2001-01-04
New Years Greetings from Taipei, Taiwan! Jan. 14, 2001
Dear Family and Friends –
We pray this letter finds you and your family healthy and hopeful as we begin the new century. We know it’s been a while since we last wrote and we want to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, cards, and even surprise packages that comforted us during our first Christmas away from our children and families. Your support means more to us than you will ever know.
We spent several days putting together a power point presentation to show at the annual missionaries Christmas Party. It was during this time that we discovered differences in celebration. In Texas, it is common to drive the neighborhoods to soak in the colorful lights, yard art, and numerous manger scenes. However, to take in the lights of Taipei, we had to visit about 6 major hotels to photograph lights and interesting Christmas trees. Rarely did we run across a manger scene. For the most part, Taiwan simply imitates their perception of the holiday as a gesture to satisfy the many internationals that visit the country for business, education, etc. The stores were not crammed with a mad rush for last minute shopping, just the normal crowded Asian atmosphere.
We gathered at Calvary International Church nestled upon Yang Ming Shan Mountain. It is a beautiful quaint facility with a great view of the basin where Taipei rests. Our dinner was catered Mongolian Barbeque (a quite tasty first), where we handed the chef our personal choice of frozen thinly sliced meats, fresh vegetables and sauces. We then watched them sizzle our individual meals on an outside grill, stirring it with two, 3-foot long chopsticks. On Christmas day we joined a small group of mission families for a traditional Christmas meal. Talking with Paige and Travis, both our families, and a few friends who phoned, brought us great joy and comfort as we spent our first Christmas away from home.
Many of you have inquired about the Christmas story and gospel presentation at Young Ming Medical College on Dec. 22nd. God was so faithful to get me there in a timely manner. The subway was extremely crowded when we got on. Jackie and I waved goodbye to each other through the crowd when he got off at the stop for the mission office. Finally after a few more stops, the crowd thinned out and I was able to get a seat. As the subway climbs from the inner city tunnel to get above ground, the view is really pretty. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed the trip. When I arrived at the designated spot to catch the school bus, there was a long line going around the side of the store. I asked the student at the end of the line if she knew English. God was so faithful; she did and confirmed I was in the right line. When we got on the bus, it was once again “Chinese Sardine-Ville???. Only 3 others could squeeze in behind me (barely standing room). The bus zoomed up the mountain, making fast sharp turns. The same student confirmed to me where to get off and which way to walk as she looked at my map. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, the outside walk way offered a spectacular view of the valley area (full of high rises of course). When I arrived, the teacher was showing the students “The 4th Wiseman” movie on video. Watching the final 20 minutes helped me adjust my talk around what they had just seen. It’s amazing how the Lord had previously laid on my heart the message “Wise men & women will seek Him??? so the things I shared seemed to flow smooth. I have no knowledge as to how they were impacted by the message. Only 7 students took the gospel tracts and the timeline of history (from creation to eternity) I showed on the overhead. However, when the 2nd class entered, EVERY student took a copy of the material and tracts. However, their hearts were not primed as the previous class and the flow did not seem as smooth. Since I never had the opportunity to speak to any of the students individually, I will not know this side of heaven how God used this. The teacher walked me to the bus stop and asked a student there to personally escort me onto the bus, back down the mountain and to the sub station. He did so as a gentleman. I even had a seat on the wild bus ride down the hill. I had a real peace, and kept thinking, it was good that I not know; that way, I could not be tempted to touch the glory that is rightfully God’s. After recently studying Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, only the Lord knows the condition of the heart of each student at Young Ming College. I pray that a seed took root in a listening heart that day.
I’m so very thankful many Chinese friends have accepted and embraced me. Last weekend I experienced my first “Chinese Tea???. One of the BSF discussion leaders invited me to go with her. We sat on the floor around a low coffee table with four other women, sipped on two different types of hot tea, nibbled on cookies and Taiwan beef jerky. The tea was in a humble home and the conversation was centered on God. This was a cultural learning experience for me. They openly discussed how just across the strait, the mainland people are seeking God and growing in numbers. However in Taiwan, although the people are free to express religion and worship corporately, the business of education and work, take precedence for the majority. I stated how I observed most children are often in evening care centers after a full day of school while their parents work long hours and they take additional educational courses on Saturdays (especially English classes). I asked, “When do the children get to be children???? They responded sadly, “They don’t???. They explained how the parents are under a social pressure that the only way a child can “be good??? is if they make high grades in elementary and intermediate years, in order to get them into the “good high schools??? and then the “good colleges???. I asked “What about the slow learners? Is there a way for these children to experience success, to feel good about their character; where does character fit in???? As we conversed, I could see how each of these women are seeking to put God first, respectfully and lovingly support their husbands and to train their children up in the ways of the Lord. It’s amazing what one can learn while sipping tea!
Many of you have asked about my eyes. On Wednesday, a Chinese sister escorted me to the doctor. It was quite an experience and I could not have made it without her. The process consisted of conversing with several administrative government medical employees, then being examined by three techs/residents before the final examination by an English-speaking Ophthalmologist. His diagnosis was very similar to the four doctors I saw in the states. However since my eyes have never improved during 10 months of various medications, he suggests that I make an appointment with an Internist. He thinks that maybe something is wrong with my immune system and that it is showing up in my eyes. I’m very thankful for Ruth as she sacrificed over two hours from her job to escort me. Please pray for guidance and wisdom for an internist and that the Lord will provide another friend to communicate on my behalf.
After four months of Survival Mandarin Language study, Jackie and I have split off and begun one on one class with our teach Gwey. This is good for a couple of reasons. Jackie needs to push on through and complete his lessons so he can dedicate more of his time to the mission office. In order to do this, my hours have been cut from 10 hours a week to 4 hours. I’m committed to spend the same amount of time as before only now I’m spending more time reviewing and studying, which results in a little more confidence on the current pronunciations of transportation vehicles, city street names and address instructions. Thank you for continuing to pray for our ability to learn. This is a very complex and difficult language, and we are not even close to a conversational level.
Finally, we will be in Thailand January 20-29 for a very large mission meeting. Since Jackie’s service is administrative he has assisted Hal in several projects preparing for this meeting. Please pray that while we are there that we will catch the big picture of missions for the East Asia region. This will be the first time in a long time that many missionaries will experience corporate worship because they live in areas that are hostile to Christianity. Pray we can be an encouragement to those we met while at MLC this summer who are now serving in such places.
Please write and let us know how you are doing, how God is at work in your life and how we can pray for you.
Love,
Jackie and Fran
P.S. If you are receiving this newsletter thru the postal service and you have an e-mail address, please send us your e-mail address so that we can add you to the electronic version of this letter instead – THANKS!
jackiebell@usa.net
