The Fourth Day at Wudu & Huaxing.

bernard & karen:

karen ai: week 2 almost...over @_@ this week is definitely different. we have our first session at wudu elementary from 9-12, then we have session 2 from 2-5...with different kids. I was a bit disappointed in the beginning of the week just because i felt like i wasn't getting to know my kids as well as the first week. The first couple of days were hard. My kids from both sessions ( 1st session:me and ber-nerrd teaching 1st-3rd graders and 2nd session: me and jacqueline teaching junior highers) were unenthusiastic and unresponsive, and with the shorten schedule, everything was rushed. however, things turned around today. We ( me & ber-nerd) realized that instead of forcing the kids to repeat the vocabulary words over and over again, we told the story of Daniel..making sure they remembered the moral of the story...which they did~ then we just went outside to take group pictures and also run around....which made the kids more comfortable around us. Session 2 was the one i dreaded the most for a long time. These kids were older and had "better things to do", one girl was on her cell phone the whole time. But i'm thankful to be teaching with jacqueline. These junior highers knew absolutely NO english...they couldnt read, write, or speak. so we started with the basics: ABC's. During break time the kids became more opened to me...following me around. That made me feel a lot more comfortable. and i got to know them well. Tomorrow is friday, last day with them. It makes me sad because these are good kids and i didn't have enough time to spend with them. But like i said with the Neli kids, i trust that God has a special plan for them.

pastor josh & norman:

norman ai: its the eve of our last day of english camp here at wudu / baifu. i never imagined this week to go by so fast. i never imagined this missions trip to go by this fast. our missions here in taiwan will be over in one week! talking to several of the teachers earlier today, we wish it would not come to an end. today during my own devotions, i asked myself the question: why am i much more willing to serve on this missions trip than in my life back in ohio? why do i feel like i could stay here forever [in service]? and the answer came to me. i am here in taiwan knowing that one day, despite the humidity, the heat, the pollution, the noise, the atrociously painful rashes, and whatever troubles and trials come my way, that i will be able to go home to ohio at the end. so why not give all i have to the missions trip? the soul purpose of these three weeks in taiwan is to serve. and to be so embodied in serving God in every pore of these three weeks is just amazing. and thats when a tiny epiphany hit me. our lives here on this earth, here in this life, is our short term missions trip. [well, not terribly new actually, but nonetheless still powerful and moving to me] i should approach life with the same attitude as i have now in taiwan. that despite the hardships i may face in this life, i know i will be heading home to my Savior when this life is over. so why hesitate? here in taiwan, i have no hesitation in telling students or sharing with parents about God and my relationship with him. it is kind of scary [in a good way] how comfortable it is to tell of God's amazing love for me and all that he has done for me so far in my life. praise the Lord! i'm always excited to come on these missions trips to taiwan, because i do feel they really strengthen my dependence and relationship with God, along with other members / youth leaders on the team.

today, me and jacqueline went to bear cafe again with several of our old students: jenny, candy, lisa, and evelyn. it was a great time. we confirmed each other as friends on facebook, went through facebook pictures, and had a good laughing time. though we've only seen them for two weeks a year for the past three years, i feel like we know them really well. i will truly miss everyone here when the time comes to say goodbye. sigh. it is rather hard to answer them when they ask if they will see us again next year, as alot of us will not be returning. *trying not to cry* haha. well, hopefully i can try to find an architecture / design internship here in taiwan next summer.

please continue to pray for our missions team as many of us are facing fatigue. we're basically on our feet from 6:30am up until 10:30pm at night. and with only one, sometimes two bathrooms, everyone getting ready for bed adds another 2-3 hours to the end of the day. please pray for our team as tomorrow, we bid farewell to our students here at baifu. its especially hard for those of us who have come here 2-3 times already. it really is. please pray for the evangelistic meeting we are helping out with at baifu on saturday, may it bring some if not many to Christ through the music, testimonies, and fellowship! please pray for my rashes as today was rather unbearable and sometimes my head feels like it cant take the burning feeling. please pray for the future missions team that comes next year, whether it be many returning members or a completely new team, may God's love and gospel story be spread to the people here in taiwan! thanks!