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posted by James on 11/17/08

November 4 marks a very special event on the IBLP calendar. It is Mr. Gothard’s birthday! The staff worked diligently to put on a very memorable birthday celebration complete with seasonal decorations, special music, and a scrumptious banquet. With over 100 guests, it was an event to remember!

“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Proverbs 20:6). Thank you Mr. Gothard for investing in the staff at Headquarters and families around the world the truths and insights you have drawn from Scripture!  

6 Comments » | posted in The Bright Side

posted by Donald on 11/13/08

It’s amazing how being away for a while can refresh your perspective and reset your priorities. That way, you see your work in a new almost appreciative way–probably because you understand better how it fits in with the life and work of so many other people. And what’s even more encouraging is when you are able to see that your work is in co-operation with what God is doing. Then the work is truly”off the ground”: in motion, more ready to operate three-dimensionally, in tandem with others whom God is using.
It’s been a tremendous time here. I’ve enjoyed working at the Ping Tung Nan Jung English Village and everything associated with it–getting situated, building relationships, trying the food, learning the language and exploring the town. Then came the opportunity to revisit the English Village where so many of us had worked last year. Students, teachers, families and shopkeepers in the area had all become familiar to us and it made four months seem like a long time to be away. The Lord confirmed the timing by giving me a Wednesday through Friday off and I took an extended vacation to visit our “old friends” in northern Taiwan. By the way, there are discounted rates on the High Speed Rail (HSR) during the month of November!
Rather than staying at a hotel, I enjoyed real oriental hospitality: some “friend’s teacher’s friends” hosted me five nights straight, beginning on Tuesday night. Like many people they were both learning and teaching English and used the well-known curriculum from Doris Broughm.
Wednesday the weather was perfect. I took a jog, went to see the outdoor morning flag-raising at Kuai Le Elementary School as I had so many mornings before, and then spent most of the day at She Zeh Elementary School. I was surprised to see the former Principal who also “happened” to come for a visit that day! And almost as surprising was the sight of 2nd- and 4th-grade students from last year in a different classroom, one grade higher. It was great to see their beaming faces and see how many names I could remember. Though we had taught this school on Tuesdays, it was on a Wednesday exactly 20 weeks earlier that I had last come to the school: for the 6th-graders’ graduation ceremony in the evening. As this day closed (also with a beautiful sunset) three from this memorable class, Jack, Owen and Tony, biked over from their Junior High School and once again we had time to talk.
On the way to the train station in the car was when the English Teacher told me the outcome of the US elections. Already experiencing a very wide range of emotions, I was in a daze for that train ride home. I still have the feeling somewhat of watching an old cowboy movie in stark black and white with the screen playing just a little too fast.
The next few days didn’t slow down a whole lot either. Nevertheless I enjoyed them by choice. Between the elections and Thanksgiving and life in America, there was a lot to share in the class I was invited to teach Thursday morning. It was the first time I remember teaching in a Senior High School.
The rest of the day I spent at the Kuai Le Elementary School English Village. As well as building a new Library complete with a group reading area, improvements included a piano (keyboard) in the Drama classroom, baskets in the Store and customs forms in the Airport. There were six teachers and I was happy to meet each one. With fewer teachers however, the Bank, Science, PE and Hotel classes weren’t running and thus it became possible for students to tour the entire village in one day. In Cooking class, Mike figured out a way to make little pizzas all day every day and even though it was his first try, the one I sampled was delicious. Before leaving, it was as encouraging as always to chat with Al, another American teacher who teaches outside the EV.
Friday, Jen was happy to give me some much-needed tutoring on Chinese and Queena took us out to a steakhouse for lunch. In the evening I enjoyed supper with the Chens in Taipei, met the Hualien Team (unexpectedly)!, Lee, Peter and Joseph; and bought a few of the IBLP materials for gifts. At 11:01 I walked into the bus station and found the Taoyuan bus had left already. So now I have experience taking the train too
Saturday was a full day in Taipei. Friends showed me all around Yang Ming Shan (a mountain from which you can view Taipei) and though it was raining in the afternoon, I got a good taste of the ruggedness and beauty of the park. The waterfalls reminded me of Zion National Park in Utah. These are the friends whom I had met at Guandu last year and rather than revisit Guandu for the Bird Fair this year, I opted to help them with their move that afternoon. It was a well-spent day.
Later in the evening back in Taoyuan I stopped by Jack and Lynn’s coffee shop–a favorite of our team last year. I however had never been there before and it must have been a sight when I first walked in with my backpack, uncombed hair and dripping raincoat. It didn’t take long to warm up though with a cappuccino and I was glad to introduce myself and relay greetings from the Lyons family. Praise the Lord, there was a translator there.
Jack and Jen also joined us that night at the coffee shop then insisted on seeing me off the next day. They generously drove me to the HSR and would not let me leave without more food and a new supply of Chinese study materials.
This trip, I return with renewed appreciation for all the work that has been done last year and for those with whom God put us in contact. With the relationships that He has given us, our current projects are illuminated with real objectivity–a beam of gold sunshine from the past. What about you? Do you see what you are working on right now as part of a much bigger picture that God is painting through many people? He will use you if you let Him.

4 Comments » | posted in Ministry Reports

posted by James on 11/9/08

When I heard about the new 4-week photo challenge the Institute in Photographic Studies was offering, I quickly decided to join up! This continuing education opportunity is designed to keep the shooting pressure on for former IPS students by requiring the submission of one picture a day for one complete month (not including weekends). The benefit is that each picture will be reviewed and critiqued by a pro instructor, giving valuable feedback, encouragement, and direction! For those aspiring photographers reading our family blog, I am posting my submissions here in hope that you might also learn from the priceless insights of skilled critiquing.

Day 01: Leaf

It wasn’t too hard to find a colorful leaf. But this one, precariously yet trustingly resting upon the top of a lamppost, rose above the rest in singularity. I had to stand on the back of my companion to get the right vantage point.

Instructor Review and Critique: “I like how sharp this image is, as well as the way the color of the leaf is replicated in the tones of the background. Shifting your perspective higher definitely made this shot.

“Unfortunately, your subject (the leaf) isn’t what first attracts the viewer’s attention. The lamp is just a sharp as the leaf, but has the advantage of being a little brighter and resting on the third. This combination draws too much attention away from the leaf and ruins the effect.

“I’d recommend moving in closer and framing the shot with the leaf on the lower left-hand third and framing the background with the lamp. (This should place the leaf back into a stronger position and eliminate some distractions in the background.”

Day 02: Bicycle

Biking has always been an enjoyable pastime of mine. Bring along a camera, mix the warmth of Indian Summer with the color of Autumn-up-north, and you will find the emergence of the ultimate November photo shoot.

Instructor Review and Critique: “Cool shot. I really like the different/dangerous perspective you’ve captured! You’ve got great highlights and good shadow detail, but I’d like to see a little more saturation.

“You’ve cropped the front tire a bit tight and the shot is a little soft–lacking sharpness. I’m assuming the framing is limited by your lens options, but I would like to see you bring the camera a little

Read the rest of this entry »

10 Comments » | posted in Photography

posted by James on 11/7/08

The end of this month will mark the one year anniversary of my work as an artist in the IBLP Graphic Arts Department. This is hard to believe! As all four seasons have come and gone, so have many monstrous projects, marvelous coworkers and memorable events. One such event happened just last month when the entire Publications Department went to downtown Chicago for the yearly GraphExpo.

GraphExpo is a huge graphic communications exposition; the largest in the Americas! The latest and greatest software and equipment for getting a job printed from start to finish, no matter how sophisticated, is displayed here in utmost elaboration.  It’s an on ramp to the modern marketplace for today’s prepress, offset, and digital printing, finishing, mailing, and fulfillment, package printing, converting, and wide format technologies. Each company, with their newest paraphernalia, is showing off the greatness of their products. For those attending, it is a great way to understand how things work, learn about the progression of technology, and simply be overwhelmed with the magnitude of this profession.

Because I am an artist, I hung around Adobe’s booth where I listened in on live tutorials unfolding the newly released CS4 versions of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, not to mention the incredibly enhanced Lightroom 2. The GA quad (Laura, Britton, Mindy and I) also stopped to query Quark’s quirky stuff. I didn’t find it too interesting.

This trip, and many like it, I will remember for a very long time. It has been a rewarding year. Thank you Lord for letting me be a part of your greater work. “Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom has Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches” (Psalm 104:22-23).

1 Comment » | posted in Ministry Reports

posted by Robert on 11/4/08

If the above video does not work for you, try viewing it here: www.valuevotersusa.com.

4 Comments » | posted in Politics