2001-04-10

April 2001 Blessings from the Bell’s

Since the first day we arrived in Taiwan, we have anxiously anticipated a visit from our children. As we learn our way around the city of Taipei, we’ve had an undercurrent desire to one day show Paige and Travis around this massive Asian city and we joyfully announce that our deep heart’s desire is actually becoming a reality. Please pray with us that their passports will arrive in their mailboxes soon, enabling them to depart DFW on May 19th. Please also pray that we will have two weeks together that will encourage each of us with a lasting family memory until we meet again.

Last week was spring break for the Taiwanese, however the reason for the break is truly heartbreaking. On Thursday (April 5th) the people of Taiwan celebrated their national Tomb Sweeping holiday. This is a day where the nationals travel to the mountains to worship their dead ancestors as they sweep the tombstones of their ancestors, set up bai bai tables, making food and incense sacrifices. This is truly a day of spiritual darkness, a reality exposing the stronghold upon this culture. Please pray that the Lord will give opportunity for all Christians in Taiwan to testify to the freeing truth about Good Friday and Easter Sunday in such a way that the significance of Christ’s resurrection from the dead (the great empty tomb) is the reason for true celebration, without the requirement of binding rituals.

For the past three weeks, I (Fran) have experienced a large dose of cultural religion as I tagged along with Karen 2-3 days a week. A team from Oklahoma will be coming soon to partner with Project Taipei on prayer walks around the Temples and High Places. Our walks were for the purpose of mapping the many temples within the city, making a strategic plan for the prayer walk during the Oklahoma missionary team visit. Please pray that all hearts be as one, be humbly and prayerfully prepared for this mission, expecting God to reveal His power. (For more information about the spiritual darkness experienced during these mapping walks and information on the upcoming prayer walk around the temples, visit our website http://communities.msn.com/jackfran and click on temples.)

We are in the final weeks of our BSF Matthew study. Please pray that those who are not Christians will truly respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit as this study covers Jesus’ final week before the cross. We truly have a burden to see the Lord use BSF to bring many to His saving grace, but also to use this study to equip the Chinese to be strong Christian leaders in the community and service to the local church.

Ministry updates:
Jackie has been busy helping several of the mission personnel with their computers as well as working on office network problems. His duties are increasing as his language study is decreasing. Pray for him wisdom to best know how to help others and discernment to know when not to get involved. We both still need prayer for our memory of Chinese words and how to properly formulate conversational sentences so we can effectively relate with the nationals. The Thursday bible study with the high school teachers had a two-week break. Please pray that their interest and understanding of the passages on the Holy Spirit, last studied, will become a living reality and that I will continue to be used to point them towards a personal relationship with Christ.

Personal praises and needs:
Living overseas has its many challenges. We praise God for cutting through the legal document that wrongfully held us liable for a car that we sold a year ago – it was abandoned last month and was accumulating fees in my name. (OH NO!). Please pray that we will be protected from any more strange things like this one.

It looks like we might have an opportunity to serve in China on a mission trip for a couple of weeks this summer. This is very exciting to both of us. Please pray that this will become a reality and that all details will fall in place soon.

The pastor of the Bi-lingual service at the large Baptist church next door has asked us to teach a English Sunday School class that would begin right after Paige & Travis end their visit here. Please pray with us about our possible involvement.

We thank you all for your emails and interest in the ministry here and ask you to continue to let us know how we may pray for you across the miles.

The Lord inhabits the praises of His people.
Praising Him with you,
Jackie & Fran