First Week!

We been living in our new home for one week. We are still unpacking. We are still purchasing some needed items. But, we have a place to sit and a place to sleep. And, we have food! We are blessed!

Thank-you so very much for praying for us during our transition.

Praise and Prayer

• The new school year begins today (August 31) for students attending public school in Taiwan. Please pray for the safety of the students and that God will provide opportunities for the churches to have freedom to share the gospel with students and their families.
• August 13 to September 10 is the annual ghost month in Taiwan. Activities will be curtailed by many superstitious beliefs. There will be many ceremonies asking the unseen spirits for protection. Please pray for Christians to rely on God for peace and to be a testimony for Christ to those around them.

Internet Delay!

We were delayed writing this update because we did not have a proper internet connection. It took some research, and time to work out the wrinkles, but we now have an internet plan that is suitable for our needs.

That delay has made us even more thankful for the opportunity to connect with you.

Moving

We were blessed to have excellent help to move furniture to our apartment. There were moments of laughter and a feast of pizza after the work was done.  Thanks to those who prayed (we had good weather and sufficient help), those who helped lift the heavier items, and those who provided food.

Praise and Prayer

• This week, in addition to more unpacking, we will be preparing to share at North Richmond Alliance Church on Sunday. Please pray for us as we juggle many competing time demands.
• August 13 to September 10 is the annual ghost month in Taiwan. Activities will be curtailed by many superstitious beliefs. There will be many ceremonies asking the unseen spirits for protection. Please pray for Christians to rely on God for peace and to be a testimony for Christ to those around them.

Good news!

We have signed a lease and will move into an apartment starting later this week. We will live on Church Street in Abbotsford. If you need our address, please private message us and we will be glad to share with you.

We appreciate the generosity and hospitality of some Abbotsford believers who are permitting us to stay in their homes.

Trip to Greater Toronto

The suitcases will not be idle for long. We are planning a trip to Toronto to visit some people who have prayed for us for many years. We will be in Toronto September 14-18. We still have some time slots available if you would like to connect with us while we are there. Please message us if you want to visit with us while we are in Toronto area.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that the summer camp was a great experience for the students. Please pray that the students will desire to continue to follow Jesus.
• Please pray that those doing the follow-up with families of students will have wisdom to find best ways to build relationships that will lead to spiritual conversations.
• Please pray for safety as we move this week. We will need God to provide additional strength and stamina to accomplish everything.

Welcomed!

Pictured is part of the group who welcomed our arrival in Vancouver.

Yes, we made it!

We are thankful:

• for Allen, our intern pastor, who drove us to the airport. Even torrential rain for a few minutes did not prevent us from leaving Taiwan.
• for those that met us at the airport and ate dinner with us. We felt loved that they came to say good-bye.
• for the airline service that safely brought us and our luggage to our destination.
• for the sister in Christ who has opened her home and is hosting us with lavish hospitality.
• for a couple who have generously loaned us a car to use until we purchase our own.
• for the chance to see relatives and friends. Hugs. Sharing stories. Praying together.
• for the opportunity to worship with the Heritage Alliance Church family on July 19.
• for much more!

Thank-you for praying for us as we move back to Canada. We are still looking at possible housing and talking to landlords. We hope to have a plan in place before we leave on a trip to Alberta on Friday.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for God to direct us to the right housing situation, one that will be a haven for us and will be a place of peace to others who enter.
• Please pray for our bodies to continue to adjust to the time change.
• Please pray that God will direct us to a quality used car for use after our relocation to  Canada.
• Please pray for refreshment as we take some vacation days to re-energize. We also want to spend time with family members.

Calm after the Storm

Typhoon Bavi approached and blew by. It veered northward so that the most powerful part of the storm did not make landfall in Taiwan. Local governments cancelled work and classes on Saturday in order to keep residents safe.

The north and the northeast areas of Taiwan still experienced high winds and torrential rains. Local flooding, landslides, and other conditions made it necessary to evacuate about 14 thousand people.

Although it is the largest storm in many years, Taiwan was spared the tragic losses of some other nearby nations. We are thankful that here are no typhoon-related deaths reported in Taiwan. 87 people were injured–falling off scooters or bicycles in the storm, etc. An additional 26 were injured while preparing to fend off the storm.

Agricultural losses will be extensive. The Spring monsoon rains and the typhoon have pushed the price of fresh vegetables up to about seven times the normal amount.

The storm was not as intense where we live. We were able to arrange to move the remaining furnishings out of our house prior to the storm. (We are able to use borrowed folding tables and chairs. And we kept our bed to sleep in.)

Praise God with us that He directed our decision-making so that everyone remained safe and we were able to accomplish the needed tasks.

Praise and Prayer

• These days are busy with saying good-byes. Please pray for God to help us communicate His love to those we meet in the last two days.
• Thank-you for praying for safe travel and a speedy adjustment to the 15 hour time difference.
• Please pray that God will direct us to a quality used car for use after our relocation to  Canada.
• Please pray for special memory-making moments as we reunite with family members. We plan to travel to see different family members during our first weeks in Canada.

Unexpected News

The text arrived on July 3. It was one that we had been hoping would not come. The “National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction” (NCDR) sent the message warning that a typhoon was developing. It is still a long way from Taiwan, but it is headed our direction. It will perhaps begin to affect Taiwan weather on July 9.

Typhoon weather conditions will not be good for moving the last few loads of items from our home. So, we will perhaps be asking people to come a day or two earlier than originally planned.

Usually we prepare for typhoons by purchasing additional food, storing drinking water, etc. That is not something we want to do just a few days before our departure from Taiwan. We do not want additional “survival supplies” on hand.

Typhoons can also interrupt airline schedules. This could be a concern if the typhoon moves more slowly than predicted and arrives closer to our July 14 departure date.

We believe that God is sovereign! He can reroute the storm. He can calm the storm. He can extend grace while experiencing the storm. We trust Him to work things our for the very best!

Please pray with us that God will direct our decision-making so that everyone remains safe and we are able to accomplish the needed tasks before departure.

Praise and Prayer

• Church members from Alliance churches around Taiwan are attending the July 5-7 Annual Holistic Growth Retreat. Rev. Felix Wang will be speaking about Divine Healing. There are also retreats for the children and youth that run simultaneously. Pastor Joshua is one of the speakers at this year’s youth retreat.
• Praise the Lord that Albert and Elaine Lu have returned to Taiwan and have found a house to rent in Taichung City.

Heavy Rains

Taiwan has had heavy rain as Tropical storm Mikkhala passed by the island. Flooding and wet weather conditions resulted in cancelled work and classes in some areas. There have been two reported deaths and widespread crop damage.

Although the area where we live did see some rain, we are OK. Like most homes, ours has developed some leaks, but there is no serious damage.

Needed

We will arrive in Abbotsford on the evening of July 14. We need to borrow a car for one week. If you know of a car that we can use, please let us know or contact the Heritage Alliance Church office.

We are also looking for housing in the Abbotsford area. If you know of a 2-bedroom apartment or a small house that is available for rent starting in July (or August at the latest), please pass the information along to us.

We appreciate any help that you can provide.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord! More progress has been made with sorting and packing.
• Praise the Lord that Albert and Elaine Lu will return to Taiwan this week. Please pray for their transition and that God wlll help them find suitable housing in Taichung City.

FuHsing Elementary School

We were invited to attend the June 18 graduation ceremony at FuHsing Elementary School. It was a wonderful opportunity to say farewell to the teachers and students.

They made a special presentation thanking us for our 14 years of volunteer work at the school. And, the whole school joined us for a photo.

We have special memories of teaching English, attending events, and holding camps at this school. We thank each one who has prayed for this community service ministry and want to express appreciation to those who came to be leaders at one of the camps.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that we are making progress in sorting, packing, and disposing of household items. The impromptu visits that provide an opportunity to spend time with friends are extra special serendipities.
• Tropical storm Mikkhala is headed towards Taiwan. It is likely that Taiwan will receive some wind and rain from the storm on Thursday. Please pray for safety for all of Taiwan’s residents.

Baozhong Day

Friday, June 19, is the annual Dragonboat Festival. The day has an additional importance to our town. It is “Baozhong Day!”

One of the foods that is traditionally eaten on the Dragonboat Festival is a dumpling called a “zongzi.” it is a dumpling made from sticky rice and a variety of other fillings. It is wrapped and cooked in bamboo leaves.

In Chinese, to wrap zongzi is to “bao zongzi.” (the z has a sound similar to the English letter z.)

The pronunciation is similar to the name of our town: “Bao-Zhong.” (the zh has a sound similar to the English letter j.)

Therefore, it is time for a big party. The atmosphere will be similar to a county fair. Events are planned throughout the day, including flower-drum dancing and a special evening program. The sign in the photo is a warning to drivers to be careful during the morning “Town Walk.”

We anticipate that this will be our final time to witness the Baozhong community celebrations.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord that we were able to apply for an extension to our resident certificates. And, we were told that we can apply for our exit permits when we pick up our updated documents on June 24. We will not need to make an additional trip to the Immigration Office to do so.
• Although not teaching at the FuHsing Elementary School this semester, we have been invited to attend the June 18 graduation ceremony. It will be an opportunity to say good-byes to the teachers and students.

Fundraising Update

Please join us in praising God for the giving towards the Baozhong Alliance Church Building Project.

God is a generous God! And His people are generous people!

Thank-you to those who are praying for God to provide so that the Baozhong Alliance Church will own a building. And thank-you to all those who are giving generously to the project.

Praise and Prayer

• Praise the Lord for a great Field Retreat. There were times of laughter, times of prayer, and times of listening to God and His Word.
• The weather forecast is for rain. That is great news, as the Spring monsoon rains are arriving. Experts were beginning to question whether the May rainy season would happen this year.
• We received a notification while we were at our retreat informing us that the Lu family has been given medical clearance to return to Taiwan. They will arrive the end of this month. Please pray for them as they hurriedly prepare for moving back to Taiwan.