Team Update 200

The big 200 is not something you normally celebrate on any given day. Can you remember the last time you celebrated 200? I know that in life it’s considered to be a great achievement making it to the age of 100. So why the big push in celebrating 200? Well if you want to find out you’ll have to keep reading. Please bear with us as we take you on a roller-coaster of an update. We hope that you’ll take the time to stay with us till the end.

"Here we go again … another update. Oh, wait- this is the 200th one. Wow. Three cheers for all of the people that keep up with us- you've made it this far!! See, my job is easy. I just have to live my life here, while everybody else has to sit and read about it. No offense, but I think I get the better end.

To sum up life in the past eight months, there are simply no words. Strange thing is, even if there were words, I don't know if I'd be able to remember the English word, much less know it in Chinese. I know you guys are thinking, "Man! These guys are English teachers! They should have the best English." Please remember, we live in a foreign country, and teaching English changes the way you think. You get used to depending on simple words for people who don't know English very well (which is almost everybody you deal with on a regular basis), and using very simple Chinese, because that's all you can speak.

My thinking has really changed. Not so much that my mind has been transformed into a different person, although in some ways, yes. Just in the things that every day demands from my brain, I've learned to think in ways like never before. From rolling tortilla shells out with water bottles to constructing a change in lesson plan as I'm opening my books (or my mouth) to teach, to knowing exactly what I'm ordering at a restaurant and not knowing the English name for it...to automatically knowing what to talk about with a kid because I know the words they just learned.

I feel used to life here now. Things don’t faze me anymore. Yet still I can't seem to grasp a complete understanding of the people and things here. Right now everything seems strange. It's like what was so foreign to me earlier is familiar now. But what was familiar then, is fading into what we call a "normal life," and that's far away. Knowing I won't be returning to it for a while, I just settle into life here and let myself get absorbed into the change and adventures I experience every day.

As I just told my roommate, I don't really worry about the future now. That's all I can do at the moment anyway. The future will become "now" soon enough.

"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away." James 4:14

Thanks again for investing thoughts and prayers into our team and our time here. I can say for all of us that it really means a lot to know you go before God on our behalf. Please know we appreciate you, and we hope you continue to enjoy reading about our life here in Taiwan!!!"

Really our time here in the long scheme of things is just a short chapter in our lives. Many of us are still amazed that we are approaching our 8th month and that the end of our journey together for most of us will be coming to an end in just a few short months…

"As I contemplate the past 8 months here, I'm not sure what to think. At times everything here seems normal, because it is normal and I'm a part of it. At other times though, I realize how different I really am from people and culture here. I think it is good though, it helps to keep my perspective in the right place.

If I had to sum up my time here, I think it would have to be "God takes care of His children." Every day there are events and happenings that can only be explained as the hand of God. These things range from conversations at school, to people we meet, to protection, to providing for a need we didn't know existed. He knows our needs, and he takes care of us.

If you don't remember anything else from reading this, please remember that God is sufficient."

There are days and nights when the path seems stormy when we feel like throwing in the towel yet God truly has been sufficient for each of us. All of us can give you example after example of His hand moving in our lives. The most amazing part is that He’s never late - in fact, He’s right on time…

"Yeah right, you got to be kidding me God; you want me to do what? God, are you sure you want me to sleep on that thing they call a bed God it’s a piece of wood! I wish my obligations to be obedient to the Lord and suffering for Christ would’ve just ended there and then. In fact that was just the beginning of the many things God would ask me to give up or I should say give back to Him.

These last eight months have taught me so many things not only about myself and others but more importantly about God and His love for people. Each and every day God reminds me of why I’m here in Taiwan. I wish each of you could come along with us on our day and see the children. I wish you could look into their eyes and see the hunger for not only truth but also for love.

The nation of Taiwan is bound by fear, lies, and spiritual oppression. We haven’t been asked to solve the worlds hunger problems or bring the world peace. No, God hasn’t asked us to do those things he just asked us to as it were give a cup of cold water in His name. Truly the opportunities that we have to reach the children of Taiwan are incredible.

Yet with that incredible responsibility also brings its challenges. People tend to think that their involvement isn’t important- after all, praying doesn’t put them on the front lines. Yet really when you are fighting a war you realize that you’re unable make it one day without the supplies and support from back home. That’s exactly where each and every one of you comes in your support and encouragement through prayer, giving us the strength to carry on. The times when we’ve been down in the dirt and are in our greatest need is when your support comes in. Truly each and every one of you makes a difference in the lives of all us here in Taiwan each and every day."

These updates that you read each and every day are not just updates. In fact, they’re much more then that. Anyone can write about their lives they can talk about the good and bad things… if that’s was the case you would be reading everything you see here off of Xanga. Yet what you see and read here is not us boasting in our achievements, or our great teaching skills. What you see here is 200 testimonies, 200 day’s of God grace, glory, and love. Each and every day we have here is really to the glory of God. We’re nothing special in fact none of us are qualified to be representing Christ yet He has chosen us to run this race…

"Once upon a time there were a bunch of runners running a marathon. They were all running towards the same goal but each of them had started at different times, were running at different speeds, and would reach their goal at different times. Sometimes they would run alone, sometimes by two’s and threes, and sometimes in even larger groups. One day several of these runners saw a sign labeled “Teach English in Taiwan! It’s rough but the rewards are beyond your wildest imaginations. Turn here.” They decided to give it a shot and, after waving goodbye to their fellow runners, they turned and began running down a small winding trail. Some were excited, some were pacing themselves, some were even a little wary of what the trail might hold for them. More than a few of the runners found themselves glancing back, hoping for a glimpse of their former running mates. These twenty-five runners came from different roads but for one year they all ran together. Through deserts and jungles, over steep mountains and through streams and even rivers, at times it seemed as if they would never reach the finish line. There were days when the only thing that kept them going was the voice of their Master encouraging them along. When one would trip over a rock their teammates were often right there to help them back on their feet and offer a word of hope. The sign was right- the trail was hard, in different ways for each runner. But when they were all hot and tired and ready to give up, there were not many things more encouraging than the people cheering by the sidelines.

Now I don’t know how people are cheering by the sidelines when it’s a marathon through deserts and jungles and our runners are on a little winding trail. Yeah so my analogy isn’t perfect- in fact, it stinks. But hopefully you get the idea of what I’m trying to say. Life here can be more exciting and rewarding than anything a lot of people have ever experienced, but it can also be draining and just plain hard at times. Whether the times are hard or not-so-hard, the only one we can truly turn to is Jesus- He is the only one who will always be there for us. But the encouragement and prayers of others often gives us the boost we need to face another day with a smile on our face.

This is our 200th update- hard to believe, isn’t it? 200 days of teaching…200 days of struggles and smiles…and 200 days filled with the prayers of so many faithful friends near and far. It’s March- for some of us, our journey has just begun. For some, we’ve just passed the halfway point. For others, we’re nearing the finish line. But regardless of where we are or how long we’re staying, we need your prayers. Pray that we would finish this race strong, that we would pour everything we have into the people of Taiwan and then turn to Jesus to be filled again. Thank you for your prayers- we are indebted to you.

And for those of you that are wondering, the story ends happily. Of course there are the fire swamps, UFOs (unidentifiable food objects, naturally), giant talking chopsticks, and encounters with ogres and giants, but what story is any good without all that?"

"Well, what can I say about this year? It’s been an amazing journey on which the Lord has brought us.

The people I’ve met…the places I’ve been…the friends I’ve gained… the things I’ve learned…we serve an awesome God.

It’s been a real treat to work on the desktop wallpaper. I’ve enjoyed going through all the pictures and remembering so many blessings. I cried more than once, it’s the truth.

So many children that are lost and yet, finding a small glimmer of light in their hard world here. That small spark of hope is retained by childhood innocence. It’s with that innocence I’ve fallen in love. Looking into a child’s bright gleaming eyes and seeing a smile that would put a sunrise to shame while you take just a brief glance further, taking a moment to look past those eyes into the heart of a child. Not speaking their language but still understanding. Knowing you’ve been there before and wishing you could go back. Wondering where you lost it…

Well guess what? I’m back…I’ve found it…And I’m loving every second of it…"

Chase, Christina, Daniel, Ginger and Joshua writing on behalf of the team would like to thank you for your faithful support and prayers for us each day. Without God and without you we would’ve never made it past day one.

You can download a Light 2 Taiwan Desktop image by clicking below.