2008.01.30

This morning came way too fast. Everything seems to come too quickly here in Taiwan... the mornings, the nights, the kids, the end. Or perhaps we simply have a more realistic view of the preciousness of time while we’re here because of how quickly it goes. I’d like to think that anyway.

After a most encouraging time of wisdom search where we remembered God’s goodness to us, we embarked with the Joshua students on the all popular annual CI trip to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. However, this year was quite different than any previous year’s trip to this memorial to the great founder of Taiwan.

The buildings at CKS are all being “renovated.” There is no more changing of the guard. In fact, there are no guards at all. There are no boundaries. President Chiang sits in brazen form now surrounded by larger than life banners of protests of his Presidency. Strange colored objects are everywhere. Gone is the atmosphere of reverence and respect. CKS Memorial Hall is now the Liberty Plaza. Everything is different. I could have cried.

I couldn’t help but think how that one “Plaza” is a representation of our lives as Christians. For some reason, we seem to eventually come to a point where we feel that our faith needs “renovation.” We lose sight of the simplicity of the Gospel and forget how beautiful it is. We begin to fill our lives with things, other things, any things, to keep us busy and make us feel spiritual. When all we really need is what we had in the first place. Seems like that’s what we’ve been talking about in devotions recently, too...

In other daily news, we had Thai food for lunch. Karen seems to have this strange obsession with the stuff. Ah, well, it was quite good just the same. CKS still looks really cool from the outside. As for the CI, words cannot describe how well it’s going... or what Nomes has added to our music repertoire!

Thank you for your prayers! God is working and you are a part!

—Krystal Heath