2002-01-08
Happy New Year from Taiwan! Jan. 8, 2002
We hope you all had a good, healthy holiday and were able to celebrate Christmas with your families. We missed being at home with Paige and Travis and our families, but kept in touch through phone calls and email. It is difficult to be so far away during Christmas time, but God was faithful to minister to our hearts, reminding us this is where he wants us for now. We thank you all for your cards, emails and gifts. Remembering to send something so far in advance was especially considerate of you. Thanks for remembering us.
Since our last letter, many of you have written an expression of extra support for me as I’ve stepped into the Teaching Leader responsibility for the Day Women’s BSF Class. Each week brings a new challenge to pray about, and watch God provide in numerous ways. The class is small, in comparison to most BSF classes, and even smaller than the Evening Women’s class that I attended last year. The leadership consists of three new discussion leaders, and one children’s leader and 4 staff members, who all expressed their immediate support to me as their new teaching leader. They share openly each Tuesday at leaders meeting and serve well together, making for a smooth class day each Wednesday. We’ve been praying fervently for additional children’s leaders, and PRAISE GOD, 2 previously trained leaders will join us this week! Please continue to pray that we will grow in leadership so the class membership will be able to expand also. So far there are 14 children who come faithfully each week from ages 2-5, but we really need teachers so we can divide them into 2 groups for age and safety. Keep in mind, all the children are Chinese, and they are learning English at such a young age through the study of the bible. God’s word is getting into their hearts each week through bible stories and songs. It brought tears to my eyes as they sang for us recently (see web for photos). I went out to lunch with Nancy, our STL one week, and her precious 2-year-old Abby, sang in perfect English, Holy, Holy, Holy – having all the words memorized. I truly feel humbled and honored to prepare the class lecture each week, and pray that God is teaching me what this class of 55 women need each week through the study of Moses. Please pray that I will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to enable me to speak truth, and principles, giving practical applications from the scripture. My prayer verse for the week is Exodus 33:13.
As you pray for Taiwan, please continue to pray for all three of the Bible Study Fellowship classes here in Taipei. The Evening Women’s class has grown considerably, with over 100 in attendance. The Men’s class is growing also and they need more discussion leaders for their sudden growth spurt. They have between 40-50 men in attendance each week and hope to have a children’s program sometime in the future. Jackie leads 18 men through the lesson discussion time each Monday evening.
Jackie and I made the decision to close the class he’s been teaching on Sunday Evenings for the past year at the church next door. The time slot seemed to be during a competitive hour with other English & Chinese Bible classes, which hindered a consistency in attendance. Please pray that the Lord will reveal to us another group of growing Christians where to best invest Jackie’s study and teaching time. With his responsibility at the office and in BSF, it’s best that he not have a class for right now, but he would like to be able to start teaching again in late February. He especially needs your prayers this month as he assists Hal, preparing administrative details for the large general mission meeting in Thailand. I will assist him while we are there Feb 2nd – 17th (he will stay through the 20th, but I will need to return to teach BSF that day). Please pray for travel safety, good health and energy during this very busy season. Above all, pray that our relationship with the Lord will be close, so our work will be done in His strength and not our own.
We have some family concerns and would appreciate your prayers. Travis will move Jan 27th into an apartment alone (his roommate Josh is getting married) and will continue to commute to school for one more semester, while working the 3 to midnight shift at Comp USA. Paige is working on her thesis another semester at OHSC in OKC. My mother has been hospitalized with pneumonia recently – but is home now on oxygen. Jackie and I need to secure flights, transportation and housing details for our month-long vacation in July. Exact dates and flights need to be secured soon because many Taiwan students also travel during July.
We thank God for you (Philippians 1:3)!
Love to all,
Jackie & Fran
Phone = 011-886-2-2362-2847 We have heard at least one horror story about
P.O. Box 39-875 someone who called and the bill was sky high.
Taipei 100, Taiwan R.O.C. Please do not call before you check the charges
jackiebell@pobox.com with your carrier. Our children call for about .07
afranbell@yahoo.com per minute. Prepaid calling cards from Sam’s are
http://communities.msn.com/JackFran supposed to be cheap also. Please call sometime!
