They Came!

Mom and Dad in Taiwan for Chinese New Year

We were so thankful to have my parents, Steve & Judy Blackhurst, here for the Chinese New Year holiday! They were able to spend almost ten days with us! What a blessing to get to see them face to face. We were able to show them pretty much every aspect of our life here and they also got to meet many of our friends. The above picture includes Philip, Olivia and Yaya Wang along with Eragon and my parents.

We had a great time and they even experienced the amazing spring weather while Dallas was iced over.

Chinese New Year is an amazing time in Asia. I hope you were able to connect with some of your Asian friends and ask them about their family traditions.

One of the most important things that happens at Chinese New Year is the giving of red envelopes. In almost every family, the elders give red envelopes with money to their younger relatives who are still in school. I learned this year that once you find your first job, you should prepare a red envelope and begin giving back to your parents each year! My mom and dad thought that was a pretty good idea. I told them that just because we were living in Taiwan, didn't mean we were going to practice every Taiwanese tradition!

At Chinese New Year, there are many religious traditions and festivals to accompany this special event. Just like many of us will go to church on Christmas Eve and sing carols and light candles, most families here in Taiwan will go to the temple to burn incense, pray and give offerings to their gods in hope of a good year of fortune and health.

This culture is in bondage, so we ask you to pray that God would release people from their cultural bondage to follow Jesus.

Just this week, our pastor at Taichung Baptist Church, Pastor Paul Lu, preached a powerful message challenging our church members to take the Gospel to their friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, classmates, etc. He began the sermon by talking about how few Taiwanese will ever have the chance to hear the Gospel unless they leave the country and go to America or another place where there are many Christians.

Thank you for your prayers, financial support and encouragement which allows us to be here to give some people an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ; The Good News which sets men free! Read below for some exciting things happening this week.

Todd & Crista
Katelyn, Ashlyn & Andrew

Answered Prayers, Open Doors

God is working, please keep praying.

This Thursday at lunch, I'll begin my first campus Bible study at the National Teacher's University. You have been praying for us that God would open doors at the right time in the right place. And He did!

I am so thankful for this opportunity and how God has been working behind the scenes to put it all together. Most of the students who have been coming for the last year are not believers, so please pray that this semester, many of them will come to know Christ as they hear the Gospel. Crista and I both will be able to love on these young people.

Also, as we begin preparations for our two summer camps, word is starting to spread on both campuses. Please pray specifically for those students who God wants to participate. Pray he would prepare and soften their hearts for the Gospel and also get the right people here from the US to work with them.

If you have not joined our support team yet, CLICK HERE! Do it today. We need you.

Click the picture above or click here for a look at the Dragon Dance! Crista and I took my parents to see this really unique part of Chinese Culture. Keep one eye on the dragon and one eye on the boys performing, it's a great display of physical skill and coordination.