(Display Name not set)January 2005 Archives

Well, here I am in America! It is a little hard to believe that after seven months in Taiwan I am actually on American soil again. It feels good! What a blessing to be able to come home for three weeks during our winter break and reconnect with my family and get some much needed refreshment.

So what is it like coming back to the States after more than half a year in a foreign country? The first thing that strikes me is that everyone understands me, and speaks my language! In the airports on the way back I was always embarrassing myself by starting to speak Chinese to the attendants, store clerks, and travelers. It is taking a while to adjust to the simplicity of communication! I helped out with the three year olds Sunday School class on my first day back home and spent the entire class marveling at their amazing English! I had to keep reminding myself that these kids could understand everything I said and I didn't have to slow down my speech as I do in Taiwan.

The next thing that stands out to me is the wealth, affluence, and accumulation of material possessions that I see around me everywhere. Even my own home, though very modest by American standards, seems so big and full. Americans have so much STUFF that is unneccessary or extra. My first trip to Wal-Mart had me completely inwe as I looked around at aisles andisles of things.My friends and aquaintences in Taiwan live so simply, yet very happily. It has been a new experience for me to return to the States and see things through their eyes.

I am also amazed at how much I miss Kinmen and my little friends there. Many of them also left Kinmen for the winter break, and as they left one by one either they or I were crying. I am grateful that the end of this semester did not bring final goodbyes. I will be returning to my same schools to finish out the year. The Lord has truly made the island a part of me and given me great joy in serving Him there. I can see Him working in hearts and lives and I know that He still has work to do in Kinmen.

Of course, the best part of being home is getting to spend time with my family. It's so good to be back in the family circle and feel once more, in a tangible way, the love of my sweet parents and precious siblings. Already I have had long talks, gone places with them, done things I've been dreaming of doing, and just enjoyed being with them. God is good to allow me this opportunity.

I do feel kind of guilty though, knowing my team is working so hard in winter English camps, so here's a big CHEER for all of you!!!! Keep it up y'all!!! Love, love, love those kids!! God is using you in ways you may not even know right now. JIA YOU!!! (Meaning, GO GO GO!!)

As you pray for our team, please remember two prayer requests:

~Our teams as they work the winter English camps - pray for the kids, the TAs, good weather, and strength and creativity for teaching

~Samuel, Christine, and Shawn as they prepare to join the Kinmen teaching team for the upcoming semester

Thanks to every one of you for your faithful prayers. We serve an amazing God who hears and answers the prayers of His people. In Taiwan we see answers to those prayers every day, and know that our family and friends are bringing us before the throne. May His richest blessings be upon you all as you continue to pray for us.

From the good 'ol USA,
but still for theinmen team,
Rebekah Gilley
Phil. 1:20

Well, it's break time, from school that is. I'm now just waiting for
the TA's and other Americans to come here for three English camps in two weeks. Nervous? Sure. The will be my third time teaching it, and to be honest, it's not exactly right down my alley. The communication and leadership does not come easy, but I'm so glad I have a God who cares about everything about me. I can go to Him in prayer, when everything seems "bu-ke-nun" (imposible). He gives me comfort, encouragement, and even correction when I need it. I have already spent time with him in prayer, so while I am waiting for the unexpected, I know I can be excited about the work God is going to do.

They are here!

Isaiah 43:4

Andrew Stewart
(Mt.11:28-30; Phil.1:21)

GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS?!

At the end of this semester, I keep looking back and TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED....So many incredible things have taken place in the last five short months. These months have been easy, hard, tiring, exhilirating, relaxing, and stressful all at the same time! In many ways, the end of this semester is like the end of the last semester: After 400+ classes and 297 hours of teaching, I am ready to take a break!

Looking back on the semester, I can see many situations were God showed Himself strong, and where He received great glory. Yet, this is only the begining of what so many of you are praying for. In Jeremiah 33:3, God promises to do "great and mighty things which thou knowest not." But...what do we know? What have we already asked for? Will God do "exceedingly abundantly above" all of what we hope for? "Yet, you have not, because you ask not." (James 4)

"Ask and you SHALL receive!" (THAT IS A PROMISE)

O God, may you work EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTY more than we could ever ask or think in our teaching here in Taiwan. May you do those GREAT and MIGHTY things for Your glory. Reveal your light and love to this nation. Amen.

Lucas Stewart

A peek inside a foreign Enlglish teacher's classroom...

The students were seated nicely at their desks, hands folded and ears anxious to hear the teacher's lesson. The teachers say something, and they obediently repeat it, phrase after phrase. The teacher gives a command, and immediately the students' hands are placed behind their backs (a common "attentive" position in classrooms here). Then comes the review. They know their stuff, most of them can answer the questions thrown at them without a problem.

Wow. These kids are amazing, aren't they? Too bad they were in the English teacher demonstration video, and not in my classroom. I mean, who wouldn't want to teach a class made in heaven?

Most of the classes I've taught in haven't been quite as perfect. Honestly- and this is just Ginger's opinion #101- mine were way more exciting. Somehow perfection seems to lack the excitement of the unknown and dealing with whatever happens instead.

Kind of like a fourth grade class..

Me: "Ok, touch your head, your shoulders, your nose..is that your nose? No, ok- so touch your eyes, your shoulders.."

It was somewhere between touching heads and shoulders that the class ended up flexing their muscles at me. I'll have to say, it's really cute when fourth graders do it.

And there was the third grade...

"Everybody stand up. Stand UP." The first kid started it, then the next thing I knew half of the boys were perched on their chairs striking the best "Discus thrower" pose I'd ever seen. It looked better than the statue! (is there a real statue??) But hey, they stood up. I did manage to make them get down before almost completely losing it.

I love those moments- the ones where perfection takes a walk, and something simple, yet meaningful takes its place. Maybe that's just my idea of perfection walking out, and God's idea of it smacking me in the face to say, "Chill..it's in MY control. I'm handling it, you just teach class and love those kids."

I'm so glad life is not dependant on Ginger's idea of perfection. God's is SO MUCH better!!

*January Tenth*

Wow.

I think that date's going to be engraved in memory for a while now.
Its the date that's been looming on the horizon for so long, and yet has come so quickly. The date of doom. ;-P The date when we all have to tell King Car whether or not we want to stay here another year after this semester. I know it's been a pretty difficult decision for some of us, while others have known for a relatively long time what they should do. I don't know yet what each person has decided, but I pray that each one of us will now have confirmation and a peace about the decision that we’ve made.

*Peace*

Peace is an incredible phenomenon.

“…the dayspring from on high has visited us…to guide our feet into the way of peace.”Luke 1:78,79

During the past nine months I’ve been experiencing this phenomenon of peace as a guiding force when making decisions. It’s a new experience for me, and it’s really cool. :-) Last April, I also had to decide whether to stay on for another year of teaching or go home and start college, (as I had been planning to do). Whenever I would think about staying in Kinmen, I had "a peace.”But whenever I would think about going home and starting college, I just“didn't have a peace.”Then, once again, when I was deciding about whether or not to switch from elementary school to Jr. High for this coming semester, I had “a peace” about choosing Jr. High. I didn't have the same “anti-peace” about staying in elementary school that I'd had about going home, but when I decided to teach Jr. High, I was able to recognize that same peace that I'd had when I'd decided to stay here for another year. And now, finally, I've just made a decision about whether or not to teach yet another year after this semester. As soon as I'd finalized my decision to go home and not come back this fall, I felt like crying -- because I don't know for sure if I'll ever have another chance to come back here -- but I also immediately sensed that now-familiar presence of peace. And what I find most amazing about this peace is that it's not really a feeling. It's too tangible and steady to be a feeling.

It's the knowledge that nothing is “off,” and it's like laying a
burden down as soon as I decide to follow it.

May God bless each one of us with a definite confirmation of our
decisions in the weeks to come, and may His peace rest on us and our families.

~BJ, Kinmen team

“…the peace of God…passes all understanding…”Philippians 4:7