We're going to Taiwan! (November 2025)

Hi everyone! Thank you again, as always for your support and prayers. There is only one month left until my field outreach begins!

My mission team!

GOD'S PERFECT TIMING

I had no clue I would be sent here. I get goosebumps learning this is where I would be sent as I had a ludicrous amount of "spiritual breadcrumbs" leading up to this moment. Amazingly enough, 7 years ago, God used one of my churches to encourage me to learn conversational Chinese, and I distinctly remember feelings that God was growing my heart for East Asia in the process.

My godly on-fire roommates.

I would see visions of Taipei, listening to Taiwanese indie music for 5 years, and had a sudden surge of "coincidences" this summer such as being given 200 Chinese gospel tracts, a Mandarin/English ESV Bible, and unexpectedly ministering to many Chinese-speaking people. Each of these foreshadowing moments could be their own blog post!

Now, God has deposited this opportunity to serve in Taipei and Taichung in front of me. To prepare, I've been digging deeper into the 'meat and potatoes' of missionary training. I am practicing more about preaching and intersession, public service, as well as dancing and games. Why yes, you read that correctly! What better way to connect with kids in a different culture than by preparing some fun?

DEPTH OF LEARNING

A huge part of my preparation has been utilizing the wisdom of some spiritual giants. This month some of my inspirations have been:

• Stephen Castellow

• Steve Fry (fun fact, he used to be a worship artist in the 80s!)

• Dave Buehring

These past 5 weeks of training has already been so valuable, and what I've learned can be summarized in a couple points:

1. We really can hear the voice of God and He wants to speak to us.

   
   

Jesus stands at your door and knocks. Everyone who really wants to hear His voice can hear Him. It's often in scripture that we find Him speak into our own situations, often with that still small voice encouraging us to move compassionately with others and ourselves. That is why last month's revelation about God being a shamelessly loving Farther is so important: that voice will be distorted if you do not have an accurate view of who God really is.

2. We are completely dependent on a God who loves us, and that surrender is the key to all of our relationships and self image.

This point comes mostly from Steve Fry's lectures. If you really understood just how much God loves you, you can frame your whole identity and worldview as "loved by God." George, loved-by-God. [Your name], loved-by-God. [Annoying coworker], loved-by-God. [Difficult customer], loved-by-God. When we do this, suddenly conflict resolution, decision making, and obedience in God's calling becomes so much easier. It's not up to your own efforts! God loves you and you're secure that you never need to earn it. We obey in loving others because He first loved us and we love Him. Well, I, George, "loved-by-God" can see that He loves me and that he calls me to love others.

SERVING KONA

On top of all this learning, I've gotten to know and serve my community here in the Kona area. I helped run a youth park event and support more local marathons/coffee walks. But the most powerful of these experiences was cleaning up the ancient church where Henry Opukahaia (the first Hawaiian turned Christian and then missionary) was buried. Stewardship of these hallowed grounds felt very symbolic, kind of like taking the torch to honor the legacy of many missionaries that came before me and are going ahead of me. In this great commission that Jesus has given us, our modern age is that we are either going to the nations or are domestic missionaries that commission the "go-ers."

With that, I give a gigantic thank you to all my supporters, you domestic missionaries!

I could not be serving all these people in Christ's name if not for you. God bless you all!

(FYI Next month will be my final "learning email." My time in Kona has been transformative, but in the new year I'll be sent out to Taiwan, where I'll keep you updated with weekly "action emails.")

非常感謝大家 (Thank you so very much!)

Your brother in Christ,

George