Happy Easter! The message of Easter is the hope and motivation of our lives. It is the first Easter in Boston. Time passes silently within our daily routines and business. We suddenly realized that it is almost the end of the semester. Those students who are going to graduate from this seminary (Gordon- Conwell Theological Seminary) this semester are busy with finding a place to serve or seeking God’s guidance for their next step. We are also reminded that it is about time for us to go back to Taiwan. How do we feel? Probably it is a mixture of both joy and sadness. We are happy that we will return to our original ministry soon, and that we will meet again with our beloved family members and friends there. However, we are also sad that we are going to leave our two older children and other brothers and sisters here. Moreover, we are going to enter the “empty nest” stage.
Toon’s studies of this semester are less heavy and tense than those of last semester. Thus, he could really enjoy the learning, and he felt that he did learn a lot. He can’t wait to share what he has learned with his students in Taiwan, and hopes that he can bring more help to the seminary in this way. During the one year in the US, Toon has gone back to Taiwan three times for teaching and attending meetings, and he will go back one more time in this May. Last month, Toon and Pam were invited by the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia, to be two of the speakers to share in their annual mission conference and shared their ministry in the East Asia, especially the work done by the China Reformed Theological Seminary. This is church is one of the supporters of the CRTS. Reformed Worship, a book written by the senior pastor (Rev. Dr. Terry Johnson), was used by Toon as one of his textbooks in his class was funded by the church to translate into Chinese. This will be a big help not only to CRTS’s students but also to Chinese theological education, especially in the area of the reformed practical theology. Through the sharing of Toon and Pam in the mission conference, the church members became more familiar with the ministry in East Asia and the work done by the CRTS.
After some thoughts, prayers, and discussion with his professor, Toon decided to write a thesis regarding an issue that he has been interested for a while. This decision was accepted by the school after a meeting among the faculty. Although it will probably take some works and some time to write a thesis, from his past experience Toon feels that he can learn more through the entire process. Therefore, it will also help his teaching. He plans to use his whole summer to write his thesis. At the same time, he will also help Zephy move to his dorm and teach Zephy and Anna drive. After he helps them settle down, Toon will return to Taiwan in September. Pam and Praisye will go back to Taiwan in the beginning of August due to Praisye’s early school beginning.
Because she was taking a break for her online teaching job, Pam is helping translate Chinese documents for the Chinese Doctor in Ministry Program. This seminary has decided to start a Chinese DMin program which will use Chinese to teach and learn. This will be a good news for many pastors who are not good in English but are eager to learn. In addition to this work, Pam spends most of her time taking care of the family and the needs of other seminary families who are in need, including teaching English, cooking meals for moms after delivery, teaching people to drive, taking people for shopping, and counseling married couples, etc. (Seminary students are humans. They also have needs and problems). Although the current ministry is different from what she has done before in certain way, Pam really enjoys what she is doing. She feels that this kind of ministry is very meaningful. Actually, as long as we have the heart of service, we can find things that God wants us to do and do it in a way that honor Him regardless of where we are and what we do.
Zephy will be transferring to Framingham State University, which is about an hour from where we are now, after the summer. We are very thankful that the school gives credits to all of his classes done in the current community college and through the CLEP exams. So he has about 70 credit hours that he can transfer to the school. Therefore, he only needs one year and half to two years to complete his college if everything goes well. Although now he is not very confident about his ability to handle everything by himself, he is still excited that he can be independent and return to school (not live at home). We too are not very confident about his future. Yet, we can only put him in the hands of the Lord, support him with our prayers, and make changes when it’s necessary. We believe that he is God’s sheep and He will guide Zephy’s life.
Although Anna’s school is only 10-miniute drive from where we live, she doesn’t come home every often due to her busy schedule. We meet with her from time to time when there is the chance. The situation is very similar to the one when she lived in boarding school. We figure that it might be easier for both her and us to adjust when we return to Taiwan. She is very independent and she seldom worries us for anything. She is quite capable of taking care of her academic and life tasks. She will serve as a leader for the International Student Fellowship starting from next semester. It’s her heart to serve the international students at school. For the summer, she plans to take summer classes or do a summer job. She also plans to learn to drive and get her driver’s license before the end of the summer. Although we are giving her our car, it will depend on whether she can get the license and whether we can afford paying the insurance.
Praisye is very excited that she can finally return to Taiwan and meet with her friends there again. Although she also made many friends here, especially those from the seminary, she missed Taiwan and friends there a lot. She will return to Taiwan with Pam in the beginning of August and stayed in the grandparents’ house in Kaohsiung for a few days before she moved to the dorm to start her school. Although she will miss home, we believe she is happy that she is going to be with her friends. Mom and Dad are sad that they are going to send away the last kid. Fortunately, they can at least see Praisye from time to time (we will become very busy after the school starts due to academic works and various activities, and Praisye is the one who gets involved in the most activities among the three kids). Unlike with Zephy and Anna, we can only see them once a year, if not less.
Regarding the issue of empty nest, Toon and Pam are not very ready for it. Nevertheless, I think most of the parents are not ready for it when it happens. Of course, it also has benefits. For example, we can have more freedom in our ministry, especially when we need to go to take long distance trips or work at night. Pam can also have more opportunities to visit her parents in Kaohsiung and spend more time with them. Like every stage in our life, it comes when it is time. If we follow God in every step, we can experience His presence and grace in every stage of our life, and our life will become more mature and abundant. We are now in the stage of middle age, and our physical condition and memory keep reminding us that we are going down of the slope. Yet, as the Scripture says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4: 16). May God help us to live for Him in the remaining of our days and being renewed inwardly day by day.
1. For our family plan in the summer before we return to Taiwan; we hope that we can visit some supporting churches.
2. For Toon- Writing a thesis is not an easy task, especially this seminary’s academic expectation is quite demanding. Pray that God will give him wisdom, discipline, and strengths.
3. For readjustment when we return to Taiwan; pray that we can find a suitable location/ apartment.
4. For Zephy’s adjustment and confidence- he will transfer to a new college and stay by himself (at dorm).
Finally, we want to thank you for your support. Please remember us in your prayer, and please feel free to contact us 571-331-7128 or 571-331-9803.