Amazing Trip to Tainan

9/5/2013

At our last meeting with Jack Lu on 8/31, he mentioned a kindergarten he saw in Tai Nan (the southern part of Taiwan) which was very well built and very well run. He thought we should visit since we are starting kindergarten in Kyrgyzstan. However, on 9/1, Jack had to be in Shanghai to interview some people for his area of responsibility and returning to Taipei late 9/4.

John tried to call Jack in the last few days expressing if possible please arrange for us to visit the Kindergarten in Tai Nan. Jack called around 8 am to say he finally contacted the owners – Vivian Lam and her husband Pastor Joe Yeh and we could go to visit them in the morning. We first took MRT to go to Taipei Train Station and then took the High Speed Train and arrived in Tai Nan in two hours.

Pastor Joe came to pick us up at the station and we were surprised first to find out how young he looks and then to find out he is already over 40 years old. He told us he was born in Tai Nan, and went aboard to study, first to Canada then to USA.

He took us to their beautiful large kindergarten called Share Fun of 18 rooms and is currently used by kindergarteners and elementary school children up to 6 grade. It is a large campus for the study body of 120 children with high teacher to students ratio. There is also a large outdoor playground marked for sports and games.

Vivian is the principal in charge of this school with a good size staff while Pastor Joe has a vision and is working on it with a few other to start a prayer center for their church to bring Christians of Tai-Nan together for God’s kingdom. Five years ago, they responded obediently to God’s calling to return to Tai-Nan not knowing what they need to do. The Christian couple who have been building up the kindergarten for the past 15+ years were looking for successors for their school, so they could move to Australia to be close to their children and grandchildren. It only took a short time for the transition for God was in control and they recognized that Vivian and Joe were God-sent. This is five years ago and the school is growing and both parents and children are very satisfied with the school.

After we had some exchange of information we were surprised to find out we have common friends who are missionaries that are currently also serving in Kyrgyzstan – Pastor Richard and Pastor Yat-ling Ng. They actually met in Fremont at Forerunner Church where Joe Yeh was anointed as a pastor. What a pleasant surprise to know that we were connected 6-7 years ago and now God is relinking us together again. We do not exactly know God’s plan for us but we are so thankful that He brought us for His purpose. We look forward to any future partnership knowing that is God’s will.

Even though in general, Taiwan has been growing and expanding. Tainan is one of the least developed city with a great deal of potential. We pray that God will bless this city and people are willing to dedicate the place for God.

After our trip from Tai-Nan, we were picked up by Jack at the MRT station to join him and Yuan-yi Network Group at his office in Xin-Dian. That was an amazing evening to hear about the start of this group which was formed in August, 2012, what they had accomplished and what they were planning of doing by Dec. 2013 and what we may be involved with.