EBCT at EBCB

Let's face it. You just want to see the pictures.

Saturday morning - the arrival:



Do it Leo, do it!


Saturday night - Dinner at Pedro's:

Jojo is playing with a camera. I must be really funny or something. How flattering.


Taiwanese rock stars.




Sunday afternoon - hangout at Bay Street:

Jojo and Dino are sisters.


Monday afternoon - campus tour:

You read my book and I'll smell your hair.


You look at the camera, you look at the book, and I'll look aimlessly into the air like I'm a statue or something.










Tuesday - SF:



Thumb up.


Waiting for the cable car.


These were probably the 10 most exciting minutes for EBCT that day. I'm not sure if it was the sand, or the ocean... but it looked like it was a dream come true.


Lombard Street.


Later in the week:








Thank you for your hospitality, your flexibility, and your love!

Ben Lin

Hi Ben, how long have you been a Christian?

Three and a half years.

How did you become a Christian?

Because of Leo (older brother), he came to EBCT first then brought Linda and me here. Summer team people at that time shared the gospel with me and I started to want to learn more about Christianity. After about two months, I believed.

How has your Christian walk been since then?

What a lot of Christians say will happen happened to me, there was a lot of rising up and falling down. The first year was not very stable, my faith was very small. At that time I didn't really have a strong faith.

After about one year, due to some circumstances I joined the church more and wanted to know more. So now I serve on welcome team and join the brothers and sisters more often.

Previously, you traveled 3 hours to come to Taipei on the weekends but now that you tranferred to NTU, you are really close. How has that been?

I think one thing is very obvious, because I was so far away, I didn't have a lot of time to join the activities. I remember many times I have to leave earlier during events or not go at all, like house meetings. Also, for winter and summer teams, I just really can't remember them. and also for tentmakers, I also cant really know too much about them.

Did you remember me from the winter team two years ago?

Kind of little...

WHAT?!

You only stayed for probably 4-8 weeks...

I stayed for three...

EY! How can I know you?! I remember John though because we talked a lot, he can speak Chinese, and we have a similar birthday.

-_-, fine fine, please continue...

Also, I was at Tai Zhong by myself, yeah the feeling is very different. Going there and coming back, it feels like a totally different life. Yeah, just go there to study then come back. But after coming to NTU, I have more time to know people like tentmakers and can now have more time to meet with people.

Future plans?

Originally I just think about I will go to graduate school. But its still far away so that is still my plan.

About the job I am searching for, I am curious. Before I was thinking about where to go, but now I’m just wondering what to do but planning for graduate school.

What are you looking forward to at the 10 year anniversary?

I don't know, but I know that will be a very different experience for me, but about details, I just want to wait and see.

Anything you want to tell EBCB?

I am thankful that EBCB people can come to EBCT and serve here. We got a lot of encouragement by EBCB. Thank you all and praise God.

Prayer Requests:

Be a faithful guy and be passionate about God's word.

Interview with Yishan

INTERVIEW WITH YISHAN

2/11/08

***Disclaimer: This interview was conducted in Chinese, so I have taken the liberty of translating Yishan's responses into English for our readers. I have followed a completely dynamic-equivalence method of translation (basically I just chatted with her and then wrote all of her answers and had her approve them). --Matthew Lui ***

Name: Yishan Li
Occupation: Professional Masseuse


Matt:
How did you come to know the Lord and join EBCT?

Yishan:
I started coming out to EBCT in November, 2003 and I got to know Ben, Dennis, Selene, and Susan. I went to church for a couple months because I’d never seen such happy people in my life. I was a very unhappy person who loved to go out and party, but they seemed to really have peace in their hearts. I was interested. It wasn’t until the winter team came that I got to hear the gospel, some time in January/February 2004. Ben, Dennis, and Sunny shared with me over and over due to providential circumstances, like me missing my bus and having to sleep over at church. One time, I heard the gospel and I thought “this is true,” because I had been brought up as a Buddhist and though I knew in my heart that it was good to love others, I never knew why—until I heard the gospel. Immediately I believed and ever since then my life has changed a lot. For example, my parents are angry that I’ve caused a rupture in the family by becoming a Christian. But I did receive God’s joy and peace in my heart!


Matt:
What are your plans for the future?

Yishan:
I do not know what the Lord has in store for me, but I am ready to go along with His plan. Currently, I’m working at a massage parlor and I don’t plan on changing jobs.


Matt:
What do you look forward to the most about visiting EBCB in April?

Yishan:
I look forward to hearing the many different seasoned pastors and teachers who will be speaking, and I look forward to seeing all the brothers and sisters of EBCB whom I’ve previously only seen in pictures.


Matt:
What ministry are you serving in at EBCT?

Yishan:
I’m on the welcome team and the planning team. For welcome team, I give people wake-up calls on Sunday morning, welcome guests, and call people who don’t show up at church. For planning team, I’m in involved in planning most events (church retreats, parties, etc.)


Matt:
Is there anything you want to tell EBCB?

Yishan:
I want to thank EBCB very much for their prayers for EBCT, for their great love toward us even though we’re such a small church, and for all the missionaries, short-term and long-term, who have encouraged me by their love for sharing the gospel


Matt:
How can brothers and sisters at EBCB pray for you?

Yishan:
Pray that I would love the Lord with all my heart and with all my soul. More specifically, that I would make the most of my time and be a good steward of the opportunities God has given me.

Adventures in Hualien.

That's right. Hua Lien, my friends. It's a place located on the east coast of Taiwan where the people are fewer and the landscape is much prettier.


Matt Lui, Bryan, Greg, and I explored the surrounding areas for two days and here are pictures to prove it:

Upon arriving in Hualien at 9:30 in the morning, we entered the famous Taroko Gorge where we spent the good part of our first day. There, we encountered various caves and tunnels - most of which began with a stern warning that we might be crushed by falling rocks (or something like that).

A monkey posed for us photographers.

Most of the tunnels are long and dark. This one isn't.

Here is what I call "A CD Cover."

Here it is again, with a different lead singer:

Here it is A Capella:

In particular, there was a trail that led to an interesting tunnel. The cave of the water curtain. Here we are in front of the entrance:

Here are pictures of it:

It was a grueling hike up to the cave - full of poisonous wild mushrooms ready to disturb our healths.

A twisty cave formation


To top off our first day, we stood at impossible angles:



The dreary weather was nearly gone by the time Tuesday rolled around. We started noticing these signs when we stopped at rest stops and tourist attractions:

Instead of going to the beach, (the particular one we wanted to see was closed and off limits in the winter time) we climbed a hill and got some great views:


Some rocky place along the coast:





This picture wins the "a good random picture" award.

Rice.


The trip was definitely a nice escape from the dreary Taipei weather and pollution. As these are our last few days of winter vacation, please pray for me and Matt to be prepared to work hard as teachers and for eternity to be super clear to all of us as we interact with those whom God has placed around us.