Always an Adventure...

Our first week in Yuli October 16, 2004 I arrived in Taiwan with no idea what I'd be getting into. I was originally only planning to be here for one year... but 7 years later I can say that I truly enjoy my life here. It still feels a little surreal that it's really been 7 years. They do all kind of blend together after awhile, there was the year in Yuli, the year I broke my leg, the year I started commuting to Taipei, and so much in between. A song that I've been listening to a lot lately is Never Once by Matt Redman, and part of the lyrics say: Scars and struggles on the way//but with joy our hearts can say// Yes our hearts can say// never once, did we ever walk alone// never once, did you leave us on our own// you are faithful//God you are faithful I've had plenty of struggles along the way, and one long scar down my left ankle, but it's true God has been so faithful in big and little things, and it is true, never once in these 7 years have I ever walked ...

My Taiwanese "little sister" Annie is graduating from elementary school this year! I took the train to Hualian to see her graduation recital on Saturday, where she played the flute and piano. I've known their family almost as long as I've been in Taiwan. My first year in Yuli, Hope and I went to their house for a weekly dinner. I also spent my first Chinese New Year with their family traveling around Taiwan. She was only 5 years old!! Sometimes it really starts to sink in that I've really been here for a long time, and I'm so thankful to have good friends like this family, who have really taken me in and made me feel like I'm not an outsider. I took a short video of her playing, I am so proud! She said she'd give me a few tips if I bring my flute back from Canada this summer...it might take a little more than a few pointers to make up for over 10 years of not playing though!!

Now that I'm in Taipei on Fridays, it's harder for me to get down to Yuli for a weekend. While only 3 hours from Yilan, it's more than 4.5 hours from Taipei... and with only 2 days to do it, it just hasn't been practical. But last weekend, I didn't have a choice! Why? Because my good friend Vivian (Suhan) got married! Vivian used to come to our adult English class when Hope and I were in Yuli. She also went to the same church. She took us on a memorable trip to Taidong, and taught us some aboriginal dance moves. When my parents came to Taiwan, she took time off and brought us to her hometown, which is in southern Taiwan. She's a really sweet and generous person. When I lived in Yuli, she was battling cancer. In fact, she had more than 10 surgeries. Through prayer and treatment, she is now cancer free. I was really excited to hear that she was getting married, though the wedding was the first time I "met" her husband, since they only started officially ...