Praise the Lord that the Lunar New Year Blessings are designed and printed.  We are looking forward to distributing them out in the community in early February.  Please pray that there will be opportunities to have significant discussions as a result of giving these to people.

We are looking forward this week to hosting a Taiwan C&MA pastor and his wife as they are coming to find out more about the church planting work.  Please pray that God will build partnerships that will help His work to move forward.

We are praying about starting a “Bible Story Discussion Time” for adults sometime after Lunar New Year events are done (mid to late February).  Please pray that we will find those who have an interest in attending and that God’s stories will touch people’s hearts.

We continue to pray that there will be short-term teams willing to come during the summer for children and youth camp ministry.  Please pray that we will hear soon about individuals and teams willing to come.

Please pray for our son Ethan, studying at business at Ambrose University College.  He needs more work hours and income.  Please pray for God to supply.

Praise the Lord that Cheyenne and Savannah (our twin granddaughters) are experiencing good care in hospital and are improving.  Please pray for continued improvement and that they will be able to go home soon.

 INTRODUCING

Our newest granddaughters!

Both born January 8, 2013, 9:34 AM

Savannah Heather White (on the left) 2164 g (4 lb. 12 oz) 46 cm (18.11 in)

Cheyenne Hana White (on the right) 2173g (4 lb. 13 oz.) 47.5 cm (18.7 in)

Because they were born just over six weeks early, they will likely remain in hospital for two to three weeks.  However, both are doing well and improving in their ability to breathe on their own.  In the meantime there are lots of trips to the hospital for Philip and Bethany.

Bethany is recovering from the surgery, and Philip is doing well except for a lot of short nights.  Juliet is coping well, but has trouble understanding why so many different people are taking care of her.

Thank-you to those who heard via other means and have already been pitching in to help Philip and Bethany.

In Baozhong:

• Please pray for Lorne as he meets on Monday with the director of a school to discuss ways to promote respect in the classroom while we are teaching next semester.  That group of students has been much more challenging to work with.
• Teaching is done for this semester in two of the schools.  We will be at Fuhsing Elementary on Thursday afternoon for the last class.  During our few weeks off from teaching, we will travel to Penang, Malaysia for a conference (Jan.26-Feb.2); join C&MA pastors for a Lunar New Year Retreat (Feb. 4-6); prepare for and celebrate Lunar New Year’s Day (Feb. 10); and host two different off-island guests.  So rather than have a holiday, it appears we will be quite busy.  Please pray for us as we also make the effort to spend time with local friends during this important time of the year.

A new year has already begun.  We, like you, have thought about what we might want to do this year.  We are pondering what we want to ask God for this year.  Our thoughts include:

• A Taiwanese pastor to work as our co-worker.  Where is he?  Is he in Taiwan or is he in Canada?  “Lord, please connect us to that person and affirm Your decision.”
• People to come to belief in Christ.  “Lord, we have scattered many seeds of truth.  Please lead us to people whose hearts are open, where you have led them toward belief.  Please equip us so that we can assist them as they walk the next steps in the process of believing in Jesus.”
• Short-term teams.  We have heard of a possible team for early July.  “Lord, please bring others to work here, helping us hold children and youth activities for this most responsive segment of the population.” (More info)
• A closer walk with God.  “Lord, help us to live as you desire.  May we have time for rest and renewal so we have health and energy when that is needed.  May we be the persons you want us to be.”

This week will be our final week volunteering in the elementary schools for this semester.  We are continuing to compile the list of next semester’s classes and students.  If you would like to be one of those who prays weekly for those in our classes, February – June, let us know!  We will soon send out the information to those who wish to participate in this way.

Have a great week!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We are concluding the year with hearts full of praise and thanks to God.  You are one of the reasons our hearts are rejoicing, because you have partnered with us.  Thank-you for your encouragement and for your part in taking the gospel to those living in Baozhong Township.

Our Christmas outreach happened early, before Christmas this year because that was when believers could come and help us.  God answered your prayers and we had great weather for those days.  We distributed more than 450 bags of candy with a small simple tract.  If we had prepared more, we probably could have given away a couple hundred more.  We will need to remember that for next year.

We were able to tell the true story of Christmas to many elementary school students.  It was fun to tell the story in an interactive way with them.  In one class, Lorne had to go back the next week and answer the question: “If Christmas is about Jesus, why is there Santa Claus?”  That was a special privilege!

As we begin the New Year, we will have only a couple of weeks of volunteering in the schools before the winter vacation that includes the Lunar New Year.  We have been invited to continue volunteering next semester (February 18 until the end of June).  We are sensing that we need people praying for individual classes and even for individual students.  If you would like to commit to pray weekly for some of our students, please send us an email.  We will be glad to send you information about who to pray for and some ideas of how to pray for them.  We would love to have all of our students prayed for on a regular basis during this six-month time period.

We have written a 2012 Year-End Ministry Report.  We will be sending it to our Seamless Link Church Partners.  If you would like to receive a copy, please let us know.

God bless you all!  We look forward to continuing to partner with you in 2013.

Do you see the red sign in our entryway?  That was added this past week.  It tells people that this is the future location of the Alliance Church.  We are glad it is up, making it easier to explain to people where we are located.  This will remain up until we begin regular services.

This past week was the annual major worship celebration for the largest temple in town.  Many shops were closed as people took the day off work.  And yet, Christmas Day is not a holiday.  Quite the contrast.  Please pray for us as we seek to make the celebration of Christ’s first coming special.

Both Kathy-Lu and Lorne are recovering from the flu.  This week’s activities include telling Bible stories to students during our scheduled times in the schools, and having a short-term team with us Thursday and Friday for carolling and visiting.  Please pray that those who have prepared hearts would be open to hear the truth about Jesus.  Weather predictions at this point are for somewhat favorable weather.  Please pray that the weather would permit us to be in contact with as many people as possible.

We are also praising God for giving us the opportunity this week to celebrate the milestone of 30 years of married life.  We are thankful for God giving us each other, and allowing us to testify to His goodness in this way.

The first floor Christmas tree is decorated.  The candies along with an explanation of the symbolism of the candy cane are in bags ready to be distributed.  We are thankful for the help of neighbours.  We are glad for the chance to mention a few things about the story of Jesus with the children.  We hope to do even more next time.

It is official. Lorne will be Santa on the afternoon of December 20 for the school Christmas party.  In addition to having fun and talking to the children in their different classes, he will have an opportunity to talk to the whole school.  The final details of what will happen that day are being decided this week.  Please pray for wisdom in the planning and for freedom to share the true story of the origin of Christmas.

We continue to pray for pleasant weather for the evening of December 20 so that there will be a good crowd at night market.  We want to do Christmas carolling and hand out Christmas treats along with the Christmas issue of the Dandelion Magazine.  That will be a good way to be in contact with a larger number of people.  (Should God choose to not give us the requested weather, there will be a much smaller crowd that will meet at our house for some festivities. )  Christmas treat bags and the magazine will also be distributed in the day market on the morning of December 21.

We have been able to rejoice with Tim and Penny Iverson as two individuals have recently declared Jesus to be their personal Saviour.  Please pray for the Amazing Grace Alliance Church (in Yuanchang Township) as it is facing a tight deadline for the necessary renovations to be completed allowing them to use a new larger facility for their Christmas outreach event on December 22.

Praise the Lord with us that John will be here to help with visitation.  On Tuesday evening, while he is with us, we will have a Bible Study.  In addition to a local Christian man who seldom has the opportunity to attend church, Lorne has invited another seeker.  Please pray that God will speak from His Word and encourage us all to walk more closely with Him.

Praise the Lord that Lorne’s ribs are improved.  Please pray that God will protect us from sickness now that the cooler, damper, changeable weather has arrived.

Internet access at our home in Baozhong, our primary means of communication with North America, has been very unstable since our return to Taiwan last June.  It has been time consuming and frustrating trying to get this resolved.  Please pray with us that God will help us be patient in the process and provide a soon fix to the difficulties.

In faith, we are planning to host a number of short-term teams in 2013.  Please follow this link to find out more about short-term ministry opportunities associated with the Hidden in Plain Sight Ministry.

We have been asked to help plan a Christmas party on December 20 for the Fuhsing Elementary School.  Please pray that we will have creativity and wisdom as we make suggestions.

As we approach the beginning of December, and the start of Advent, we are conscious that we want to use various means to help people learn the truth about Christmas.

We hope to begin this coming weekend when we will invite some local children to come and help us decorate our first floor Christmas tree.  Some have helped in years past, and we are hoping that they will come again.  In addition to some Christmas treats, we hope to be able to talk with the children about the symbolism of Christmas and perhaps even tell parts of the Christmas story.

We are also thinking of what we can and cannot say when teaching in the schools.  Lorne has been permitted to tell the Bible stories in the past and hopes to do so again this year.  Please pray for wisdom as lessons are prepared during these weeks.

We are expecting a small short-term team to come from the SongShan Alliance Church in Taipei.  They will be with us on Thursday evening, Dec. 20 and Friday morning Dec. 21.  We hope to be able to do carolling and talk to people in both the night market and the morning market.  Please pray for good enough weather to be able to do these activities.

We will also be looking for help from some of our local friends (maybe children) to prepare 400+ goodie bags that we can give out at when we are in the community on those days.

Please pray for Lorne.  He fell while pushing the motorcycle with a flat tire a short time ago.  He is still experiencing some pain in his ribs.  The doctor does not think it is serious and said it needs time and rest in order to heal.  We are aware that healing comes from God, so are asking you to join us praying for a speedy healing.

Last Friday there was a kite flying competition with entries from a number of the elementary schools in the area.  The kites were beautiful works of art.  The ones I found most interesting were multiple kites attached together.  Due to a lack of wind, the teachers and students ran down the field so that the kites would  catch the small amount of breeze and soar into the air.  It was beautiful to see them soaring in the sky above, but they soon descended when those holding the string had reached the end of the field and could not run further.

Our goal in church planting is to be working hard to help get the work launched.  But ultimately it must be the wind of God’s Spirit that blows and works if it is to be sustainable.  Please pray for God to work, producing lasting fruit in peoples’ lives.

We are thankful for the Taiwanese believer who will travel from Taipei to be with us for Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Please pray for God to bless him, and through him bless those he will visit in our community.

Please continue to pray for God to choose and send forth workers to help us share the gospel with Taiwanese working class people.

Thank-you for your prayer partnership in the Hidden in Plain Sight Ministry!

Remembrance Day!  A good time to remember to give thanks for those who served in our nations’ military to preserve freedom and strive for what is right.

Doors and Doorways

While reading about the worship at the Tabernacle in Exodus 29:42-43, I (Lorne) was impressed by how much happened at the doorway.  It was at the doorway that the priests went through a ceremonial cleansing.  It was at that same doorway that animals and grain were offered to God on a daily basis.  And it was at the doorway that God said he would meet with the Israelites (the believers) and speak to them.

Then, today being Sunday, it was easy for me to reflect on the doorway to the place of worship where I go.  I don’t always think of God waiting at the door to welcome me, to talk to me.  Even the entrance-way to the church building can be a reminder to us of our salvation if we allow it to be.  Believers are welcomed there, not just by the greeters but by God Himself.  Sinners coming to confess sin are welcomed there.  The picture in my imagination is of God waiting for me to come in repentance so He can whisper words of comfort and healing into my life.  So on this Remembrance Day I was challenged to allow even a church doorway to remind me to be listening for God to speak—both during the church services but also at other times when He chooses to speak to me.

Prayer Items

We are thankful for a Taiwanese believer who wants to help us in the Baozhong Township work. He is willing and able to come from Taipei once or twice a month.  Lorne is hoping that having him along while visiting some of the men in town will help to draw them into discussions and provide ways to minister to them.  Please pray for God’s blessing and protection on John, and for God to use this offering of time to help build the church in our town.

On Thursday afternoons, Lorne and Kathy-Lu will be going to Fuhsing Elementary School to teach English.  This week will be the first time at this school, and the classes will be a bit larger than those in the other schools where we help.  Please pray for wisdom as we plan the class times and then learn together with the students.

Last Friday, the student for whom we have been praying seemed to make a greater effort to participate in the class activities.  There were still moments when he had difficulty relating to those around him, but we believe that God is already working to help him.  Please continue to pray for him.

The planning for Christmas activities has already begun.  A C&MA church in Taipei will send some believers to be with us Thursday afternoon Dec 20 and Friday morning Dec 21.  Please pray for them as they practice Christmas carols and have some other training sessions before they come.  We also need to purchase tracts and candy so that we can have some treat bags to give to community residents.  AND, would you please pray for good weather.  If it is too cold and windy that evening, the night market will be cancelled and people hunker down indoors.  So the weather has a major influence over what we are able to do and who we are able to meet.  Thanks!