A letter from Yen Hee and Choon Lim in Taiwan
November 5, 2010
Dear friends in mission,
Yesterday thousands of Hualien county protesters rallied in front of the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei carrying signs that read “Safe Road Home.” The protest comes after tragic landslides last week took dozens of lives on the treacherous Suao-Hualien Highway. The landslides were caused by Typhoon Megi.
Protesters urged the government to begin speedy improvements to the dangerous road, the only route linking Taiwan’s eastern counties with Taipei. Today, after years of debate, the government finally decided to kick off a project to improve the highway.
The winding road cuts along steep cliffs and is known for its frequent landslides. Typhoon Megi brought record rains to the area, and several sections of the highway collapsed, trapping 400 tourists — mostly from China — and burying dozens more. Because of this tragic disaster, we, separated from the rest of the island by high mountains, might have a “safe road to go home” in the foreseeable future.
New multipurpose room after renovation.
Typhoon Megi caused only minor damage to our mission center, the Hualien Aboriginal Campus Ministry (HACM). We had finished the renovation of the multipurpose room used for Sunday worship, so our main concern was to protect ourselves from the strong wind and heavy rain. Thanks for your prayers and letters.
We are delighted with the response to our renovated facilities. Last year in our regular worship we had an average attendance of 30 students; this year attendance has increased to 50.
Last year the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) sent a letter to all churches and college ministries announcing the “One-Leads-One Doubling Movement.” In 2015 the PCT will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Through this project the PCT hopes to boost membership from 200,000 to 300,000. (In Taiwan only 3-4 percent of the population are Christians.) Early this year Choon told our student officers that we would join the movement and that our goal would be to double student membership to 50. We thought this would be quite a challenge since we have no public transportation to our center and students have to ride at least 30 minutes on motorbike or bicycle. Through the grace of God we have already reached our goal. Last Sunday we had 52 students and the week before, 56. This is beyond our imagination and vision! Every Sunday Yen Hee needs to prepare more food for the fellowship and we have had to buy more chairs, an air conditioner and fans. We aren't complaining! We give thanks to God and thank you for your prayers.
Choon delivers a sermon at the new student welcoming service.
Before starting this semester we began with a new meeting called Bible Reading and Prayer with Fasting. Thirty-one students joined and have been praying for all the work this semester. On October 23 we held the 2010 New Student Welcoming Party. Our multiple-purpose room was packed with 120 students. They removed all the chairs, sat on the floor and the room still wasn’t big enough to hold them, so they stood for the two-hour program.
Group photo after the new student welcoming party.
We believe the Holy Spirit has come upon us to be Jesus’ witnesses in Hualien. We need your prayers more than ever. The Rev. Jeff Ritchie, associate director of The Outreach Foundation, visited three weeks ago and saw what’s happening here. We need new energy and love to continue HACM. So please pray for HACM and us. We want to serve the Lord!
We pray to God that you have a warmest Thanksgiving Day with your family and have a blessed Christmas Day.
Love you in Christ,
Yen Hee and Choon Lim
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 146
