Participants Needed: 6
Mission Length: July 1 - 24, 2008
Serve Asia Training: June 27-29, 2008
Serve Asia Debrief: Upon return to Canada
Particulars: Currently, OMF is working in teams in a few centres in Taiwan using chronological Bible story telling in Mandarin and Taiwanese. Wanhua is a socially needy area with many dysfunctional families and is mostly a working class area. OMFers work there to make contacts with youth through the schools, giving counsel, homework help and visiting the families of these young people.
Setting: Taiwan, previously known as Formosa, has a population of 22.5 million and is claimed by mainland China as a province. Despite its tiny size, Taiwan's industrial output supplies much of the world's computer parts. Taiwan lies 144km off the south eastern coast of China. It is only 360km long, but has a lofty mountain range reaching 3997m and broad, fertile plains. Taiwanese people follow a mixture of animism, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. There is a strong emphasis on ancestor worship, though it is a secular state with freedom of religion. Mandarin is the official language for education but Taiwanese (Hokkien Chinese) is very popular. Taiwan is the only major Chinese society where there has not been significant church growth in this generation.
Mission: Our OMF community in Taiwan works specifically with the working class individuals. With such a focused mission, your ministry as a Serve Asia worker will fit right into their paradigm of establishing a Church planting movement amongst the 15 million working class Taiwanese people.
Method: You will leaving for Taiwan following your Serve Asia Training and fly to Taipei, Taiwan. You will spend a few days in orientation to language and culture. The team will join the ministry to youth in Wanhua. They will plan and lead activities for an elementary school and basic English conversation classes in a low-income housing estate. The older Chinese speakers will make contact with the parents and grandparents who come along with the kids to the classes. There will be time to play sport and hang out with teenagers in the local area. The team will debrief in a scenic location after their ministry time.
Debrief: The Serve Asia Debriefing will explore your personal experience in Taiwan as well as give you the opportunity to share with others who have returned from similar encounters during their time with Serve Asia. You will receive helpful material to guide you through the reentry process. Hopefully, all this is just the beginning to the adventures God has for you in years to come.
Estimated Cost: $3500CAD; this cost covers airfare from Toronto to Taipei, accommodation and living allowance while in Taiwan plus the Serve Asia training, orientation and debriefing. Visas, immunizations, domestic travel to and from the training in Toronto and any other costs should be covered by the Serve Asia worker personally. The cost quoted is estimated and may change due to flight prices at the time of your mission trip.
Requirements: Must be 18 years or older. Complete all the Serve Asia Application prerequisites. Flexibility required. Meet the financial commitments of the program prior to departure. Attend and fulfill the requirements of Serve Asia Training and Debrief as part of this experience.
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