Christmas in Taiwan!

So I have officially experienced my first Christmas away from home, pretty cool! Taiwan somewhat celebrates Christmas. They do some decorations and maybe some cards or gifts, possibly a tree, but nothing like America. A lot of that has to do with the culture, and Christmas (even though many do not celebrate it this way) is a Christian holiday. Most regular schools do not get off for Christmas, typically it is just another work day for most Taiwanese, unless you are American or go to an American or Christian school. And of course the Churches have Christmas programs and celebrations!

Sunday, the 23rd, there was a group of kids from an orphange that came to the church that I have been attending. The kids had prepared some Christmas songs to sing for us, and after it the service was over, the church suprised the kids with presents!! They quite enjoyed it!

Christmas Eve morning I got to see the fam on the webcam and open a few things, then spent the afternoon relaxing in Starbucks! Amanda and I had a nice Christmas dinner with at the Lyles and opened up some gifts. We went with the Lyle's to their church's Christmas Eve service. It was up on Yan Mi Shang Mountain and was held inside as stone church. It was a candle light service with a lot of scripture reading and Christmas songs!

On Christmas morning a group of 8 or so teachers (including Amanda and I) left at 8am for a visit to Hualien. We are staying in Toroko gorge, surrounded by huge mountains, a river, hikes to beautiful waterfalls, etc. It has been amazing! Today, a few of us took a day trip up to Hohuan Mt. It is over 3000 meters high (around 9000 ft.). It was amazing!! We even got to see a monkey on the way back! Being up here has shown me so much more of God's beauty and splendor. He continues to show me how amazing, how huge, how wonderful, how beautiful He is. Surrounded by these amazing mountains and rocks has helped me to really grasp what it means for God to be our rock, our stronghold, our place of safety and security. Our refuge. It has been a wonderful opportunity, and amazing to think that the Creator of all this, all this splendor and majesty, could come to earth, could live amidst all the dirt, filth, and hate of the world, and take that, our sin, upon Himself to save us, so that we live forever with Him. What an amazing God we serve!!!

(view from a trail we walked)

(waterfalls)

(on the way up to Hohuan Mt., almost there!)

(on the top of Hohuan Mt. , beautiful mtns and the white is clouds!)

Christmas Party!

Sunday night was our English Dorm Christmas Party! We had a blast with around 30 girls coming in and out, decorating the lobby of the English Dorm, decorating Christmas cookies, making Christmas cards and having fun! God definitely blessed it as we all just had a great time hanging out and having fun with each other! It was a much needed time of relaxation and fun!

(decorating the lobby)


(making cards and cookies)


(decorating cookies!)


(the group!)

Christmas Caroling!

On Wednesday I got to help Judy (a teacher) take her students Christmas caroling around the campus. There was quite a large group and they had 3 songs they had practiced in English during class (God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen, What Child is This?, and Silent Night). After singing Silent Night in English they got to sing it in Chinese. It was a lot of fun to be with all the students and to be reminded of why we celebrate Christmas! Here are some pictures and a video of the caroling!









(When they sang What Child is This, the girls sang the first part, and the boys sang the second part)
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This past weekend, the singing group that I have been participating in, performed for the first time. Our group is a mix of about 12 students, teachers, and faculty from the college. One of the teachers wrote a cantata, had it translated into Chinese and has been working with us for the past couple months on this. The place that we first did it at was a sort of fair/festival thing. It was groups from different Churches and Christian organizations and schools. There were many booths and a stage where groups were performing. I had a great time watching the groups that performed, most were music groups and some were dancing and there was even a team from YWAM that did a drama. Some of the groups were even getting into the Christmas spirit and some did Christmas songs!

(A groups of kids that sang some Christmas songs!)


(Kids dressed up for the Christmas story)


(Chris and I before we sang)


(A group that performed. They are saying "Jesus loves you, Jesus loves me")