Taiwan: Then & Now

Misty Mountains, Alishan, Chiayi County.

TAIWAN: THEN

Unique Heritage
I've always considered my heritage rather unique having a Taiwanese mother and a father born in China. I was always proud that my home included a plethora of languages and dialects including English, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese, & believe it or not, my Dad's village language ("Toi San" in Cantonese).

In reflecting on my childhood days and youth, I was also blessed with the opportunity of visiting Taiwan on numerous occasions. I'm also more than willing to admit that those torturous years that my Dad "forced" my siblings and I to all attend Sat. morning Mandarin Heritage Language classes also paid off since I'm very fortunate that I can speak Mandarin rather fluently, albeit with a nice Canadian Mando accent.


The usual "AAHHHs" always lingered in my mind as I went back: dead summer heat which meant a whole lot-a sweating for this Yee sister! The long flight...routinely pushing the 20 hr. mark always seemed like an ordeal since planes & I just don't mix...can't quite rest & sleep on those things! The pollution is horrid here & there is justification for wearing a mask! The traffic is quite horrid as well I might add. Here, pedestrians don't count & it's about getting somewhere pronto...even if you have to run someone over...literally! So - pedestrians..BEWARE!

..there's always the flipside - the "YEEEAAAs"


I always remember delighting in the foods of Taiwan. Everything from the fruit such as star fruit, fire dragon fruit, bubble tea to stinky tofu...I love it! I grew up on it so I was well trained! The food stalls are engraved in my mind & forever symbolic of Taiwan food culture!

My Mother's side of the family...well, there's a lot of relatives here! My Mom married and immigrated to Canada with my Dad, my siblings & I were born in Canada! So..."CBC" we call it ("Chinese Born Canadian!"). We were always "a little special" because of this very fact. We grew up speaking Mandarin and then we started speakng more English once we started school.

TAIWAN: NOW

Pollution is still gross...
Traffic is still horrid...horrendous..

Relatives are the same (older though). They're still so warm, caring & generous!

..and the heat is still there! Icky, icky, icky...

What People Say About Me

After I say a few words of Mandarin (from my noticeably big Canadian Mando accent)....people respond...
"...you're not from here right?"
"...how come you speak like that?" - courtesy of a taxi driver in Sanchong, Taipei County
"...are you studying here?"
"...are you a student"?

finally, the classic..
"..are you married yet?" LOL

A Word about My Mandarin

"Mando-lish"
People use this term in a variety of ways & I prefer to use "Mando-lish" to refer to my current method of speaking! On many occassions, regardless if it's during teaching my students, talking to acquaintances or friends & relatives, I'll be delivering a garden variety of the two languages: Mandarin & English. Ha! Example #1: 您一起去 TOO! Hee! Hee! Example #2: 那是多少 again? LOL

"Knowing God" Devotional - Thoughts

Adoption: The Highest Privilege
[excerpts taken from "Knowing God", by J.I. Packer, 1973]

ADOPTION is the highest blessing of the gospel because of the rich relationship with God that it involves. "Adoption" gives birth to the idea of "family" and is conceived of a love that views God as father. "Closeness, affection and generosity are at the heart of the relationship" (p.233). Through adoption, we become children of God's family. For out of bondage and destitution, we are loved and cared for by a loving Father. Through this familial tie, a new relationship of forgiveness and acceptance is established.

Adoption: The Basis for our Life
Christian Conduct

Together, with Christ Jesus, our Lord, we are members of the divine family...children of his heavenly father.
"Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:35

"Just as the knowledge of his unique sonship controlled Jesus' living of his own life on earth, so he insists our lives too.
This teaching is no where more evident than in his Sermon on the Mount." (p.237). The sermon generally and broadly states that the spirit, direction & objectives, the guiding principles and ideals by which the Christians must steer his/her course.

Principles of Christian Conduct

1) Imitating the Father
(..."Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."/Be holy, for I am holy'.)
Matthew 5:44-48

2) Glorifying the Father
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16

3) Pleasing the Father
Matthew 6:1-18
Concentrate all of our efforts on pleasing God alone.

My Commentary:
So often we center our thoughts on who we can please in life: our employer, family, friends, etc...We want to please others and be likeable because we have prideful hearts and want to be liked by others. However, when does this concentration on a "self-centered" life zero in on a life that has God at the center?

We go to wits end to seek the approval of others and often to such vigor that we lose sight of the very purpose for our actions and that's for God! Could it be that we often find it difficult because we serve and have faith in a God that is invisible? God honors my efforts - whether big or small. In each of the things that I do, I offer a grand worship to Him. It isn't always easy because our society dictates opposing ideas but it's good to often rejuvenate ourselves through quiet mediation and reflection. Through quietness, may our faiths be reenergized to claim the truth that is, in all we do, say, and think, it may be a pleasing & fragrant offering to our Lord. Amen.

Jhendong E.S. Photo Images...

Jhendong School (K-6), Yunlin County, Taiwan
Student Population: approx. 1,200 students
Grades taught: 1 kindergarten, grades 2, 5, & 6

Front entrance to Jhendong Elementary

Reading a Robert Munsch ("Mortimer")
to my kindergarten class

Rehearsing for our English Drama
Competition - "Animal Olympics"

Members of my "fan club" - ha ha..
..Gr. 6 students

Ms. Yee's English Conversation
Class


English Drama Team

Daily morning routines
-mopping the floor
..sweeping the floor
































Standing at attention...
National anthem




















Recess Play..
..Badminton


Make-up mode prior to English
drama performance...





My English Conversation
Classroom

First Class Honors
Scoreboard

Corporate Prayer

In the Bible, it is written, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Matthew 18:20

I encourage you to add any prayer items to this list so that we can encourage, support and uplift one another through corporate prayer.

1. Two friends and their struggling work situations.
2. My health as the weather in Taiwan has suddenly become quite cold.
3. Teaching more challenging students both behaviourally & academically.

Global Issues:
1. The historic Iraqi vote & that people would be safe to express their democratic voice.
2. Our brothers from the Christian Peacemakers Team who were kidnapped in Iraq. May they be freed and return home safely.
3. The World Trade Organization (WTO) began meeting in Hong Kong today. Pray especially for equitable trade with places such as Africa.
4. Pakistan rebuilding after the massive earthquake.
5. Avian flu spread most predominately in Southeast Asia.

January, 2, 2006
1. This Friday, I will be observed by educational officials in Taiwan. Please pray that my lessons may run smoothly & that my natural self may not be dictated by nervousness.
2. My brother is seeing whether or not he would like to pursue employment in the insurance/investment field.
3. One of my grade six classes is very challenging to teach. Pray that God would fill me with patience and the tools to teach them well.
4. Recent gun violence in Toronto.
5. Upcoming federal election in Canada.

Global Issues
1. AIDS in Africa
2. Migrant workers especially in southeast Asia. That they are not treated like a "new underclass".
3. Growing famine in East Africa

Jan. 26/06
1. I'm currently on a 3 week holiday. Pray for a good time to celebrate Chinese New Year.
2. Safe travels in my wanderings around Taiwan.
3. I'm taking an ESL online course. Pray for diligence, wisdom and dedication to my studies.
4. Week of Feb. 6 to Feb. 10, I will be attending a series of workshops & doing a presentation in Taipei County.
5. My sister is waiting to hear back from a language school in Taiwan. Pray for God's direction.
6. Continued prayers for my two friends and their work situations (e.g., overwhelming workload & improper work procedures). Things seem to be in a up & down phase right now where it's good at times & not good at other times.

Mar. 12/06
1. Christian Peacemakers Team kidnapped in Iraq
Canadians Harmeet Sooden and James Loney, and Briton Norman Kember.

Jul. 9/06
1. I will be returning home in early August. Pray for a smooth conclusion to my stay in Taiwan.
2. My brother and his options for a future career or studies.
3. My sister's safety as she's in Beijing preparing to travel to Australia.

Global Issues:
1. The ongoing civil distress in Iraq
2. That longstanding peace may be achieved in wartorn Palestine & Israel.
3. Missile crisis that has been caused by North Korea. Pray for diplomatic realtions to succeed.

Faith that can move Mountains

The Withered Fig Tree
Mark 11:22

"Have faith in God, Jesus answered. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark 11:22-25

My faith was renewed once again in my prayer life as I came across the above verse during my devotional time. Lately, I've been praying for 2 friends who have been encountering difficult trials and struggles in their respective jobs. I've been praying consistently over the last little while and have seen little change in their respective environments. As a result, I've been discouraged in prayer. As I've been renewed in my faith in prayer, I've been reminded to pray with the heartfelt conviction that I will receive what I've requested in prayer. With a deeper faith in prayer, I can also pray with the same conviction for others and believe that God can bring a change in their lives. May He be glorified...amen.