25/09/2009 by paul.

You’ve got no idea how disabling it is to be in a place, where not only do you not understand what words mean, but you can’t even say the words. Road signs, where the toilet is, place names, food - only the saving grace of the odd number helps out. Unless there is pictures on the a menu I can’t even pronounce what I want, let alone know what it is! That’s why today, I set myself the target of using ppublic transport to get myself to Taipei Main Station, because that’s what I’ll be doing on Sunday to catch a train to meet with the minister of a church in Taichung. The trip also involved a visit to a couple of shopping malls, which, were underground, huge and full of little boutique shops, rather than department stores. It was quite fascinating, even if, when you look vaguely interested in something in the window the shop owner comes out and starts talking!

Before I headed out this afternoon me and Hsinte sat down together to prepare some Bible study notes on Nehemiah 7. It was really good being able to share different interpretations, we mostly agreed and listened, but at one point we had an interesting cultural debate. Nehemiah 7 contains a census of the Israelite people who returned from exile to Jerusalem. It list the people by their descendents and numbers each group. I said that this was great because it showed that God cared for the individual, and that each person who returns to Him (for Jerusalem was the worshipping centre of the Jewish people) is known. He said that in Taiwan a list of people like this is more likely to let people know that the authorities know who you are, where you are and what you are up to, just in case they need to ’speak’ to you. Perhaps both interpretations have some weight in viewing God’s care for us?

Sorry for the short post, but its been a quiet day

Posted in Paul's diary | No Comments »

24/09/2009 by paul.

Well today has been a reading/studying day. I’ve been asked to lead a Bible study group (which seem at the moment to be more like hour and half lectures) on Nehemiah 8 when I return from my trip to Taichoung. Because I don’t know how busy I will be during the ten days I will spend there I decided to get ahead with some reading, or, due to the lack of books (!), at least some thinking. I read and was challenged recently that too many ministers in the West simply regurgitate commentary material in the pulpit and bible study sessions, without doing any of their own thinking. Whilst this might be harsh, the sentiment certainly rings true and me being here is making me think on my own two feet rather than diving straight into 4 or 5 commentaries. I think I need both, but should be able to cope without one or the other!

Reading and thoughts were interrupted by lunch. I thought it has been a few days since I commented on the food, I do apologise, but this meal really does deserve comment. We went down into Taipei city centre (passed Ikea!) to Parents restaurant (worth checking out the link just for the intro!). We were ushered into a small room at the back in which our personal chef would cook our food and serve it to us in front of us…

He even cook lamb chops and steak! It was great!

After the trip home, we did some more study and then there was Bible study group tonight, looking at Nehemiah 6. I got no idea what everyone else was saying, but here’s what I was thinking! Nehemiah was busy trying to build the walls of Jerusalem after the return from exile, but he kept facing opposition. In this chapter he has to reason his way through living a life of faith. Which people to meet with, who might do harm, who might hinder. Nehemiah expertly weaves his way through the minefield with the key being verse 9, ‘They were all trying to frighten us, thinking “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” BUT I PRAYED, “Now strengthen my hands” ‘ With prayer and guidance we can get through some tricky situations, and glorify God, reaching the goals and targets he has laid down for us - the walls were completed only a few days later.

Nehemiah really did ‘Go well in faith’. Thanks, Dad

Posted in Paul's diary | No Comments »

23/09/2009 by paul.

Today and yesterday seem to have been more like ‘normal’ life here, and have contained pretty mundane things like grocery shopping. We’ve been to the PCT offices twice, once yesterday to pick up my new camera, and again today for Hsinte to pick something up.

Last night we had another ‘typical’ pastoral visit, this time to a nearby park. We met four generations of the same family. The youngest were visiting home from work and university in America, so it was good to chat to them while Hsinte talked to the parents and grand-parents. Afterwards, in the busy park we prayed together for grandma who is suffering from Alzheimers. It was good to be part of this ministry.

This morning we gave a service in a bike shop. The owner of the shop comes to the church and he has just bought the new shop which will seel bikes and his mother will also sell jewelry too. They asked for the minister to hold a service their to bless the place and to pray for the family. There were about 10/15 people there and I ended up playing the keyboard in the office!

After this we headed back for lunch and then went to the train station to show me the way and buy me a ticket for the High Speed Railway (covers 345km in 90 mins….so i reckon that’s an average of 160mph). On Sunday I’m going to be heading to a church in Taichung to see how a church in Central (and more rural) Taiwan may differ from the city centre church here in Taipei. The trip to the train station involves a bus and then the underground. The underground, in comparison to London’s is amazing. It is so clean and they have a rule of no eating and drinking on the tube, and what’s more its fully air-conditioned :). There are two levels to the underground. On the bottom layer the trains run, on the next layer up are the ticket booths, and these too are all connected with underground malls and shopping precincts, so you could walk if you wanted!

This evening I have been for a walk alog one of the roads leading into city centre. There are some pictures of the town which I’ve put in the Miscellaneous Pictures section.

Posted in Paul's diary | No Comments »

23/09/2009 by paul.

Today is prehaps the day that has stirred up most food for thought since my arrival. We had an early start and four of us (Hsinte, 2 elders and myself) drove up into the mountains on the Northern side of Taipei. We parked the car and then walked for an hour to a grassy hill top for a gathering to commemorate an earthquake that happened here, and to take part in the UN day for International Peace. The walk was hard work, and it was here that the first beastie was encountered - a spider about the size of my fist had made a web in the trees above the path. Being a novice and all that I didn’t see the web and managed to catch it with the top of my head. Thankfully it stayed in tact, the spider didn’t make a move for me and I escaped! Asking Hsinte afterwards he said he wasn’t sure whether it was poisonous but it was big! At least I am no longer a novice.

Interestingly it was on the grassy knoll that I encountered my second beastie - liberation theology. This is a theology which derives from South America in around 1970, and focuses on the suffering of the people, the freedom walk from that suffering, similar to that of the Exodus. Those who are reading this and have spent anytime with me at college will know that I am (a little!) critical of this way of thinking. However this is all well and good (and easy to do) when you are miles from anywhere in which there is suffering of a whole tribe, country, people. When you come face to face with it, it is less easy to dismiss - I shall explain here what happened, and I hope that over the next few days the thoughts that are mulling round in my head may make their way here in a longer piece dedicated to the questions arising. On the top of this grassy knoll there was a gathering that was a cross between a church outing and a political rally. There were about 300 people there, around half of whom were members of the PCT (Presbyterian church of Taiwan) and the other half supported the political and social groups that were present. The meeting was chaired by a dog-collar-wearing minister who introduced a song the start by saying that he hoped that one day it would become the National Anthem of Taiwan. Each group represented were then given time to speak on the issue of Taiwan joining the United Nations. Historically Taiwan was a member, until China joined, at which point China, apparently said something like, ‘we’ll tkae care of them and represent them’, and so Taiwan lost it representation. After an hour and a half of talks from politicians (lead politicians in Taiwan) and church ministers, the meeting closed with more patriotic singing. On the one hand you can say that there is an injustice here and that addressing this issue is doing gospel work, on the other hand you can say that the church and politics should operate within different spheres to allow the church to be focussed on proclaiming Christ as the Saviour of the world. There is obviously some overlap here, and as you can tell the thoughts are still fresh and not thought through yet - there will be more.

If that wasn’t enough beasties to encounter, after a picnic, we made the hour trek back to the car. On the way I spotted what looked like a lizard by the path. I pointed it out and Hsinte told me it was the most poisonous snake that lives in Taiwan. I thought it was best to leave it alone.

Posted in Paul's diary | No Comments »

23/09/2009 by paul.

Sorry I haven’t filled you in on the last couple of days, will write about them today. I’ve been to busy playing with my new toy - a Taiwanese camera (more pictures will be on their way, and some miscellaneous ones can be found in the new tab at the left-hand side). So at last I can show you some pics of where I’m living. I’m living on the second floor of a church, with the sanctuary being on the first. Ground floor is shops.

Posted in Paul's diary | No Comments »