Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't been around for a while. I'm currently in Taiwan, enjoying meeting with saints in the churches there.

My schedule has been full on, including a funeral, a wedding, prayer meetings, trainings, and so on.

I'll be returning to New Zealand on the 19th of July, so I'll be able to continue working on the forum project, and respond to the questions regarding the New Jerusalem Bible.

Take care everyone and God bless !

-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), July 16, 2004

Answers

bump

-- bump (bump@bump.com), July 16, 2004.

Hi, Olly

Glad to read you are "enjoying" your time away. Its been about 19 months since you were there. 8-)

I will say a prayer for you tonight.

God bless you

-- - (David@excite.com), July 16, 2004.

This is so, I hate to say ... cool, that you can be where you are and still be here at the same time. Thanks for keeping in touch! Also had the same feeling when paul was in Rome.

-- Jim (furst@flash.net), July 16, 2004.

hi oliver,

i'm glad you got in touch!!! i hope you are having a great trip and that you find great spiritual insight, as well as newfound knowledge of a different culture, while you are on your journey. please, when you return, tell us about your discoveries.

-- paul h (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), July 17, 2004.

Hi Everyone. I'm back from my trip to Taiwan. It was very enjoyable indeed. I travelled with a group of around 20 saints from New Zealand to experience the church life in Taiwan and to learn from them, through their testimonies and practice, to apply to our labour in the churches in New Zealand.

We were all very well taken care of by the hospitality in the hosting saints' homes. One of my hosts had even put a new set toothbrushes and toothpaste in our room. They think of everything, to the fine details for caring for saints. I was very touched.

Most of our time was spent with the saints from "Hall 13", which is comprised of many brothers and sisters who have been very successful in the propagation and shepherding work in some regions of Taipei. One thing you recognise when you go there is the absoluteness for the Lord's interest these dear people have. Many of them finish work at 8:00, and then they go straight to church meetings after that, whether it be perfecting trainings, prayer meetings, or vital groups to go out and visit people. They have a saying "We work to get off work, and we get off work to work for the Lord."

The perfecting trainings are quite something. There are two that are run, one for the brothers, and one for the sisters. I got to see the brothers' perfecting training and it was very impressive. We run similar meetings in New Zealand, but we're not as well trained as they are yet, so it was good to observe from those who have been doing it for a while. As they walk in, silence fills the room. They find their chairs quickly and orderly. And then they begin to pray, one by one, with a strong exercised spirit.

After the prayer, some randomly selected brothers stand up to share the main points of the previous material that was covered in the last meeting. After that they continue the pursuit of the book together. One by one, brothers will randomly stand up from their seats, and read a paragraph aloud for all to hear and follow. After they pursued the material together, whether it be a chapter or two, a leading brother then asks randomly selected brothers to stand up and give an overview of what they had just pursued.

The speaking was strong and well released. Obviously, they had spent the time at home to prepare for their sharing. What they did not know however, was if they were going to be chosen to share, and in which order they would be sharing. The order determines which section of the material to speak on. Anyhow, it was very impressive to observe. Us kiwi saints were sitting in another section of the hall listening to a translation via headphones.

It was also great to participate in their morning revivials, which we also have in New Zealand. A morning revivial is a nourishment of the word in the mornings, with verses from the bible, and excepts from the ministry. Again, this was a very intensified and enjoyable experience. Though I was already familiar with the morning revival as the other saints from New Zealand, we had not experienced it to such a degree as this time in Taiwan. Usually when I wake up, I'm very slow and weak in my praying, but I tell you, they really vitalised me and uplifted me with their praying and reading. After pursuing the word, we all had some fellowship together. It was so sweet and enjoyable. Though I had never met these Taiwanese saints before, I did not feel strange or shy to be with them. I felt a genuine oneness.

We also did a bit of sight-seeing - Yang Ming Shan, which is a famous mountain in Taiwan with beautiful scenery, The gospel book room, where I bought a showcase dvd of a blending conference that had taken place earlier this year in Taipei, some several tens of thousands of saints from all over the world gathered at a giant stadium, it is quite a magnificant sight to watch. We also went to a tea-cafe situated at the top of a large hill, where the saints often bring new believers to have fellowship and prayer together.

Saints from "Hall 12" also took care of us in the region of Baitou. We were loaded up on food I tell you ! 8-) We had wonderful fellowship and prayer together, and we discussed the matter of looking after children, which they have done very well over there. They have a very strong testimony of children who are shepherding other children. They fear God, and have a very good behaviour, as an example to the children they contact. Many parents have been gained through them also.

Overall, it's been a tremendous pleasure to experience the church life in Taiwan. Everyone is functioning and contributing toward the building up of the body of Christ, the adults, the highschoolers, even the young children. It's an awesome testimony that they have there. Us kiwi saints also blended well together and got to know each other better. I feel we have all been very much encouraged to pour out these riches to the saints in New Zealand.

-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), July 20, 2004.