Taiwan: Final Thoughts

I'm back home after my mission trip to Taiwan.

I returned home safely to Kentucky on Thursday, July 24th.

My other team members made it home safely, flying into Indianapolis on Wednesday night (July 23rd).

The recovery from the long hours of travel and adjustment to the big time difference wasn't too bad.

I've had some time to get my "feet back on the ground" and reflect on the just-completed Taiwan Mission Journey.

Here's some final thoughts and reasons I love being a part of the ministry in Taiwan:

(1) It's Unique.
Our project is Taiwan is different from any of our other Mission Journeys.
The team we bring seldom functions alone once we arrive. Instead, they are absorbed into a bigger team with the primary responsibility of doing the Sports & English camp.
While this creates some challenges with team dynamics, overall , I like the setup.
The Taiwan trip definitely involves a lot less pressure for the person in charge of the short-term team. This is, in large part, because the "on-location" project is pretty much all planned out for you. The team leader's biggest role is getting the team there. After the on-island arrival, the team leader then primarily serves as one the faculty and works with the kids in attendance. That's a welcomed change for me. Also, using sports and teaching English as a way to convey the gospel message is emerging as an effective means of evangelism. I look for such opportunities in "specialized" ways to increase.

(2) It's Strategic.
The ministry in Taiwan allows us to be involved with a work inside the "10/40 Window."
What is the "10/40 Window?" According to the Joshua Project (http://www.joshuaproject.net/): The 10/40 Window is the rectangular area of North Africa, the Middle East and Asia between 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north latitude. The 10/40 Window is often called "The Resistant Belt" and includes the majority of the world's Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. The 10/40 Window is home to the majority of the world's unevangelized countries. The "unevangelized" are people who have a minimal knowledge of the gospel, but have no valid opportunity to respond to it.
Southeast Asia is the most densely populated area on earth having over 45% of the world's population living there. Almost one out of every two people lives in Southeast Asia. However, only about 3% of these people are Christian.
In recent years, Southeast Asia has had a prominent role in world headlines. Communist China's growing military and economy has greatly increased their influence around the globe. North Korea has emerged as potentially dangerous "rogue" nation with nuclear aspirations.
With such threats to peace, is there a better area for the Gospel to be planted and growing?
Ministering in Taiwan puts us just 90 miles off the coast of China and in this important area of Southeast Asia.

(3) It Yields Eternal Results!
In over 15 years of being involved with short-term mission trips, I've never been involved with one that has yielded as much spiritual fruit as the one in Taiwan has.
In 2006, the first year of doing the Sports & English camp, we had 35 decisions for Christ with 15 of those being baptized before we left camp.
This year, those numbers were down a little (13 decisions; 7 baptisms), but still impressive.
This harvest has much to do with the fine missionaries that work in Taiwan on a full-time basis. We have been honored to meet many of them over the past two trips. Ted & Bev Skiles has been on the island for nearly 40 years and have great ministry providing a Christian home for Taiwanese children, the Home of God's Love. Team Expansion has several missionaries on the island. They are doing a fantastic job with several church plants.

It’s been a pleasure to serve with David & Brenda Atkin (our host missionaries) and all the other on-island missionaries as well as the other short-termers. Let’s do it again real soon!

Teen Mission, USA, is very much looking forward to working in Taiwan again in the near future. Most likely, we will return in 2010 to help with the Sports & English camp again.

Until then, I pray that God will continue to bless!

-- Greg H