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posted by Jonathan on 03/18/08

We love playing in the snow.

We tried to think of something we could do in this snow even though it

wasn’t deep enough to go sledding or packable enough to build anything. I really wanted to go outside for some fresh air so David and I got an idea to make a zoo!

We made paths with our feet and with a stick made lines representing cages. I didn’t think we could make it very large but we kept adding sections. The first one was for desert and plains animals, the second for jungle animals, and the section around the pond was for sea life. There was a cage for about every animal you could think of.

Before we knew it, we had covered the area between our house and the pond: a distance of about 130 yards!

Creativity:
Approaching a need, task or an idea from a new perspective.

3 Comments » | posted in Family News

posted by Donald on 03/14/08

As simple as it may seem, coordinating “English immersion classes” for the fifth-graders of Taoyuan county is a huge task. Taoyuan city alone is a huge city population-wise and with the country’s largest airport nearby, it has become one of Taiwan’s busiest places.

We really appreciate the office staff that work to coordinate our efforts with the visions of leadership in government. It takes real dedication and heart. In the picture from left to right we have Lee, Eric, Rachel, Leon and Aaron.

Lee spent enough time in the states (14 years) to bring his English to perfection and is like an American member of the team.

Eric doesn’t shy away from menial tasks and has been there more than once when we needed transportation. His English competence has escalated significantly which amazed us all.

Rachel serves as the principle, is able to get things done and makes it a high priority to make our time here as enjoyable as possible.

Leon, from Jhongli, has one little child of his own now and has spear-headed the emphasis on character here. He loves C.S.Lewis and provides moral support in a culture that is so different than our own.

Aaron, the newest member of the office staff team, has his Master’s in mathematics but willingly serves with the little things needing done. Most recently that was by posting character definitions around the school. May it be an influence for good on all who see them.

Thank you to each of you! We are encouraged by your example in these areas. God bless your work!

Leave a Comment » | posted in Ministry Reports

posted by James on 03/12/08

For the past few weeks, quite a bit of my time here at the Headquarters Graphic Art’s Department has been spent on designing all sorts of publications. Following are some simple steps on how to take a design project from start to finish.

1. Determine the theme, mood and/or purpose. A birthday card design will usually look a whole lot different than something like the book cover we were designing last week, “Resolving Seven Deadly Stresses.”

2. Draw thumbnails. This is the most creative part! On a piece of paper, just scratch out ideas for where text and pictures should be and how they fit together. It usually takes me at least a dozen thumbnails to get something that looks good enough to go forward with.

3. Think of applicable pictures and decide on a color scheme. Things will naturally come to mind as you think about your theme. For a booklet titled “Anointed for Greater Works”, I began working with more olive green colors and bright or “skyish” pictures.

4. Open up Photoshop and combine your thoughts and thumbnails. For me, this is the most enjoyable step. For the “Equipping Dads Seminar” brochure, I playing around a long time with the title before I got something I really liked. With color and effects, your thumbnails can change quite a bit.

5. Check to make sure you are applying the basic rules of design. As I was struggling to get one project to look right, someone walked in and suggested I use heavier alignment. Minutes afterward, I had a surprisingly transformed design ready to go.

6. Add special effects. Once you have a layout you like, it’s important to spiffy up the text, add borders, color correct pictures and take care of all the details to make your layout a finished project.

7. Have others critique your work. This can happen at any point in the designing process, but it’s amazing how someone else can point out things that you would never have thought of. One night, our department worked together till past 12:00 designing, critiquing, and redesigning comps for an important, time-sensitive publication. It was actually pretty fun!

So, next time you cringe at the thought of needing to design something, remember that it becomes much simpler, as well as more enjoyable, when you break it down into seven simple, achievable steps. “For God is not the author of confusion…” (I Corinthians 14:40)

6 Comments » | posted in Art Work

posted by Donald on 03/5/08

“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23).

Taiwan is a land of opportunity and I’ve noticed recently that with everything there is to do, it is easy for me to become carried away even while trying to make the most of it. That is actually what iniquity is: doing good things–without the Lord. In contrast, learning how to do things with the Lord adds a fresh dimension to life situations that is oftentimes not only fulfilling but very enjoyable!

Such was the case with a trip to the Taipei Zoo. February 28 is a type of memorial day here and we had the day off. As a team we spent some time at a place I’ve enjoyed since as far back as I can remember, only this time with team members and Taiwanese friends. Although the weather had been cold right up until then, it turned out to be an excellent day. It was a large zoo too and the time was full.

I’m grateful for opportunities like this one to step back and remember the value of the current relationships God has granted with Himself and others. Moreover I have the chance to finally introduce you to some of the others who have been working on the team. This time photo credits go to Trevor Newhook who is the oldest of three brothers from PA.

Here are his two brothers. It was their suggestion to introduce one of our most team-building traditions from just about the first week: ultimate frisbee. Baseball-players at heart, they make good teachers too–since they “strike it off” so well with the children we teach.

This is Nathan, who rooms with Lucas and I. He’s one of the ones I’ve been able to get to know the best and I appreciate his heart for the Taiwanese people and their history. Hopefully he can continue his studies and ministry in the Orient on into the future. And here is Eric, a faithful worker, a willing helper and, by now, a great friend. He thought the leopard was noble-looking–but the tapir? Very ugly. Nathan and I on the other hand saw some exotic value.
In this picture Lucas and Shang make an observation. It’s not out of character for either of them to “point the way” for the team. I appreciate you looking out for us rookies Lucas!
Jean was another host and tour guide who has done a lot to facilitate trips and things in the past. I don’t know where we would be were it not for the friendliness and foresight of our Taiwanese tour guides!

God give us each the wisdom to make our fellowship with Him, and then with others, the main priority in each situation we find ourselves in. That way we’ll truly make the most of it.

6 Comments » | posted in Ministry Reports, The Bright Side

posted by Esther on 03/4/08

Praise God that He cares about little questions like this!

With the deadlines for new lesson plans, I was studying late and still needing to be up early. This makes for a pretty tired Miss Esther. The whole process of asking God what to teach the children and how to explain it effectively keeps one in a prayerful sensitivity to the Holy Spirit to provide vital concepts and ideas. Constantly last weekend and the early part of this week I kept pushing to be prepared. I know from experience that lots of time can slip away quickly as you sit there trying to think of memorable object lessons and ways to illustrate your point. I want to thank and praise the Lord that each time I would reach a dead end and call out to Him for direction He would hear my cry and give me ideas.

This is what happened as I prepared for Bible Club too. Monday night I had the chance to prepare for the craft station I would be in charge of the next day. I read through the curriculum for craft ideas but none of them seemed right. Some people trust in other people’s ideas, and some in their own, but I will depend on the Lord! So I asked Him “Lord, what craft should we make? What  is something we could do to really get the main point across?” The main point was that others will know we are Christ’s disciples if we show love to each other. I closed the curriculum book and just read the Bible verse. And that’s when God told me, through a simple thought that popped into my head, what to make.

What about folding paper like a fan and drawing a person for them to cut out that, when they do, would be connected by the hands and feet to a long string of paper people? This would illustrate that a disciple is one that strives to be just like his master. On each paper person could be a heart on which we could write one way to show love to others. These ways would demonstrate how others would know we are striving to be like Jesus. This is exactly what we did and the children really seemed to get the point and loved it.

Interesting enough, the question came up at Bible Club as the children were making their craft “How does God speak to you?” So I told them how this craft came about. It was a fresh example that in God’s time His Holy Spirit will direct. Praise the Lord that He is faithful to provide for what He has called us to do.

9 Comments » | posted in Family News