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  Since missionaries come and go rather quickly here, the house was left outdated, cluttered, and in need of repair.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