these words from Mother Teresa as encouragement:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

All my zealous endeavors and idealistic inspiration falls flat before the cross.  Savior, the measure of my strength lies between your outstretched hands.  Christ has already made all the difference.

Six months

I've been in Taiwan for 6 months now.  I look around church and see all the faces that I know.  Six months ago many were strangers; now they are familiar and friendly and full of care.  It's funny how comfortable one can become in another country.  I wish everyone had an opportunity to experience life as an expat, to have that free-falling feeling of being detached from everything you knew back home.  You start as a stranger, and leave as a friend, and find yourself free-falling again.  It will be hard to leave Taiwan for good, whenever that time may be.

I've been really busy since the second semester started.  I have a full teaching schedule with overtime hours, tutoring on top of it, not to mention Bible studies and outreach programs.  I think I need to cut down on tutoring, but it's hard to choose which students to keep and which to let go.  I want to be a blessing for all of them.  I'm praying for wisdom on how to balance my schedule.  I also pray that God would have me where he wants me, connecting with the right people to make the most impact during my time here.

My first semester I thought my biggest job here was to teach the contents of the Bible with the word of my mouth.  It's true, this is important.  But the more I live here and experience ministry, the more I realize that the way you live your life can sometimes effect people more than what comes out of your mouth.  We always say "a picture's worth a thousand words" and "preach the Gospel; when necessary, use words".   I've always known these things, but now I'm seeing it happen and learning the practical application of this.

Things like this:

Being eager to work with and help a troublesome student.  Loving people that make my life difficult.  Being patient as someone repeats to you what you already know.  Washing dirty dishes that aren't mine and not complaining.  Enthusiastically offering to do a task at school that no one else wants to do.  Being willing to meet with students during lunchtime and breaks.  When complimented, giving the glory to God.  Being thankful and joyful in all circumstances.  Not cutting shortcuts in honesty.  Keeping a rein on your tongue and never speaking badly of people.  Always being encouraging, serving, forgiving, loving.  In your freedom, choosing to be a slave.  Making people wonder why you live such a radical life.  Making people wonder what kind of God you serve.

The mission of a missionary.

"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible."  1 Corinthians 9

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  John 13:35

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."  1 John 3:18

The Story of Taroko

When I heard we had a four day weekend coming up, I did what any lover of adventure does:  I planned a trip.

My destination was Taroko Gorge National Park on the northeastern coast of Taiwan: it's about as far away from Chiayi as you can get on the island.  As soon as my grading was finished for the semester and turned into the Department of Student Records, I hopped on the train solo with a backpack full of long sleeves, hiking shoes, some good music, and a Chinese/English Bible.  What else does a girl need for a weekend in the mountains?

Whereas the mountain range running down the spine of Taiwan is green and rolling, Taroko is the most rugged place I've seen in Taiwan yet, with jagged cliffs and slopes of scree landing in the renown gorge that cuts deep through the mountains.   My hostel was in the town of Taroko.  It's about a mile's length from the sea and just at the mouth of the gorge where the river is still wide and shallow.

On my way to find some supper that first night, I spotted a church on the hill across from the convenience store.  It had stain-glass windows, and that's what drew me-- I hadn't seen stain glass anywhere in my nine months in Taiwan.  It was getting dark as I walked up to the church.  Some people were barbecuing and saw me admiring the building.  A little girl came to me, and when I told her I wanted to look at the church, she ran and got the pastor, who led me to the door, unlocked it, and handed me the keys.  I sat for a while, enjoying the solitude.  Bible verses in Chinese characters and another language I didn't recognize were displayed in the front of the sanctuary.  It was refreshing to sit in a church, to just sit and think and pray. I was reminded of my college days at Concordia, when the chapel was always open and available for quiet reflection.  I went there often, alone or with friends.  It's a resource I'm grateful for to this day, and wish I still had.

After I gave the keys back to the pastor and thanked the little girl named May, her family invited me to sit down and eat with them.  So I joined them and we communicated despite my broken Chinese (and I ate some of the best barbecue I've ever had).  I discovered I was dining with Taroko people, one of the fourteen aboriginal tribes that exist in Taiwan today.  They spoke Chinese as a second language, but Taroko (sometimes called Truku) was their native tongue.  They all were members of that church and were delighted when I told them that my dad is a pastor in America.  They asked me to stay with them and I was even handed house keys (!), but they understood when I told them I had already paid for a hostel.  After a very pleasant time with them, I was on my way again, and since I didn't need to scrounge around for food at 7-11 anymore, I headed back to the hostel to get some sleep.

The next day, Saturday, was a day full of hiking, basking in the mountain sunshine, meeting other travelers, and talking with God as I was awed by His majesty displayed in His creation.  Other than church and Christian fellowship, nothing refreshes my spirit more than being alone with God in nature. It was a beautiful time for reflection and gratitude.

Sunday morning I walked up to the church again.  I could have very well been the first foreigner to step foot in that church (in years, or ever, I didn't know), and I felt the familiar heat of all eyes probing me as I walked up those stairs.  But people responded to me with smiles and warm wishes of "pin an", "peace to you", and I mirrored their openness to show that I was comfortable with them.  The little girl May was excited to see me there, and I recognized some of her family from Friday night's barbecue.  I sat down in the back, but soon found out that's where the elderly sit (I guess even in rural Taiwan, people have "assigned pews"!).  The pastor's wife brought me to the front where she could translate for me.  Her jaw and cheekbones were sharp, announcing her aboriginal blood.  During the service, I couldn't help but look behind at me at the church:  it was packed, with no empty seats, young and old represented, both Han Chinese people and Taroko people sitting side by side.  I listened to the deaconess read the Scripture readings in the clumpy consonants of the Taroko language and then the steady marching syllables of Chinese.  The passage was from 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, and I read along in my English Bible.  I watched pastor's wife Niyu Niyu follow the liturgy in her Taroko/Chinese hymnal.  I felt the traditional song the children sang permeate every corner of that building, leaving nothing untouched.  I cried for the beauty of it.  I was hardly ashamed, and I don't think Niyu Niyu judged me at all as she handed me tissues.

On my way in, I had read a plaque written in three languages at the entrance.  This church, called Chioang Memorial Church, had a very special story behind it.  The very first Taroko Christian was a 58-year old woman who walked up the steps of a presbyterian church searching for Truth in the 1930s.  That woman, named Chioang, was baptized a year later with the help of pastoral leadership and guidance.  After two years studying the Bible, she returned to her people and fervently shared with them the truth she had found in Christ.  Many Taroko people received her message with joy.  Even during WWII when the Japanese persecuted the Christians of the village, they hid her under sacks of rice or in backpacks on their back during the day.  The end of WWII and the cessation of Japanese occupation in Taiwan brought religious freedom to the island, and the number of Taroko Christians rapidly grew to be in the thousands.  Today, churches speckle the mountain's slopes, and their graveyards are decorated with crosses and angels, not dragons and gods.

After the church service (2 hours long, and Niyu Niyu translated everything for me), the pastor's family drove me to the train station, even though I told them I had planned to take a bus.  They fed me, wouldn't let me pay, and even bought me a bag of Taiwanese delicacies to take back to Chiayi with me.  I've been saying that you cannot outdo Taiwanese hospitality, and the Taroko are no exception!  One thing they did ask of me:  to come back and teach their children English.  In my heart I determined to honor their request if at all possible.  I will find a time to return to Taroko, even if just for a weekend, to lead some English activities and do what I can.  How could I refuse?  Sometimes I wonder how I can possibly be as much of a blessing to the people here as they are to me.  Either way, God be praised!

It's funny to think that I have more in common with these strangers than so many people from my own country.  There is a connection that goes deeper than culture and language, it's the bond of faith and brotherhood in the Lord, being part of something larger than ourselves-- the body and bride of Christ.  I was at home there.  I cannot express the encouragement I felt to see the culture without the idolatry, their respect of nature without the fear of it, their honor for parents without the worship of them, their hospitality and good deeds without the motivation of earning good karma.  I cannot express how beautiful it was hearing the Word of God in their language.  I cannot express how hopeful even those graveyards appeared to me.  There it was: their own traditional culture, the same one they've passed along from generation to generation that is unique from any other tribe, and yet transformed by the knowledge of a cross and an empty tomb two thousand years ago.  Obviously, no society is perfect and there will always be sin in human culture until we go to heaven.  But it gave me hope to see that all things are possible, that God is still doing miracles to change entire nations, even starting movements with one man or one woman-- like Chioang-- who is hungry for truth.
I saw many things that weekend in Taroko, climbed many mountains, read several stories, and met interesting people.  There was a Frenchman who left all but his name in Paris to travel the world by bicycle.  There was the Czech lawyer who worked in the European Union for some time, and the New Zealander who climbed the Himalayas.  There are many stories I could tell from Taroko, but the story I am bound to tell, the story I am indebted to share, is how a loving God changed a woman, how that woman changed a nation, and how that nation changed me.