Update on our adventures in Taipei

Hey all,

We're finally updating the blog! I'm sure you've all been waiting with eager anticipation to hear about our adventures over here. =P

After around 10 hours in airports and planes, we arrived safely in Taipei with no real hassles so praise God for that. The first thing you notice when you arrive is how cramped everything is. Every space available is used for shops, buildings, offices etc. Then the roads are filled with taxis, buses and SO MANY scooters. Everywhere you look there are people on scooters or scooters parked all along the pathways or scooters trying to run you down. No one pays attention to road rules here - it's every man for himself!

Another thing is the food! *drools* The smell of food surrounds you as soon as you enter Taipei as well. Every corner, every few metres, there are food stalls selling everything from xiao long bao to pearl milk tea. And it's all so cheap - the average amount we spend on a meal is around $60 NT which is about $3.

The funniest thing are the garbage trucks which come every night except Wednesday and play tinkly ice cream truck music to alert the people to bring out their rubbish. It makes me want ice cream everytime I hear it hehe.
We've also been eating ALOT of food so expect us all to be looking more on the heavier side when we come back =P.

The past few days we've mostly been doing orientation things with Irene (Nicholson) - talking about the culture, sharing with each other expectations and things like that. We've also had opportunities to meet up with Wayne, walk around to see the lifestyles of the Taiwanese people and got to attend a night church yesterday (which was all in Mandarin!).

Quick summary of our adventures thus far:
* Park ministry at Wanhwa playing with kids
* Had a prayer walk around Wanhwa
* Orientation
* Morning prayer meeting at a school
* Restaurant workers ministry - handing out flyers for evangelistic events and free christmas cds
* Lots of eating!!

The prayer walk and restaurant workers ministry was especially encouraging as we were able to interact with the Taiwanese people and pray for them. It's amazing to see God still at work in a place where the chinese culture of idols and ancestor worship is so entrenched. Although some of us aren't so fluent in Mandarin, it was still so uplifting to be able to talk to the Taiwanese people and invite them along to an evangelistic event. Some were positive, some were not but the general feeling from the team was that it was a great experience to be doing God's work amongst people who do need God's love.

Thanks for all your support and prayers so far. Please continue to pray for us and these things:
* We will be helping run a county fair for the kids from the park at Wanhwa. Pray that we'll be good witnesses and that the kids will have a fun time.
* Energy - we do have full on days and need as much rest as we can so we can do God's work effectively
* Taiwanese people - we have met a lot of people who need God in their lives
* Christmas outing with kids
* The team - for continued unity in Christ
* The restaurant ministry - their christmas evangelistic event

In Christ,
Tiff (on behalf of the Taiwan team)

STM Taiwan Supporter's Night

Meet the Taiwan Short-term mission Team

Anthony Choong (Leader)
I'm married to Ruth, father to Laura (8), Tim(5) and James(2). I've beenworking in the IT industry for 16years. I've been worhsipping at WSCCC for the last 15 years. This is a great opportunity to see first hand what the missionaries fromour church are doing in Taiwan. My goal is to go with a open mind and aopen heart to see how God is reaching out to the peoples of Taiwan andlearn more from the missionaries working there. My hope in leading the teamthere is that the short term trip will lead to a long term vision ofmissions.

Rocky Foo
I have been a Christian attending WSCCC for 16 years. I am married and have a wife, Vicky, a 23 year old son, Paul and a 16 year old daughter, Edwina. I run a motor mechanic workshop, I meet many clients who are non-Christians and I see this as an opportunity to tell them about God's grace. My favourite hobbies on the weekend is fishing, cooking curries and spending time with my family. I have been attending Incarnational Evangelism Training course for the past 7 years to prepare myself for gospel training.

I want to go to Taiwan becuase it is a country where idols are dominant and there is a great need for God's love to spread to the Taiwanese people, including Taipei and Chiayi. God's grace has been prevalent throughout my life and I want others to experience God's great love.

Victor Yaputra
I go to FOCUS, Fellowship of Overseas Christian University Students, http://focus-unsw.org/While FOCUS is the 'church', I'm part of the Indonesian Fellowship, called "Pelita" (means light/lamp)"I want to grow in affection of the Lord Jesus and whom He love, so be challenged to put myself out more in dependence on God for His promised sustenance."

Natalie Dang
I am from WSCCC 9am service. I'd like to go to Taiwan to learn and experience another culture, people andenvironment people live in. I'd like to gain an understanding of howmissionaries live each day, people they work with and the types of work theyare involved in.

Janice Tong
I am currently studying my Masters in International Business and working as an accountant. I look forward to seeing how God will use me to serve others and assist our WSCCC missionaries in reaching out to the people in Taiwan. It will be great to see how God’s work continues to grow in another country.

Tiffany Lim
So why do I want to go to Taiwan? Well I recently finished a university degree - a Bachelor of Teaching - so I have a lot of free time at the moment. Seriously though, I think going to Taiwan will be a great opportunity to get out of my comfort zone - being in a new culture, meeting new people and serving with Christians from another part of the world. I'm looking forward to serving and working with the Taiwanese, seeing how God is working amongst them as well as seeing how God will grow and change me through this experience.

Betty Cheung
I am a uni student studying Psychology and Japanese .
Taiwan is a spiritually hungry country with people thirsting to know the Real God. Being Chinese, I think this would be a great opportunity to see use the cultural similarity to reach out to the people of Taiwan and let God use me to serve His people in other parts of the world

First Post ~*

Team 2007 ~

+ SMBC trainers

+ Debbie

With less than 3 months to go.....~*