We are very thankful to Heritage Alliance Church who represented all of our partners and prayed us on our way on June 17. The video of that part of the morning service can be viewed by clicking on this video link. (Note: This is a different link than one that was circulated earlier.)

Thanks for praying for us as we travelled to Taiwan. Our plane landed after the first typhoon had passed by and before the second one arrived. The ride provided by the airport transportation service had some very frightening moments and we are thankful for God’s hand of protection allowing us to arrive safely at our Taiwan home. The heat, humidity and time change mean that the cleaning and getting the house ready for daily living is happening a little slower than we would like. (The government declared the day after we arrived a “typhoon day.” That is the first time we have had a holiday right after our arrival. Although the storm raged outside, we were able to do lots of work inside the house.)

The Taiwan National Immigration Office accepted our application to extend our resident certificates, and agreed to expedite our request so that Lorne can have his residency card before he leaves on July 1 to travel to General Assembly.

Thank-you to all who have prayed for a car for Ethan and Elyssa to use after our departure. Although we were disappointed when the original plans fell through, we were overwhelmed by the messages of encouragement we received as others joined and prayed with us. We also experienced in a very special way what it means to be a part of a church family. Heritage Alliance Church members have offered help in many ways, and we have heard that God is providing them a vehicle. From what we hear, it is a better vehicle than the one that we were originally going to purchase. So join us in praising God, and ask for His guidance as the final details are put in place.

We were thankful to have our home telephone connected today, but we will need to wait until we have the new residency cards before we can activate our mobile phones and apply for high speed internet. That means we may not respond to your emails as quickly. Thanks for your patience.

We have been told that Village Gospel Mission is interested in working in our area. We do not yet know what that means. We are hoping to meet with them soon. If God has given them a burden to work in Baojhong, we would like to see if there is a way to cooperate and partner together. Please pray for God’s guidance in this matter.

Thanks for praying for the Vancouver Island Women’s Retreat. Kathy-Lu reports that it was a good time of fellowship and there were many opportunities for people to pray with others. We are trusting God to continue and complete the work that He has already begun.

While on Vancouver Island, Kathy-Lu was able to visit with her brother Rod. We would like to ask you to pray with us that God will supply him with work so he can support his family. He is a finishing carpenter.

This is the week when we are very aware that we are in transition, like “in our faces” aware. There will be lots of last minute sorting and packing, quick shopping excursions for the last minute items, and taking large and small household items to their new owners. Emotions oscillate between excitement and tears depending on what we are thinking about at the moment. We are thankful for each one who has prayed for us during this home assignment year, and for the ways that God has answered those prayers. We know He will help us during this week too.

Our flight is scheduled to leave at 2:20 AM on Monday June 18. Of course we will need to proceed through airport security before that. Thank-you for praying for safety for us as we travel, and for protection over those who will be driving back home after dropping us at the airport late Sunday night.

We also want to say thank-you for those who are providing practical help for us during our transition time, and for our children as they remain in Canada. We appreciate our church family and the many ways they demonstrate God’s love.

Next week…from Taiwan!

It was exciting to be received into membership and to sign the Seamless Link Covenant at Heritage Alliance Church in Abbotsford this past Sunday. We appreciate the effort that some ministry partners from other places made to connect with us that day. We join you in trusting God to allow us to plant the gospel seed and to reap fruit.

We are happy to report that Elyssa passed her driving exam. She also has a place to live after we depart for Taiwan. Thank-you for praying for God to supply these needs. We praise God for answering prayer.

Departure for Taiwan is scheduled for less than two weeks from now. We are thankful that many of the remaining details and final arrangements are proceeding well. Thank-you to everyone who has helped in one way or another.

Please pray for the Vancouver Island Women’s Retreat June 8-10. Pray that God will anoint all the speakers, including Kathy-Lu, with His Spirit so that they are empowered from Above to speak the words that God wants them to say. Pray that those attending will be open to hearing from God, and that they will become better equipped to live as God is calling them to live.

Please pray for Jonathan, a Taiwanese convert who was baptized last August. Please pray that God will help him work through the difficulties that have caused him to withdraw from fellowship with the believers that helped him find faith in Jesus. Please pray for God to supply for his family and help him to continue to grow in Christ.

Pentecost – Is when “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”  happened for the first time.  Empowering for life and witness is now available day-to-day.  We hope that each one of us is experiencing that blessing.

Praise the Lord, storage for our special belongings has been provided!  Thank-you to those generous friends!  And, thank-you to you for praying about this.  The packing is happening and some items will move to storage this week.

Praise the Lord, we have found a way to book a road test for Elyssa to take the next step in getting her driver license.  We will let you know when there is more news.

We will be signing a Seamless Link Covenant with Heritage Alliance Church in Abbotsford on Sunday morning June 3.  We are covenanting to pray for each other, communicate with each other, and to take advantage of opportunities to work together to take the good news about Jesus to those in Taiwan who have not yet heard.  They will be joining Nanaimo Alliance Church in having this kind of covenant relationship with us.

We would love to be able to return and visit all our extended family members and friends one last time before we leave.  Unfortunately that is not possible due to the time constraints and our inability to be in more than one place at the same time.  We look forward to staying in touch through email, and to seeing those whom God causes our paths to cross.

Victoria Day—We trust that you are enjoying your Spring long weekend, even if you are having May showers like we are.

Thanks for praying for the Committee on Nominations meetings in Toronto last week.  The committee will continue its work over the next few weeks, preparing the nominations to be presented at General Assembly.

Here are prayer requests from each member of our family this week:

• Lorne:  Is beginning to pack the things that we would like to store, but we do not yet know where they can be stored.  There are also some important logistical decisions that need to be made in this week.  Please pray for wisdom as we proceed on these matters.

• Kathy-Lu:  Is finalizing what she believes God is guiding her to say at the Vancouver Island Ladies’ Retreat (June 8-10).  Please also pray that God will help her find the balance between rest for her body to continue to heal, and doing the activities that need to be done prior to our departure for Taiwan (June 17).  It can be hard to make “just one more decision” when feeling emotionally tired.

• Ethan:  Is looking to purchase an economical and dependable used car.  Please pray for  God’s guidance in the selection.

• Philip:  Is sensing improvement in the pinched nerve in his back, and is trusting for complete healing.

• Bethany (Philip’s wife):  Is concerned for a childhood friend dealing with a life-threatening medical condition.  Please pray for healing and protection over this friend’s life.

• Elyssa:  Is making good progress in learning to drive a car, but we just learned that it is difficult to schedule a road test sooner than 2 months.  Please pray that we will be able to find a “cancellation” time slot in the next 2-3 weeks.  Whether Elyssa can drive will influence the arrangements that we will make for room and board for the summer.  She has also been looking for a potential second job so that she can work more hours than the farm market is able to give her at this time.

Special Mother’s Day Greetings! We are celebrating with three mothers this year—Kathy-Lu, our daughter-in-law Bethany, and Bethany’s mother Cheryl. Bethany’s parents will be returning to their ministry in Taiwan on Tuesday.

Thank-you for praying for Kathy-Lu this past week. She was able to see the surgeon on Friday. He removed the staples and informed her that the cyst was benign. Thank-you Jesus!

Kathy-Lu will be sharing a feature at the Heritage Alliance Church women’s meeting on Tuesday.

The reality of our return to Taiwan next month is setting in. Our landlord has already shown our unit to some potential renters. Please pray that God will bless them with good tenants.

Lorne will be in Toronto for Committee on Nominations meetings for a few days this next week. Please pray for God to lead and guide the committee members in their discussions and deliberations.

We welcome many new recipients to our weekly update distribution list. These emails are now being sent to 159 recipients each week. Each one who reads and prays is involved in an important way in the Hidden in Plain Sight Ministry, advancing God’s kingdom to those who have not yet heard the truth of the gospel. Thank-you for doing your part!

Thank-you for continuing to pray for Philip. He is not yet free of the pain in his hip and leg. We continue to trust God for improvement.

Kathy-Lu is recovering from last week’s surgery and is able to continue with her regular activities. Thank-you for praying. We are waiting for the surgeon’s office to reopen in order to schedule the follow-up visit to have the staples removed and receive the results of the biopsy.

Departure for Taiwan is scheduled in less than 6 weeks. We are thankful that God has been meeting many of our needs in order to make that happen. Although many of the remaining things that need to be done must be done by us or under our direct supervision, we definitely need help praying about and finding the following:

• About 65 cu. ft. of free storage for the special keepsakes that we want to store (A small space like: 4.5ft x 4 ft x 3.5ft. Other configurations will work too!) We need to store those things for 4 years.
• Buyers for some furnishings and household items that we will not keep.
• Buyer for our car.
• Room and Board location for our daughter, Elyssa, mid-June through the end of August while she works getting funds for going back to university.
• Help moving items from where we live to storage, and moving borrowed items back to their owners.
• And probably some things that we have not yet thought of.

Please pray for God to help us to communicate clearly with our current ministry partners and those who may be interested in working with us. We are asking God to bring together the team He desires, with all the gifts and abilities that are needed for the evangelism and church-planting work.

Wow! Thanks for praying! Elyssa started work last Tuesday at Ralph’s Farm Market on Fraser Hwy in Langley. She says she is enjoying her new job. Please pray for her as she continues to learn about her responsibilities.

We would appreciate your prayers for God to help us find a suitable place for Elyssa to live mid-June through the end of August (after Lorne and Kathy-Lu leave for Taiwan). Lord willing, she will continue university studies in the Fall.

Thanks for remembering to pray for Kathy-Lu as she has surgery on Thursday, May 3. Because it is scheduled as a day-surgery, most of her recovery will be at home.

Please pray for our son Philip. He has a lot of discomfort and pain in his hip and leg due to a pinched nerve in his back. He continues to work, but the pain is making life difficult. Please pray for God to heal.

We are still looking for a dry place to store some special belongings (wedding china, special keepsakes, etc.) while we are in Taiwan. If you know of a place that is available, please let us know.

We have been sharing at different churches and asking people to pray with us regarding six important prayer needs for the Hidden in Plain Sight Ministry:

1. That prayer would be the foundation of what we do.
2. A Taiwanese Co-Worker,
3. A Small Group Ministry for Adults.
4. Ministry to Children and Families.
5. Ministry to Youth at Risk.
6. Creative and effective ways to share the gospel

If you would like a bookmark reminder with the requests, please let us know and we will send one to you. (Also available in Chinese.)

Thank-you for praying as Lorne travelled and brought Elyssa home. It is good to have her with us. She is enjoying being with all the family (including her niece, our granddaughter Juliet). Elyssa will be applying for summer employment beginning Monday. Please pray for God to supply the right job for her.

Last summer, when Kathy-Lu had her routine mammogram, an irregularity was discovered. When a follow up ultrasound was performed a couple of weeks ago, the irregularity appeared to have changed shape and texture. After seeing the specialist last Wednesday, the decision was made that she should have surgery to remove it and the tissue surrounding it. This additional surgery is scheduled for May 3. Thank-you for praying for our family during this time.

Departure for Taiwan is scheduled for 8 weeks from Tonight. We are trusting God that there will be no delays. When we arrive we expect to spend time renewing our visas, visiting with neighbourhood friends, and cleaning our house. There will be lots of cleaning after a whole year away. Please pray that God will even now begin to arrange for our “re-entry” into the community, arranging the opportunities to renew friendships and to share with friends about the Hope that is within us.

Our number one prayer request for the ministry in Taiwan continues to be the need for a full-time Taiwanese-speaking coworker. Please “pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields,” especially the work in Baojhong, Taiwan.

Thank-you for praying as we shared at North Richmond Alliance Church.  We are encouraged by the enthusiastic response and the number of people who told us that they will be praying for the Hidden in Plain Sight Ministry.

Lorne will be spending many hours in the car this week, travelling to Invermere to share and then to Calgary to bring Elyssa home from university.  Please pray for safety and for good weather conditions—recently there have been snow storms in eastern BC and in Alberta.

Confirmed scheduled events for the next 9 weeks before we leave for Taiwan:

• Apr 18     Invermere – Lorne at Lake Windermere Alliance Church
• Apr 25     Langley – Kathy-Lu at Mountainview Alliance ESL Class
• Apr 29     Abbotsford – Heritage Alliance Church
• May 6      White Rock – Peace Portal Chinese Alliance Church
• May 15    Abbotsford – Kathy-Lu at Heritage Alliance Women’s Tea
• May 14-16   Lorne in Toronto for meetings
• June 8-10    Vancouver Island – Kathy-Lu  at Ladies Retreat

Please pray for wisdom as we make preparations for our return to Taiwan.  These include:

• Shopping for clothes and items that we cannot purchase there.
• Sorting items for what will be sold, given away, and stored.
• Finding a place to store important keepsake items.
• Finding a buyer for our car.

The Taiwan Alliance denominational leaders will be meeting to discuss our church planting strategy.  Please pray that God will give them wisdom as they consider this and seek to advise us.