And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:35-36)
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37–38)
Our family
This is our family. Allan's parents on the right. Jane's parents on the left. Allan holding Toby. Jane with Isaiah.
True Belonging
In high school, before Allan followed Jesus, he felt like nobody. He decided that if people like him more, then he would become somebody. So, he changed his clothes, his hair, his friends, and got what he wanted. Later, he realized his life was a lie. He wanted to stop lying, so he went to a college where he didn't know many people.
In college, a friend invited him to a Christian fellowship. The Christians loved Allan unconditionally. He did not have to lie to win their approval. Through their friendship he believed in the gospel of Jesus and found his identity in Christ as a child in God's family.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 ESV)
Allan shared God's love with people in school, church ministry, and at the workplace. After graduating, he worked at a large energy company and while there believed God was calling him to full-time vocational ministry.
He told his parents. They worried that he would not have food, clothing, and shelter. To honor them and consider their concerns, he continued working at the energy company.
Later, Allan still believed God was calling him to vocational ministry. He spoke with his parents again about the matter. For two days his father thought about what he said.
Finally, his father decided he would cover Allan's seminary expenses. Allan was thankful to God and to his parents. God is faithful!
During seminary, as Allan went on short-term mission trips, God clarified his call to serve the overseas Chinese. He prepared to serve long-term in a creative-access nation in East-Asia.
True Joy
In high school, before Jane followed Jesus, she looked for joy in things. But that joy never lasted. Even driving a nice car in high school did not give her lasting joy.
One year a friend invited her to Discovery Camp. Her camp counselor shared the gospel with her. Jane put her faith in Jesus and found in Him a lasting and true joy that did not easily fade.
In college, Jane grew in her faith as part of a small group and fellowship. When she went to the Urbana student conference God challenged her to go in faith on a short-term mission. Her first short-term mission would be to Hong-Kong.
As she prepared for this mission she also began applying to dental school. On the day of her departure she was finishing her dental school application at the airport but later found it ruined by water. She could finish the application in time for the submission deadline, but only if she didn't board the plane and skipped the mission trip.
In faith and tears she handed the soaked application to her family and boarded the plane. During the mission she saw God's joy and global heart at work. She decided to go on a short-term mission every year.
God was faithful to Jane as she trusted Him in boarding that plane. While in Hong Kong, Jane's family reconstructed her application and submitted it for her in time. She was accepted and later graduated from dental school.
She went on annual short-term mission trips. During one of them the leader challenged her: "Why go on so many short-term trips? Why not go long-term?" She knew the answer: she could not give up the comfort, security, and relationships of home in the USA.
However, God kept perusing Jane. She had to wrestle with this question again when she started dating Allan.
Jane took the Perspectives class together with Allan and God again showed her his heart for the nations and his glory. She said "yes!" to God. We took on Revelation 7:9-10 as our family vision.
... behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb ... crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9–10)
Redirection
We prepared to go to East-Asia, but our parents worried that we would be imprisoned. We loved our parents and wanted to honor them.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
We prayed and God showed us a way to serve the unreached and honor our parents at the same time.
In this way we believe God redirected us to His work in Taiwan.
An Unreached People
One group of people in Taiwan make up two-thirds of the population but less than one percent believe in Jesus.
They are Taiwan's marginalized working class. With a lower-level of education they work low-paying, unstable jobs selling produce, working as sex workers, laboring in factories, and engaging in other blue-collar work.
While at work 12 hours a day, 6-7 days, their children return from school with little parental oversight and often become "at-risk". Among the families are high rates of substance abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, addictions, and family breakdown. Where do they turn to for help?
The turn to worshipping temple gods with money and prayers hoping for blessing. They turn to worshipping their ancestors out fear of being cursed by them. How much must they give? How much must they pray? How much must they offer to their ancestors? They are bound in uncertainty and fear.
The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd. (Zechariah 10:2)
Yet Taiwan has many churches. Why are there so few working class Christians? Imagine a working-class man visiting a church. The church people have nice clothes, but his clothes are not nice. The church people read big Bibles, but he does not like to read. The church people use many Christian words, but he does not know them.
Then the church people listen quietly to the pastor, but he remembers failing at school. Even if he wanted to go he probably couldn't because he's working Sunday mornings. The working class man will say, "This God does not understand me! He does not like me! He makes me feel bad about myself!"
Praise God that is beginning to change! OMF partners with existing churches to practice incarnational ministry to tell the working class in a way they understand that God loves them!
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
We share gospel stories because they like to talk instead of read. We build friendships during their long work hours. We meet for worship and fellowship at midnight to accommodate their work schedules.
OMF was founded by Hudson Taylor (戴德生) and has 150 years of history and experience serving East Asia. Through God's grace OMF aims to see an indigenous biblical church movement in each people group of East Asia, evangelizing their own people and reaching out in mission to other peoples.
For over 50 years OMF has served Taiwan. We presently work in the areas indicated above.
Washing the feet of the nations
... he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. (2 Cor 5:19–20)
Our home church, West Houston Chinese Church, is sending us out with OMF to serve as ambassadors of Christ. We plan to serve five years during our first term from June 2016 through 2021.
We are asking God to provide us with partners to share in His work among Taiwan's working class. Our partners are a vital to what God is doing and are just as important as we are in completing this work. For as King David said about who gets credit in a battle victory:
“The portion of the one who went down into the battle will be the same as the portion of the one who remained with the equipment! Let their portions be the same!” (1 Samuel 30:24)
We invite you to partner with us!
Will you prayerfully consider whether and how God desires you to join His work with us among Taiwan's working class?
We pray many Taiwan working class will worship Jesus in God's great multitude.
We pray that God would clearly lead you about whether and how to join this work.
we rejoice in God's will for you!
Whether that looks like partnering or not! For we believe God has different seasons for everyone and that in following His leading we will find the greatest joy and blessing.
Credits:
All images unless otherwise noted © 2015 Allan Tsai. Let the Nations Sing for Joy: Worshippers <https://urbana.org/photo/worshippers-2> <https://urbana.org/photo/worshippers-3> <https://urbana.org/photo/worshippers-8> <https://urbana.org/photo/worshippers-9> <https://urbana.org/photo/worshippers-7> <https://urbana.org/photo/worshippers-12> <https://urbana.org/photo/worshippers-13> © 2015 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, ccesed on January 1, 2015. Sheep <https://flic.kr/p/a8Jo8> by Vida Dimovska <https://www.flickr.com/photos/srakovlje/> licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/>, accessed on January 1, 2015. 8507wheat by S. Etole, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/, URL https://flic.kr/p/y9neFr. 37056-013: Chhattisgarh Irrigation Development Project by Asian Development Bank, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/, URL https://flic.kr/p/e6pMkD. True Joy: My New Lexus by Angelina, License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/, URL https://flic.kr/p/25EFgP. © 1996 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA ®, URL https://urbana.org/sites/urbana/files/uploaded/96-poster(small).jpg © 1996 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA ®, URL https://urbana.org/sites/urbana/files/96%20Pan.jpg dentistry_tag_logo_V_color, URL http://uthscsa.edu/op/styleguide/logo/dental/School_of_Dentistry.zip. Perspectives logo, © 2013 Perspectives Study Program. Redirection: East-Asia Map © OMF International. The crooked alleyways of Wanhua by Alexander Synaptic, License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/, URL https://flic.kr/p/nwWpCX. An Unreached People: A political division map of Taiwan, ROC by Luuva, License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en, URL https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taiwan_ROC_political_division_map.svg. Night Market Stall © OMF International. Red hair © OMF International. Elementary Classroom by beautifulcataya, License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/, URL https://flic.kr/p/7HBKu4. Vegetable seller, © OMF International. Incense © OMF International. Untitled by Michael Hebb, License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/, URL https://flic.kr/p/9DhH9T. Worship Service, © OMF International Elementary Classroom by beautifulcataya, License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/, URL https://flic.kr/p/7HBKu4. Tea, © OMF International. OMF Map, © OMF International. A political division map of Taiwan, ROC by Luuva, License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en, URL https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taiwan_ROC_political_division_map.svg. To the Nations: Partner With Us: "Pitstop F1 ING Renault" <https://flic.kr/p/5vW2X5> by Bert van Dijk <https://www.flickr.com/photos/zilpho/> licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/> "US Navy 110529-O-ZZ999-010 The Pacific Partnership 2011 soccer team forms up during an exhibition soccer match" <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_110529-O-ZZ999-010_The_Pacific_Partnership_2011_soccer_team_forms_up_during_an_exhibition_soccer_match.jpg> by Kristopher Radder licensed under the public domain, accessed on May 23, 2016. Bearded man © OMF International Red Apron © OMF International "Woods Path" <https://flic.kr/p/8FBuNm> by E_bass <https://www.flickr.com/photos/e_bass/> is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/>, accessed on May 23, 2016.