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Check out the **Taiwan in Focus section below for some really good info and a link to a short video . . .

East Asian Peoples Update

December 2011


Big plans for Christmas
“I knew the Father had big plans for my Christmas that would ultimately lead to His glory, yet I had no idea He would be taking me to the other side of the earth to spend it with people I had never even met.” Hundreds of university students will spend this Christmas in China. A firsthand account will be posted December 21 at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/student-blog/first-person-my-christmas-in-china.

Give to the nations this Christmas

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering provides 57 percent of the support for the Southern Baptist missionary force of 4,952 missionaries worldwide.
This year’s goal is $175 million. Give so that others can hear of Christ’s love. Go to http://www.imb.org/.”We thank you for your sacrificial giving, and your prayer and support of us as we serve the Father here.” Worker in EA

“If not for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, I don’t think we’d have the opportunity to be here doing what we’re doing.” Worker in EA

The gift of prayer

Radical needs call for radical prayerJoin us in praying all year long for the East Asian Peoples and
encourage others to do so too. Order multiple copies of the 2012 East
Asian Peoples Prayer Calendar through the IMB Resource Center at
1-800-999-3113 or online at http://imbresources.org/. The resource is
free and is also available in Chinese, Korean and Japanese. It can be
previewed or downloaded at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/resources/.Christmas prayer requests from frontline workers

Please ask God to lead university students who will brave the cold of Mongolia to bring the Light of Jesus to those in darkness.
Pray that local believers will have boldness to share the true meaning of Christmas.
Pray for groups of believers who will do a mass-distribution project to get the Good News message out to thousands.
Followers of Christ are inviting friends, relatives and
acquaintances to a true celebration this Christmas. Pray that the true
meaning of Christmas will be proclaimed and received.
Please lift up the Christmas outreaches by local believers as well
as visitors, asking that the Messiah will be boldly proclaimed and many
will receive Him.
Pray that this year, the multitude in this city will know that unto them a Child was born.

Go to http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/prayer-blog/christmas-prayer-requests/for more Christmas requests.

Prayer for Tibetans, Muslims and Mongolians

Download the December PEAP (Praying for the East Asian Peoples)
calendar in English or Chinese at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/pray/
and pray for specific needs among the Tibetan, Muslims and Mongolians.

What Christmas is all about

“They may be getting harder to find in America, but you can locate
people all over the world who know what Christmas is all about. They’re
in some surprising places …” Read the story at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org.

Japan in recovery

Child of PeaceMany births that took place in Japan on November 1, the day the world’s
population exceeded 7 billion, were to parents who suffered as a result
of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and ongoing nuclear crisis. Mrs.
Kawamura-san learned she was pregnant only four days before the
earthquake and there were times during her pregnancy when she was
unable to get proper nutrition. But now she holds a healthy daughter
named Nene, which means “peace”. Parents are welcoming babies as
symbols of hope and recovery. Pray that many Japanese will hear of the
birth of the Prince of Peace. http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/japan-in-crisis/.Send in the clowns
“IMB missionaries Tak and
Lana Oue say ‘heart care’ … is one of the top priorities in this
stage of disaster relief. When community leaders told them it was time
for the people to move on with their lives —to laugh and be cheered,
they knew it was time to bring the clowning ministry from Georgia.”
Read the story at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/feature/clown-ministry-boosts-healing-process-in-japan/.

**Taiwan in focus

Churches reaching outDecember is the busiest month of the year in Taiwan’s evangelical
churches, 212 of which are Baptist. Beginning in early December and
lasting through Christmas Day, outreaches are held in homes, parks,
schools and on the streets. Almost every church building will be packed
on Christmas Eve, with many of the churches winding up their
festivities in the wee hours of Christmas morning with caroling
throughout the community. Pray with Taiwan Christians that a huge
segment of its 23 million people will accept Christ this season.Idols on parade“She froze — partly because the road was blocked and she had to stop,
but mostly because she was shocked at what she saw. For 45 minutes, she
watched a parade of idols, carried on floats, proceed down a main road
in Taipei.” Read the story at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/portraits-of-an-east-asian-city-taipei-taiwan/ Visit fascinating Taipei online at http://vimeo.com/channels/245669#33505849.

Stay in Touch

Go to http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/
to read the latest stories and features. Our East Asian Peoples Twitter
and Facebook are also updated frequently. Sign on to stay in the know! http://www.facebook.com/pages/IMB-East-Asian-Peoples/156767504344205?v=wall http://twitter.com/#!/eapeoples

Double celebration

Most of the East Asian Peoples will celebrate two New Years in
January: January 1 and the Lunar New Year that will fall on January 23,
2012. This is a great time to share Christ with your Chinese friends
and neighbors anywhere in the world. Special Chinese New Year’s
evangelistic resources will be posted on December 26 at http://eastasianpeoples.imb.org/resources/.

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East Asian Peoples Affinity \| P.O. Box 6767 \| Richmond \| VA \| 23230-0767

“And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!”
Abraham Lincoln, March 30, 1863

Greetings From Texas!

It is hard to believe that our time stateside has come and gone so quickly! Had you asked us a month ago if we were ready to return to the field, we probably would have said “no”, however we now feel like we have rested well, played hard, and eaten enough, and now our hearts are turning back towards the people and work in East Asia.

Highlights:

Fran & Paige – a day at the Arboretum
Fran, Paige, sister, in laws & friends – Mom’s Day surprise
Fran & sister Boo – 3 days at Galveston
Jackie & Fran – Bike rides & 3 mile walks at North Park Mall
Fran – stretch class at PCBC & morning walk’s with a friend.
Jackie & Fran – 3 days at BSF Headquarters in San Antonio
Jackie & Fran, Paige & Chris – 2 days in LaGrange
Jackie & Fran – fun w/lifetime friends on Memorial Day
Week night dinners with Travis
Jackie & Fran, w/Paige & Chris – 8 days in Canada!
Jackie & Fran – 6 Days in VA for stateside renewing & reunited with Taiwan co-workers
Jackie – numerous trips for dental work & Fran- numerous cholesterol tests
Family gatherings at graduations and funerals
Millions of trips to half price books (Jackie pouts if we pass by w/out stopping)
Discovered some great Food: Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill, Pizza by Marco, Cindy’s Delicatessen, Charlie’s Philly cheese steak, & THE FOOD CHANEL! [Jackie has nick named Fran “Frachel” because she loves Rachel Ray’s 30-minute meals!]
Lunches/or coffee with a few faithful friends!
Meeting the next generation of Taiwanese UTD students!
Scanning many generations of photos for both the Bell & Hogue families

We are so very thankful for:

Lottie Moon supporters
Southern Baptist Church partners with International Mission Board
Park Cities Baptist Church – provision of a mission home!
Bible Study Fellowship, International (BSF) – its worldwide ministry
Brenda Rhodes – provision of a mission car!
Many “No alarm” days – we came home very tired, and finally begin to feel rested. As we return to Taiwan Aug 15, we are so thankful for this season of rest. We are amazed how the sermon series at PCBC took us through Philippians, emphasizing our new life in Christ. Our week in Richmond focused on “Renewal”, encouraging us to rest physically as we reconnect with loved ones. Our week in Canada renewed our spirits as the Rockies revealed the majesty of God. We truly are thankful for our REST IN HIM!

Ways to pray:

As we return to field service, we hope you will continue to be our prayer partners! Jackie will begin a new work assignment, serving as Admin Specialist to the Strategy Training Team for East Asian Peoples Affinity Group. Please pray he will be quick to learn his new job assignment, and that his gifts and skills will compliment our co-workers. He will also continue to serve as substitute teaching leader of the Evening men’s BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class. Fran will continue to serve as the teaching leader of the day women’s BSF class. Pray that the “Acts of the Apostles” study be used in these Taipei classes to bring new life to truth seekers, and a renewed passion for Christ among believers and a commitment to actively serve the local churches and the world. We will also resume our in home bible study with young Adults. Many of them are UTD Alumni and love our common love of Dallas. Pray the Lord will re-gather them to our home in September and that many will come to know and trust Christ.

For those of you that weren’t able to re-connect while we were in TX, know that you are always welcome to come see us in Taiwan. When you come, you will experience a land of beauty as you minister to a spiritually hungry people group.

Blessings,

Jackie & Fran