Friday July 7, 2006

Our final day of our English camp was a sad one – at least for its teachers. Today served as a review day for the past week’s stories and crafts. Once again, we held a relay to see which team could post the entire week of stories on the blackboard the quickest. Don wanted to share his testimony with the class before we said goodbye. Having one of the Mandarin/English speakers translate his testimony, Don asked an all-telling question: How many within the class had heard any of the stories that had been taught during the week. Besides the American girl present, 2 out of 13 indicated that they had heard any of them. The revelation of the question truly put into perspective what we had been (hopefully) accomplishing with reaching an unreached people with the Gospel.

Since both the youth and adult classes had been wrapped up, we decided that an afternoon of sightseeing was in order. On the way back to the hotel, Dana, now my sight-seeing guide, drove once again out of the way to show me and the ever energetic Jean (who was a young 75 years old) a few spots. First was the Meinong East Gate Tower that sat alongside the beautiful Meinong Stream and has been at this site since 1736. We also traveled past a beautiful lake that we visited later in the day again. On the way back to the hotel, we had a brief stop at an “ancestor room” where each day the names of families’ ancestors are read and offerings are made in hopes of loved ones past making it to heaven.

We began our afternoon tour with a stop at one of the biggest and most articulate temples in Meinong. Standing three stories tall and completed in 1918, the Guangshan Temple offers a spectacular view of the city from its upper most story and a spacious area on grounds that includes graves and a turtle gazebo (I sound like a brochure, don’t I?). While we were there, we witnessed monks performing some of their rituals, as well as a young boy practicing to become a future monk. Of interesting note, peppering the bottom of the roofs of this temple are what appear to be Nazi swastikas. They are, in fact, an ancient sign in the Buddhist religion and Hitler felt like borrowing it for his own purposes.

Our next destination was a gorgeous body of water (called a lake) with a gazebo towards the middle of it. Coconut trees decorate the area accompanied by the ever majestic mountains; several fishermen (and fisherladies) usually come out in hopes of landing a catch. Our last stop before dinner took place on a small mountainside which was scattered with momentous monuments of graves. Many of these are huge and highly detailed and can contain either individuals or entire families. Also present in this cemetery are furnaces for burning “spirit money.” Spirit money is paper manufactured to look like money (obviously) and is burned in hopes of “pleasing the gods” so that a dead loved one may have a good afterlife. I’m so glad that I know that I couldn’t earn or buy my way to heaven – I couldn’t do it; but Jesus came to buy me with His sacrifice and that’s exceptionally incredible!

Each day at the English camp, we told the kids that Friday evening was going to be a celebration time. Quite a few children and adults showed for the event. And you’ll never guess it – I made more friends. I was the subject of entertainment for several teenagers for a few hours: taking pictures, trying to speak Chinese, acting silly. What do you mean, acting? We had a wonderful time of laughter that continued after we had finished at the celebration time.

Every Friday night in Meinong is a flea market type of event called “Night Market.” At the market, one can find an array of things to buy or play rather cheaply. And stinky dofu – oh, how it stinks. This is a small piece of breading that smells like the sewer. Not pleasant. Following our departure from the celebration at the school, we decided to go to Night Market – and my newfound friends came and were entertained for a few more hours! They were most kind to me for about every five minutes I was being offered this amazingly stinky food for free. I politely declined by saying “No way!”

As we departed ways, the teens asked if I was planning on returning to Taiwan. I replied saying that if God wanted me to return, He would let me know. I told them that they could pray as well by just saying “God, please let the crazy man come back to Taiwan.” And they did right there, saying those exact words. Then, one of the girls prayed, “And please let crazy man eat stinky dofu!” Needless to say, her prayer wasn’t answered - so far. And let's hope that it stays unanswered for my health's sake.