Encouraging Taiwan Update

I will return home on May 25. Jeri, Connor, and I are doing very well. The English classes and the Drama clubs are going better than I could ever have imagined.  This week, at both schools, we have begun asking the students to share prayer requests with us in the classroom. Connor, Jeri's husband has an incredible testimony, which he has been able to share with most of the classes. At the end of each class the students fill out a questionnaire giving us blessing after blessing with most valuable feedback. This week on the questionnaire the students indicated that the most important thing to them in class was the time we pray the students.  The students love coming to English class and basically have to be told to leave the classroom to allow the next class to come in. They really don't want to leave. The way we are teaching is directly opposite from what they are used to doing here and that is why they can't wait to get to our class and don't want to leave.  God has put together a team of teachers/people dedicated to bringing honor and glory to God and having a positive impact on all the people we are allowed to touch in so many ways. We have already planted many seeds and continue to do so each day. We have some students who are moving closer to understanding what putting their faith and trust in Jesus is all about. It is just a matter of time before we start seeing some harvest. We keep thinking that today might be the day of salvation for some but we also want them to really know what making this decision is all about. We are not going to lead them in a prayer of salvation so they can repeat the prayer and not have clue as to what they are doing. We want to counsel with them one on one as much as possible.  Friday was a big day for us. Friday we are normally at Zhongzheng Junior High School.  Friday morning we first had to be at Ji-Sui Junior High School and each one of us spoke before all the students outside. The schools here have a day in which they celebrate their school history. Ji-Sui Junior High School had their day yesterday. It was quite an event. Every classroom marched around the track with banners and they all sat down in groups in front of a stage on the side of a big area that contained several basketball and volleyball courts. I spoke first and then Connor shared his incredible testimony with all the students and teachers listening. Then Jeri spoke about our English classes and the relationships we are building with students. There were Taiwan government people there as well as city government people there. Ji-Sui was celebrating 44 years in existence. There were students who received scholarships in honor of a teacher who had cancer. Their volleyball team was recognized with a big trophy for being champions in all of Taiwan.  There has only been one parent so far that has complained about what we are doing. Naomi, the teacher in charge of the Drama clubs, handled the complaint so well that they are now in support of what we are doing in the classroom. Michelle and Naomi, both a part of the team that God has put together, were expecting much spiritual warfare, in other words many more parents complaining.  I know that when people back home are praying, in regards to God intervening in all aspects of spiritual warfare here, that we have no doubt been witnessing God at work in answering those prayers. One example was the fact that the principal purchased as many Chinese/English Bibles as he could get his hands on and Connor at the end of his testimony told students they could get one when they went back to class. They handed out every one of the 300 Bibles in a short period of time and we're going to order many more to make sure every one who wanted one would get one. This is God answering prayer. I can only imagine what God is going to do through all the Bibles the students have received. The students in many of the homes are going to be in battle at home so they need prayer for protection from persecution at home.  Thanks for praying and doing battle on behalf of our team, each student, and their families. They are greatly appreciated and valued here. As soon as we were finished speaking we hurried to Zhongzheng Junior High School for the remainder of the day. We truly are blessed to have this opportunity and the blessings continue each day.  --Lary