September 30. In Israel, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated. People rest from work and the ram’s horn sounds during a special memorial service. In southern Taiwan an unusually large flock of 126 migrant ibises are sighted in a field: white with long curved black bills, black heads and black tails. And in Choujhou, a farmer bends […]
Archive by Author: Donald
Off the Ground, Part II
Looking back over another week, I sense a new appreciation for God’s great mercy: acceptance or favor that is not earned or deserved. On Sunday He brought me across the lines of a hymn that I had forgotten about, saying simply: There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea. There’s a […]
Off the Ground, Part I
While we’re already into our third week, we’re actually only beginning to “take off” with a full-fledged teaching schedule. Yesterday and today students from Nan Jung (our host school–pronounced Non Rong) came for a total of seven 45-minute periods and next Monday students from an elementary school will be the first regular outside guests to […]
September 11, 2008
It is Thursday. The time in Choujou is 8:55am. My location is the English Village office in the corner of Nan Jung Junior High school, at a computer in front of a window facing eastward towards America and towards home and towards New York City. Memory is a tremendous blessing from God: not completely tame; […]
To Him That Overcometh …
Praise the Lord. Tomorrow we will have been here one week. It seems much more like a month because of the many new people we have met here. We are near Ping Tung city and not far from Taiwan’s southern tip. Our team consists of Wes and Juliana; Joanna, Kara, Hannah and Sarah; Austin and […]
Continuing Education
When we first began the work here, the opportunity was announced that schools in the area were looking for native speakers to teach at various public schools once a week. I decided to decline but stayed in reserves. Then one day reserves were needed and, fairly early last fall, I started another year of English […]
Points of Interest for Puzzled Patriots
Thanks to everyone for their participation. I’m glad that I could be a part of your celebration this year even if it did come from afar and necessitate a week of suspense. After all, the role of a teacher is to raise questions before answering them right? So, the points of interest … 1. July […]
A Puzzle for Patriots
Before reading too much further, grab a pen or pencil and some note paper. As you think back to one of history’s most climactic days, jot down your best guess for the following 20 questions. Check back next week for the answers and have a memorable Fourth! 1. July 4 became an official national holiday […]
The Banker’s Business
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). This is one more reason I’ve come to appreciate the Mega International Commercial Bank. Not only have they made the classroom banking scenario here at the school as realistic as possible, but in all actuality they have been more than willing to help […]
Building Blocks
Well, just an update here! I continue to be amazed at the beauty and efficiency of Mandarin Chinese–Characters in the Bible continue to come alive with meaning. Recently in Genesis was the bittersweet story of Hagar. Here are several words that stood out (as best as I could decipher them): * Maidservent = woman + […]