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March 2010

CHURCH PLANTING

Donggang

Many people have been hearing Bible stories from Christine Dillon in the last few months. Two couples, the Gaos and the Lins (roadside vendors) should complete the first set (Bible overview) this month. Pray that some will come to new life soon. Many struggle with fear of rejection and ridicule if they become Christians.

At the end of the month a short-term team from Sydney Missionary & Bible College will come for 5 days. Pray they will be challenged and also used to spread the good news further. Christine hopes they will be able to do an open-air drama of Genesis 1-3. Pray that people with seeking hearts will be found.

Wanhua

God has continued to work through prayers for Ms Ang, Charissa Mak's Taiwanese teacher. Praise God for her understanding of Bible stories, and opportunities to discuss her questions about a relationship with God. As Charissa's classes finish, pray that Ms Ang will continue to seek God, and that God will bring other Christians into her life.

Charissa praises God for opportunities to spend time with local friends over Chinese New Year. Pray for deepening friendships and spiritual openness. March will be a busy month for Charissa, and she requests prayer for wisdom in all she needs to do.

Tim Ho & Charissa had opportunities to connect with the Chen and Tsai families through restaurant visits and park outreach. Tim hopes to go over a seeker workbook with Mr. Chen and Mr. Tsai. Pray they would have open hearts and minds to consider the claims of the gospel.

Pray the team will be able to use Bible Storying to sow God's word widely in Wanhua. Teo Sin-Ee asks prayer that her Taiwanese will improve so she can use it more for storying. May the Lord give her wisdom and courage to seize every opportunity.

Shopworkers Church

Elisabeth Weinmann is planning an outing for shopworkers on the 18th March. They often work more than 10 hours a day. An outing is a good opportunity to come out, enjoy nature, meet new friends and to hear the gospel. Pray that seekers and some new friends will come along to the outing.

Several coworkers meet regularly with seekers for one-to-one Bible study. Pray Shin Feng (a man), Huei Ying, Huang Ying, Wei Wei, Mrs Deng, Mei, Siau and Shin Yi all find the Lord and are willing to be baptized.

URBAN MARGINALIZED MINISTRY

Sin-Ee & Ina van der Schyff ask prayer for an open door to visit Longtan Women's Prison every Friday (instead of every other Friday).
Thank God for the ladies who come for English class at the Pearl Family Garden. Please pray that Sin-Ee will be able to prepare interesting lessons that will encourage them to keep learning.
Taoyuan Reformatory

Patrick was released Jan. 28. He has his next court hearing on March 11. As he lives in the Fumin housing estate, he is in the midst of gangs and other negative influences. So far Margret Zingg has not seen any evidence of a life recommitted to the Lord. She would like to meet with him regularly but he always seams to be busy but, doing what?

At the Reformatory Parents Day last month, Margret met the 18 year-old Juching (= Lord’s Book). He is an orphan from an aboriginal family. He calls himself a Christian, but is not sure if Christ lives in his heart. Pray they have more opportunities to talk and that God’s Spirit would soon testify with Juching’s spirit, that he is a child of God.

Over Chinese New Year, Margret visited Dinggang (17), who was released last year. He works 9–12 hours and had only one day off over the New Year. He would like to go back to school and his great dream is to go to Bible School one day. He comes from a traditional Buddhist/Taoist family. When I asked him, what we could do for him, he answered: just pray.

It is still not possible to resume the monthly church service in the reformatory. They said, “perhaps in April”. Please keep praying!

YOUTH & STUDENT MINISTRIES

Melanie Bister gives thanks for the student winter vacation Bible camp, the students who were able to learn more about Christianity and the new Christians who came for the first time. Kerry, a young Christian from the Taipei Business School, has expressed a desire to start reading the Bible together with Melanie. Pray they can find a suitable time and for the ability to communicate well in Chinese.

March 1-12, Melanie will attend the Pre-Home Assignment Workshop in Thailand. Pray this will be a productive time and really help her start to prepare material to use on HA (July 2010 – June 2011). Pray too that the Lord will also guide in the practical aspects of HA preparation, e.g. a place to live. She is thankful that she passed her language assessment.

A new semester has started and Beate Harr needs two new co-workers for the Hot Music Club and two helpers for the Smart Goals Club. May God provide co-workers who are willing to continue with this ministry after Beate goes on HA. It is not easy to find co-workers for Social Clubs because the classes are in the mornings or afternoons when students who could help are at school and others are at work.

They need wisdom to know how to keep working with these mainly working class young people. Besides their studies they have many problems (personal, relationship, family, finances, addictions). Many of them can't go to a church as they need to work or to help in their family businesses. How can they be followed up after school in order to have more spiritual input into their lives? There is so much to do for these 1000s of young people, but the resources are so limited.

Veronika Rieben asks pray for good and creative ideas as the team plans the programs for this semester’s (March-June) Wanhua kids club, youth club and English tutoring. Pray for guidance for the ministry teams as they solidify plans. Pray they will build good relationships with the students and that they'll open their hearts for Jesus. Pray especially for faithful language and ministry preparations for Tim Ho as he joins the kids & youth activities.

Chinese New Year is over and universities all started the spring/summer term on Monday Feb. 22. This term Angela Symonds will be leading a 6 week course on worldviews and postmodernism, and Bible studies on 1 Corinthians. In the middle of the term there will be a Taichung evangelistic weekend in May. The triennial Youth Missions conference will be in July, followed by a Village Gospel mission team. Currently the students are inviting speakers and planning this term's program.

CHURCH & LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Anne Alexander is rejoicing in many challenges and relational pleasures, including a visit from her 'little' sister and family, leading a Sunday School class, a Bible story class, occasional worship leading & preaching, paper deadlines and planning the fall StorySeed workshop. In answer to prayer, permission has been granted to pursue non-profit status for StorySeed to promote Bible storytelling!

In February Paul Buttrey and local co-facilitators led two sessions of the Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills training workshop for Taiwan Christian leaders and seminary students. The response of the participants has been very positive. It is clear that this workshop meets a felt need among Taiwan’s Christian workers. This spring they will be interacting with Taiwan seminaries about sponsoring it on a more regular basis as an extension course for pastors and Christian workers. May this kind of training become a significant resource for the ministry of the Taiwan church.

Clara Cheng will repeat teaching the Spiritual Formation course next semester to the new students entering this semester. The decision was made just 2 days before she left for Hong Kong and the class will be held on the first day back at seminary. This day is also full of appointments. May the Lord help her to conduct the class and get to know the students. In March she will prepare a course, Introduction to Cross-Cultural Missions, to co-teach with another professor. She has not taught this course before so pray for good preparations.

The first ever Banner Church Global School of Mission Program begins in mid March. It will be a small start with four students registered. Andy Wilson will be teaching/facilitating courses on “Cross cultural life and work” and “Creative Pioneering”. Andy & Mei-ling will also be mentoring/tutoring the students.

LANGUAGE STUDY

Steve & Susana Gribble have been in Taiwan now for 1 year! As they look back over the year they realize how graciously God has provided. They give thanks for local friends and neighbors who have welcomed them; for opportunities for mutual encouragement with them; for friends and supporters back home who have journeyed with them; for daily sustenance and grace. They also give thanks that Steve has a new language exchange partner to practice with each week. He & his teachers have adjusted to each other. Pray that his fluency will continue to improve. Give thanks that Susana did well in her recent language assessment and pray her vocabulary will continue to expand. They have also been given some ideas from field council of the likely ministry placement after full-time language study. Pray for clear direction and guidance.

Allan & Bronwyn Lihou praise God for a good New Year break. They had time to review and practice language, the boys could relax and Johanna worked hard on Australian high school subjects. Pray they can deepen relationships with Taiwanese contacts. Pray for perseverance and courage with language, especially that they will not be discouraged as they feel unable to understand much at church. Pray for son Tim as he begins university in Sydney and settles into a new routine. Praise God he is living at the Terraces (church housing).

Stephen & Megan Noble praise God that the OMF KOFFEE KLUB is going well! They rotate Friday nights, Saturday nights and Saturday afternoons in order to accommodate as many of the children and families as possible. Continue to pray for Stephen’s language learning and for him to find a language helper. Megan loves her job in the Morrison library and praises God for wonderful colleagues. Her Masters study will commence this month so pray especially for time management. Pray the children’s weekly private language lesson will be fruitful. Praise for good health and for the children’s great teachers. There are concerns for Faith’s academic progress, pray for wisdom from the school as they apply strategies to help her.

HOME ASSIGNMENT

Chi Pin-Hoon thanks God that her classes on How to lead Bible studies and Proverbs are going on well. Members are keen in learning. Apart from spending time with family, she is trying to spend some time with these students to help them apply Scriptures to their lives. May the Lord continue to draw them to Himself and live authentic Christian lives. Thank you for praying for her sermon on 7th Feb. She spoke on John 15:1-11 on bearing fruits for the glory of God. (The church theme this year.) May the Lord continue to speak this truth to the church.

Pin Hoon will return to Taiwan on 9th March and will teach 2 courses, Deuteronomy and OT Survey, in mid March. Pray for her as she says goodbye to family, church and friends. It has never been easy to do so. Pray too for journey mercies.

OTHER MATTERS

Field Council will be meeting from March 8-10. Pray for wisdom as they discuss matters of field policy, placement of missionaries and spend time together in prayer and planning for future ministry.