Easter

Easter came early this year. We wanted to do something for the students to help them celebrate Easter. What better way than coloring eggs? This also gave many of the teachers opportunities to share the Gospel. There were about 20 students that came to the White's house (a MTW missionary couple) to color eggs. Most of these students are extremely creative and so the eggs that they decorated were colorful and artistic. Most of the students had never done this before so it was fun to watch them get into coloring Easter eggs. Here are some pictures...

Easter felt very different this year. It is not celebrated like it is in other countries. I did attend a Good Friday service which helped me to prepare for Easter. I was reminded about how Christ triumphed over death even on the cross.

I hope your Easter was a sweet celebration with our Savior.

Until next time...

At Christ's College each room is supposed to have a evening devotion during each night of the week. Many rooms ask me to give a devotion. So Tuesday nights have become "Amanda gives room devotion night." The picture above is of room 711 - I have gotten to know some of these girls over the past few months. Some of these girls have opened up to me and allowed me to become friends with them. I also started a bible study last week about making Jesus at Home in Your Heart and six girls attended. The study is a short one because I want to keep the students interested. The first day went well.
Spring Break starts on Wednesday which will give everyone here a few days to relax. I ask that you all would continue to pray that I can continue to get to know students. Sometimes it can get lonely here but I know that this is part of the Christian life. God uses the lonely times to draw me to himself - and I want him to do that now.
Until next time...

An Adventure to the Mountains

There is a beautiful mountain in Taipei called Yangmingshan. I had the opportunity to spend time on the mountain top. I rode on a motorscooter up to the top with Becky White - another MTW missionary and teacher at Christ's College. We spent the afternoon riding up the windy roads I had not ridden on the back of a motorscooter for that long at one time and so I was a bit sore afterwards. But the ride was so much fun. I like motorscooters!!

When we reached the mountain we enjoyed picnicing and watching the water buffalo. During the early part of the 20th century the Japanese brought water buffalo up to the mountain. Why? Not sure but it's pretty cool to see huge buffalo on a mountainside and they are used to people so it's a good relationship!

The landscape was beautiful and we were able to hike around the mountain. Even though the city was 30 minutes away I felt that we were in a different country. It was a great time to relax, read, hike, and get away for an afternoon. Here is a picture of the water buffalo...

So this is a real water buffalo and I was about 5 feet from it. He was very focused on eating as you can see. But it did make me want to break out into one of my favorite Veggie Tales songs... "Oh, everyone has a water buffalo, mine is fast but yours is slow. Oh where'd we get them I don't know but everyone has a water buffalo ooooooooh."

Well, as the warmer weather and spring time sweeps into Taipei I know more water buffalo will be out among the mountainsides looking for good snacking spots.

Until next time...

Long Overdue...

Where do I begin? The past month and a half has flown by and every time something fun and interesting happens I find myself writing a post on my blog in my mind. They are brilliant and well written yet they never seem to get from my mind onto the computer! I have no excuses but I am going to try catch everyone up over the next few days.

During the first few weeks of classes I was Ms. Lewis. I taught (all by myself) a literature class full of budding freshmen. I had a lot of fun teaching. Half of the time I felt like I was back at home with my sisters playing school but this was "for real." I am also a teaching assistant for a couple of teachers and so I am not only the coordinator for the Writing Center but also teaching. So life is busy but I am really enjoying it. I am also having the opportunity to give some history lectures on British History in a British Literature class for senior English majors. I feel that I am in my "prime" when I am lecturing. Being in the classroom gives me a way to interact in the students lives more. I am meeting more students and trying to use the classroom as a doorway for ministry.

I have also had some opportunities to hang out with students. During the first week of the semester some of the freshmen that I was teaching invited me to go to an amusement park in Tapei. I rode a fairis wheel for the first time - that was a bit crazy! We also rode bumper cars which I had not done in years. The freshmen are so full of energy and young compared to the juniors and seniors. I had a blast spending the day with them and trying to communicate with them as they used their electronic dictionaries!!! Below are some pictures of our adventure to the fair.

I will publish more posts soon about more of my adventures and outings during the past few weeks. I ask that you all will pray that I will have more opportunities to get to know students and the energy, desire, and boldness to initiate conversations with students that God puts in my life. I need guidance!

Until next time (which will be soon!)