Christmas 2009 Activities

Well, the 2009 Christmas season has come, and is almost gone. Here is a summary of what the holidays held for us as a family this year:

• No H1N1. Well, we did get it, but fortunately well before the holidays started, and we could enjoy the Christmas season knowing we were now immune to it and didn't have to live in fear of picking it up at some point during the holidays.
• Getting together with my English students for a special lunch. We went to McDonalds. Yes, McDonalds. Does that mean it wasn't so special? It was fun anyway.
• Going bowling and a trip to Costco. Bowling is always a fun thing to do as a family, and the highlight of going to Costco is getting to eat there (usually their hotdogs).
• Outreach activity with local elementary students. I helped lead singing Christmas songs, and the pastor shared the Christmas story.
• Singing Christmas carols on Christmas eve at the CCT church. Though we don't attend CCT regularly, this has been a "tradition" for our family. Props to Lillian Dwight and friends for leading a great service this year.
• Sharing with the teachers at Da Peng Elementary School. I was able to share (in Taiwanese) the background/history of the song "Silent Night", and then lead them in singing it.
• Caroling and sharing the true meaning of Christmas with Patients at China Medical Hospital. Our church, along with about 5 other church groups, met at the hospital on Christmas evening, and sang carols in the main lobby, and then near the emergency waiting room area. We also went up to the 6th floor ward and went room by room, sharing about Christmas, handing out gift bags, and praying with patients.
• Having a great Christmas meal with friends, and playing "Ticket To Ride". Sharing holiday food with friends, of course, is one of the best things in the world. We hope our friends enjoyed our company this year as much as we enjoyed theirs. Thanks, Jon & Beth, for introducing us to the "train game".
• Visiting my friend A-Hong. I met A-hong in the hospital over a year ago. He is now in a physiotherapy recovery center. My son and I went to visit him yesterday, hoping to bring some Christmas cheer into his heart. He was very glad for the visit and the Christmas cookies I brought.

There are other activities we still have planned before the end of the holidays (going to the Flying Cow Ranch, going out for a special meal at a favorite restaurant, etc.). As you can see, though, we didn't go too far afield this year. Good to just spend some time at home as a family, too.

A Jackhammer Christmas

I grew up on a farm outside of a small town on the vast expanse of the Canadian prairies. It was quiet at night (except for the occasional dog barking), but it was super quiet at night at Christmas time, especially when a fresh blanket of snow covered the ground. I will forever have memories of standing outside on the nights leading up to Christmas, being lost in the silence. I wondered if the night was as still and quiet for the shepherds just before the angels crashed on the scene.

Stillness and quiet is not part of Christmas here in Taiwan. In fact, this year seems especially full of noise pollution as the neighbors have taken to renovating their house the past few weeks. Renovating a house in Taiwan invariably means the use of a concrete drill day after day, sometimes as early as 8:00 in the morning to 9:00 in the evening. When the drill is not being used, there are still various noises of tapping, banging, hammering, grinding, tearing, crashing, and ripping. And since the houses are all basically built in the same concrete block, the noise vibrates seemingly as loud in our house as it does 2 doors down.

So, the challenge, for those that typically like to spend a quiet Christmas, is to find peace in the noise, stillness in the vibrations (which we also had from a recent 6.8 earthquake). One has to find a quiet inside oneself, because it doesn't exist in the air around a Taiwanese city.

In closing, I offer the Taiwanese version of "Joy To The World" (with apologies to Isaac Watts):

Noise to the world, the work's begun

Let men their drills employ

While hammers and saws, grind ceaselessly each day

Repeat the clanging tools

Repeat the clanging tools,

Repeat, repeat, the clanging tools

Quiet or loud, may you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

H1N1 - Seib Saga Update

Well, yesterday our son tested positive for H1N1, and this morning my wife did. So that's 3 of 5 in the family with it confirmed. I suspect I have had it, but tested negative both times I had the test this week. I do however have bronchitis now, a secondary infection from the flu, so I'm on antibiotics for that. It is surprising that our daughter with Down Syndrome, who supposedly has a weaker immune system, so far has not developed any flu symptoms. We pray for God's continued protection over her health.

How kind the Lord is! How good he is!

So merciful, this God of ours!

The Lord protects those of childlike faith;

I was facing death, and he saved me.

Let my soul be at rest again,

for the Lord has been good to me.

-Psalm 116:5-7

So, at this point, our youngest daughter can return to school on Monday, our son next Tuesday, and my wife on Wednesday. It's been a tough week, but it's encouraging to see everything progress and run its course. It'll be so nice to get back into some "healthy routine" when this is all over.

H1N1 - Our Numbers Came Up

Well, it finally happened. The H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic finally caught up with our household. Our youngest daughter was confirmed with it this past Sunday, and of course is home from school this whole week. This means that the rest of our family is technically "quarantined" as well. Our son must also stay home from school this week, even though at this point he is "healthy as a fiddle" (whatever that means). The rest of us are discouraged from going out, unless absolutely necessary.

I went for an H1N1 "rapid test" at the local health clinic, and the result was negative, even though I feel like crap and am pretty sure I have it. I learned later that these rapid tests are horribly inaccurate, though I'm glad my youngest daughter actually tested positive as it meant the doctor could give her the anti-viral medication, which seems to really be helping her. I, on the other hand, continue to suffer...... (start pity party music here).

Keeping the kids on task with their school work is proving a challenge, and we are trying not to think too far ahead should our son (whom my wife and I affectionately at times refer to as "the boy") come down with it this weekend and then have to miss a second week of school.

In any case, we will survive this. As they say in Hebrew, גם זה יעבור‎, (gam zeh yaavor), "This, too, shall pass."

A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

Thinking of the American Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow (although I am Canadian), I read and meditated this morning on the following passage in my Bible:

"I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

Psalm 50:8-15 (NIV)

With this in mind, I direct your attention to the article posted here:

200,000 animals to be sacrificed at Hindu festival

Does your God need the sacrifices of bulls, goats, and fowl? Does he hunger for blood? Jesus has already paid the "once for all" blood sacrifice (Hebrews 7:27). I choose to offer a sacrifice of praise and a grateful heart. Which God do you serve? What are you thankful for?

Of Cops, Contradictions, and Getting Caught

Once a year, as foreigners living in Taiwan, we need to renew our Alien Resident Certificate (ARC). Once that is renewed, we can then renew our driver's licenses. My wife has a driver's license for the car, and I have one for car and another one for motorcycle.

On the day that the licenses were to expire, I went down to the local "DMV". I handed over the current licenses along with our ARC's. The fellow at the counter asked, "Do you have your photos?"

"What photos?", I asked.

"You need new photos.", he replied.

Needless to say I was a little frustrated, but I just left, planning to return the next day, with photos.

TWO days later I was on my scooter headed down to the DMV. I noticed a traffic light turn amber, then red just half a block up. I was in a rush, so I decided to do what so many people do in Taiwan on scooters, and make a left turn on the left turn arrow that was now lit. This is for cars turning left, but scooters are to advance to the corner ahead and then wait for the next green light (a 2 stage turn).

As I smoothly sailed through the intersection I smirked to myself, pleased with being able to shave a minute off my travel time. Then I heard the whistle blow. Darn!! Two police officers waiting at the side of the road pulled me over. The one young officer asked to see my license. I said, "You know, that's funny, because I am rushing on my way to get it renewed. It expired 2 days ago."

He didn't laugh as he issued me a warning.

Five minutes later I entered the DMV to renew my licenses. "Here are the photos", I said to the lady at the window I approached.

"What photos?", she asked.

"The man I saw 2 days ago said I needed photos."

"Photos? We don't need photos."

Ah. Okay. So that's how it's going to be. I took the renewed licenses and continued on my way, being careful not to make anymore illegal turns.

Today as I went out with the pastor on visitation, he made a comment to me, "I read in the paper that the police this month are cracking down on scooters making illegal turns."

"You don't say....."

Earthquakes

Last night a fairly major earthquake struck Taiwan, with many aftershocks, both large and small, continuing through the evening and night. The epicenter was in Nantou county, which is only about an hour's drive south from where we live. Initial reports put the quake at a magnitude 6.0, but other reports say it was as high as 7.0.

We have felt numerous quakes in the past 3 years since returning to Taiwan. None of them however, made my heart jump the way it did last night. We were in the middle of eating an early supper (as Paige had her piano lesson at 6:00 p.m.) when a sudden jolt hit and the whole house rattled and shook. Eileen and I quickly looked at each other and said, "Let's get out of here!" We ran to the lane outside, finding many of our neighbors had done the same. As we congregated in the lane we suddenly noticed that Erin (our oldest daughter, age 15, with Down Syndrome) was not with us. We looked back in the house; she was merrily sitting at the dining table eating her supper. Eileen went back in to coax her out, but she wasn't about to leave her food without a fight. I had to go back in and we literally had to drag her out. Fun! We felt bad later for not even thinking about her and just running out of the house. BAD parents, BAD parents!! Guess we'll have to do some earthquake drills to teach her what to do.

You can find more info about earthquakes in Taiwan here.

For My Dad's 83rd Birthday

On October 26th, my Dad turns 83 years old. I am sending him this letter:

----------------------------------------

Dear Dad,

You are turning 83 this year. Do you feel old? I am only 48, and I feel old. But I’ll bet you only feel old in body, but not in spirit.

I was thinking, instead of sending you a card this year, I would send you a letter, some musings and reflections from a son to his father. You have been my Dad for 48 years, though you have been a father for longer than that. For actually 56 years, right? Anyway, there’s a lot one can pack into 48 years….

I remember being a little child. But Christmas, I especially remember Christmas. I remember you driving us home from the Christmas Eve service at church, and we would all have to wait patiently by the tree while you parked the car in the garage. I remember almost peeing myself with excitement. Then you would come in the house and SLOWLY take off your coat and spats. Finally, we could open our gifts.

I also remember when you bought your new 350 Detroit Cummings Diesel truck. I remember one of the first trips you took with it, to The Pas. I remember you taking me along, and fueling up at the Texaco station before hitting the road. It was early in the morning, but being the good Dad you were, you bought me a grape soda and a bag of chips. I dug into them as any child would. But before we hit Mafeking, I threw it all up on your new truck. I don’t remember you being angry at all, but just cleaning it up and being concerned for how I felt. I realized later how you must have felt. I would feel bad if someone threw up over my new truck.

I remember the times we toured the rodeo circuit together. Unlike Barry, I wasn’t old enough to compete in any of the events myself, but you enjoyed having me there just to watch you. Maybe I never told how proud I was to see you race your chuck wagon around the track. You didn’t win often (if ever), but I was still proud of you just for trying. Racing for the Queen of England was the epitome of your rodeo career. I still tell people how proud I was of you for racing chuck wagons and taking me to the rodeos.

And the camping and fishing. I will never forget the camping and fishing trips. You know that many times I complained about being bored and being cold and wanting to go home. But you were so patient. You were willing to endure the cold and boredom just for a nibble on the line. My favorite was when we had lunch and opened the thermos for some tea. The warm tea was especially appreciated on those ice fishing trips.

I also remember the hard work. Dragging hay bails off the bailer and stacking them on the rack. You were impatient with me at times, but that’s okay. I would be impatient, too. And fencing. I never liked fencing, but I knew it was an important job. I remember handing you the staples as you held the wire tight and nailed it to the post.

And then there was the wood cutting expeditions. I always thought it was a great adventure to go to the mountains and cut down trees and saw them into logs and pile them into the back of the truck. What a great memory. I felt like a true man when you let me use the axe, or the chain saw, or the wood splitter.

Dad, I would not be who I am if it wasn’t for you. We had our fights. We had our disagreements. But you always supported and encouraged me when it counted.

I remember when I was trying to raise support for going to Taiwan for the first time, and in a church meeting some people criticized me for going with a non NABC mission. I remember you, you who never stood up for anything before, stand up boldly and defend your son. I remember you speaking up for me. I remember your love.

I remember after my first year of Bible college, when I didn’t do so well academically. I remember calling you from college one night, telling you that I had failed a history course. I felt so ashamed. I remember you saying that it didn’t matter; that you still loved me and supported me. I was comforted by your words and love. I also remember you coming into my bedroom one night and saying that if I wanted to tour Western Canada with my blue grass band buddies, that you would support it and even buy us a van to tour in. Why did I not realize at that moment what a great father God had given me??

Dad, I love you. You are not a perfect Dad, and God knows I have not been a perfect son. But we are grateful for each other. I know you love me, and I can only hope you know how much I love you.

Thank-you Dad for loving me. Thank-you for giving yourself to me. Thank-you for disciplining me when needed, and thank-you for showing me how to love life and receive the good gifts God gives to all His children.

I am sending you my love and hugs from across the sea. God keep you till we can meet again next summer.

Love,

Your son,

Rod

Guess The Economy's Not All That Bad

Homes in Taiwan that do not have direct natural gas piped in must buy and use liquid propane gas (LPG) from a local vendor. The gas comes in different size bottles/tanks. Once you pay the initial deposit on the bottle, you simple call the vendor (whose phone number is painted on the side of the tank) and usually within a few minutes a motorcycle or small delivery truck is at your door with a full tank, ready to replace the empty one.

We live in an older home so we must go through this routine. We use 2 large bottles: one for the 1st floor kitchen (for the stove and hot water heater), and one for the 4th floor, for the clothes dryer. Most gas companies will charge a little extra for hauling a full, heavy gas bottle up to the 4th floor. I've worked out a routine, however, whereby when the kitchen bottle gets low, I carry it up myself to the 4th floor and bring the fuller bottle back down.

One thing I have always thought funny is that the motorcycles typically seen delivering propane gas bottles are old "Indian" motorcycles, and invariably the exhaust pipe is totally burned out and they make a lot of noise. I've always wondered why they didn't just pay a little for maintenance and get the exhaust replaced. I guess it's just not a priority.

Imagine my surprise then when I recently spotted a local propane gas vendor delivering bottles on a brand new motorcycle!! My first thought was that the economy mustn't be all that bad and that the propane gas business must be doing okay.

Compare the two images below. The top one is of one of the old Indian motorcycles. The bottom one is the new San Yang motorcycle I saw recently. Nice bike, but in time it's muffler will also be totally shot and will add its contribution to the noise pollution of Taiwan.

Old

New

2 Songs

About 5 years ago I went through a deep clinical depression. It lasted about 9 months. God brought miraculous healing, but that's another story.

During my depression I lost all interest in the things I had typically taken pleasure in. I have always listened to music, but during my depression I found that I lost all interest in listening to music. I did however come across two songs that really connected with me during those dark days. One was "Everybody" by Stabilio. I caught it one day while listening to the radio. It was my introduction to the music of Stabilio, and I have been a fan ever since.

The second was "For You" by the Barenaked Ladies. I also heard this song on the radio while driving to the London airport one night. Both songs connected with me in where I was at at the moment. If these songs connect with you, in whatever you are going through, I pray that they would be an encouragement to you.

Twitter, You Done Did Me Wrong!

I signed up for a Twitter account over a year ago. Check the linked Wikipedia article if you don't know what Twitter is.

I was unsure at first whether it was worth getting into Twitter. I started following other users, including some news services and a handful of celebrities I was interested in. What really got me more into it however were the fellow "Twitterers" that I discovered in Taiwan. I began following a number of people who live and work in Taiwan. Twitter gave me an introduction to friends that I had never met before, but who I might someday. The common connection was our experiences of life on this island, and our unique views on the things we saw and were a part of.

So I was "tweeting" along just fine when a couple weeks ago I noticed that my "Followers" and "Following" counts were listed at "0" (zero). Up till then I was following about 60 people and about 25 were following me (a combination of both real world friends and online acquaintances). I immediately sent an e-mail to Twitter support but only got an automated reply saying that they were aware there was a "bug" (catchphrase for "We don't know what the heck is going on!") in the system.

Then, about a day later, I checked my account and a large notice in bright red across the top of the page said that my account was suspended for "suspicious activity", which they define as basically any kind of "spam" or service abuse, neither of which I was guilty of.

Repeated enquiries to Twitter has resulted in zero response, and at this point my account is still suspended, with no indication when it might be restored, if ever. If you were following me on Twitter and are reading this, you can now follow me on a new account, @tairods, though who knows how long that one will last.

I know Twitter has been a big deal this year, with many people joining, and they have had their share of technical glitches as a result. Being a free service, I guess one shouldn't expect too much in the way of customer service or support. I do hope my original account is restored soon, so I reconnect with the good friends I have met online here in Taiwan. Taiwan is such a unique place to live, that any expat I meet, face to face, or online, is a "good mate".

Typhoon Morakot

The first typhoon to strike Taiwan this season is just leaving. As far as typhoons go, it was predicted to be a moderate one. But as with all weather predictions, the weathermen once again learned they are not gods. The predicted path of the typhoon was to see it come across the island and take a more northerly turn. However, the worst part of the typhoon seemed to hit the southern half of the island. There has been a lot of flood damage. As I write this, the death toll stands at 12, with 56 people unaccounted for, so the death will undoubtedly rise.

One of the more dramatic videos from the storm shows a hotel in the city of Taitung on the east coast toppling over due to the erosion of its foundation by an adjacent stream, gorged with rainwater.

In my limited experience of living in Taiwan, I have come to learn that it is almost impossible to predict the "size", and effect of a typhoon. In the past, typhoons that were in the "super typhoon" category ended up doing little damage with no loss of life. Whereas there have been smaller typhoons (in terms of size and maximum wind speed) that have wreaked all kinds of havoc on the island.

The positive side to the typhoons that come this time of year is that the rainfall provides much needed rain for the reservoirs, which then supply water for the island during the rest of the season. It has also been recently reported that the low pressure system associated with the typhoons somehow trigger small earthquakes, which helps release pressure on the fault lines, thereby reducing the chances of larger more devastating earthquakes occurring with greater frequency. Check out the following for more info:

Typhoons trigger earthquakes on Taiwan: scientists

Ya' Gotta Watch Out For The Crazies

A girl on a scooter sideswiped me today as a result of an illegal move on her part. I was okay, but she lost her balance and fell down. The best part was that there was a policeman standing right on the corner who witnessed the whole thing. After ascertaining that the girl was physically okay, the officer proceeded to scold her for her carelessness. He told me I could go on about my business. In any case, another reminder that even when one is technically in the "right" according to traffic laws, "Ya' Still Gotta Watch Out For The Crazies!!"

Wedding

We went to a wedding the other day. It was the son of one of our former Taiwanese teachers. They had especially invited our whole family. I knew the kids would not be impressed, but it was good for them to see what a Taiwanese wedding was like.

At the reception, the food was all seafood. The kids didn't eat much, but they got to see what a "traditional" wedding was like.

I enjoyed myself. Maybe the next time the kids will enjoy themselves more.

I Have A Daughter

I have a daughter. Actually I have two daughters, and one son. But it is my oldest daughter that I want to talk about. She was conceived in Taiwan, but born in Canada. To this day, her favorite food is plain steamed white rice. But I digress. Before she was born, doctors in both Taiwan, and then Canada, gave her little to no chance of survival following her birth. The doctors in Canada said it would be a miracle if she even survived to full term. Well, guess what? God did a miracle, and more.

Erin was born at full term, small, but healthy. As we were told beforehand, she did have Down Syndrome. She was our first child, and we received her into our own and joyous arms. It was a time for celebration, not mourning.

We were shaken however, as first time parents, and not quite sure knowing what to do with this special child. We believed she was a gift from God, and we accepted her with all the joy and grace any parent would accept any child.

Since then, she has blessed our life more than we could have ever imagined. She has opened doors no other child could. She has shown us what it means to accept others, no prejudice, no pretense. Erin has always had a zeal for life that we find unmatched in others. When she is offended, she is the first to forgive, and quickly restore the relationship. She is the epitome of unjudging love and acceptance.

One of my greatest pleasures in life is to cuddle with her at bedtime. She still wants me to sing to her and tell her a bedtime story, anything about her being a princess and me being the King that comes to rescue her. She really loves her mom, but in many cases, it is only her Dad that is good enough to help her with certain things.

All three of my kids are a blessing, and I love each of them. But Erin, is, of course, special. I used to ask God why He created her the way He did. Now I just thank Him. I thank Him from the bottom of my heart. This young girl that has brought such joy and love into my life.

The Bible says that in heaven the imperfect will be made perfect. When I think of Erin, that makes me a bit sad. I love Erin the ways he is. Without the Down Syndrome, she would not be who she is. On the other hand, I look forward to getting to know fully the daughter that I only know in part now. One day, she will have the verbal skills to express all that she has felt in this life. She will be able to tell her brother what a great brother he has been. She will be able to tell her little sister how important it was for her to HAVE a sister. She will be able to tell her Mom & Dad all that she has silently harbored in her heart these many years.

For now, I am Erin's Dad, and that makes me both proud and special, for she indeed is a special girl. Erin, you are special, but you are also a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, and a friend. When we look at you, we see you as a person first, and the DS second.

Erin, I love you! Nothing, NOTHING, will change that.

Vacation In Kenting 2009

For the past three summers we have gone to the southern tip of the island for our family vacation. Kenting is a place that offers lots to see and do for the visitor. In addition the Kenting National Park, there are many beaches for swimming, sunbathing, or snorkeling.

Our kids always love the beach. We went almost every day, but took a break on a couple days. It is hot, and the UV index is usually very high, so it is easy to get a bad sunburn real quick if you don't use sunblock.

We also enjoy visiting the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium every time we go down. Again, this place is a big hit for the whole family. There is a great blog article about it here.

Finally, one of my favorites in the town of Kenting is the Night Market. Night markets abound in Taiwan, but being a tourist town, this one has an especially festive mood. Its layout is a bit different in that it simply lines the main road, and the crowd moves up along one side, then back the other. For more pictures of our time in Kenting and the night market, you can view the albums on my Facebook page.

Ah-Hong - Update

Past readers will recall my meeting and subsequent friendship with Ah-Hong. He has been moved around a lot, from hospital, to rehab center, to home, and then back to hospital. He's basically been confined to a hospital bed for the past 14 months. The hemorrhage in his brain is not under control, and the left side of his body is still paralyzed. I admit that unless God intervenes and heals him, there doesn't seem to be much hope for recovery.

I had stopped by to visit him 10 days ago, but he had just gone into surgery (his 8th one in the past year). His father told me later that this latest surgery lasted 14 hours! I went to see him this past Saturday. In the past he has always been talkative and happy to see me. This time he didn't want to make eye contact or hardly say anything. I could see the suffering on his face. He has told me before, and did so again this time, that he just wants to be free of his suffering, and if death is the only way, then so be it.

I had brought my Bible and hymnal along with me. I read Psalm 90 to him in Taiwanese, and tried to encourage him. I also sang a song for him (God Will Take Care of You). Tears welled up in his eyes as he listened. For the rest of the time I just sat by his side, praying. He asked if I would pray that God would take him home. I said I would pray that God would work out His will for his life, whatever that might be. In Ah-Hong's situation, I see only three options: Either God heals him, God takes him home soon, or God allows him to continue to suffer. I admit I don't like the thought of that third option. I don't understand what His purposes might be for letting Ah-Hong to continue indefinitely like this. I feel guilty for asking God for patience and understanding for myself in this, when it is Ah-Hong who is the one suffering.

I still pray for healing for my friend Ah-Hong. If God chooses not to heal, then I pray that he would be released, and pass through death into new life. Ah-Hong has that hope. Indeed it is the only hope he can see right now. And that is a hope that comes from true faith.

First Day on Kenting Vacation

Today was our first full day on our holiday in Kenting, Taiwan. We always love the time spent here. So peaceful and so many things to see and do. We're staying for a full week this time. The kids are so excited. There will be pictures to follow. I promise.

My Dad

In Taiwan, Father's Day is on August 8, because the Chinese word for the number 8 is "Ba", so 8/8 is "Ba Ba", or Papa, or father, in Chinese. But, back in the land of my birth, and many other places in the world, yesterday was Father's Day (June 21). I had just been thinking of giving my Dad a call (it was late evening Taiwan time), when the phone rang. It was my Dad. "Hello", I said. "HAPPY SON's Day!" he said cheerfully.

"What? I'm suppose to call you!", I replied. Well, he explained that as he felt he was "getting up there" (age 82) and not sure how much time he had left (what kind of talk is that?), he decided that this year on Father's day he was going to call his children and tell them how much he loved them and appreciated them. Not much has moved me to tears the past few years, but I suddenly started to get a lump in my throat.

I have been reading the numerous greetings and well-wishes to fathers around the world on my Facebook and Twitter accounts the past 48 hours. I personally didn't post anything there, but I thought I would just say right here that I love my Dad. I always have. I haven't always liked him, but I do love him, and always will. He has always had a deep love for his children, and it has shown, more often than it's been briefly eclipsed by any faults he may have. I often catch myself in moments with my own kids and think, "I'm so much like my Dad.", and you know what? I'm glad about that. Because when I look at many of the poor excuses out there these days that even try to pass for fathers, I am grateful to God for giving me a man as kind, generous, faithful, thoughtful, interesting, compassionate, and encouraging as my own Dad is. "Thank-you, heavenly Father, for giving me such a great earthly father!"

MY DAD

Half Honest, Half Not

Last Saturday night, my wife's wallet was stolen. We had gone downtown to a recommended shop to get our youngest daughter's ears pierced. That all went well, but in the excitement (and crowded conditions of the store and street), Eileen discovered her wallet was gone. Probably snatched by a professional pick pocket. We prayed that someone would find it (minus the cash of course) and return it to a Police station. 7:30 on Monday morning we got a call from the police station. Someone had turned in Eileen's wallet contents. Yeaaah!! Sort of.

When we got to the police station, we were given only the cards from the wallet. Make no mistake, we were thankful for that, but a little miffed that the wallet itself was not returned. Our theory? The original thief took the money from the wallet then discarded it. The second "person", discovering the wallet, thought, "Hey, nice wallet." They removed all of the contents of the wallet and returned them to the police station. BUT kept the wallet.

Well, lesson learned. Keep close tabs on your wallet when you're on a busy street in Taichung. There ARE professional pick pockets about. Wallet or no wallet, we're grateful we got all of the identity and health cards back. Saves us a lot of hassle. And we are wiser for the experience.

Speech Contest

About a month ago the head of the language school where I study Taiwanese approached me just as I stepped off the elevator one morning. "How would you like to enter a speech contest?", she asked. "Uh, sure. Okay," I replied.

I got the basic particulars from her; time, place, $200 NT ($7.00 CDN) registration fee. It was a "story telling" contest. Speeches were to be a minimum of 4 minutes, but not more than 5 mins. (or they would start deducting points). I didn't really have time to prepare my own story so I picked a "folk tale" from one of the books I was studying. Now I don't remember clearly if I asked our school principal if this contest was just for foreigners or not. I thought I did, and I thought she said yes, but maybe I just assumed it.

Well, come the day (May 3, which also happens to be our wedding anniversary), Eileen and I went down to the school where the contest was being held. We were a bit late and one of the contestants was already at the front giving his speech. As I entered the room, all eyes turned to me and Eileen. We were the only Caucasian faces in the room. Well, these other contestants must be from other Asian countries, like Japan, Thailand, or mainland China. However, I thought to myself, the guy currently giving his speech is speaking pretty good Taiwanese!

The next contestant, a young woman, gets up and starts her speech. Thirty seconds in to her speech, Eileen leans over to me and whispers, "Are you sure she's not native Taiwanese?"

"Sure sounds like one", I reply.

There were 16 contestants. I was #16. I got up and delivered my speech, just shy of 4 minutes. Everyone clapped as I sat down. One of the judges got up and said that they never expected a foreigner to join the contest. "What does he mean by that?", I wondered. Everyone was dismissed for a break. I asked one of the contestants what country he was from. "I'm Taiwanese", he replied. Turns out everyone in the contest, excluding me, was native Taiwanese.

We had a good laugh. Of course I didn't even place (the guy who took First was a professional Taiwanese radio DJ), but they did give me a plaque, and special recognition for my efforts. They commented on how good my tones were and that I didn't have any "foreign accent".

Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a good experience, and I was glad I could represent the language school and join in the efforts of the Taiwanese culture association of Taichung to help promote the use of Taiwanese in Taiwan.

After the contest, and everyone had taken more than enough pictures, Eileen and I went out for our anniversary supper. It was a fun day, and I was thankful for the special memories that were made.

Sister Act

Eileen and Suzy Brown do the Sister Act from "White Christmas".

SEND Taiwan 2009 Annual Conference

Just got back from our annual field conference. Four days on a wonderful conference ground just south of Hualien city on the east coast of Taiwan. Highlights of the conference included:

• Being fed and challenged from the Word, through our guest speaker, Rob Magwood, Canadian Director of SEND International.
• Awesome food!
• Times of rest and leisure, including several hours out on the Pacific ocean whale watching (no whales, but we saw lots of dolphins).
• Leading a couple of the worship sessions.
• Spending one morning with the Junior high boys in SEND Taiwan, helping them learn about trusting in God and committing to following Him in all things.
• Variety Night - an evening of fun, sharing talents (or lack of?) with the rest of the SEND Taiwan family.
• Driving through the mountains and beautiful scenery of Taiwan.

This past year I served as Assistant Conference Manager. For the coming year I am the Conference Manager (planning for the 2010 conference). PRAY FOR ME!!!

Rod & Erin doing a special number for Variety Night.

Dolphins in the Pacific!

Eileen and the kids before the boat tour.

Haulien scenery

Rob "Mags" Magwood sharing from the Word.

Suzy & Eileen doing their "Sister Act" for the Variety Night.

The East Coast of Taiwan.

Language Gaffes

Adult learners of a foreign language all have stories of making embarrassing mistakes. Early on when I was studying some Mandarin, I meant to say, "Wo dudz e", which means, "My stomach is hungry", (or they way they would say the equivalent of "I'm hungry"). However, instead of the "dudz" I should have used (for "stomach"), I said "tudz", which means "rabbit". I wondered why the expressions on my host family's faces went blank, trying to figure out where I was keeping the fluffy little fellow, and precisiely how I would know that he was hungry!

Fast forward 27 years and many, many language blunders later (including a very serious one, which I'll share about in another post some time), I made a doozy last week in English class. I had shared a devotional with the students about how the encouragement we show to others can really impact the course of their lives for the better. I started to share a story about how my life had an impact on a young high school student in a grocery/produce store where we both worked. However, instead of saying chhiau-kip-chhī-tiû* for "supermarket", I just put the words for "vegetable" and "store" together: "chhài tiàm". Several of the students in the class started snickering. I immediately knew I had made a "linguistic misstep" and corrected myself.

Afterward, one of the older ladies in the class approached me and said I shouldn't tell people I used to work in a "chhài tiàm", as this was a euphemism in Taiwanese for a p*rnography store. Yikes! Won't make that mistake again!

My First (and possibly last) Attempt at Poetry

The following is a poem I wrote about life in a Taiwanese city (in free verse):

I am witness. Witness to a million lives, lived out in the routine, and sometimes not routine of life.
Air is thick, tensions thicker, behind walls in unseen rooms.
Voices, calm, laughing, shouting, angry. I am immersed.

Faces pass. All the same, all different. Eventually you see. Not all the same.
Emotions pushed deep, behind a mask, erupt from time to time. This is human, yes?
Cries, anguish, witness the suffering, both public and private.

Frenetic pace, yet a pure flow, like a river that turns it's course, winding, ever moving to it's place.
At any given time, I see any given picture. A snapshot; scenes that could be repeated a thousand times in other places, yet all within this pool.

Noise growing, steady, constant, then fading, to the rhythm of the orbit.
Heat and light, cold and dark, faces, lit from within. Faces, devoid of hope.
Friendship, relationship, love. How different we are, yet how similar.

Words fall like raindrops. Rippling in time, but without meaning, to me.
I get it, I understand, but miss the point. Is there some secret you're not telling me? Or am I just to thick, too "outside"?

A smile. Eyes connect with eyes. You know me. I know you. Thank-you. I am your guest. You are a gracious host. Can I offer you hope.....?

Where Did February Go?

I've tried to post on this blog every other week or so. Nothing that could be defined as "regular" by any means, but enough to keep followers interested and up to date with what's happening with us here in Taiwan. Somehow the whole month of February slipped by without a single post.

A highlight of the month was definitely the visit from one of my older sisters and her son. It's the first time family has come to visit us in Taiwan since we came back in 2006, and we had a great time. One week is just too short, though. But, we are thankful nonetheless. We did have a great time, and I'm hoping more family will come to visit before too long.

One of the things my sister and nephew and I did was to drive across the cross-island highway to the east coast. The mountains of Taiwan are so beautiful, and I seize every opportunity I have to get up to where it's cool, quiet, clear, and uncrowded - the total opposite of life in the city here.

My sister (Sandra) and nephew (Steven)

Today It "Clicked"

For the past 2 months we have been in an internship assignment at a local Taiwanese Presbyterian church. It is not a new church, although the current pastor has only been at the church for 1 year. In the short time I have come to know him, I have admired his zeal, dedication, and love for the church. I am learning much about church ministry in Taiwan, as well as making strides in the comprehension and use of the Taiwanese language.

Pastor Li (center)

This morning's worship at the church was special for me. Pastor Li gave an impassioned plea for us to bring the "rifts", or brokenness in our lives to Jesus. When Jesus heals, His grace is made evident in our lives.

One thing that also touched me this morning was the way I was able to enter into the worship of God through the singing. The Chinese characters for the songs were displayed on the projection screen, and this morning the songs were easy to read and understand. Rather than being distracted in trying to figure out what we were singing, I found myself able to connect deeply with the meaning of the worship songs and give my spirit fully to worshiping God in the congregation. That hasn't happened that often since leaving Village Green Church in London, Ontario. I thank God that it happened this morning, and pray that it will happen more frequently as I go deeper into the language and church culture of Taiwan.

A Half Dozen Random Thoughts from Christmas and the New Year

It's been a month since my last blog post. I haven't felt motivated to post about anything in specific, so in the meantime, here are some random thoughts, comments, and observations from the last four weeks:

1. Christmas was good. We didn't go anywhere, but had fun around home with the kids, fellow missionaries, and some Taiwanese friends. It's different not having snow for Christmas, but we had opportunities to do carol singing and some other special Christmas activities. Church potlucks provide an abundance of delicious Taiwanese food this time of year!!

2. Our oldest daughter Erin celebrated her 15th birthday on Dec. 30. We had a Disney Princess theme party for her. She loved it. She was such a grown up host, serving everyone cake and ice-cream before eating some herself.


3. I recently visited my friend Ah-Hong in the hospital. He had been transferred to a different hospital for physical therapy. When I got to the hospital he was in the physical therapy room, strapped to a back board standing in the upright position. I almost didn't recognize him. It didn't occur to me till then that I had only seen him before laying in a hospital bed. Gravity has a way of changing one's facial features. He looked good and was pleased to see me again. He said he considers me a good friend. I thank God for the opportunity to continue to encourage him and pray for him.

4. Our internship at the local Taiwanese Presbyterian church is going well. The pastor and his wife there are very warm and helpful. The elders, deacons, and other church members have also welcomed us with open arms. There is one lady in particular that takes delight in teaching me new Taiwanese words, and then quizzing me on them later. She keeps me on my toes!!

5. The weather has turned chillier the past few days. The sun can still warm things up to around +20 C in the day, but the past couple nights it has gone down to just 9 or 10 C. The houses here have no central heating, so it does get rather cool. I still tend to ride my scooter with just a short sleeved shirt on, and when the Taiwanese see me they comment on how "strong" (tough) I am.

6. Our son Adam got a Lego "3-in-1" set for Christmas. He has never really been a Lego fan before, but this time he really got into it. I had great fun spending time over the holidays working on it with him a little each day. We built a Ferris wheel (motorized). It has over a thousand pieces!! The other 2 things you can build with it are a construction crane and a draw/lift bridge. We'll tackle one of those over the Chinese New Year holiday at the end of this month.