Pure joy... James 1:2

I do!!!!

2011-05-31T03:00:00.000-07:00

February 5, 2011... the happiest day of our lives so far! We were married at Richmond Reformed Church with our friends and families there! What a happy day, what wonderful memories, and what a wonderful beginning to our life together!

We have been married almost 4 months now! We stayed in Grand Rapids for about 5 days after the wedding to finish packing up, say goodbye to my family, and tie up loose ends. Then it was off to Northern Ireland where we had a week long honeymoon at Carrick-a-Rede. We rented a lovely little cottage overlooking the sea and enjoyed a very relaxing and restful week on the north coast.

From there we've just been settling into married life! We have all the wedding presents unpacked and put away! We are enjoying our kitchen, stocked with all our brand new wedding gifts!! I'm getting all settled in the house and neighborhood. Things are going well! Of course, I miss home, family and friends! Holidays and special events are hard to be away from, but with skype, we can keep in touch better than ever.

I must say that I love married life! It has its challenges, of course, and reminds me almost daily how selfish a person I naturally am... but it is worth it a thousand times over!!! We are so thankful for this wonderful gift that God has given us, and we are very much enjoying wedded bliss!!!!

Anything can happen in a year...

2010-09-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it has been almost a year since I last wrote here. Looking back it is almost impossible to take in all that has happened in the past 12 months. It was right around this time last year that I packed my bags once again and headed off to Port au Prince, Haiti. I am always prepared for adventure when I follow the Lord on one of these trips, but nothing, NOTHING, could have prepared me for what lay ahead for me in Haiti.

With my bags packed, I waved goodbye to family and friends once again, fully intending to settle down in Haiti and stay for at least a year, but thinking it would probably be more than that. My first few months were spent getting up to speed at school. Arriving after the official start of the school year left me with lots of things to learn and figure out! I was fortunate and blessed to be surrounded by colleagues, missionaries, and friends who were so helpful, kind, supportive, and caring. I found a church that I loved, got to know roommates, neighbors, coworkers, students, and others slowly but surely! It was challenging, as life in a third world country always is, but things were shaping up for a great year. Unlike living in Taiwan, where I had just a handful of close friends, there was a whole community of people around to laugh with, work with, and do life with. It was refreshing! Fall passed as I adjusted, established a routine and learned how to live in Port au Prince. I celebrated Thanksgiving last year among my new church family and spent the rest of the weekend with a lovely couple I worked with in the mountains. After Thanksgiving, the countdown was on till Christmas break, which I planned to spend at home for the first time in two years! I was so eager to be in Michigan with family and friends for the holidays!

January began with fantastic news!! Things were going very well with Robert, and we began to talk seriously about our relationship and future! I practically floated back to Haiti on a cloud! Arriving back in January I was refreshed, excited about what was going on in my classroom, overjoyed about what was happening with Robert, and feeling happier than I had in a long, long time! Those first few days of January passed in a happy, content, and glorious haze. I felt that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing!

January 12 dawned like any other day. I prepared for the day, went in to my classroom, taught all day, said goodbye to my students and gathered up all the materials I'd need for the next day's lessons before leaving with my friend Coby for a shopping trip and a visit to see the new baby of one of our coworkers. I walked out of my classroom that day never dreaming that I would not teach there again, not see my students again, and that I was catching my last glimpses of the Port au Prince I had come to know. A few minutes before 5:00 PM a 7.0 earthquake shook Haiti to its very foundations, and shook many of us who were there to our foundations as well.

Earthquakes are unique in their destructive power, their ability to disorient, destroy, and terrify. I have experienced earthquakes before. Taiwan has them regularly. Generally minor, these small tremors I had experienced before did not prepare me for the sudden, violent shaking of the earth I experienced on January 12. During the one minute that the earth shook, I remember feeling completely disoriented. Things that were supposed to be stable and steady were suddenly crumbling all around me. Things like floors, walls, and ceilings that we trust to be sturdy and protect us turned to jello during the earthquake. There was not one solid thing in view to hold on to. There was no safe place to go. Inside buildings were crumbling, outside walls disintegrated onto passers by, crushing them. There was terror, confusion, fear, and pain all around me from the time of the earthquake. Many in Haiti are still living with these as constant companions.

The drive from my friend's home back to my home took several hours. I could never describe the sights, sounds, feelings, and fears I experienced on that drive through a city that had only moments before been nearly completely destroyed in 60 seconds time. Only those that were there during the earthquake and in those moments and hours that followed will ever really be able to understand the experience. There are moments in life that one feels their humanity utterly. The earthquake that shook down so much of Port au Prince at the same time shook down the myriad of walls that people build around themselves. For a brief time I was intimately connected to the people around me. We were not Hatians or Americans, rich or poor, black or asian, educated or uneducated, young or old... we were just human beings who had experienced a devastation that none of us could understand. We were quite simply people who were confused, afraid, grief stricken, vulnerable, in need of comfort and help. Perhaps in those moments I was more authentically human than any other moments of my life. There was no pretense of me being in control, having things figured out, or being able to fix this situation in any way. I was, in those moments, as I always am before the Lord... completely helpless, completely at His mercy, completely dependent on Him, utterly unable to do anything for myself, totally incapable of doing anything at all.

The next 5 days are a blur to me... there are so many things that happened... I don't have a very clear time line of when things happened, just jigsaw memories of significant experiences and impressions. There were nights sleeping out on the soccer field for fear of sleeping indoors, there was the palpable fear of another earthquake, the terror that even the smallest tremor produced, the complete inadequacy to help anyone with injuries, the frantic "work" that we busied ourselves with... collecting bandaids, asprin, hand sanitizer... as if these supplies could possibly fix the broken limbs and crushed bodies of the injured as they came to us for help. There was rationing of water, collecting of food, calling on cell phones that didn't work in a desperate attempt to find out if friends, students, coworkers, family were alive or dead. There were trips to places nearby for water, cooking, internet; all the while trying to process the bodies, the destruction, the grief, the fear filling Haiti. There were so many things I was numb to... I did very little real praying and didn't read my Bible at all during those days. But in my head that was a constant cry, from the moment of the earthquake till the day I left Haiti, of "Oh my God, help us" over and over and over again.

I was evacuated out of Haiti on the Saturday after the quake. That is a story in and of itself. Leaving Haiti was one of the most bittersweet things in my life. I was so relieved to be going home, and yet felt (and still feel) so guilty about leaving. There are so many stories of how God worked in the days following the earthquake, perhaps I'll blog about them someday. The days and weeks after arriving home are also a bit of a blur. I have been and continue to process all the things I've experienced. Perhaps the biggest lesson is that God is bigger. He is bigger than natural disasters, bigger than my questions and fears about His goodness, bigger than all the pain and suffering in Haiti, bigger than death even on a huge scale like this. He is bigger than all of the loss that happened and continues to happen in Haiti.

After arriving back home Robert and I decided to keep our plans to meet in Florida in February. We spent a glorious week and a half together! God made very clear at that time that we were to be together. We began to talk about getting married! After getting back home, we started to make definite plans! Our next visit was when Robert came to Grand Rapids to meet my family over Easter. I went to spend three months in Northern Ireland from June- September and met Robert's family and friends and got acquainted with life over there. Over the summer Robert took me on a special trip to Edinburgh, Scotland! We got engaged there!!! We will be married in February! I am so happy and filled with joy and excitement about our future together! While we find the separation difficult for now, we know that it will just be temporary and are so eager to start our life together!

Anything can happen in a year! In this last year I've had the most horrible and the most wonderful experiences of my life so far. At times I find it difficult to hold both of those things in my heart. I'm afraid of losing any of the joy of being engaged to Robert, but at the same time also afraid of forgetting what happened in Haiti. My heart may not be big enough to hold these two things at one time, but God's heart is big enough. I am learning I can trust Him to hold them both for me.

The Simple Things...

2009-09-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that today is my last full day at home! Tomorrow I'll be dropped off at a hotel in Detroit to sleep and get a shuttle for my early morning flight to Haiti. It seems like the last month has been a whirlwind! Lots of goodbyes and "last" events! It is always bitter sweet to leave! Both exciting and a bit terrifying! This time I will be coming home for Christmas, so the goodbyes aren't as bad as usual. Although the Paws with a Cause puppy, Augie (the black one) will be gone when I get home, which makes all of us who know him sad. He'll go off for his training, so that goodbye will be a tearful one. You can see Augie on the right, looking about as forlorn as I feel to say goodbye to him! But the last month has not been all sad. I've had a chance to enjoy fall for the first time in two years! A trip to the apple orchard to pick apples and eat lunch with my two dear friends was a much anticipated and long overdue tradition that we revived this year! I also went to my first high school football game in a LONG time (we won't say just how long) to see my cousin play for West Ottawa! He was fantastic, scoring a touchdown and playing almost the entire game! It was so great to sit in the stands, eat a hot dog, watch the band, and reminisce our high school days with my sister! Another great memory from the last month is seeing the movie "Julie and Julia" with two wonderful friends and then enjoying a night of delicious food featured in the movie with the same friends... boeuf bourguignon, buttered baby peas.... mmmmmmm good! This last month has been a wonderful time with my family and friends and all the places that I love! I've been trying to soak in all the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of home! I have really learned to appreciate the simple things... scratching a dog behind the ears, fall football games, the changing leaves, picking apples, enjoying a good meal with good friends! These are the things that make life sweet!

Changing Seasons

2009-09-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that fall is here! It is the first time in two years that I'm in Michigan to enjoy the cool weather (although we've been having that all summer this year), and to see the trees start to change (yes, a few of them are turning already)! I love it! I've missed fall and so many other things about being home!

But... least you think I'm getting comfortable and settling down to a normal life... not so fast! I am enjoying the comforts of home till the end of September, then I will be off again, to Haiti this time. It was a long summer filled mostly with the stress of looking for a teaching job... for those of you in education, you realize what a difficult task that is these days! After encountering nothing but closed doors for months, I began to widen my search. I sent letters of inquiry to two schools overseas, one in Haiti, the other in the Dominican Republic. Within one week, I had been offered jobs at both schools. While this is certainly not the direction I thought my life would be taking at this time, a wise friend pointed out that, it seems for whatever reason, God wants me on the island of Hispanola this year.

I've wrestled with the idea of "calling" as I thought about moving (again) to Haiti. In the past I've FELT the call to go overseas. Emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually, I have experienced a feeling of being "led". This time is different. The "feeling" isn't there as much, and neither is the certainty, but after talking with several trusted people, I'm redefining the concept of "calling". Sometimes God calls us by simply opening doors... our act of faith is to obediently walk through the open doors and trust that He will catch our hearts up with our feet. It may be similar to the principal of giving in the Bible, where your treasure is, there your heart will be too.... perhaps where your body goes, there your heart will follow too.

So, in the midst of this change of seasons in Michigan, I prepare for another change as well. I hope to keep up much more faithfully with this blog, so please continue to check it so you can pray for me and with me on this next journey with the Lord.

Letting it slide!

2009-05-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

I have really been letting this blog slide! I can't believe that Christmas was the last time I posted anything new! I suppose life has been full of the normal day to day activities of living and working in Taiwan, with a few extra special events thrown in... enough to keep me occupied and not thinking of blogging in any case!

Well, let's start back in January... The Chinese New Year was a big celebration again this year. The air is full of incense, fireworks, etc. All the bright, noisy, loud, smelly reminders that this is indeed a VERY foreign country with VERY foreign customs. I was able to celebrate the Chinese New Year with my co-worker Echo Cheng and her family this year. I learned a bit more about the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year from Echo and her family and thoroughly enjoyed the evening with lots of international students from the University where Carl teaches. We represented Taiwan, America, Canada, Ecuador, Russia, and Ukraine! It was a truly

international group!

February and March brought all the usual school events. We took a few field trips, studied and worked in our classroom, held special events like "Afternoon Tea", and in general kept plugging away at doing school. These months saw some real challenges with parents and students dealing with school issues. It is always a difficult position to be in as teacher telling people things they may not want to accept about their child's school performance.

April was an exciting month for me as I was able to take a much anticipated trip to London to visit a dear friend! It was my first trip ever to London, and we saw all the sights! It was really amazing to be in such a fascinating city with its long history and international flair! Some favorite memories include a day at Windsor, an Easter meditation in St. Paul's Cathedral, seeing the musical "Oliver", attending a performance of Handel's Messiah at Royal Albert Hall, and breakfast at the Wolsley! There were a million other wonderful things about my trip to London, but the highlights will have to do for this blog... I could write for ages if I let myself! Suffice to say, I loved London and I had the time of my life!!!

Which brings us to the present... the school year finishes in two weeks, and in two weeks and three days I'll be on a plane headed home for the summer. Looking back over the last 10 months of this school year I see many ups and downs. There were great moments of accomplishment, like Monica winning 50th place in a world wide math competition. There were also moments of great challenge and struggle with students and parents this year. There were goodbyes to friends leaving Taiwan for good, and some hellos as new people arrived. As I prepare to go home, I always have to think out my answer to the usual question, "How was Taiwan?" It is such a difficult question to answer! On any given day the answer may be quite different. Some days I would say, "Taiwan is wonderful! I'm so glad I live here! It is well worth the challenges to be having this amazing experience and meeting these interesting people!" On other days my answer would sound more like, "Taiwan drives me CRAZY! I don't understand these people. I don't like these people. I don't remember what posessed me to come here in the first place. WHAT WAS I THINKING???"

I wish I could love Taiwan more than I do... or hate it more than I do. It is much easier to explain either loving or hating a place entirely. As it stands I have a love/hate relationship with Taiwan. I suppose the answer to, "How is Taiwan?" is similar to much of the rest of life... sometimes it is amazing and wonderful, sometimes it is difficult and horrible, much of the time it is somewhere inbetween the two. So... getting ready to leave Taiwan for a brief respite at home I take the bad along with the good and pray that God continues to somehow weave it all together in my life to make me who he wants me to be.

Merry Bronchristmas!!!

2009-01-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

Cough, cough, cough!!! Wheeeeze! Cough, cough, cough! These were the joyful sounds of the season at my house this year! Sadly, the germs and pollution caught up with me in the first few days of my Christmas break and I came down with a very ugly case of bronchitis, which, on the first of January, 2009, I am just beginning to feel better from! Sadly, there were many things I had to miss out on this Christmas in Taiwan... the OMF Christmas party, my New Year trip up to Taipei, various gatherings and activites full of Christmassy fun and cheer.

But I was able to make it to a few special Christmas events in spite of the bronchitis. This year our church hosted a beautiful Christmas Eve English service for the city of Chiayi! It was left to a small group of about 5 of us to plan and execute the whole thing. Our "unofficial leader" Phillip, took us out to a lovely buffet breakfast to do our planning. It was a really wonderful meeting where we really thought and prayed about how to present the story of Jesus' birth to mostly unchurched non-believers. We decided to let the scriptures speak for themselves and selected passages that tell the Christmas story. These were read aloud and interspersed with all the familiar Christmas Carols that also tell the story so beautifully. It was a really wonderful service. We were so pleased to have many Taiwanese join us and hear the message of hope in Jesus birth and his sacrifice for them. We continue to pray that many hearts were opened and touch by the words of scripture about the Savior!

Another event that I did not miss out on was the school Christmas Program! The kids have been working so hard since Thanksgiving to prepare for our program this year. We did a "Broadway style musical" entitled "Hope is Born Again", written and choreographed by Christina (I helped where I could, but the whole singing and dancing bit is really not my strength)!!! The kids did a spectacular job! They always do, and each time I see them perform I'm so amazed by their talent and feel so proud of them! I have to admit, this year as I watched them gather and kneel around the manger scene while singing, "Lift your voices high and sing, Grace has entered in, celebrate the joyful news, Hope is born again," I had tears in my eyes! If the parents and community memebers in the audience were half as blessed as I was, then we were successful!

In spite of the sickness, doctor visits, hospital visits, pharmacy runs, medication problems, and generaly feeling lousy, this was a good Christmas season. This was my first time being really sick here in Taiwan, and I was very blessed by the care and compassion of my friends here. God was very faithful to me and provided special people to bring me to the doctor/hospital, stay with me in the ER, bring me food and medicine, call to check up on me, come over to visit, and just in general be supportive and loving! Sometimes is takes bronchitis to fully appreciate the community of people around you! I will always remember the Christmas of 2008... both for the bronchtis and for the blessings!!!!!

I.D. Card

2008-10-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

I recently had a bit of a scare here in Taiwan. I was at the Taiwan National Bank with my friend Echo. She was helping me get a Taiwanese cashier's check so I can renew my U.S. passport this month. The banker asked for several documents, which I gave him... then he asked for my ARC (Alien Resident Card), which serves as my Taiwanese identification, Visa, etc. I normally keep my ARC in my wallet along with my scooter driving license, Taiwan National Healthcare Card, and other important items. Foreigners are expected to carry their ARC at all times and be ready to present it when asked for it. I opened up my wallet, searched in the normal place, and began to get a sinking feeling in my stomach. My ARC was not there! I searched every pocket in my wallet and purse and didn't see it anywhere! Thankfully, Echo had a copy of my passport with her (she always helps me with my official documents and holds copies of everything for me in case there's an emergency of some kind), which the banker accepted, and I was able to get my cashier's check! Thank goodness for organized and prepared Echo!!! My ARC did turn up inside my passport, it is my visa allowing me to come and go from Taiwan legally, so I had it in my passport when I arrived back here in August, and never replaced it in my wallet. All the excitement over my ARC card was a clear reminder to me of my status as a foreigner here in Taiwan. This is not my country, or my home! I am an "alien" here, a visitor. While this is where I live and work, and I enjoy being here, getting to know people, learning about the culture and people here, I am not a permanent resident. I am putting down some roots, but not too deeply because I know I won't be here forever. I think as a Christian, this is a good reminder to me of where my true citizenship lies... not in an earthly country, but in heaven! I am, and should remain, a foreigner, an alien, in this world as it is not my true home! I should be looking forward to my home in heaven with the same anticipation and longing that I look forward to going back to the USA each summer! From now on, I will be careful to keep track of my ARC card! I will also be careful to keep my eyes focused on my eternal home, heaven!

Sugar and Spice...

2008-08-29T05:08:00.001-07:00

If the saying is true, then my class is all sugar, spice, and everything nice this year! Yes, all five of them are girls!

We have spent the last two weeks getting off to a wonderful start! These young ladies have been wonderful and I am looking forward to a really fantastic year!

Please pray for us as we build community in our classroom, work hard, explore and learn about the world God created, and grow in our relationships with Jesus. Our school theme this year is "Unity Throughout". Pray for us as we discover what unity is in new ways this year, and as we seek to glorify God with one heart and one mouth as it says in our theme verse in Romans 15:5-6.

I am so thankful for the once in a lifetime opportunity this year to love and work with these young ladies. God has uniquely and purposefully gifted each of them in special ways. It is my joy to help them continue to establish their identity as children of God! Girls face such unique challenges and pressures in today's world. It is my prayer that this year we will build a solid spiritual, emotional, and academic foundation from which these ladies will grow and develop into beautiful women of God ready to serve Him where ever He calls them!

We have serious goals this year, but we are having a really fun time reaching them! We often have to stop ourselves from going "off on a rabbit trail" with "girl talk"!! It is a good thing there are no boys, they wouldn't get a word in edgewise with all these girls around!

Learning to Swim!

2008-08-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

Meet Duncan... my parent's Paws with a Cause puppy! Duncan is in training to be a service dog someday, but for the time being, he lives with my parents getting totally spoiled and loved on! My six weeks at home this summer were all the more delightful with this furry bundle of joy underfoot every minute! Even though he's growing (by the minute) he's still such a puppy!

While up north with the family, Duncan took his first swim. It all happened quite by accident. Molly and Brad and I had walked the two dogs, Duncan and Max, down to the boat launch. We were all on the dock when Duncan just took a step right off the end and into the water. Having never been near the lake before, he seemed to think that he could just walk off the dock, and onto the water as if it were dry land! The look on his face was priceless as he plunged in, then started paddling furiously! It took a few tries, but once Duncan realized that the water would hold him up if he paddled, he was hooked, happily splashing about and having the time of his life!

As I get ready to board the plane back to Taiwan tomorrow, I feel a bit like Duncan. I too am standing on the edge of the dock, about to plunge into the unknown! It can be a daunting task to step off of familiar ground and into a year full of new experiences and challenges! No wonder Duncan had such a surprised and confused look on his face when he stepped off the dock! But, just like Duncan came to realize that the water could hold him up, and that things in the water were exciting and even fun... I also know that God surrounds me and holds me up as I step off as well!

Learning to swim was a great adventure for Duncan! I know this second year of living and working in Taiwan will also be a great adventure for me! I appreciate your prayers as I dive in to all that God has waiting for me on the other side of the world!

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake

2008-06-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those perfect days, those days when everything is just the way you wish it was, and you are exactly where you want to be? Perfect days don't come along often, especially when living in a foreign country where the unexpected always happens and "the plan" never really goes as planned. Living in Taiwan, there is usually some sense of "wishing I was somewhere else". Not that I'm not happy here, I am, but most of my friends and family are in other places in the world, and most days at least part of me would like to be with them.

But back to the perfect day... yesterday was one of those days for me! It was a sunny and hot day, not the dreary sticky rain we've been having. It was my first official day of summer vacation! I slept till about 10:00 AM, lounged around till meeting a friend for a leisurely lunch at my favorite restaurant in Chiayi, then made my way around town by scooter stopping to do various errands and shopping. I was struck on my day out that I was on my own, getting around Taiwan independantly! What a sense of accomplishment! My final stop led me past a Starbucks Coffee (yes, we have them here in Taiwan, a little piece of America on Taiwanese soil). I stopped in for a mango passion fruit frappuchino and a slice of blueberry lemon cheesecake. As I sat there savoring my snack, I couldn't help but feel that I was just exactly where I wanted to be!

As I sat their thinking some more, the realization dawned on me that my perfect day in Taiwan this week was only a tiny taste of what heaven will be like! For all of eternity it will be one perfect day after another, being exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I want to be doing! What an awesome eternity to look forward to!

Friends

2008-04-12T02:22:00.000-07:00

Two weeks after arriving back in Taiwan from Northern Ireland, I'm still fighting off the jet lag! But it was well worth some tiredness to spend time with my friends there! What a wonderful week and a half of catching up, laughing, reminiscing, making new memories, and just enjoying the company of some of my favorite people in the world (literally)! On the flight back to Taiwan, after all the goodbyes had been said and I was settled into my "comfy" chair, I began reflecting on how blessed I have been by the friends God has put in my life.

No matter where I go, it seems God has people waiting for me there to bless me, love me, encourage me, laugh and cry with me. I have dear friends in America from many different phases of life: high school, college, Camp Geneva, work.... The same has held true when I've made "home" different parts of the world. My Irish friends are one of the best blessings I recieved from my time in Nigeria! The same has been true here in Taiwan, people who were once strangers are now good friends.

I am so thankful that God chooses to use us to pour his own love into one another. Of course, God loves us directly and ministers to us personally through the Holy Spirit. But he also invites us to be his hands, feet, voice, and touch to one another. There have been many times where I've felt the love of Jesus through the encouragement and support of a good friend!

So, here's to my friends all around the world... I am thanking God so much for you today! You are a blessing and joy to me!

Introducing... my kids

2008-02-07T03:35:00.000-08:00

As a teacher here in Taiwan, I spend the majority of my week with my students! I'd like to introduce you to them!

Saffron: Saffron is an enthusiastic and energetic 5th grader. She has a real zest for life and having fun! Saffron is a talented musician with a beautiful singing voice! She loves God and really has a heart for the lost. Saffron's parents are missionaries to the working class here in Chiayi. Pray that Saffron will be able to chanel her energy and passion toward positive things, that she will develop perseverance in working toward her goals, and that she will discover how she can use her talents and gifts to serve God and others.

Elizabeth: Elizabeth is a sweet and kindhearted 4th grader. She is very artistic and loves to draw. Elizabeth is know by her classmates as a peacemaker and a servant. She loves the Lord and loves the people around her! Elizabeth's parents are missionaries in the Chiayi area training and discipling church leaders. Pray that Elizabeth will continue to grow in her servant's spirit and love for people, that she will discover just how God wants to use her in the future, and that she will develop confidence as she learns and grows.

Wesley: Wesley is a true southern gentleman! He is one of the most polite young men I've ever met! Wesley is a sensitive young boy. He is kind and considerate and always concerned about others. Wesley loves to scuba dive, he has been working on getting certified here in Taiwan. Wesley's father is here for his job as an engineer. Pray that Wesley will continue to grow in his knowledge of the Lord. He has been learning a lot about God's word during his time here at Chiayi school. Pray for Wesley and his family as they plan to return to America in March. Pray for a smooth transition and that he will readjust to life there after his experience in Taiwan.

William: William is a very intellegent sixth grader. He is very academically gifted and an avid reader. William has read things that many adults would have trouble getting through. William loves history and playing the cello. William is very well traveled having visited Italy, Egypt, and many Asian countries. William comes from a Taiwanese family, his father is a dentist and his mother works in the office there as well. Pray that William will discover how he can use his many gifts for God's glory and in God's service, pray that William will recognize the advantages he has grown up with and be thakful for them, pray that William will learn humility and grace as he grows.

Rachel: Rachel just joined our class in January. Her parents are missionaries working with the working class in Chiayi. She is a quite and sweet 6th grade girl. Rachel is very shy and self conscious at this stage in life. Pray that I can get to know her in the next few months, pray that Rachel will develop confidence and that her identity will be firmly rooted in her relationship with Jesus, pray that Rachel will discover the unique gifts that God has given her and be able to develop those.

Monica: Monica is a bubbly and joyful 5th grader. Monica comes from a Taiwanese family. Her parents are both university professors and are not Christians. Monica accepted Christ last year. She is very burdened for the salvation of her parents. Monica is a gifted student, she plays piano and violin and loves to draw as well. Pray that Monica will continue to grow in her knowledge and love of Jesus, pray that she will remain faithful to her commitment to Christ in spite of her parent's disapproval, pray that Monica will experience freedom from guilt that she still has to go to the temple with her family, that she will know the full measure of God's grace and mercy in her life as she tries to be faithful to Jesus in spite of difficult circumstances. Pray that Monica will not be confused by the conflicting teachings she hears at home and at the temple, but that the Holy Spirit will guide her mind and that as her teacher, I can help her discern the truth.

Please pray for all of my students. They are precious in God's sight and have such potential to serve and glorify him with their lives. They are at such a critical and tender time in their lives right now... in a few short years they will face the pressures of adolescence. Pray that they would be rooted and established in God and in his word now so that they will have a firm foundation in the future! Your faithful prayers for these kids will have an eternal impact on their lives and futures, which will have a ripple effect in the world as they grow up and make a difference for Jesus Christ!

First Christmas...

2007-12-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

It is my first Christmas in Taiwan. I find myself really missing home during this season! I miss the snow, my family, the beautiful lights and decorations, the music, the "feeling" of Christmas at home!

There have been lots of "firsts" in the past few months... my first scooter ride, my first taste of Chinese noodles, my first day of school with my new students, my first time driving through the roundabout in the center of town by myself, my first time ordering food alone (in a foreign language), killing my first cockroach! All of these firsts are exciting, a bit scary, exhausting and yet exhilirating!

I'm finding myself feeling more comfortable and more at ease all the time here. But all of my recents "firsts" remind me of Jesus' first Christmas here on earth. I can only imagine how strange everything looked, sounded, smelled. I know what it is like to leave home and enter a foreign land! It is overwhelming to say the least. When I think that the Creator of the whole earth left his perfect home in heaven to enter a "foreign land", I'm overwhelmed with gratitude to Him! As much as I miss home during Christmas time, Jesus must have missed heaven so much more! And yet he came and endured culture shock of the most extreem kind so that we could have a relationship with him!

I am thankful for my first Christmas in Taiwan because each time I feel a little homesick I am reminded of how much Jesus sacrificed on his first Christmas on earth! I hope you all enjoy this season! Enjoy the snow, the lights, your family and friends, the great food, the music... but most of all enjoy Jesus! Merry Christmas!

A Day in the Life...

2007-10-17T22:26:00.000-07:00

What's a day in the life of a Morrison teacher in Chiayi, Taiwan like?

The alarm rings at 6:00 AM and I scan the floor and walls for any crawling critters that have been out and about in my bedroom at night. When I'm sure the coast is clear, I get up and begin getting ready for the day... each trip into another room of the house in the morning begins with a quick scan for gecko's, cockroaches, spiders, or whatever other visitors have emerged in the night time! On a good day, I find myself alone in my house (or at least I don't SEE any of my visitors).

By 7:00 AM I am downstairs and starting my scooter. Christina and I are now caravaning to school, me on my scooter and she on hers. I'm still not quite brave enough to go all by myself. The morning time is very busy becuase we live near a school. The traffic is wall to wall with scooters, cars, bicycles, pedestrians. There are official crossing guards at each intersection to try and keep things moving in an orderly fashion. The air is filled with the sounds of students chattering, engines roaring, crossing guard whistles blowing, and horns honking.

At 7:15 we arrive at school and get ready for the day. The students begin arriving at 8:00, we begin class at 8:15. We have a PE teacher that comes for one hour each day, first thing in the morning to do PE class with our kids, so I have a prep. period from 8:30-9:30. I don't know how I'd be able to be ready for each day without that time! It is a challenge to juggle three grade levels, and the preparation and planning are VERY time consuming! We do reading, writing workshop, and science in the morning. At 11:45 we all begin moving lunch tables into the hallway. Christina and I eat lunch with the kids at tables in the hallway. After lunch we have a short recess/inside work time which is also supervised by Christina and I. Our afternoon time is filled with Bible, Chinese, and math. We throw in art and music when it fits in with other subject areas. The days go by really quickly because I'm busy every minute with the three different grade levels! By 3:15 we are ready to dismiss.

Christina and I generally stay at school till 5:00 PM planning, correcting papers, taking care of school business, having meetings via camera phone with other campuses, etc. At 5:00 we head home through the busy afternoon traffic. The ride home usually includes a stop at the market or grocery store to get some things to make dinner.

I do a lot of my own cooking. Most Taiwanese people eat out for most meals. It is very inexpensive to eat local food. It is very convenient for most, but not so easy for me, becuase I can't read menus or ask what things are. It can be a bit scary to point to a random menu item and just wait to see what you get. It would be fine at home where I'm used to most of the food... but if you do that here, you are likely to end up eating pigs ears, chicken heads, and pork blood tofu with a side of octopus balls (all very popular foods here). It is more expensive, and less adventerous to cook my own food... but for now, it is the best option!

The evenings are usually spend catching up on e-mails, cleaning the kitchen (which I'm fanatical about becuase I don't want a cockroach infestation), and watching an episode of CSI. There is one TV station here that plays various CSI episodes nearly 24 hours a day! Wednesday nights I meet with my Bible study group (lead by Christina) for a few hours. Thursday's I usually meet with my OMF (my mission) prayer partner. Weekends are spent grocery shopping, and spending time with some of the friends I've met here, and sometimes traveling to other places in Taiwan. It is hard to see those people during the week becuase most of them teach at "bushiban" or "cram schools" where the children go after regular school for several hours each night to learn English. They work till 9:00 PM, when I'm just about ready to wind down for the night, so we generally catch up on the weekends. My church is small (4-10 people on any given Sunday). There aren't many English speaking ex-pats in Chiayi!

So, there you have it... a day in the life of a Morrison teacher in Chiayi, Taiwan.

Up the Mountian

2007-09-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

Scooters. Cars. Trucks. Industry. The pollution in the tiny country of Taiwan can be overpowering at times! It isn't uncommon to see scooter drivers wearing cloth masks over their nose and mouth in an attempt to filter out some of the fumes pouring out of vehicles and smoke stacks.

I was really blessed this past weekend to take a day trip up to the mountians with the McGills (the Morrison superintendent and his wife) and a few of the other new teachers. I'll be honest, I wasn't that excited about traveling up the mountian as 5:45 AM on Saturday morning when my alarm clock woke me up to get ready to go! But I dragged myself out of bed, knowing they were expecting me. Our trip had several legs. First, Christina (my teaching partner) and I took a 30 minute taxi ride to the High Speed Rail Station. Then, we boarded the HSR and zoomed at breakneck speed for another 30 minutes to the city of TaiChung. We left the train station by van with the McGills and headed out of the city toward the mountians. After twisting and turning on the steep and narrow mountian roads for an hour and a half, we had arrived at Sun Moon Lake. Steping out of the van I had to remind myself that I was still in Taiwan! The crowded streets were replaced with lush tropical vegetation. Instead of the noise of horns and engines and thousands of people living on top of one another, we heard the chirp of birds, the quiet laping of small waves on the shore, and the rustle of leaves as raindrops pattered down gently. I had almost forgotten that life could feel so peaceful! As we traveled further up the mountian, the air grew cleaner with each mile. Upon reaching the top we were greeted not only by some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever viewed, but also a glorious cool breeze! The humidity, heat, commotion, and clatter was miles away from where we were.

Isn't it just like God to bring me out of the pollution and noise of daily life in order to renew me! And isn't it just like me to kick and scream the whole way, not knowing a good thing when it is knocking at my door! As I stood there drinking in the cool clean air, I was struck that each day God wants me to take a trip up the mountian to be with him. In his presence the "noise and dirt" of life seem far away. The clatter is replaced by his peace. How often I miss out on the refreshment of a trip up the mountian with God. The things down in the valley seem so important, but God longs for us to pull ourselves away and follow him up the mountian each day as we spend time in prayer and in his word. He knows we need refreshment from the heat, the noise, the fumes of life! I hope this week we will all take God up on his offer of a trip up the mountian! If we are willing, God will make the trip worth the effort!!

Snails in my path

2007-09-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had snails in your path?

I was practicing driving my friend Michelle's scooter the other day. It was my first time behind the wheel! I was nervous, but I had a huge empty parking lot all to myself. There wasn't another vehicle or person in sight. It was just me and the "open road"! On my first spin around the parking lot I noticed something very large out of the corner of my eye.... a huge five inch long snail inside an enormous shell was slithering along beside me. I was very busy concentrating on keeping the scooter upright, but I did take note of the slow and slimy fellow. Michelle's scooter is a big one, and it was my maiden voyage on a motorbike of any kind, so I was a little shaky on the steering and turning portion of my first lesson. Going in a straight line was easy enough, but steering and turning the roaring machine wasn't my strong suit. As I made my second pass around the parking lot, I rememberd the large snail coming up. No problem, I thought, I'll just go around it. Easier said than done! As I approached I desperately tried to steer the bike away from the snail, but just like a missile aimed at it's target, that bike, with me on it, was on a collision course with the only other moving thing in the parking lot, the snail! Try as I may, I could not seem to veer left or right. After several seconds of fruitless efforts, and a few squeals and screams, I heard the sickening crunch beneath the scooter tires. Yes, I had managed to hit and kill the only living creature within 200 yards of me. It was a sad day for all, and did not leave me feeling very confident about my scooter driving abilities. I, however, faired much better than my poor slimy friend!

So, have you ever had snails in your path... those unexpected bumps in the road that you try to avoid, but in spite of your best efforts, put you on a collision course with tragedy, or frustration? Do you encounter those circumstances and people that shake your confidence and leave you with the unavoidable knowledge that you are not as in control as you thought you were?

Take heart! God knows about every snail that sits in your path. Snails never take him by surprise! And he has promised that ALL THINGS (including snails) work together for good for those that love him and are called according to his purpose! Snails will come and go, but the plans the Father has for his children will stand forever, and can't be altered by snails on the path!

Welcome to my blog!

2007-09-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is! My blog! Join me here for updates, stories, and whatever else I decide to post!