Prayercast: Taiwan

Take a look at this powerful short video about the spiritual needs of Taiwan.  Most importantly, take a moment or two to lift up this nation after you watch the clip.

Bringing Owen Home

Update (11/7/10)

The Smiths have decided to move to England in order to adopt Owen from there.  Once the Smiths have adopted Owen in England, they will eventually be able to move back to the U.S. and go through the process of making Owen a U.S. citizen.  The great news right now is that the Smith family is together finally! Christine, Mark, and their son came to Taiwan to meet Owen last Monday.  It is so good to think that Owen is finally in the arms of his mom and dad and playing with his big brother.  We have ALL loved him here–in fact, he’s become one of the favorites of our community–and we are so happy to see him reunited with his family.

Eyes to the Mountains

"I lift my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

 

Update:

Dear Friends and Family,

I went into the operating room around 8:30 a.m. (Taiwan time), and the surgery last about 2 1/2–3 hours.  The doctor said that it was a perfect surgery with no complications.  They did a frozen pathology on the mass as soon as they removed it, and it was completely benign, so they had to remove only the left side of my thyroid.  Praise the Lord for that and for the mass not being cancerous!  I was in the recovery room for about 2 hours, and I was back in my hospital room around 1:30.  My family said I looked great; in fact, Ashleigh and Sara were a little disappointed that there wasn’t anything funny to video record. 

On Wings Like Eagles

I have decided to widen my circle of prayer regarding a health issue I am facing.  For some, this post will be an update on the situation, and for others, it will be an explanation from the beginning.  Please read on…

I share this story as a request for prayer but also as an opportunity to praise God for his faithfulness; I have witnessed evidence of God’s hand in this situation in so many specific details along the way.  About a month ago, while I was home in the States for summer vacation, I found a lump on my throat.  I was standing in front of a mirror while taking some pills, and I noticed that my throat looked strange when I swallowed.  I don’t usually watch myself swallow, but I did this time because I was sharing a hotel room with my family and the bathroom was the only available place for me to be at the moment.  The fact that I found the lump on my throat while at home in the States is to me the first evidence of God’s hand.

URGENT Prayer Request

Update (8/21/10):

I think it’s about time for an update and a whole lot of praise to the Lord!  Sawyer was discharged from the hospital on Thursday, August 12, just days after fighting for his life in the ICU.  He is still weary and recovering, but he is doing remarkably well.  He is on antibiotics to heal an infection in his hip/abdomen area, and though surgery is a possible treatment for this infection, we are praying that the antibiotics will be all that he needs.  By Sunday, August 15, Sawyer was asking to go to church–praise the Lord for this young man’s hunger for God!  LCA (Sawyer’s high school) began classes on Tuesday, August 17, but Sawyer is not back in class yet.  I believe he will attempt to go back (starting with half days) sometime next week.  His body wears out easily, so pray for stamina for Sawyer to make it through long days of school as he starts his senior year.  Continue to pray for Sawyer as he visits doctors to monitor his health and as he moves toward a full recovery.  Praise God with me for His awesome work and answer to pray in this young man’s life!

Big, Sweeping–But Not Insipid–Prayers

Big, Sweeping–But Not Insipid–Prayers

Encouraging instruction from John Piper on praying for the nations.

A (Chinese) New Year

Dear Friends and Family,

First, thank you all for your continued prayers.  I encourage you to check my blog site often to read updates and peruse media that will help you to better understand what I’m doing, what things I need prayer for, and what life is like here in Taiwan.

When It Rains

“Why are you downcast, oh my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God.”

~Psalm 42

Dear Friends and Family,

Since water problems (I lost hot water again about a week ago) seem to be my issue this year, I think it’s only fitting to quote the idiom “when it rains, it pours” right about now.  The MAK community is being hit on all sides, so I’m writing a short update to ask you to pray for some particular things.  I’m not sure why the Lord is allowing all of this heartache and weariness, but I know that like the psalmist, we need to continue to put our hope in God.  Would you join me in remembering the following points of prayer?

In His Grip,

Christel

A Season of Thanks

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been over two months since my last update, so lest you forget about me while I’m halfway around the world, I think it’s time I write again.  I think about and pray for you often, at the same time thanking God for your support of my ministry and His work here in Taiwan.  I have begun writing this newsletter several times, but because of the busyness of life and the exhaustion of mind and body, I haven’t been successful at completing it.  Hopefully this letter will finally come together, and I will be able to share with you all that God is doing in my life.

The Calm (?) After the Storm

Dear Friends and Family,

I guess the one nice thing about a typhoon is that it confines a person to her home and allows her time to write.  Well, the typhoon has passed, and I know the school year has begun because I have an obvious lack of time.  To add to the craziness of my busy school schedule, Sara and I did the unthinkable and bought a puppy two nights ago.  Of course, this was unthinkable only to me because Sara has been dreaming of this day since she was born.  However, I think she imagined that the puppy would live at her house, and so did I!  Since Sara is not allowed to have pets in her apartment complex, I am housing our little puppy and wondering if life will ever be the same again. 

More News

Friends,

Taiwan’s disaster situation has finally made it to the headline story on CNN’s webpage.  Here’s the link:  http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/weather/08/13/taiwan.typhoon/index.html.  Petition the Father for these people and communities.

Continue to Lift Up Taiwan

Friends and Family,

I don’t know what the news is broadcasting in America, but I just wanted to send you a couple of links to news articles about the devastation from the Typhoon in Taiwan.  It is worse than any of us could have imaged.  I am thanking Abba that we are all okay here, especially since Kaohsiung County (where we live) is the place where the most significant flooding and loss of life has happened.  Please continue to lift up all those affected in Taiwan, China, and the Philippines.  Thank you for your faithfulness in petitioning the Father.

Blessings,
Christel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/6003259/Typhoon-Morakot-sparks-exodus-up-to-1000-missing-in-Taiwan-landslide.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/6008039/Typhoon-Morakot-600-feared-dead-in-Taiwan-village.html
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=8299189

I Wish I Had Time for More…

Dear Friends and Family,

So much has happened during my first two weeks in Taiwan, and I desperately want to share all of my experiences in detail because I wish all of you could be here experiencing everything with me.  I can’t wait to tell you about driving a moldy car with no power steering fluid that broke down in the middle of the road during my first driving experience in Taiwan, or about the small earthquake we experienced on my second night here, or about the barbecued bird we found in my water heater that had a little something to do with my lack of hot water for the first four days living in my apartment, or about all of the details of weathering the worst typhoon to hit Taiwan in fifty years. 

A Whirlwind Summer & Other Thoughts

July 21, 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been a whirlwind summer so far, and the excitement is just beginning.  I am less than a week away from hopping on a plane to Taiwan and heading to my new home.  My departure date is July 27, and though I have what seems to be an immeasurable list of things to do between now and then, I feel quite ready to go.

I guess this is sort of a catch-all email before I find myself with limited internet access and even more limited time during the first few weeks of this transcontinental move.

The Details

Dear Family and Friends,

As most of you know, I have spent the last three years teaching high school English at Lexington Christian Academy in Kentucky.  Though my time here has been fruitful, I have always considered this as just one step on the path God has for my life.  After many months of searching for opportunities, waiting for open doors, and seeking the Lord for direction, I believe that God is clearly guiding me to pursue his call to missions overseas.

I will be taking a position teaching K-9 ELL (English Language Learners) at the Morrison Academy campus in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  My position as an ELL teacher will be to work with students who require extra help to be grade-level proficient in English.