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