Worldwide Prayer Meeting
Prayer Focus - Taiwan Region
We join the psalmist who proclaimed:
It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to Your name, O Most High,
proclaiming Your love in the morning
and Your faithfulness at night,
For You make me glad by Your deeds, Lord;
I sing for joy at what Your hands have done.
How great are Your works, Lord,
how profound Your thoughts!
Psalm 92: 1-2;4-5
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus is the Good Shepherd to His people. Help us to hear His voice so that we may know Him when He calls us by our name and follow Him where He leads us this day. Help us to know Him better because He only is the way, the truth, and the life. Following Him and Him alone is the way that leads to eternal life. We thank You for the goodness that pours out to us from Your hand through the Holy Spirit so that in each moment we are bathed in the blessing that comes to us through You, the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to whom all honor, glory and majesty belong. We bow before You in worship and adoration through the name of Jesus. Amen.
This is a fun action song at a Regional Family Day for The Salvation Army in Taiwan and though you may not understand the words, it is fun to watch and listen to.
Background of the Taiwan Region
Taiwan is a mountainous island that is one of most densely populated in the world. It was under Japanese rule from 1895-1945 after which it was handed over to the Nationalist Government of China. With the fall of mainland China to the Communists in 1949, it became the last refuge for the Nationalist China Government. Its status has been highly controversial since that time. Communist China has been recognized as the official government of China rather than Taiwan which has labeled it a renegade province. Yet it continues to operate at a de facto independent state. Its status has been the source of political tensions not only between itself and China but between China and the United States.
Taiwan’s economy has developed rapidly since 1949 into a highly industrialized state with one of the world’s most dynamic export-oriented economies, primarily focused on high-tech goods. Ironically, its largest trading partner is China.
Religiously, the majority of Taiwanese follow a mixture of Buddhism, Daoism and traditional Taiwanese folk religions. Until recently there has been little progress for the gospel but that has started to change slightly. Unfortunately, it has come at a time when there has been a decrease in missionaries to Taiwan to capitalize on it. Nonetheless, the movement is real as seen in some megachurches and an increase in house churches.
The Salvation Army: The work was originally pioneered in 1928 by Colonel Yasowo Segawa but was ended with the advent of the Second World War. American serviceman Leslie Lovestead unofficially initiated the work that was then officially opened by Colonel and Mrs. George Lancashire in October 1965. Taiwan became a division of the Hong Kong and Taiwan Command in 1974, becoming the Taiwan Region in 1997.
Facts, Stats and Leadership of the Taiwan Region
- Total population to fish and disciple: 23,941,092
- 13 officers, 1 envoy, 10 employees
- 4 retired officers
- 5 corps, 2 outposts
- 228 senior soldiers
- 86 adherents
- 61 junior soldiers
Leadership
Regional Commander – Major Sara Tam (Mei-Shun)
Regional Secretary for Women’s Ministries – Major A-Tuan (Grace) Weng
Prayer Requests for the Taiwan Region
- Succession plan of our region – pray for more young people responding to the call for officership.
- Sustainability of our mission – pray for God’s wisdom to manage our resources especially in finance and properties.
- Ministry to the homeless – pray for guidance and insight to strengthen the present ministry and new initiatives to meet the various needs of this community.
- New corps building for Neihu Corps – pray for a suitable property which can accommodate the growth of the ministries in Neihu District.
USA Southern Territory
Prayer Requests
- The family of Major Pete “Buddy” Costas, who was Promoted to Glory this past week
- Major Jamie Satterlee, Territorial Youth Secretary
- Kroc Corps and Community Centers
- Alvin Jones, Employment Manager, HR
- Christopher Delaney, Conference Events Assistant, Conference Services
- Hanh Deutschman, Estate & Trust Financial Analyst, Legal
- Major Patrick Richmond, Director of Personnel, EBC
- Cadet Jacob Swaringam
- Captain Dominique Darby, Divisional Candidates’ Secretary, Georgia Division
- Major Susie Erickson, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar & Thailand Territory
- Lt. Colonel Brian Davis, Assistant National Chief Secretary, NHQ
- Lt. Colonels Art & Ann Penhale, officers, soldiers, employees, and volunteers of the Texas Division
- Youth Councils
- Anonymous request for the youth, that God would defeat Satan as he seeks to destroy our young people; pray that God would bless Salvationists around the world as they share the Word and the love of Jesus so that others might join in this journey
Something to Consider
I have reached that stage in life when I am reviewing what has happened over the years. Things long forgotten or that I haven’t thought about in decades are now parading across my conscious mind demanding that I give them a second look. I sometimes see things that I had missed before. Some events were not nearly as important or as devastating or as earth shattering as I thought at the time. Some are actually real yawners.
Then there are other things that occurred that at the time seemed insignificant or of passing value. What looked like a flash was instead a pivot that took me somewhere I hadn’t anticipated landing me where I am today. Other things cascaded one upon the other until it is difficult to remember how it all started.
It has made me pause to thank God for blessings of decades past as well as those in the here and now. I have found that building blocks are sometimes made from ashes and that beautiful music can be borne from hurricane winds.
It’s not only what I think that matters. How has my life affected others? Have I been what Paul called, “a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God”? (2 Corinthians 2:15) When the tale of my life has been told will it be that people saw Christ in me or the greatest tragedy, that I blocked their view of Him? What is my legacy as a believer?
I’m not dead yet so there is still time to try to repair any damage. There are people yet unmet for whom I can be an ambassador of Christ. It won’t matter if people remember me but if it is God glorifying, I pray for eternity’s sake that they remember that someone pointed them to a living Savior who loves and cherishes them.
Benediction
Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Amen. (Ephesians 6:23-24)
Sometimes the old gospel songs say it best. And this one, “Farther Along” deals with the questions of how life can be unfair.