Here's a quick blog from one of the world's most inconsistent bloggers. (Thank you to those who subscribe to mandarinstudent for putting up with this inconsistency). 

I wasn't going to put in a donation at first.  But then, after hearing and seeing the news regarding the earthquake and tsunamis that hit Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and other East Asian/African countries on Dec. 26, Shar and I felt compelled.  So weput in a donation with World Vision Canada in their effort to raise $1.5 million to help the children and families whose lives have been turned upside down by the recent disasters.  With all the shopping and investing talk that pervades this time of year, fellow xanga-ers, let's please think about East Asia and do what we can to help.     

What keeps a person hanging onto faith in God in a season when God seems silent, indifferent, absent, even hostile?  I think about characters in the Bible, the likes of Abraham and David, who went through circumstances that could encourage one to question God's goodness, God's trustworthiness, or even God's existence, and yet continued to trust in, relate with, and hang on to God. 

An adolescent David is anointed king of Israel and promised that one day God would make him ruler over his people.  Yet for the next 10 to 15 years of his life he finds himself running for his life like a fugitive, more like a runaway prisoner than a king.  When given opportunities to take the throne into his own hands, he refuses and insists on letting God do it.  On what basis does he have reason to trust that God will do it, after "not doing it" for the past 10 to 15 years?  If I were him, I would be very tempted to just start a new course, on my own, without the help or the promises of some God.   Yet David trusts God despite it all.

An elderly Abraham is promised that he will one day be the father of many nations.  He puts it all on the line for God.  One day God commands Abraham to sacrifice his only son, a child he and his wife had waited decades to conceive and the very person through whom God promised to make Abraham this "father of many nations".  If I were Abraham, upon being told that now I must sacrifice my only son, I would think to myself: "Forget this.  This God is messing up my life.  How can I trust in someone so unpredictable and unreliable.  I can't count on him to give me anything that he won't later take away, and for reasons beyond me."  And yet Abraham obeys God.

It's easy for one to say "It just takes faith."  But when disappointment, unexpected misfortune, or unanswered prayer are experienced sequentially or all at once, faith in a God who loves, cares and hears prayer becomes harder to hang on to.  And yet guys like Abraham and David hung on.

I'm not writing this because my life is in the crapper.  (Long footnote: In fact, at the time of writing, life could hardly be more enjoyable.  Today Shar and I are celebrating our 10th month anniversary - 10 months of being married to this beautiful, intelligent, fun, God-loving young woman called Piao Liang Dan.  In addition to work that is challenging and enjoyable, I've had the chance to do things I enjoy: like going rollerblading 3 days in the row, reading a good book, learning mandarin and playing online chess.)

I'm writing this more out of awe that guys like Abraham and David would continue to trust in God, despite evidence that could easily be used in favor of rejecting God.  I don't know what to say in the face of that kind of faith.  Perhaps these guys know something about loving God that I need to learn.

There's something great going on in the red, white and blue.  Sorry, dear American friends, this time I'm not talking about the red, white and blue of the United States, but the other red, white and blue.  I'm talking about Taiwan, and the great things God is doing here.

Situated on an island of 23 million seeped in political confusion, pollution and congestion, and the occasional stench of "stinky tofu", there stands a church in the town of Xindian [pronounced: "Sheen-Dee-En"].  In case you're trying to imagine a building, I'm not talking about a building.  I'm talking about 1500 strong, spirited, passionate, diverse, talented, ambitious, beautiful people who call themselves Xindian New Covenant Church.   Here, God is doing awesome things, and my wife and I are privileged to be witnesses to it.

What do I mean by "awesome things".  I'm talking about a church where the youth are on fire for God, where they sit, stand or dance in the first row of the sanctuary with a passion to worship Jesus, where the intensity of their prayers, their facial expressions and their body language when they pray is so apparent you feel like some of them are ready to break bricks with their bare hands.

I'm talking about people who are hungry to know God, where 1 of every 3rd person is using the pew in front of him/her as a note-taking desk while the pastor preaches.

I'm talking about prayer meetings that are as worshipful and intense as the Sunday services.

I'm talking about pastors who don't hide behind a pulpit and recite a computer-printed script, but who so own their message that it flows from their hearts and mouths like water from a fountain.

I'm talking about a church where God has produced so many quality people who are learning to love God in the context of ordinary, normal lives, where pastors are flanked by multiples of strong staff and lay leaders.  

Here, God has come to live in the hearts of a foreign people who, by prayerful, passionate and persistent invitation, have asked God to come.  And He has made a home here.

I would be sorely amiss to say that God has not provided well for us here in Taiwan.  He has embraced us with a community that we are growing in and that we, in our own small way as two parts of a bigger body, are helping grow.

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. - Matthew 13:44-46

It's an awesome thing to be part of an awesome church.

A big THANK YOU to all those who so kindly sent me a birthday wish.  I feel very blessed by my wife, my family and friends, and my xanga community.  As a result, I feel like I owe it to my xanga friends to be a more faithful blogger. 

As you can tell from my xanga name, I am learning mandarin... very slowly, but surely.  I am your proverbial asian banana -- the guy who looks Chinese and loves Chinese food but who still needs his hand to be held whenever mandarin is spoken. 

A few months back my sister sent me a few pointers to help me with my mandarin.  I'm still debating whether I should try them in public - they sound more like Cantonese.

>1) That's not right ........................ Sum Ting Wong

>2) Are you harboring a fugitive?............. Hu Yu Hai Ding

>3) See me ASAP................................ Kum Hia Nao

>4) Stupid Man ................................ Dum Gai

>5) Small Horse ............................... Tai Ni Po Ni

>6) Did you go to the beach? ................. Wai Yu So Tan

>7) I bumped into a coffee table ............ Ai Bang Mai Ni

>8) I think you need a face lift ............ Chin Tu Fat

>9) It's very dark in here .................. Wao So Dim

>10) I thought you were on a diet ............ Wai Yu Mun Ching

>11) This is a tow away zone ................. No Pah King

>12) Our meeting is scheduled for next week ... Wai Yu Kum Nao

>13) Staying out of sight .................... Lei Ying Lo

>14) He's cleaning his automobile ............ Wa Shing Ka

>15) Your body odor is offensive ............. Yu Stin Ki Pu