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November 2001
Dear Friends,
2001 Annual Mission Report
As we prepare to write this year’s report, we look back
upon the past. People told us that we have accomplished many things
in our mission field. But Choon truly sees many weaknesses in
his works and feels he lacks talent and wisdom, local language
and culture, etc. If someone asks him how he did all these works,
he will answer he does not know. He was forced to admit his weakness
and need for God. Choon truly believes "My power is made
perfect in weakness" (2Cor.12: 9). Seeing his weaknesses,
he listens to God and draws more deeply on Christ’s strength
to accomplish God’s work. His weakness taught him the depth
of Christ’s strength. He prays that God continually use him
to glorify God’s name.
On September 11, 1999, Choon began Hualien Aboriginal Campus
Ministry. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan
(PCT) asked him to start it in Hualien. He did not know how to
do it, because he had never had this kind of experience before.
Furthermore, he had a Mandarin language problem.
There are six colleges in Hualien, Taiwan. So, with God’s
help, in 1999 he started a ministry for aboriginal Christians
at National Teacher’s College and Buddhist Nursing College.
(We have sent a beautiful story to you concerning this.) In 2000,
he started a ministry for aboriginal Christians at Yu-shan College
and Jingchong Business College. This year, he set a goal to have
begin a ministry with aboriginal Christians in Donghua National
University, which is the biggest university in Taiwan. Next year’s
goal will be to have a ministry with aboriginal Christians in
Tahan Technical College. The final is to establish the Hualien
Aboriginal College Student Body in our Mission Center.
The good news is that all goals have been accomplished this year.
On October 5, 2001, our Mission Center students from all six colleges
to a special activity in a school auditorium for incoming students.
There were 151 students, including six adult workers. It was the
most aboriginal students gathered to praise God in the history
of Taiwan. The General Assembly of the PCT and the aboriginal
presbytery praised our work.
Two weeks later we another historical event occurred in Hualien—the
establishment of the Hualien Aboriginal College Student Body in
our Mission Center. Each college sent two representatives to the
Center, and the group elected a president and other officers.
From now on, they will plan their activities themselves and the
Center will guide and support them. God has changed Choon’s
plan. God wants to go faster than Choon. The Student Body will
have its first program, a retreat for aboriginal students, at
the Zaw-fong farm on December 1-2, 2001. Our goal is to have 100
students. Please pray for it.
Besides helping the campus ministry, Yen Hee volunteers at the
Mennonite Christian Hospital and Bethesda Handicap Center. With
the Mennonite Christian Hospital medical team, she goes to Huping
("peace") village to help treat patients. From Hualien
to there it takes more than one hour. As the village is located
in the mountains, it is very dangerous to drive the mountain road.
Last time Taiwan had a big typhoon, she could not go there for
two weeks because of mud slides and falling stones. So she always
needs your prayers for her travel to and from Huping.
This year her new job is to work at the Bethesda Handicap Center.
There are 97 physically disabled children up to 16 years old.
In Hualien we have five missionaries, and once a week we have
a prayer meeting. One of them is working for the Bethesda Handicap
Center. She has frequently asked Yen Hee to help the Bethesda
Handicap Center. Because Yen Hee works at both the Mission Center
and the Mennonite Christian Hospital, Choon thought adding another
job would be too much of a workload. But she decided to do the
work. She enjoys working with the handicapped children, feeding
and cleaning them, taking them out and spending time with them,
changing their position, etc.
November 22 is Thanksgiving Day. We have so many things for which
to thank God. That for which we are most thankful is our supporters.
Without your support we could not be here to do what we do now.
Our strength also comes from your prayer support. As Choon said
above, he does not know how he has accomplished all the works.
One thing we know surely: that some believers and churches, the
General Assembly of the PC(USA), and organizations like the Outreach
Foundation have faithfully have prayed for our ministry and for
us. Therefore, we have done our works. So, from the bottom of
our hearts, we give thanks to you all. We pray that during this
coming Christmas season the baby Jesus will again be born in your
hearts, families, churches, and organizations, and that you have
a more joyous Christmas than you have ever had, even in the midst
of the terrible suffering from the attack on the World Trade Center
and the Pentagon.
Amen.
Yen Hee and Choon Lim
The 2001 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 187
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