Junior 1 Chapel

Just wanted to share a quick highlight from the day. 2 or 3 times a semester the foreign teachers are asked to assist with a chapel service either for the Junior 1 (7th grade) students, or Junior 2-Senior 3 (8-12th grade) students. Well today was our first chapel service for the year. We lead it for the 7th graders, all of whom are required to attend. When the foreign teachers lead chapel we typically perform a skit or two, sing 7 or 8 songs, pray and read a couple of Bible passages.

Normally 7th grade chapels, are a little more difficult because their English is not quite as good, and many are there even though they may not want to be. I usually enjoy the Senior High Chapel more. Today however, the kids were absolutely wonderful. Our first song was "This is the Day" and we sing it in 2 groups, and when your group sings you are supposed to stand. Normally the kids fumble through the song and kind of stand when they are supposed to. Today, I could hear the kids singing loudly and they were full of energy. It seemed to spread through all of the other songs and skits as well. I thought Junior 1 Chapel was great today! Praise God for the chance to share the message of Christ with these students, and their willingness to be engaged in the chapel service.

Small Group

As stated in an earlier entry, I have started a small group with some of my students from last year. We get together once a week to discuss a novel we have been reading outside of class. As many as 15 have shown up, and this last week I still had 9, with a handful who came to apologize that they would be unable to make, but assured me they would still come in the future.

We have been reading Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt, outside of small group. Each day when we get together we discuss what happened in the previous week's reading and do some sort of activity. 2 weeks ago they wrote a little about what would be the perfect age at which one could live forever. We then shared these ideas, with answers ranging from 5 years old to 35 years old, but most were smack in the middle of 20's (I said 24, so I guess I have passed my prime, ha!).

This week we acted out vocabulary words. I gave the students 10 vocab words for the novel. They worked in pairs and had to find a way to act out the word for the rest of the class. The class then had to guess what their vocab word was. Our words included elated, melancholy, searing, perilous, gallows, oppressive, and others. The kids loved it, and were laughing and having a good time as they watched each other.

I have really loved this group, and know that God is blessing it and the relationships that are being built with the students. I am so thankful to be able to spend time with some of these kids again this year.

New Link

I just wanted to let you all know about an exciting new link that has been added to my blog. Under links you will see one titled "Friday Night Bible Study". This will take you to the brand new Friday Night Bible Study Blog. This will be updated weekly (unlike my blog, ha!) and provide pictures and information about Friday Night Bible Study here in Chia Yi, Taiwan. Feel free to check it out.

First Week of School

Well...one week down. The first week can be a little long, going over the rules multiple times, establishing routines, and just getting used to the full work day again. So I was definitely ready for the weekend.

At the same time I am was so excited to have the chance to meet my new students and get to see some of my old ones around school. A couple of things that I am especially excited about this year are my Junior 1 Conversation Class, my literature small group and the American football club.

The Junior One (7th grade) Conversation class is new at Concordia this year. For this class, we take one class of 50 and divide it into 4 small groups. This groups of 10-12 students then practice conversation and vocabulary from their English book. It is nice to have such a small group of students and to get to know them.

The literature small group is a group of 17 students who meet with me on Tuesdays during the nap time. These are Senior 2 (11th grade) students who I had in my Advanced English Class last year. We are going to read books outside of class and then discuss and do activities during the nap time. I am really excited that 17 students are willing to do this extra work, outside of class and that I will still be able teach and learn with my former students.

Finally the football club is something Kevin and I are going to do during Saturday morning clubs at Concordia. Students come to school every other Saturday and have 1 hour and a half of club time and then 1 hour and a half of meeting time or study time. We have 18 kids who have signed up for it. We plan on teaching and discussing rules and basics about football, watching some games, and playing games. Of course it will not be tackle, but rather 2 hand touch or flag football.

Tomorrow starts week 2 of school, and the pray is that God will keep the energy and pasison going throughout the semester, as I serve Him here in Taiwan.

Back in Taiwan

Hey everybody. I just wanted to write and let you all know that I did make it back safely and have been spending the last 2 weeks getting ready for the new semester. I have already helped with 2 Bible studies, both of which were well attended. Friday Night Bible Study will start up next Friday, and the On-Campus Fellowship group will be starting in 2 weeks.

On top of the Bible Studies and Fellowships, there is of course school. There's nothing like buzz surrounding a new school year. I am absolutely pumped up for the chance to meet my new students and continue building relationships with my old students and teachers. Today I just returned from the annual faculty trip. The past 2 years the school faculty has taken a 3 day trip to another part of the island. Last year we went to Taipei. This year we went to Shin-Joo. It is always nice to travel and see new things on the island, but for me the highlight of these trips is the chance to converse and meet more of my Taiwanese co-workers. It is easy to get caught up in my office and not meet that many teachers outside of the English department, or have the opportunity to chat. Each year, I feel like I get to know more and more teachers, and I definitely felt like that on this year's trip. There were many more teachers I felt comfortable chatting with on the trip, and I feel my Chinese improving to where I can have short convesations with those that cannot speak English very well.

I am thankful that Lord has provided such an excellent faculty to work with and that I can continue to build relationships with the teachers that I work with . I pray that God will bless those relationships and give me the strength and words to witness Christ to those who do not yet know believe in Him.

The Departure

Well, I write this the evening before I head back to Taiwan. That's right boys and girls, at 6 AM I will begin the long voyage home. Home...almost strange to write, but it definitely feels right. Soon I will get back to friends, co-workers, and of course my students. I pray that God will grant me a safe journey and the strength, wisdom, and passion to serve Him in Taiwan this year. I'll write you again from the flip side!

Return of the Blogger?

Well...kind of. Let me be real here! I have no dillusions of grandeur that I will start providing a detailed account of events in my life on a weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly basis. I have learned that's not going to happen.

What I would like to do with this blog is provide short comments, feelings, reflections, or stories from Taiwan. I don't know how exactly it will turn out, but I do want to start up blogging again in some form. I antiicapte entries to be rather short and maybe a quick relfection or a verse or idea that sticks out in my head, but hopefully they will be appearing on a somewhat regular basis (ie. weekly or bi-weekly).

So with out further delay, my thought for today. I miss Taiwan. I love teaching and I miss my kids, the people, and the work that is going on there. A couple of friends are already back teaching the summer portion of classes, and my brain is dancing as I think of what I want to do in the classroom this coming year. I head back August 15th, so it is not that far away, but I have started to become mentally ready for a return.

Prior to my return, I do have 2 weddings to go to. One of which is my sister, Janelle's. It's going to rock being out in Wyoming and celebrating with a whole bunch of my family. Prayers for God to bless the day and the travel as everyone heads out there.

Later!

Cats and Dogs

Alright, I realize it has been awhile since I have blogged, so I know you are all DYING to know, how is the little kitty doing? Well, truth be told the cat is no longer in our possession.

Shortly after I first blogged about the cat, Elsie, a Senior 2 student (Junior in high school), approached us about taking the cat home for the weekend. She absolutely loved the kitten and has always wanted a cat of her own. But she had to see what her mom thought of it. So we loaded up cat food, kitty litter, and some bowls, and let Elsie have the kitten for the weekend.

On Monday morning, I went right away to find Elsie and get the cat back. Much to my joy, Elsie did not have the cat with her. She said her mom was not sure about keeping it, but said they could have it for another week until she decided. I have not seen the cat since, and I know Elsie is very excited about having a new pet. Good for the cat, and good for Elsie. The situation worked out perfectly.

The more recent news about pets around her is the addition of baby puppies to our campus. One of the stray dogs was pregnant and baby puppies. For period of time, the small dogs were living right behind my house. The mother has moved them since, but the little dogs are very cute. They are probably about 2 weeks old. So in the not too distant future we might be trying to find some homes for cute little puppies.

For now I will add a picture of the baby pups.

Holy Cats!

I think the title says it all for this one. I actually cannot believe that I am blogging and talking about the cat that is living in my house. I guess it is such a surprise because I am not much of a cat person. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate cats or have a fear of cats, but when it comes to owning one...thanks but no thanks. So how is it that one is staying in my house? Well...

Earlier this week a co-worker of mine, Amy, came knocking on the door of my house in the early evening. Me and Kevin were home, and answered the door, expecting it to be a fellow missionary asking about dinner plans or something like that. But much to my surprise it was in fact Amy and her little daughter. They had with them a stray kitten who they had found on campus. Amy asked if we could watch it for the evening, and then it would be taken some where else the next day.

Me and Kevin agreed to this. I mean, how can you say no to a fellow co-worker, her little daughter and a cute stray kitten. So we decided to watch it for the evening. I can only imagine what James was thinking after he heard we agreed to take it in.

So the next day came and there was not a place for the cat to go. Another day came and went, and no one has wanted to take the cat. We are currently on day 4 of caring for this kitten, and honestly I don't know if the end is in site.

The kitten with no name is living in our back enclosed porch area. This is a non-finished part of the house that has the washing machine, and clothes racks for drying. It is dusty back there, but very hard to keep clean because it is cemented with screens for windows. Thus when any typhoon or rain storm comes blowing through, dust and every else gets kicked up and the room gets dirty.

So to close I will leave you with some pictures of our furry friend. Enjoy and God's blessings on your day!

New Photos

Hey everbody! I just wanted to let you know that I put some new pictures on my photo page. These are from the school trip to Taipei. The school gave all of the teachers a 3 day trip to Taipei (the capital). While there I had a great chance to talk with many of my co-workers, and also got to see some great sites. Here is a picture of me next to Taipei 101, which is the tallest building in the world. Check out the photo album for more.

One Week Down

Hey everyone! Well, the first full week of the semester came and went. It went rather fast, and I am very excited for the things that God has in store for the upcoming semester. I think most of all I am anticipated the growth, learning, and relationships that will be developed in my Senior 1 Advanced English Class. I have 35 students in that class, and I will get to see them 4 times a week. 4 TIMES A WEEK!!!. That is twice the amount that I saw any of my classes last year. We have already met 5 times, and I think they are a real fun group of kids and I am know this is going to be a great year with them.

As I am teaching this class, I definitely feel more like a real teacher. I have found myself typing lesson plans, preparing weekly schedules for the students and creating a sheet of notes for the upcoming classes and their corresponding discussions. It is a little different than last year, but I do think it is a good thing.

I am also very pumped about all of the other ministry opportunities that will continue this semester at school, with church, and in other places. I will try to elaborate on these in future blogs and newsletters.

Finally this past week I found an Chinese teacher for the upcoming semester/year. Her English name is Grace, and I first met her on a school weekend trip to Taipei this past July. I had the chance to have a conversation with her and found out that she was Pastor Carl Hanson's former Chinese teacher, and she is also a Christian. Furthermore she teaches Chinese to the students at Concordia, so this is what she does professionally in her life. She is a really nice lady and we are going to start lessons this week. Each week we are going to do both work in a book and also reading from the Bible. Praise God for the opportunities He has provided this year.

To close, I want to have a new picture of "The Family." This is a photo taken from the last English worship and includes all of the missionaries in addition to some of our Taiwanese friends.

More Basketball Camp Pics!

Hey everyone, I know this is getting out of control, I mean I have blogged 3 times in less than a week. But I wanted to post some more pictures of basketball camp. Enjoy!


Jack takes a shot


Group Photo: Victory!


Ending each day with prayer

New Links

Hey everyone! Check out the side the 2 new links on the side. They are for Emilie and Jenny, two of the new missionaries serving here in Taiwan. Go check out their perspectives on the ministry and culture.

Basketball Camp

Hey everyone! I just wanted to give a bigger update about the Basketball Camp. Everything went really well. God blessed us with 4 days of perfect weather. It did rain on the 5th day, but it all worked out ok. We were planning on ending early that day to have a pizza party and give out certificates of participation. So the rain did not interfere too much.

There were 9 kids who participated in some fashion at the camp, and we also had 5 teachers who helped run things. Each day we started with stretching, and then broke into two groups. One group was the really basic skill group. I led and helped with this group. We did VERY basic dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense drills. It took me back to my days of basketball practice.

After the drills part we played some sort of game. Games throughout the week included knock-out (a Camp Okoboji favorite), a dribbling competition, hot-shot, 3-on-3, and a free throw competition. The kids really enjoyed these and us teachers also had a chance to compete in some of them.

After the competition we took a small break and then had a Bible reading, message and prayer. I posted the theme verse for the camp in a previous post. Each day we tried to relate the message to how Christ gives us victory in life with some component of playing sports or competing in basketball. For some of this kids it was their first introduction to Bible from the foreigner teachers here at Concordia. They all will have Bible class starting next week, and I think this was a great foundation for them from which the year's Bible class can be built upon.

Here are some pictures from the camp.


Practicing dribbling


Pastor Lio gives a message


Get the rebound!

Victory!

"But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!"

This is the theme verse for the Concrodia English Baskteball Camp. I just wanted to give a quick update. We have had 4 days of camp and so far it has gone great! God has blessed us with four beautiful days of weather and also some great kids and teachers who are all having a good time. My ankle has even recovered well enough to allow me to participate and help in the drills.

I will post more information and some pictures some time in the near future after the camp is finished.


Mark

Dr. Wolfram

As I have said earlier, I loved the chance to be home and to visit everyone. I also loved all of the delicious foods that I ate. Upon my return to Taiwan, I realized that I indulged a little bit too much on all of this great food.

I think in total I gained close to 10 pounds in that month home in the States. Like most Americans, I ate out too much and my portions were always too big. So as I was sitting around my first day back home, I decided that I should make some changes in my diet.

So I have a new-found commitment to health. I am not trying to go over-board on strict diet, but just in general eating more fruits and vegetables, and trying not to drink as much pop or eat as much junk food. Also, I was going to start running feveryday and trying to play basketball or lift weights whenever possible.

My roommate Kevin adopted a similar attitude upon his return from the States, so during the first couple of days both of us were reading up on ways to eat healthier. I ended up reading several articles about the health benefits of drinking green tea and eating the seeds of grapes (both of which I have tried to incorporate into my eating).

So far the new eating habits have gone well, but the physical activity is another story. In the above passage I wrote "was", because everything was going great. I was playing ball, running and lifting a bit...until I sprained my ankle.

Initially the injury hurt pretty bad and for the last 30 hours I have been icing and elevating the ankle as much as possible. I have also been reading up on the anatomy of the ankle and how best to treat, repair, and prevent ankle injuries. So to connect with the title...between reading up on ways to have a healthier diet and to treat sports injuries I feel like I have been in med. school for the past week.

But alas, I am not a doctor, however God is. So a prayer request goes out for my ankle, so it would heal properly and quickly (according to God's will of course). I especially ask for this because I am supposed to help lead basketball camp in 9 days. I also ask for prayers for this camp as me, Sam, Kevin, and James prepare for it. May God bless all of you!

Mark

Back Home

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that I made it back safe and sound to Taiwan. (Yes, I know it has been a while since I blogged, so in the mean time I have finished the school year and spent nearly for weeks in the U.S. Sorry for the lack of updates.)

The break in Iowa was really good, but now I do feel little more like I am back home here in Taiwan. It is weird to think of it as being "home", but I did have that kind of feeling as I unpacked my things and saw some of my friends and students again.

What a difference a year can make! Last year, I came over almost in shock, having no idea what to expect. This year I am filled with excitement to continue the relationships that I already have established. Praise God for this and the new joys and challenges that will be provided in the coming year.

My time in the States went really fast, and I saw a TON of people and had a great time. I did not get a chance to see everyone however, so if I missed seeing you I hope that will change next summer.

For my picture today, I am going to post the latest family photo. This has my parents, Michelle and her husband (and her baby still in the stomach), and Janelle and her soon to be husband Tracy, and me.

We took several pictures. One was traditional, and another was "Taiwanese style". I will post the Taiwanese style picture. Each one of us is doing a gesture. The gesture that looks like a peace sign mean "victory", and the one with the thumb and the index finger mean "handsome". The handsome one is kind of like a frame around one's face, as if to say that the person is so handsome or beautiful that his or her face should be framed in a picture.



Enjoy!

Dinner with the Kids

You want me to eat what? What did he say? He is not even using real words! Such thoughts could go through one's mind before trying a new food, especially one that you do not eat in your culture. And these might have been the questions being that some of the Concordia students were asking this evening.

This summer, a group of 10 students from Concordia will be going on a trip to America. Norfolk, Nebraska will be their home for 4 weeks, with a brief stay in Des Moines for 3 days. On the trip they learn more about American culture, practice English, and hopefully hear more about the good news of Jesus.

This evening the 10 students for the trip were invited over to Andrew and Noel's house(they are the two chaperones and coordiantors for the trip). Me and Molly also joined the group for an evening of food and fun. Tonight, they had the joy of tasting the cheesy, meaty, tomatoey goodness that is Lasagne.

I absolutely loved the meal. And after asking several of them, found out that kids enjoyed it as well. I hope this boads well for their what will be many new tasting experiences this coming summer.

After the meal, we chatted, watched some DVDs to show the kids Andrew and Noel's family, and then played a game of Mafia. There is such a different feel and atmosphere when you do things with students outside of the classroom environment, and I am really thankful for tonight's opportunity. I had the chance to talk NBA basketball with one of students. Her two favorite players are Dirk Nowitski and Steve Nash. I really had no idea she was such a fan of basketball. We had a chance to talk about the latest happenings in the playoffs. Praise God for these small opportunities to grow in relationships with students.

To close, I would ask that all of you keep these 10 students in your prayers. May, Antonia, Teresa, Linda, Lily, Sabrina, Michelle, Irene, Babie, and Joyce. Pray that God would bless them in their preparations, and then on the journey to America. Pray that God would prepare their hearts, and allow for them to grow closer to Christ through this entire experience. Pray that Andrew and Noel would have strength, wisdom, patience, and endurance as they prepare to leave and then travel with the kids in America.

Until next time!

To be or not to be...

I walked into Molly's Senior 1 Advance English classroom as a special guest. I smiled as I saw some of the faces of students that I myself teach for regular Senior 1 Writing class. On their desks was chocolate cake, that the students were quickly finishing eating. They have been studying Shakespeare for a couple of weeks now, and today they were having a small party in honor of his recent birthday.

I introduced myself not as Mark, but as Hamlet. I did not talk about class or school but instead described the problems that I (Hamlet) had been having. My father had recently died, and my uncle married my mother and became the new king. What is worse, I had recently seen a ghost of my father who informed me that he had been murdered by the current king. How would I solve my problems? Who would believe me? Life is so difficult?

After this brief introduction, I broke out into Hamlet's famous soliloquy that starts with the lines "To be or not to be..." After wrapping up the speech, the students gave a boisterous applause. I had a huge grin on my face as I described how and why I had learned this speech.

I told them how this is a speech that I was required to memorize my Senior year of high school, for Mrs. Blake's English class. Molly had given me the idea to come share it with the class, and I agreed to give it a whirl. I had remembered a great portion of the speech from high school, but did have to brush up on a few parts of it.

Looking at this moment, it was a great joy to take something that I had learned when I was their age, and recite it for them to help them get excited about learning. Their faces showed an energy as they listened, even to words that were beyond my vocabulary (and how much more so theirs). But yet it was a fun opportunity that made me smile as a teacher. I am sure that if Mrs. Blake heard this story, she too would smile.

A day in the Mud

I love living on campus. It is beautiful, full of open space, and of course, it has basketball courts right outside my house (ha!). In addition to this, I love meeting the other people who live on campus. My house is located in the back of Concordia's Campus, near the Taiwanese teachers who also live on campus. These people are such a blessing from God. Over this past year, we have had some dinners and many conversations with these people, trying to get to know them better.

A couple of weekends ago, I walked out of my front door to see some of the neighbors hard at work. There was water and mud everywhere. As I peered around the corner to see what they were doing, I felt a little apprehensive about getting muddy myself. Then I saw the project that was being undertaken. Kevin, Debby, Amy,Esther, and Autumn, were out planting sod on open dirt area next to our house. They had sprayed water on the dirt to help in the planting of the grass. Of course the mud had made its way onto the sidewalk.

As I me, Kevin (Foley), and Michelle watched and talked to our neighbors about the project, they jokingly invited us to help. By now my initial hesitancy to get dirty had faded, and I thought it would be kind of fun to help them. So I kicked off my shoes and got dirty. Kevin and Michelle joined me, and there was a huge group of us making the work much easier.

I kind of felt like I was a kid again, playing in the mud. The squishy sensation of the mud sliding in between my toes was kind of weird. As I picked up the grass squares and placed them in their spot, I really was not sure if there was any proper technique for doing this. I guess I have never planted sod before. So if you see a blog in a couple of months commenting on all of the dead grass near my house, I guess we know who to blame, ha!






And in true Taiwanese fashion we were offered food after we worked. Debby gave us a bean soup, dumplings (that her mother had made), and something to drink. The dumplings were outstanding, better than any I had eaten. How Chir (chinese for delicious). What great time getting to know the neighbors, and to help make the campus a little more beautiful. Praise God for these little things in life.