November 2005 Archives

Hey everyone!

This past week has been a full, unusual (and really fun) one for me. My Tuesday school won a recycling contest, placed 7th in all of Taiwan (!!!), and their prize was a three-day road trip to Kaohsiung. My teammate Ben and I both teach at that school and we were invited to go with them … of course we accepted. This is the smallest school I have – the entire student body numbers less than 25. So it was a great opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with our students. Never mind that a lot of that time included being fed crushed Doritos (among other things) and playing hand-slapping games again and again. And again. “Teacher, one more time! Play the game again!” Never understimate the Whining Power of twenty kids on a tourbus …

Really though, it was great. I fell in love with Kaohsiung, and spending time with the kids and teachers there was amazing. Rooming with three little girls who don’t speak much English was an adventure in itself. We learned a lot about communication – words, body language or otherwise. Breakfast at seven-thirty. Do you have the key? Bethany, your hair looks funny! (It was six in the morning, for petes sake.) Of course we’re not tired. We want to jump on your bed, too! And so on … they’re great kids! Life really doesn’t get much better than a road trip in Taiwan, with some of the cutest kids on earth.

The trip went from Wednesday to Friday, and we were a little tired when we got home, but the weekend was just beginning. Our friend Alice from Taipei arrived. And just like that, we went from road trip to hiking trip. Alice really wanted to go hiking in Yushan National Park near where we live, and this trip had been planned for a long time. Me, I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. I’d never really gone hiking before … and especially not 14 km up a mountain. I’m from Minnesota, okay? Think flat! I was unprepared -- I don’t have the gear, and I definitely don’t have the muscles. But my teammates kindly loaned me hiking clothes and stuff, and I figured I would just have to make do with what muscles I have.

Strangely enough though, the hiking trip turned out to be incredibly fun, even for me. I loved it, every minute of it. Saturday morning was dismal and rainy but we set out anyway – and soon enough the rain cleared enough to be no problem at all. God is good! Walking through the misty mountains was something I’ll never forget. Seeing wild monkeys for the first time. Wading in waterfalls. Drinking hot chocolate on top of the mountain. High-fives all around. Yes, and charging uphill through the rocks and leaves, making up variations on “I don’t know but I’ve been told” as we went along. (I’ll spare you those.) I think I preferred charging downhill to charging uphill, although both were hazardous and both HURT. I already said I don’t have muscles!! But I’ll bet you my yellow-silver shiny carabiner that I have more now than I did two days ago. At least they certainly feel that way. Ouch.

With two great adventures in one week now behind me, I still don’t feel quite ready for the ones ahead of me. Speaking at a teachers’ conference in Taoyuan (to me) is a lot scarier than hiking up a mountain in Hualien. But then again, it’s all part of the adventure. God is in the conference room just as He is on top of the mountain. And when I’m weak, He’s strong. These days I’m needing that strength, and it never fails. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for the teachers’ conferences and other activities coming up next week in Taoyuan.

Bethany Ingebretson
Hualien, Taiwan

Our team teaches 3 classes every other Friday morning at various elementary schools. This past Friday we taught at a school near Jiji. It was very small. One of the classes I taught only had 5 students!! That was a new experience for me as most of the schools I teach at are quite large. The kids were very excited that we were there and during break many of them played basketball with us. They were so sweet and cute!!! I ate lunch with the second graders. It was really fun trying to communicate with them. My Chinese knowledge is extremely minimal, so they helped me by teaching me a few new Chinese words.
Next week will be another busy week as we head to Taipei (actually somewhere about 2 hours from there)where we’ll be doing another teachers conference, teaching in a few schools, and celebrating Thanksgiving together. Please pray for safe travels for all of us and for our health as a few of us have been sick lately. Please also pray that we would continue to keep our eyes on the goal the Lord has set before us and that we would seek Him first in all that we do.
Thanks for all your encouragement and prayers!! That’s what helps keep us going.

Nantou,
Amanda

Life in Kinmen has been great! We had just finished going through the book of John in the Bible study at Church. Now we are starting the book of Genesis. School is going well as I Iearn more and more on how to teach kids. I've been here for almost two years, but I still struggle with teaching especially 3rd grade.... my one at my Thursday school that is.

Out of the 21 or so students in the class, they range from future rockets scientists born-and-raised-in-cram-school (cram school is a school kids go to after school-make sense?) to one who can't even write his name (in English or Chinese). However, that's not too bad.... I've taught classes like that before. What's really difficult is the attitudes/attention spans of the little critters. 3rd graders are emotional! One kid (who they say has ADD) usually doesn't make it through class because he goes around hitting and kicking his classmates (and one time his American teacher) or throwing things, so the home room teacher comes and takes him away. Then maybe two or ten consistently yell out obscure comments in the middle of reviewing the ABC's. During the class I sometimes wonder that even though I know I'm speaking..... but am I really saying anything? I have tried so many things, but only to receive partial success.

Thank God for Anthony, the English Teacher who I teach with at that school. Last Thursday he told me that he thought 40 Min. with those students is too much for me. For the rest of the school year he wants to teach the first 20 to 30 minutes then have me finish the time with a game. I wanted to hug him!

Thank you for your prayers. With God all things are possible!

Andrew Stewart
1 Chronicles 28:10

Greetings from Nantou, the heart of Taiwan where currently everything is happening all at once. Well, sometimes it seems like it anyway. But that's not all bad, as we have recently had many opportunities to interact with some of our students out of class, and also meet some new ones. Last weekend our team helped out working at an English table for the Nantou County Education Expo. It was held at the junior high school we teach at every Wednesday afternoon, so a bunch of the junior high students were there. Many groups from different elementary schools in Nantou county represented their schools by doing a performance of a traditional Chinese dance, or a demonstration of a skill their school is known for. One of the most interesting performances was given by a unicycle team. Did you know that you can skip rope or play the Chinese yo-yo while riding a unicycle? Our job at the expo was to ask students various questions, and then give them prizes based upon their English level. We had a very enjoyable time with the different students that were there. Hopefully none of them were too traumatized...

Time seems to be escaping as fast as it can, leaving us looking bewildered in it's dust, as it laughs at our futile attempt to keep up with our schedule. Sleep seems to have deserted us as well. Traitor... But there is One whom we can go to for help, and He is always faithful to help us out. This week I have been encouraged many times by the ways that the Lord has shown Himself true to us, and by the blessings that He gives to us each day.
For the most part, all of our classes have been going very well. Please pray that our teaching will continue to go good, and that we will have many opportunities to share the love of Christ with our friends and students. We, and the team as a whole in Taiwan, have many things to prepare during this time of year for our upcoming camps and conferences. Pray that we will have wisdom and creativity as we work, and strength as well. Thank you all for your prayers, and encouragement.

In Him,
Joel Feig
Nantou

James 1:5

Wow so much has happened with in the few months of being back here in Taiwan! I've been to Taipei more times then I ever was last year! I'm so glad I've been able to be there though! I love being with the Chens! I just need to get the whole " go to the mall exit 8 and it will lead you right to the train station" part all figured out.

Today I stayed back from church becuase I wasn't feeling well. While I was looking for an online sermon, I got the privelege of talking to a friend from home. We were started talking about forgiveness and the power that's in it. Sometimes it's so easy to forget how forgiving our Heavenly Father is towards us.

As I was thinking about that I was so humbled at the fact that God would choose me a far from perfect person to fulfill His will here on earth. I was amazed at the amount of love and faith He must have in me to fulfill my purpose here. He know's I'm far from perfect but He still trusts me with it all!

So the question for the day is do you realize how much God believes in you?

Here is a small poem I found in one of my online devotions and I thought that I would share it.

Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrows keep you Human,
Failure keeps you Humble,
Success keeps you Glowing,
Only God keeps you Growing.
- Anonymous

Pleas continue to pray for us here in Nantou. We have had many opportunities to share about the gospel lately. Please pray that God would give us continual wisdom and discernment! Also the over all team here in Taiwan have been doing a ton of camp planning. Please pray that God would give us wisdom and creativity for each of our camps!

Mai Lewis
Nantou