2018 Summer mission trip to Taiwan, Japan and San Francisco
I haven’t seen my parents for four years. Nevertheless, with great peace, I didn’t cry as I expected while seeing my parents and younger sister off on the train station in Japan. They would go back to Taiwan and I come back to USA.
However, after I came back to my Minnesota home and meditated on this mission trip in the past two months in Taiwan, Japan and San Francisco, I finally cried. But it’s joyful tear. I pray to God to take good care of their spiritual and physical lives as I commit to God to stay in USA and pray for them as my support for them.
The report is for glorifying our God’s name and witness His mighty salvation in Taiwan, Japan and San Francisco.
Moreover, God taught me precious lesson about intercession during this mission trip. I experienced the importance to pray for others and being prayed by other saints. Both roles are to accomplish together the great mission driven by God. Consequently, the purpose is to bring glory to God and joy to people.
May 18, 2018 — before departure, a vision or illusion for my grandmom?
Before visiting Taiwan, on the phone, my mom told me that my 93-year-old grandmother lost consciousness recently and seems to suffer confusion and dementia after coming back from the hospital. I prayed for my grandmother according to God’s will and fought for her against the spiritual darkness because she worshipped idols for her whole life. I did share gospel with her many years ago but she politely rejected.
May 19, 2018 — A prayer support from the praying saint
My long-time prayer partner prayed this for me and I found it encouraging me in the right time:
Dr. John Sung said “See your own revival and revival will come to others.” I pray that you draw so close to the Lord that you will move when He moves.
May 20, 2018 — God takes care of each detail of my life.
I was reading the book, “Unshaken”, published by Moms’ in Prayer international, about the importance of prayer and mothers’ testimony. One of the mothers mentioned her son testified about the influence on him from his mother’s prayer. “Oh, God, how I wish my son will give the same testimony to comfort my heart.” I whispered to God in my heart. On that very night, I received the message my son texted me: “Thank you mom. It really means so much to me that you’re supporting me like this, through prayer and talking with me.” “Oh, God, how much you care about my little wish!”
If God is so willing to take care of such small detail of my life, won’t He be willing to save a lost soul like my grandmother?
May 21, 2018 — God sent us to bear the fruit.
My MIP (Moms in Prayer International) Area team prayed for me to send me off to the trip to Taiwan. I felt such privilege to be prayed and empowered through my sisters’ prayer.
I heard my leader prayed and remembered that I prayed to God last year for having an opportunity to share Moms in Prayer to people in Taiwan including my mother and sister because I have experienced the great power of prayer. That desire was from God to put in my heart long before I planned this summer trip.
I seemed to hear God saying: “You didn’t choose me. But I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will remain–so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.” (John 15:16)
May 22, 2018 — Departure. Pray for God’s peace in a chaos.
My husband, my daughter and I left MN home around 3:00 AM for the airport. During the flight, a man behind my left side suddenly roared in rage to the man right behind him who seemed to bother him with a lot of kicking to his seat. The young flight attendant came to scold this man, like a police to a criminal, in a harsh, threatening tone but a little stuttered. (I supposed that she was trained to say it but was not used to.) I prayed for God’s peace to reign in the situation.
May 23, 2018 — God is our comforter.
We arrived safely to LA, CA and went to visit my son for one day. The moment he saw us, his tears dropped like rain. Oh, God, we cried together in the car and God comforted us. I sent out prayer request to the saints to pray for my son to get over his frustration that day in school.
I was feeling guilty not praying enough for my son. A sister reminded me that thought was not from God. So I prayed for myself to be strong by proclaiming the truth: “God has given me the spirit of power, love and self-control, not the spirit of fear” (2 Timothy 1:7) and prayed the same thing for my son.
We stayed one night in the Air b&b. When we entered the house, an Indian lady was cooking curry for her husband. The lady told us that her husband was beaten by strangers on the street and she came to bring him back home to Canada. My husband and I prayed for her and her husband in our room and wrote her a letter to tell her about Jesus Christ.
May 24, 2018 — Found a piece of memory
We took Japan Airline in LA airport. I overheard the tour group from Japan happily talked about their wonderful trip to the Grand Canyon. They looked and sounded like my grandparents in my childhood. How I missed that my grandparents spoke Japanese in the family when I was a kid. That’s a memory nothing to do with political and racial conflict caused by the colonization and the war, but a period of history I have lived in.
May 25, 2018 — Grandma received Jesus as her Savior.
My parents picked us up at the airport in Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. I was relieved to see my parents are healthy after not seeing them for four years. I told my mother about my plan to visit my grandmother this afternoon and I hoped my mother to take my unbeliver aunt aside so that I can talk to the grandmom.
My grandmom told me her recent “vision” in the midst of unconsciousness: “After my daughter-in-law brought me a bowl of rice for dinner, she left and closed the door. I held the bowl and walked to a place where there are beautiful mountains. I saw god of earth and other gods, but I was trapped there and couldn’t find a way out. I was so scared that I could not get home and thought to myself that I had better eat up the bowl of rice in case I lost my strength while searching for the way. In the end, out of desperation, I cried out “Who can come to open the door for me?”
I knew her vision was not ordinary illusion because she spoke about it clearly. I felt that her vision was a picture displaying her past idol-worshipping in temples which often locate in mountains. And gracious God was showing her that there’s no way out by worshipping idols in her life. I immediately recognized that she was calling to Jesus for opening a door for her because Jesus is the gate to life.
“Oh, grandmom, Jesus heard your crying and sent me to tell you: Jesus is the way and He can bring you out of the darkness and into eternal life. Would you want to call to Jesus to lead you out of this distress?” I also explained to her about sins from our ancestors and our evil nature. And only Jesus can forgive our sins because He paid the debt of sin on the cross for each of us.
My grandmom asked with awe and a childlike faith: “Oh, is that easy to be forgiven by receiving Jesus into my heart?”
“Yes, grandmom. Jesus comes to you and wants to bring you into His eternal home and stay with you forever.” I assured her and prayed for her.
“Then I want to believe in Jesus.” she said with a smile and prayed with me to receive Jesus into her heart.
May 27, 2018 — God never forsakes His children.
Thank God for the jet lag. I woke up around 4 AM by a bird singing in the darkness (nightingale?). I prayed and Isaiah 14:24 spoke to me: “As I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.” I was assured the battle belongs to God in the midst of spiritual darkness in Taiwan. His purpose to the world is to trample down the devil and takes the yoke and burden off His people.
On the first Sunday in Taiwan, we visited the church we used to attend in Taipei and several saints we knew are still in this church. One of the sisters said she recently tries to recall my name while she vaguely remembered someone told her to pray by faith 20 years ago. It’s so encouraging to see the saints grow mature in God’s grace and they received us as family.
In the afternoon, we went to visit my husband’s old cousin who has been sick. I met his wife for the first time. She grew up in a Christian family and was open to share with me about her long-time struggle: After being married to the non-believer husband, she could not go to church or share gospel with her children due to her husband’s objection for 40 years.
However, God is gracious to sustain her spirit and her marriage. Her three children all believe in God and her husband finally receives Jesus at age 60 after being sick. Now she attends church regularly with her husband after he becomes a believer. How encouraging to know God never forsakes His children.
May 28, 2018 — a believer’s growth
Yun was my previous coworker, whom I worked with when I lived in Taipei. She has believed in God after I knew her for more than 10 years and led her to God. She has been on my heart and in my prayer since four years ago when she told me that she prayed to God but it didn’t work. I visited Taipei 101 today and had lunch and dinner with her. Even though she doesn’t go to church, her smile which I didn’t see before tells me that she has the joy and peace God has granted to her. I thank God for His faithfulness to keep her.
May 29, 2018 — God reveals Himself to my high school classmate and she received Jesus.
Li was my high school classmate, whom I haven’t contacted for 30 years. I felt a need to talk to her before I went back to Taiwan. When we met in Starbucks at Pei-Tou city,I asked her a few things about her life after high school and heard some words like “amazing” from her. I bluntly asked her, “Are you a Christian?”
“No, but my son is.” she said.
She told me she felt there’s a master in this universe but she was not sure which one is true. Besides, she said that there were other religions like Mormon or local religions approaching her recently.
“Would you mind I pray for you? If the God I am going to share with you is the true master of the universe, I pray that He will lead you to know Him.” I told her without wasting a minute and she agreed. After prayer, she said she felt touched.
Then, we read the Bible verses from the booklet published by BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and I briefly explained the meaning of each verse. Li seemed to learn about Bible from the church her son attends.
“Oh, that is what it means. I see it and understand now.” Li was always a good student in high school. She exclaimed with joy of seeing the light of the truth.
Finally, before she needed to leave for picking up her child from school, I asked her if she was willing to pray the prayer to receive Jesus into her heart. She agreed to read the prayer written in the booklet. Meanwhile, she seemed to be on the verge of tears while she read the prayer: “If you didn’t come to save me, I would have still been lost.” I believed that Holy Spirit has touched her heart.
May 30, 2018 — Shared MIP praying format with two saints working in Christian newspaper. The myth from a lesbian
I arranged to meet with two contacts in the Taiwanese Christian Newspaper called Chinese Christian Tribune. They often encourage me to write testimony and articles for the newspaper. I shared MIP (Moms’ in Prayer International) prayer format with them. They were encouraged through my sharing about praying in the workplace and marriage.
I ate my dinner with my daughter in a Taiwanese style restaurant called “self-help buffet” where you pick the food you like from more than 30 choices and pay according to how much you take. It’s usually not a big place to eat and we shared a table with another customer.
A brawny lady with very short hair sat right in front of me. She bowed her head to pray before eating.
“Are you a Christian?” I asked.
“Yes. I am.” she replied.
“Me too.” I happily said.
She brought up her observation about the society and the topic about same-sex marriage. She said the church should be a place to love people without interfering people from choosing the sex to get married with.
“You know, God doesn’t give us the burden more than we can bear.” she continued.
“Could you tell me where in the Bible this sentence is?” I know this is a common misused statement which is not found in the Bible.
She tried to google on her phone but she could not find it.
“Which church do you go?” I wondered if she gets proper teaching from the church which possibly agrees with her opinion about same-sex marriage. However, I have been to the church she mentioned and I don’t think the church teaches what she said.
“How is your pastor’s teaching about same-sex marriage?” I asked with curiosity.
“Oh, the pastors are too busy to care about this kind of topic.” she replied.
She continued to tell me how she understood from the Bible about the same sex love. She took the story from Matthew 8:5-13 as an example. It’s about a centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant. She said her small group discussed this message and they were touched by this centurion who loved his male servant so much and that’s why he asked Jesus to heal him. “It must be driven by same-sex love.” she concluded.
She admitted that she is a lesbian. While listening to her, I prayed in my heart, “Oh, God, what do you want me to tell her? Please give me your truth and wisdom.”
“Do you believe that you received Holy Spirit?” I asked.
She didn’t answer this question but emotionally mentioned how God healed her physical blindness and solved her problem of bankruptcy. I felt sympathetic for her. I told her that I only accept the truth mentioned in the Bible. I told her that God created her and loves her. And her faith can only be judged by God because only God knows our hearts. I blessed her before we departed.
May 31, 2018 — Shared gospel on the run. Praying brings us into spiritual realm.
We were on the subway train. A middle-age lady sat besides me. I overheard she was talking on the phone about her depression. She said she almost committed a suicide due to her depression. My first idea was to share gospel with her. But I was going to get off the subway train within 3 minutes. Therefore I took out the BSF booklet and wrote on the blank space on the back cover: “Hi, I used to suffer with depression and Jesus Christ saved me. I believe He can save you too. Please read this booklet to know about Him.”
Before I gave it to her, a thought came to me that I should not do such weird thing to a stranger. However, with God’s strength, I immediately discerned this was not a voice from God. Right before I got off the subway train, I finished writing and gave the booklet to her with a smile. I prayed that God will use the booklet to tell her more about Himself.
That night, a sister from the church we used to go in Taipei treated us dinner at her house. She also invited other Christians we know. God used one of the sisters to encourage me because He knew my spiritual gas tank needed refill. This sister told me how she got the gift of speaking tongue and ran back to church, exclaiming to a brother. Since then, she devotes her time to praying in tongue with enthusiasm.
Gradually, she has been developing sensitive discernment on spiritual warfare. One thing her testimony amazed me is that I feel the similar result after I desired to pray more even though I didn’t pray in tongue. Therefore, I am assured that praying to God, no matter in tongue or not, brings us into the spiritual realm.
June 1, 2018 — Prayed with Charity, who leads Tai-Chung MIP group and coordinates Taiwan MIP.
My husband wrote down his testimony about how he searched for the meaning of life as an engineer and published it on his website. My cousin, Ming, was invited to review this website days ago. Today we invited him over to read Bible with him. We used BSF booklet and explain the verses to him. My cousin, who graduated from Tokyo University, is very intelligent and often thinks differently from ordinary people. He asked several questions and honestly said he needs more time to think. We prayed to God to open his eyes and soften his heart.
We departed to Tai-Chung city where I would share what I learned about prayer from Mom’s In Prayer International (MIP) to a group of ladies in this city. Tonight, I met Charity Pu, a Korean missionary who came to Taiwan for spreading gospel 20 years ago. Before knowing my coming, Charity said she has planned to devote her time to MIP this June after she graduated from the seminary. How fitting the timing God sent me to share more about MIP to her.
She kindly hosted me in a hotel and we spent time praying about what I was going to share tomorrow. While she told me about her praying in tongue, I prayed in my heart, “Oh, God, if this is from you to teach me more about speaking in tongue, please give me peace to know it’s from you.”
I honestly told her that I didn’t learn about speaking in tongue from my church but I did ask God for the gift due to feeling the need for praising God and intercession. Then she invited me to speak in tongue and confirmed with me that I can speak in tongue. I felt peace and joyful. And then I remembered the sister in Taipei told me about her devotion to praying in tongue. Tonight, I was greatly encouraged to pray more in tongue like her.
June 2, 2018 — My two high school classmates received Jesus.
Before sharing with MIP group in Tai-Chung this afternoon, I arranged to meet with two of my high school classmates this morning. We haven’t contacted one another for more than 22 years until they found me on Facebook last year. Of course, I knew nothing about their current situation. We went to Chung’s house which has an altar for worshipping Buddha. Chung said she recently underwent a major heart surgery without expectation.
Around one month ago, she was in great pain at midnight but hesitated to go to see a doctor. And she finally gave up enduring such great pain for the whole night and decided to go to ER. The doctor announced an immediate heart surgery was necessary, or she could die within one hour. However, according to the doctor, the successful rate of the surgery might only be 50%. She didn’t seem to have a choice to consider if she should take the surgery, given the low probability of success. The surgery took more than 10 hours and she is still recovering from it.
“Oh, why am I kept alive?” Chung mumbled in an exhausted tone.
“There must be a blessing God wants to give you so that He keeps you alive.” I assured her, thinking about her salvation.
“It’s nice of you to say that.” Chung smiled vaguely.
Another classmate, Feng, who has a daughter suffering with depression and intended for a suicide recently. Feng worries about her daughter extremely and told me that her friend shared with her that Christianity is the way to save her daughter’s life.
Therefore, within a short time before I had to leave, I quickly explained the gospel to them and asked them to pray the prayer from BSF booklet for receiving Jesus as their Savior. Both of my classmates agreed to pray this prayer.
Then I had to rush to the church to share about MIP in one hour. Feng and her husband drove us there and I introduced her to Charity Pu because her daughter may come to this city to study in the high school. I prayed that God will keep leading her and her daughter to know Him more.
June 2, 2018 — Shared in Tai-Chung MIP
There were around 10 women coming this afternoon. Two of them are single and often pray for their neices. They are around my age. I asked Charity to lead us to pray in MIP way for 20 minutes. She picked the attribute–God is our provider and I was greatly reminded and encouraged through praying with them.
After that, I shared my testimony of learning how to pray by asking God to teach me and He led me to join a college/career MIP group last year. Then I explained the information I gathered from the recent state getaway conference, the “Unshaken” book, and MIP’s brochures, etc. I also shared the facts and strategies used in MIP, the theme for the new school year, and what I learned from my leader in Area Coordinate Team.
From talking with Charity in the previous night, I knew that the group could feel incapable and timid to take up the role as a leader in each local MIP group. Therefore, I emphasized on how it looks like by taking up the leadership. I spoke in Spirit that Holy Spirit is the one who leads each MIP group and we are only the coordinators. Therefore, they should not bear the burden of leading prayers. However, godly strategy can be used to be a responsible servant, as I observe how MIP operated in the early stage after reading the founder’s testimony.
I shared with them the amazing promise from 1 John 5:14-15 and John 15:7. That is, through praying in one accord, led by the same Spirit, we are assured to receive God’s help for things from finding a co-leader or moms to hosting events etc.
In the end, I took Taekwendo as an example to explain the importance of a sincere prayer because we cannot strengthen our muscle by only imitating a punch or kick. A mimic praying from an insincere heart has no power (refer to 1 Peter 2:1) in spiritual growth and warfare. On the contrary, the Spirit-led prayer in faith with Scripture is the effective weapon of defeating our enemy, which is not of the world but with divine power (refer to 2 Corinthian 10:5).
After the sharing, one of the sisters mentioned her struggle in spiritual warfare and I later shared with her more practical prayers for dealing with her non-believer family members, especially with her husband.
June 3, 2018 — God is eagerly searching for the lost soul.
My prayer partner shared that in her vision, she saw a stage on which God is doing all the wonders and the saints cheering up with shout of joy. I agreed in my spirit that God is the one who does all the miraculous saving work to the lost souls.
The second Saturday after I arrived at Taiwan, I felt the spiritual atmosphere was low in the city and heard the lie telling me I was tired so that I had good excuse of not going to the church. With God’s grace, I woke up at 6 am and prayed that I had strength to visit my friend’s church in Kao- Shiung and hope to bring my parents along. Thank God to strengthen me to refuse the lie. And I proclaimed that God’s wall of fire surrounded my family and led us to the church for listening to His word.
That morning, we went to the church and talked to my friend briefly. My parents attended another service spoken in Taiwanese language. The pastor, who is also a family doctor, gave the sermon from Luke 15:8-10 about a woman lost her precious coin and carefully searched for it. He said: God is the one who saves. God comes to search for the lost eagerly. And when one sinner repents, there is rejoicing in the heaven. And God graciously allows us to participate in His holy work, no matter which part He sends us to do: sowing the seed of gospel, watering through teaching and praying, or harvesting of souls.
This physician pastor also said that he often asks his patients if he can pray for them. He said that 70% of patients don’t mind his praying for them.
We took the train to visit my husband’s big sister in Tai-Nang. She and her husband treated us a big full table of food. My husband shared gospel with her again. She agreed with smile. But the darkness of the idol worshiping in her family is not lifted up yet. We still need to fight.
June 4, 2018 — God gives me boldness to share gospel with the old aunt.
We visited my husband’s old aunt, who has bad knees and often stays home, watching TV to kill time. While my husband chatted with her, I prayed to God if we should share gospel with her. God gave me courage to speak. I asked her if we could pray for her health. She agreed. After prayer, I switched the TV channel she was watching to the Christian channel called “Good news” and encouraged her to watch for learning more about God. May God continue to draw her to Him.
June 6, 2018 — We are in the world but not of the world. The identity of Christians is the heavenly citizen.
Dad and I chatted about Taiwanese politics. I know this is a sensitive topic. As a Christian, even though I wanted to agree with my Dad, I prayed to God for wisdom to speak the truth in love.
Since 1949, people in Taiwan have splitted to basically two groups: against China or for China. I have been praying to God about this issue and observed the core of the conflict is fear in people’s hearts. That is, both parties want to gain the ruling power so that they would not be oppressed like they used to.
I believe only God can set Taiwanese people free from the fear. I also believe Christians are responsible for praying for their own country to follow God instead of persuading countrymen to take either side. For God has given Christians the privilege and power to pray. Christians are in the world but not of the world. If Christians don’t stand in the gap and pray for their country, who else can bring hope to non-believers?
However, Dad is still a seeker and it’s hard for him to agree with my comment. I pray that God’s salvation comes to Dad soon so that he can be assured of his first identity as a heavenly citizen.
June 7, 2018 — Battle with idols through prayer
We visited my husband’s cousin, Zhong, and her husband. Her husband practices Buddhism for more than 3 years and was eager to debating with us. So we didn’t have a chance to share gospel with her. I prayed for another opportunity to visit her.
June 8, 2018 — A hometown full of dark influence
We flied to Pen-Hu island, my husband’s hometown. It’s about 20-minute flight from Taiwan. This sea village attracts tourists in summer. I felt like a tourist too.
My husband’s sister treated us with all kinds of delicious food. In the living room, there’s an interesting device: two fans attached back to back on one pole. My mother-in-law said that’s a reward for her from the temple after she attended the preaching of Buddhism several times. “Oh, no, how hard the enemy is working to capture souls.”, my heart ached.
Later at night, I had an opportunity to share gospel with my sister-in-law, Wei. She asked me many questions like how to love yourself; how to forgive others; why people have different destiny, etc? However, she constantly compared what I said with the teaching of Buddhism which she and her husband practice.
Her husband, who is my husband’s older brother, devotes himself to Buddhism and often teaches her to apply the teaching to enduring her bitter relationship with her mother-in-law. So I was not surprised to hear her questions mainly about the struggle with her mother-in-law. We stood in the kitchen talking for more than 5 hours. However, her spiritual ears seemed to be covered. Although she heard what I said, her heart didn’t respond with agreement or disagreement. As a result, I asked other saints to pray for her.
My daughter’s finger was pinched hard by the door when my husband was closing the door in my sister-in-law’s house. She held her tear but her face was distorted with pain. I prayed to God to protect us and heal her.
June 11, 2018 — The bondage from a man-made idol
We took a small boat to another island called “Bird Island”. I saw a big temple when the boat was approaching the port. After we went ashore, I saw a church with a cross on the roof on the other side of the port. We checked the church that was locked in the morning. There was a sign on the wall of the church said: “service for exorcising and casting out demon on Wednesday nights.” “Indeed, the prayer of exorcising is necessary here.” I thought.
After we went home that night, I was glad to have another opportunity to talk to my sister-in-law, Wei. I asked her to put her Buddhist teaching aside and opened her heart to listen to the Bible. After I prayed for her, I asked her to read the BSF booklet with me. She listened to my reading without speaking. Again, she asked me: “Why are there good and bad people in the world? Why do people have different destiny?” She admitted she has sins and she often asks Buddha to forgive her but constantly feels guilty. She said she follows the voice of Buddha in her heart to live her life.
I felt sad that she is still in bondage of her sins and she can never feel forgiven because she confesses to a man-made powerless idol and a cruel devil behind the idol. May God save her from the bondage of her sin and idols.
June 12, 2018 — God has compassion to the sick.
We came back to Kao-Shiung. I woke up early and prayed for my husband’s sister’s friend, Zhen, who suffers a “strange illness”, diagnosed by doctors. Her tongue involuntarily moves up and down, resulting in bleeding sores by touching the teeth. Her husband has been accompaning her to see doctors almost 275 days a year everywhere in Taiwan but no cure is found. Her chin is getting thinner and she uses scissor to cut food to pieces to eat. My husband has heard about her story from his sister years ago. He decided to visit her.
June 13, 2018 — The sick wife and her husband received Jesus as their Savior.
We took the train for one and half an hour train to the town called Bai-Her in Tai-Nan county, a place famous for planting lotuses for harvesting lotus seed. Zhen and her husband came to the train station to pick us up. In the car, my husband started to share gospel with them. They showed us around to see fields of lotus and then treated us dinner. Before we ate, I thanked God and prayed for Zhen. She said she was touched and wanted to cry. I felt the touching from Holy Spirit as well.
After we finished dinner, we used the BSF booklet to read Bible verses with them. The couple concentrated on the Scripture and read along. Then we asked them if they wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior. The couple said yes. At this moment, my heart pumped up and I asked God if I should pray for healing for Zhen. I obeyed and prayed for Zhen, holding her hands. Then I stood up to touch her cheeks on both sides. She didn’t feel different. May God heal her in His time. We gave the glory to God for saving this couple.
My husband brought them a DVD called “Miracles from Heaven” based on a true story. Later she told my husband’s sister that she was greatly touched by the miracle of God’s healing in the story.
The weather forecast said there would be heavy rain. The rain came right after we arrived at home.
June 14, 2018 — Encouragement about prayer from the old saint
I bought Christian books translated to Chinese days ago. I was encouraged from the book, “The ministry of intercession” by Andrew Murray:
“Israel (Jacob) receives the ability of victorious prayer which is born from a man’s weakness and desperation.” (note: in my own translation from Chinese)
“Many times, there’s a long distance between what we ask for and actual receiving, which requires our patience in faith during the journey.”
June 16, 2018 — Prayer everywhere with other saints in one accord.
I prayed with two other moms from my Chinese MIP group in MN through Line app. At that time, we were in three different places and joyfully prayed in one accord.
June 17, 2018 — Thank God for saving my brother.
On the Duan-Wu Festival holiday weekend, my brother took high speed train from Taipei along with his wife and 2-year-old son to visit our parents in Kao-Shiung. I haven’t talked to my brother for a long time. During lunch in a restaurant, he told me about the experience of being bullied in the elementary school. I didn’t know such thing because he is younger than me by 8 years and I left home for college when he was in elementary school. After my sister became the second Christian in my family (I am the first), she led my brother to God. I thanked God for saving my brother and prayed that God healed his wound and rebuked any spirit of self-pity to go away.
June 19, 2018 — My husband’s cousin received Jesus as her Savior. Due to disobeying God’s command, I opened the door to spiritual attack.
I had a nightmare last night about fighting with three bad guys. In my dream, I eventually was equipped with the armor and cut off the man’s legs with a sword. I woke up at 7 AM and prayed for the spiritual battle this afternoon to meet with my husband’s cousin, Zhong. I thanked God to give us one more opportunity to share gospel with her and her husband who practices Buddhism was out of town today.
We took a taxi to Zhong’s condo. She was busy with brewing coffee for us and I sat on the couch, praying for her in my heart. While she chatting with my husband, I glanced at the altar for worshiping Buddha in the other side of the living room and a home-made bread was put there for sacrifice. After a long chat, my husband started to share gospel with her and she seemed to be open.
When we prepared to use the BSF booklet to read the Scripture with her, she interrupted us and wanted to slide the bread for us to taste. When she put one piece on the plate, the thought came to my mind that I should taste a little bit in case she asked me if I liked it or not. I thought it would be ok if I prayed for cleansing the bread. So, I quickly took one tiny bite. However, she didn’t ask me whether I liked the bread she made.
We used the BSF booklet to read the Bible verses with her. Then she prayed to receive Jesus as her Savior. We were joyful to bless her and pray for her eye surgery in two weeks.
When we left her condo, it rained hard outside. I felt shivering with cold even after I put on a thin jacket. After I came home, I started to have a stomachache. It’s on the right lower side of my belly and my husband doubted it’s appendix infection. My mom was very anxious and asked me to see a doctor. That night, I had fever and the symptom looked like appendix infection.
I asked my MIP team in MN to pray for me. I also emailed a pastor’s wife, who prayed for my deliverance years ago. My spirit told me that I committed a sin due to fearing people when I tried to please Zhong by eating the bread which was sacrificed to the idol. I confessed to God and asked for forgiveness.
My mom was worried because my parents and we would travel to Japan in one week. If I needed a surgery, the trip would be cancelled. I assumed my mom was thinking about it. I have been very compliant to my mother for wanting to please her since childhood. However, I thank God for giving me courage to speak up to my mom this time.
“Mom, I know you worried about me. But could you give me one more day? I am asking other saints to pray for me. If it’s a spiritual attack, I would be fine after the prayer. If it’s the physical illness, it might get worse after one day and then I will go to see a doctor.” I gently explained to my mom.
Lying on the bed, I wore layers of heavy clothes and covered my whole body with blanket to sweat. Then I prayed to God for the whole night.
June 20, 2018 — The pain was eased.
The next day, my fever was gone and the pain of my belly eased a little. I was wondering if I would have strength to share with the Kao-Shiung MIP group tomorrow. I told the AC leader in Kao-Shiung to pray for me.
June 21, 2018 — Shared with Kao-Shiung MIP group
This morning, my mother still tried to urge me to see a doctor. I almost agreed. But I know if I went to see a doctor, the reason was fear about displeasing my mother as well as being doubtful about God’s willingness of forgiveness. On the other hand, the only reason I didn’t want to see a doctor is that I believed God would heal me.
After prayer, I felt God wanted me to eat a little bit porridge my mother made since I didn’t eat much yesterday. I felt pain in my belly but I could stand up more straight to walk than yesterday. And I didn’t want the devil to hinder me from sharing God’s word. So, I still took subway to share with the MIP group in the church in Gang-Shang city.
Five moms came to the meeting. I asked the leader to lead the prayer meeting first and then gave them some suggestion. I shared the teaching about prayer similar with the MIP group in Tai-Chung. But I noticed I talked more about how a wife can be a spiritual helper to her husband through prayer. I also shared more testimony and stories from myself and other Christians.
A lady asked me how to pray for a relative who was baptized but never came to church again. I encouraged her to continue to pray because our life of faith can grow mature along the years. Therefore, praying will be the great support for another saint’s growth.
After the meeting, the leader drove me back to the subway station. In the car, I asked about her family. She said her husband is not a believer. But thanks to God to use a lot of circumstance to bring her close to God and that’s also the reason she is leading this MIP group. I thanked her to share her testimony with me because I thought about a Christian friend who also married a non-believer husband. After I heard her testimony, I prayed to God to keep my friend’s faith and bring her back to the church in His time.
Mom threw out a lot of anxious words to me about many things. Thank God for giving me a quiet spirit so I didn’t echo her worries. While she talked, I prayed hard for wisdom.
“Please read this testimony, Mom”. I handed her the book I was reading in Chinese translation, “Intercessors–Discover your prayer power” by Elizabeth Alves.
It’s about a mom who had a daughter suffering with eating disorder and the mom finally came to pray for her daughter out of desperation. Then I told my mom to pray for her children instead of worrying.
The truth shone light to Mom and she showed me the Bible full of colorful pages, which was the gift from the church when she was led by my sister and baptized after I came to US.
June 22, 2018 — My sin was forgiven. My daughter’s foot was accidentally stuck in the bike wheel.
I got the email back from the pastor’s wife. She lovingly rebuked me that I should have known better not eating the sacrificed food on the idol’s altar. I knew what she said was true because before receiving her email, my spirit was touched and cried with joyful tear when I read the quoted Bible verse from the book, Intercessor: “Woman, your sin has been forgiven.” This pastor’s wife prayed for me and taught me to ask God to lift the judgments off me.
This morning we would go to Hua-Lian city to visit my husband’s friend from the graduate school. My mom and dad went with us to the train station. Mom asked me if my belly still hurt. I felt a little bit cranky on my stomach because I guessed I ate little. So I told Mom to pray for me. I was so glad to hear she started to pray right besides me on the platform of the subway station.
After I got on the train, I texted Mom that my belly was totally fine after she prayed and I could enjoy eating the Bendo (lunch box) on the train.
During this crisis of spiritual battle, I learned that God is almighty and holy, whom I both fear and trust.
On the train to Hua-Lian along the east coast of Taiwan, there’s beautiful ocean and mountain view and fields of golden rice. We stayed in an AirB&B. There were bikes for guests. So we rode on the bikes, having my daughter sitting in the back, just like any kids do in Taiwan.
But right before we took off, I thought about the childhood experience, having my foot stuck in the wheel when my dad rode the bike with me sitting on the front. Now, I only told my daughter to put her feet beside the wheel and was eager to go. In five minutes, the thing I worried happened. Her foot was stuck into the rolling wheel when my husband was pedaling the bike with her sitting in the back.
My husband quickly jumped off the bike but her foot was stuck so bad and we could not get it out. An old man walked by and stopped to help us lift up the wheel. I called out to Jesus. After the second time I called, her foot slipped out of the wire of the wheel but swollen with bruise. Thank God for rescuing her.
June 23, 2018 — Unexpectedly met my college professor, also a believer.
We caught the bus on time. After one-hour drive, we arrived at the house Samson built by the ocean, who is my husband’s friend from the graduate school. He waited for us by the road.
He happily showed us around this eco and high-tech house designed by a Finland architect and programmed by himself. They also raise two geese in the backyard and a big dog which often follows the hikers on the long trails.
I was surprised that we didn’t have chance to bring up gospel to him. We only knew his dad is a believer and he doesn’t know why. Then, he talked about the college professor I knew, who also lives in the same city. He was enthusiastic to call the professor for me.
Then, before we left the city, he drove fast one the winding mountain road for one hour to bring us to the professor’s house and we talked for 10 minutes before catching the train to another city, Pu-Shin.
After I talked to Professor Yang, I finally knew why we didn’t get to share gospel with Samson. Professor Yang is a believer and his only son lives right in Twin Cities, MN. What a small world! So, I asked Professor Yang to take care of Samson and share gospel with him later. Professor Yang prayed to bless us and Samson.
Thanks to Samson’s fast driving and help with luggage, we barely caught the train.
June 24, 2018 — Being refilled by the sermon in the holy place
We visited another church in Taipei. The sister, who shared with me weeks ago about speaking in tongue attends this church. They take off their shoes in the church and they pray for Israel as their mission. I was glad to be recharged from today’s sermon for another coming week to Japan.
June 25, 2018 — God will not despise the prayer from a contrite heart with the sympathy for other’s pain.
Chien was my classmate in Columbia University and I led her to God before I moved to MN from NYC. She has been praying for me after she became a believer until I was spiritually delivered.
Tonight, I met with her and told her about MIP. I suggested her to meet with Charity Pu in Tai-Chung and learn more about MIP. And I prayed with her and asked God to lead her to start a MIP group in her school where she is the director.
Chien has been treated in a harsh way by her family after she became a Christian. However, out of love, she gave up the US citizenship and went back to Taiwan for hoping to share gospel with her family.
That night, my daughter had an argument with me and I felt great sorrow in my heart. The eyes of my heart saw that was like the conflict Chien often sufferers from her unbeliever mom. Therefore, I prayed from the bottom of my heart for her and I believed God would not despise a broken and contrite heart (refer to Psalm 51:17).
I was reminded that’s how we could be healed by Jesus’ stripes (refer to Isaiah 53:5) because Jesus took our pain and pleaded to God with a broken heart on our behalf.
June 26, 2018 — My college classmate received Jesus as his Savoior.
Tonight was the last day in Taiwan. I texted my college classmate, Yu and asked if he liked to talk. Yu asked me about Christianity last year through Facebook.
Tonight, I asked my husband to talk with him by phone and we used the BSF booklet to read the Bible with him. Yu was willing to pray and received Jesus as his Savior. We thanked God for giving us one more opportunity to witness His glory before leaving Taiwan.
June 27, 2018 — Arrived at Japan
My parents and younger sister flew from Kao-Shuing today to Osaka, Japan. My husband, my daughter and I flew from Tao-Yung to Osaka and we would meet in the airport.
Thank God for leading us to find each other in this big airport near the information booth.
June 29, 2018 — Prayed for healing to mankind around the world
We took Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) to Hiroshima. Mr. Ikeda, a volunteer at the train station, kindly walked us to the bus stop for a complimentary tour in this city.
Many western tourists came to visit the memorial location of nuclear bomb during the final stage of World War II. A desolate building with broken walls has been kept for displaying the destruction of the bomb.
In the museum, the photos of the injured and distorted objects melted by extreme heat silently protested to the cruelty of the nuclear bomb.
However, the more cruel damage has been done by human beings’ sins and the devil to the mankind. Who can see the wounds in people’s hearts suffering from fear, insecurity, pride and pain around the world? Only God knows. And that’s why He sent Jesus to come to heal the world.
I prayed that the merciful God heals the broken hearts in this city as well as other places, and bring the everlasting peace to the countries.
July 1, 2018 — My Japanese friend received Jesus as her Savior. Thank God for protecting my parents and sister.
Sa is my Japanese friend I met in MN. Three years ago she came back to Japan with her two little kids. I sensed the tension in her marriage and prayed for her back then. We visited her in the city one hour away from Osaka by Shinkansen bullet train. While we took another local train to arrive at the small train station, I got the text from her. She said she was sitting in the police car. I was puzzled.
She was on the verge of tear when she saw me. She explained that she had a fight with her husband currently separate from her. She got a ticket due to driving without fully stop at the stop sign when she came to pick us up. What a sad opening to see each other. But I cheered her up with God’s word and told her that God sent me to her for a loving reason.
While Sa prepared the simple Temaki with cucumber and fried egg for dinner, my husband and daughter played with her kids outside. I used the BSF booklet to read the Scripture with her. After we ate dinner, Sa took out the incense of firework Japanese people often play in summer for the kids.
The time for us to leave soon came. I asked Sa if she wanted to pray and receive Jesus as her Savior. And she did. We hugged each other in tear with joy of knowing we are sisters in Christ now. We caught the local train in 5 minutes.
Another praise to God for today was that my sister and my parents safely went back to the hotel by themselves when we visited Sa. My sister didn’t get my text about which platform to take JR train back to the hotel and she doesn’t speak Japanese.
I prayed to God wholeheartedly to direct them and keep them safe. My sister later told me that they went to the wrong platform and she was not sure about the direction. Then, there appeared a staff with uniform of the train station, lingering in front of her, picking up trash. So she asked the staff and he directed her to the right platform.
July 2, 2018 — God is our prince of peace when Dad was lost in the big mall.
We took the Shinkansen for two hours to the Hakata city, famous for Ramen (Japanese noodle soup). When we visited the shopping center called Canal City Hakata, which is like MOA, we took the escalator up to 2nd floor and from the top I saw my dad in the far back of line turned to the other direction on the 1st floor and suddenly disappeared from our sight.
I asked my husband to run quickly to catch Dad but he has been walked far away. Dad doesn’t speak Japanese and only a little English and he was out of reach by phone. I prayed so hard to give him peace.
Meanwhile, with great peace, I ran around for searching for him and then stopped at the information booth to ask them to announce Dad’s name through the speaker. The customer service staff was kind and called a Chinese staff to come to help.
In 10 minutes, Dad appeared behind me. He said he walked to the sky walk on the 2nd floor, which I pointed it to him before we went up to the escalator. He told himself to come back to the location he missed us when he couldn’t find us on the 2nd floor.
I asked Dad how he felt when he was lost. Dad said he had great peace. “Oh, God, how thankful I am. You are our prince of peace.” I praised God.
While we took the long ride of Shinkansen, I got time to talk to my sister and Mom about spiritual warfare by showing them the Bible verses. I thanked God for giving me this trip and I can spend more quality time with my family.
July 3, 2018 — Seeing my parents and sister off with peace
I woke up early to accompany my parents and sister to the train station, departing for the airport. They would leave for Taiwan and I later would leave for US. It’s like a normal day of seeing people off to different destination. Thank God to protect them during the whole trip and arrived home safely.
We took the later flight back to CA. We visited my son in the school again. He was fine today.
July 5, 2018 — God is our wall of fire.
We rent a car to drive to San Francisco for my husband’s sharing his testimony there. On the way, we took a break at St. Maria city. At night, there was a man shouting and I heard the noise like gunshots outside the motel room we stayed. I prayed to God to keep us safe by surrounding us with the wall of fire.
June 7, 2018 — Refilled by the communion with the saints in Carmel-by-the-sea church
we came to Monterey Bay and stopped at the village called Carmel-by-the-sea. On Sunday, we went to a small church in this village. In the sanctuary, the wall on the left hand side hanging the quilt said ‘Tis the gift to be simple”; the one on the right hand side said: ‘Tis the gift to be free”.
The sermon was about communion. The young-looking pastor with beard explained the meaning of taking communion and its blessing: getting the rising power from death through Jesus. He mentioned a testimony about an atheist once attended the service with communion and came to believe in God. I affirmed the message to this pastor, Luke, after the sermon that taking the communion with them recharged me in this long journey of mission once again.
July 8, 2018 — God is our shield.
My sister in Taiwan told me about the huge flood in Okayama city, where Sa lives. I messengered her but didn’t hear from her. I prayed to God to be her refuge and shield and she can find hope in His word. (From Psalm 119:114). I also sent out prayer request to my MIP team.
A week before we went to Japan, an earthquake shook Osaka. After we left, the flood came. I thanked God for protecting my family during the trip.
July 9, 2018 — God is faithful to save.
The Jewish couple, Paul and Adrienne invited my husband to give his testimony to a group of Chinese scholars they serve in UC Berkeley. We stayed with them for two nights and learned more about Jewish history.
Both of them grew up in Jewish family. After they believed in Jesus, their family regarded them as traitors. Adrienne explained that Christians once persecuted Jewish people in a harsh way, like “Martin Luther, a German Reformation leader, who had a significant influence on German antisemitism by his anti-Jewish statements and writings” (quoted from Wikipedia).
However, both of them were touched by Jesus’ love after a long search of the truth and received Jesus as their Savior. They prayed for their family and endured their hatred. Finally, at age 95, Adrienne’s mother told her that she felt there is a God and asked Adrienne to pray for her. She received Jesus as her Savior and passed away in two months. Similar things happened to Paul’s parents.
That night, I shared this testimony with Chien, who is persecuted by her family and she was greatly encouraged by the faithfulness of God.
July 10, 2018 — My husband and I are a team in God’s work.
My husband gave a speech about how he searched for a true God as an engineer, who has a logical and reasoning mind. After he finished the speech, we got an opportunity to talk with a Chinese professor who came to US before and brought his daughter for attending summer camp this year.
He mentioned the hardship in Chinese communism, which doesn’t allow people the freedom to believe in God. His face showed the anxiety about the future and a longing for peace.
We gave him the BSF booklet and encouraged him to read and pray to God while he was in US. His name is Wei. We pray that he will come to the light of the truth and fix his eyes on Jesus without looking at the chaotic circumstance around him.
A brother in the fellowship shared with me the difficulty in the ministry because the Chinese scholars come and go. I encouraged him to see his role as a seed-planter.
Another brother felt sad to not see many male scholars came to believe God while their wives did. I encouraged him to teach the wives to pray without ceasing for their husbands. He said it’s good to see my husband and I are a team. That’s the best compliment from God.
July 11, 2018 — God is the shield.
I heard from Sa in Japan. She showed me the photos right behind her house. The flood came to the brink of the railroad behind her backyard and stopped there. Oh, God, I praised You to be the shield for Sa’s family and her property.
July 12, 2018 — Come back home.
I asked my MIP AC leader to pray for the smooth process of returning the car and safe trip to going home. And God answered.
The flight was delayed for almost 3 hours but no passengers complained about it. We came home in the early morning on July 13.
We found that it was like a jungle in our backyard with untrimmed bushes and the lawn covered with vines. The house didn’t feel like home to us right away because it is big compared with many tiny living places we stayed in Taiwan and Japan for two months. How blessed is America!
<THE END>
I want to dedicate this report to God and all the saints who prayed for us. The intercession of the saints is the rear supply in spiritual warfare. Both the soldiers sent to the front and the force supplied in the rear build a great team of God’s Kingdom.