Ark Fellowship

Yes, it is the rainy season, but no, its not THAT bad. No ark needed, at least not yet!

The Ark Fellowship is the youth group founded by my friend Michael and his wife Anna. Carl first helped with their youth group back in February during a weekend retreat in Hualien, Since then, we have committed to come along aside them in their endeavor to reach the youth of Taiwan.

Actually, I don't do much. Until  my full time ministry of teaching doesn't require overtime to survive, I need to limit other responsibilities. It's hard for this "sure, I can do that" girl but mere survival  has dictated its necessity. Carl does most of the work. Besides presenting the lesson, Carl often bakes a homemade treat to share. He has also developed great relationships among several of the students.

Ben, Abbi, and Jacob have also chosen to help. Actually, I think it is their presence that often helps pull in the Chinese students. Most English learners desire a chance to practice their listening and speaking skills with a native speaker- especially if its another teen.  Abbi has also done some baking. And starting soon, Abbi and Ben will be working with the younger members ( 12 and under) of the Ark Fellowship.

Last Sunday, we deviated from our normal afternoon schedule. As a treat we decided to head off to one of the local hiking areas and spend the day. We sang, we worshiped, we played, we cooked, we ate, we hiked. And then we ate again. Yep, sounds normal for a church activity. Have food- will fellowship!

Carl teaching and Michael translating

Playing a game

Barbecue!

Taiwanese charcoal- different looking and harder to light

Yes, much harder to light!

Chopping the vegetables!

If you know Carl, you will understand this picture. It was driving
him crazy that they were undercooking all the meat.
 But it drove our Chinese friends that he wanted it burnt.
  Finally, Carl decided to"camp out" beside the grill
and guard this sausage until its completion. 

Another group barbecuing, but they had a whole chicken on
 the right and on the left, hidden by the smoke were three
 whole fish.

Yummy!

I'll take this sign over the snake crossing sign!

Oh no!  Not again!

When (or how) did she get so tall? 

The nice people at the top of the ridge who spoke zero English but yet shared their fresh fruit with us!

I was very humbled by the amount of elderly people we encountered while completing what I would considered  a challenging hike (two days later and my muscles are still sore). Carl, Abbi, and Jacob seemed unaffected! (Ben wasn't feeling well that morning so he decided it was best to stay home).

No, he didn't climb this wall but he did go
rock climbing earlier in the week.He was
the only one able to get to the top of
all four walls. His new nickname-
Spiderman! 

Although Taiwan is not a third world country, not everyone is as privileged as many of my students. I'm not sure if this was someone's home or shed, but I really like the old video game holding up the broom.

Okinawa

2013 Okinawa

If you look close enough at the above picture, you will notice something very interesting. 

Nick's not in it. I don't know why. He went. He competed.

 He has never been  fond of getting his picture taken.

I just wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who helped raise the funds for the track team to travel to Okinawa. Although it was cold and rainy, I am sure it is an experience that Nick, Abbi, and Carl will always cherish.

Thank you also for all those who prayed for safety while they were traveling! Despite a late night return, they all arrived home safely! 

Happy Anniversary

So, technically, it wasn't our anniversary, but like I have been told so many times, its the thought that counts! Our anniversary is April 23, but unfortunately, due to testing, that date was unavailable for a personal day. So we settled for today, April 10.

Nineteen years, four children, and two continents... Hmmmm, how to spend the day?

Carl had a plan.

During my first trip in Taiwan, I became acquainted with a place called The Shacks. I was reunited again the summer of 1993.  Greasy but stupendous food- especially the sweet and sour pork. Two decades later its still around.

So unbeknownst to me, Carl located The Shack (there's only one now where before there were several) on google, memorized the directions  (trust me, you don't drive in Taiwan and read directions all at the same time), and successfully maneuvered our scooter through the streets of Taichung.

The following pictures are not for the faint of heart- especially if you work for the US department of health. But the food is yummy!

The Shack

The prep area.

The view from my seat!

Delicious! Delicious!

Cute pup whose bed was next to our table.

After our yummy lunch, we drove to Fridays where we devoured a delectable dessert! Stuffed and satisfied, we headed out of town. A friend had told us about a great hiking trail, so our goal was to find it and hike it. In the process, we made a new "friend"-- a very large, long-toothed, ferocious looking, fast running canine. We made its acquaintance on a secluded, winding narrow mountain road. He must have been lonely because he was determined to meet us....or maybe he just wanted the meat of us? Luckily, the road straightened out just in time for Carl to gun the engine and pull away before my leg became an anniversary dinner.

Yikes! Does knowing this make it any safer? 

We had several trails to choose from and finally decided on one that was considered an easy hike and child friendly. The sign was wrong. The original path  had been washed away, a new path created-- not easy and not child friendly at all!

As the sun began slipping down toward the horizon, we quickly realized this was not a good spot to be caught at after dark. With little sunlight left, we turned around and rushed back to the scooter. 

 I am so glad that God brought Carl and I together. His plan for our lives has been and will continue being better and more amazing than I could have ever imagine. Can't wait to see His plan for the twentieth year of our marriage!

Scooters + Suitcases = Fun Ride

Remember my last post........the guy on the scooter hauling two mattresses? 

Check out these crazy meiguarens (Americans)......

Yep.... two suitcases AND a carry on!

And the classic Chinese pose! 

Two people...two suitcases. Common sense would say they must be on their way for a romantic interlude. Guess again. One suitcase is Carl's. The other is... not mine. Its Abbi's. She walked to school via 7-11 for those last moment all important traveling snacks. That's why we have her luggage and not her. 

Carl, Nick, and Abbi left Thursday afternoon with the track team for Okinawa, Japan.

Good luck Mustangs!

Scooter Picture

Scooters are great!

Scooters are useful!

However, there is only so much you can carry with a scooter. 

Yeah, tell that to this guy....

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

I hope you had a wonderful Easter Sunday  celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

Easter was strange.

 Abnormal.

 Not bad, mind you, just totally unlike the 46 previous Easters. 

In the past, my favorite part of Easter Sunday has always revolved around a Sunrise Service. As a child, my church celebrated with an actual sunrise service.  Shortly before dawn, dressed in boots and jackets, we would traverse the hill behind our small country church. As the first rays of the sun popped over the horizon, we were already singing and praising. Totally awesome!

Unfortunately, it set a very high bar of expectations. 

But, fortunately, the church of most of my adulthood, Faith Assembly, always had a Sunrise Service. Well, almost a sunrise service. The sun was actually rising as we drove to church. Close enough, though. 

Yesterday, lacked this element. So what did we do to celebrate Easter?

1. We colored eggs.Saturday afternoon I walked to the market where I handpicked  three dozen eggs (By the way, eggs are not refrigerated here.) I put them in a basket and the nice vegetable stand lady weighed them and charged me 130NT. Not having access to the American Egg Coloring Kits, I pulled out our handy food coloring. While Jacob and Ben helped a little bit, Abbi did most of the eggs.

2. So without Sunrise Service, what were we to do at 7:00 Sunday morning? Watch the OSU Buckeyes play in the NCAA Tournament. Really? Live basketball Easter morning? Yep... Too bad the Bucks lost.

3. Our regular church Service started at 10 am. We sang, took communion, and shared a meal together.

4. Ark Fellowship- This is the youth group that our family has been helping with twice a month. Carl decided to teach about Easter, a holiday in which the students knew absolutely nothing. We shared our colored eggs and explained how Jesus gives us new life. 

5. After the youth group, Our family, along with coworkers Michael and Anna (and their four children) and Sharon went to a beautiful art museum and shared a traditional Chinese family meal-- rice, savory fish (cooked whole), chicken, tofu, cabbage, and other vegetables. YUMMY!

6. To end our first Easter away from home, we skyped with our home church back in Ohio. Between their Sunrise Service and Sunday School, our church family gathered around a computer and for over an hour we conversed with friends. What a joy to see their faces and hear their voices! 

 Now, while this was not our typical Easter, the day was special considering the reason for our celebration!

My favorite 2013 Easter memory... On Friday, one of my students asked a great question. Just as Veggietales Easter Carol was beginning, Max came running up to me. "Mrs. Dingus, I just don't get it. What does the Easter Bunny have to do with Easter?" Great question, Max. 

In a country where so many fakes (idols/ancestor worship) hide the truth (Jesus), my answer needed to be simple and straightforward.  What a joy to share the truth of Easter with tomorrow's leaders of Taiwan, United States, Canada, South Africa, and Australia!