Blog.SasaSam - Keeping updated

Trip to taiwan - visiting mission field - part 01

Here we go... to the mission fields of Grass Root Mission in Taiwan;
It's been an eye-opening experience for me.

This is the SUV/vehicle to go places, from village to village, town to town, neighbour to neighbour, etc; and the drive is pastor Chen, shih-ting.

Pastor Chen, Shih-ting (translation) is the Chairman of the GRMT. ( 台灣基層福音差傳會 - 簡稱為「基層福音」或「基福」.

Personally, this is my first trip to the mission field in Taiwan's remote sites. Here are a list of the 拓荒區 (mission fields) 壯圍 · 寶山 · 頭屋 ·造橋 · 大西 · 大安·

During this trip, I get to know some wonderful brothers and sisters who are committed to bringing the gospel to their home town, Taiwan. A retired couple, Dr. Lin, hua-shen ( 林醫師及師母), is such an encouraging example that inspire my heart. Below is a link that features Dr. Lin's testimony:
URL: http://www.ccea.org.tw/~vigomi/news/news184/america184.htm [new window] (Dr. 林華山‧劉碧珠夫婦)

Here I quote from the above link,
" 「台灣不比蒙市遠」，更何況那裏有骨肉之親、兒時之友還不認識主。同時發現加州有一大群的早期的小留學生，稱他們是CBC，和美國土生的ABC這一代青年，由於父母是第一代移民，所以對台灣都不陌生，更因為台灣盛行學英語，是巧合？是神開門？我們開始帶隊回去，利用教英語的機會關心台灣鄉村福音的需要。 "
and ...
" 「…我若忘記你，情願我的右手忘記技巧…」，我們雖不曾獻年青的力量，但老兵不死，靠著那加給我力量的神，願攜手跑盡這最後的一段路程。"

Here is the picture of Dr. Lin couple, Rev. Chen and local helpers.

1) Dr. Lin 林華山 is standing next to me (right-hand).
2) Mrs. Lin sits in the front row (in light color coat).
3) Rev. Chen is standing at ly left-hand side.

As we drove into the town (e.g., 造橋 · 大西 ), the first thing you ran into is the traditional temple, which shows the stronghold for spiritual battle in the region. It reminds me of the verses, recorded in the Psalm 115:4-7,

"他們的偶像是金的，銀的，是人手所造的，有口卻不能言，有眼卻不能看，有耳卻不能聽，有鼻卻不能聞，有手卻不能摸，有腳卻不能走，有喉嚨也不能出聲。(詩一一五：4-7)"

However, the battle is so vivid here - that I pray
神賜我們的耳，目，口，鼻，手，腳，喉嚨，不要成為偶像的那些！

For a snapshot of the local temple, (see below) it apparently is a local tradition to build one at each major entrance leading into the town as a symbol of protection and/or blessing to the local folks. We see it as an idol worship - for them, it is indeed a peace of mind.
Challenge! Challenge! Challenge!

<=== Tu-Di-Gon temple -土地公/ 福德正神 (similar to taipei's 龍山寺 )

The opposition at these towns and villages are so great - sometimes I wonder... 既然這麼辛苦，為何還要繼續作？ (I asked local pastor/br others and sisters)
Answer is simple - to win more souls for the Christ!

As Paul put it,
1) " 向軟弱的人、我就作軟弱的人、為要得軟弱的人．向甚麼樣的人、我就作甚麼樣的人．無論如何、總要救些人。 " (1 Corin. / 哥林多前書 9:21)
2) " 我傳福音原沒有可誇的．因為我是不得已的．若不傳福音、我便有禍了。 "

And... according to some survey in China: (I'd suspect the same thing in Taiwan's city/town)
在許多中國的大城市中，將近10%-15%的人口由年長者所組成，
早晨在公園中打太極拳、運動、傍晚在路上散步…
這就構成了城市老年人的生活圖畫。

僅極少數的教會開放場地供年長者使用，或有專門的老年人事工。
面對這群容易被忽略遺忘的廣大銀髮禾場誰有負擔能夠與當地教會一起投入？
讓我們求神親自差遣祂的工人來收取莊稼。

[To Be Continued]

posted by SasaSam @ 2:34 PM