A letter from Yen Hee and Choon Lim in Taiwan
December 2011
Dear Friends in Mission,
1. Gospel Song Contest at the Taiwan Technical University.
It is time to share love with others to celebrate Christmas. Two years ago I started a new program called “God’s Bank” in our mission center. One Sunday before our college worship service began, I heard two students’ conversation. One student asked his friend, “Have you had lunch?” The other student answered, “No, I don’t have any money.” Also I heard they didn’t have enough money to put gas in their motorcycles (some students have to drive more than 30 minutes to get to our center). While I was praying and meditating about it, I came up with the idea to start “God’s Bank.” They can borrow money from God to use for buying foods and gas, etc. Whenever we have any events in our center, I put the box in the multipurpose room and any students who need a small amount of money can borrow it without telling anybody except God. I put in some small change, about NT$600 (US$20) each time we have a program or Sunday worship service. They can return it any time during the school year or after their graduation. They can give it back to God through their church offering and it doesn’t have to be to our student church because God owns all churches. God may bless our church more as we share God’s love with others.
Praise Night at the Zuo-Le Church
We have done this for more than two years now. God’s Bank goes strong without bankruptcy. At the beginning I hesitated doing it because I thought I wouldn’t have enough money and I also worried that I might not be able to continue to do it for a long time. But I always have enough money to put there because it is God’s Bank and I am only God’s instrument for service. My mother heard the story and sent some money for it. Some visitors visited our center and saw the box and knew the story; they put in some money. Also to my surprise I found some students put in their extra money to share with their friends. This is the spirit of Christmas.
Yesterday I came back from our Praise Night at the Bunun people’s village and Yen Hee came back from the National College Gospel Song Contest at the Taiwan Technical University in Taipei. As you see in our poster, we do the Praise Night once in each semester. Our HACM (Hualien Aboriginal Campus Ministry) goes to a church for each people group, Amis, Taruko, and Bunun, in a rotation. This time 22 students and I went to one of poor villages in Bunun (Zuo-Le Presbyterian Church). It took two hours to get there by car, but the problem was transportation. With our two cars, we could take only 13 students. The other 9 students had to go by train.
The box of God’s Bank
The church is located in the village and has a small stage. We couldn’t perform our dance and drama on the stage, so we performed all the programs on the floor. Our students quickly adapted to the situation very well and then they really praised God with all their hearts with about 60 young people. After finishing, I stayed at one of the elder’s houses. When I got there, it was close to midnight and I met him briefly. The next morning at six o’clock the elder and his wife went to work. His wife’s job is to slaughter ducks and his job is to help building houses. The house is so old that there was no bathroom and shower in my bedroom. That was OK, but my bedroom also didn’t have an on-off switch for the light, so when I wanted to turn off the light, I had to go out and turn it off. In the middle of night, when I had to go to the restroom, I first had to go out and look for the switch in the darkness. I have never seen a bedroom like this in Taiwan. After the event I shared with my students that we had had the Praise Night 22 times and this was the poorest village among them, but Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Mt.25:40).
The inside of God’s Bank
Yen Hee took 30 Buddhist Technical College students to Taipei by train. Since the Gospel Song Contest was held the same time as our Praise Night, I couldn’t go with them. They sang “God loves Taiwan aborigines” and won first place out of 23 contestants. Yen Hee was so excited she talked only about the contest after we met at our home. Yen Hee and I were so proud of them because they put great effort into helping the people to praise God.
Both programs gave us joy and brought meaning and joy to others. Those are our Christmas gifts from God. We want to share the joy with you because without your support and prayers, we couldn’t have done all the programs and activities in 2011.
Like the theme of 2011, “Arise, Shine!” we have humbly served our Lord Jesus Christ and glorified His name in this year. Please continue to pray and support us so that we may serve the people in Taiwan in 2012 as well.
Joy and Peace be with you,
Yen Hee and Choon Lim
The 2011 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 153
The 2012 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 205
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