ORIGIN
In 2009, a group of people from FECSGV said 'yes' to bringing VBS to a small community in Taiwan. Since then, VBS turned into English Camps, one city turned into an entire coastline, and the small team of a dozen became a team of over 200 'yeses' for the sake of the gospel so that God's light can shine into the spiritually dark places along the west coast of Taiwan. Our story is the testimony of what God can do with imperfect people who say 'Yes!' to His call.
THE NEED
Although Christianity has been in Taiwan for over a century, church growth has largely remained within the confines of larger cities with greater resources. As a result, the average working-class Taiwanese person has immediate access to local temples, but limited access to community-based local churches. The working-class makes up about 70% of Taiwan's total population of roughly 23 million people. Yet despite this majority, only ~0.5% of this group would consider themselves "Christian." Churches in these areas are often under-resourced and fruit is hard-won. The doors of the community often remain closed to local Christians.
In 2010, we discovered that English camps were a key to engaging with these communities. Using the "Unconditional Love" summer English camp curriculum, we were given the opportunity to enter into middle schools and teach the gospel freely and openly with thousands of students who had never heard about Jesus.
CALL OF THE WEST COAST
The west coast of Taiwan is home to a majority of the working-class population, and it is also where the annual Mazu pilgrimage takes place. As our camps have expanded, it is clear that God has been leading us along this route of spiritual darkness, calling us to help pave the way and empower local churches to enter in and establish spiritual "lighthouses" for these communities.
In 2015, by God's grace we opened our first local community center in Dajia, Taiwan, the starting point of the Mazu pilgrimage and home to the famous ZhenLan Temple. It is our hope that our summer camps become the starting point for sustainable long-term ministry that works in partnership with the local church so that a new generation of young people can bring a wave of spiritual revival to the west coast.
In 2009, a group of people from FECSGV said 'yes' to bringing VBS to a small community in Taiwan. Since then, VBS turned into English Camps, one city turned into an entire coastline, and the small team of a dozen became a team of over 200 'yeses' for the sake of the gospel so that God's light can shine into the spiritually dark places along the west coast of Taiwan. Our story is the testimony of what God can do with imperfect people who say 'Yes!' to His call.
THE NEED
Although Christianity has been in Taiwan for over a century, church growth has largely remained within the confines of larger cities with greater resources. As a result, the average working-class Taiwanese person has immediate access to local temples, but limited access to community-based local churches. The working-class makes up about 70% of Taiwan's total population of roughly 23 million people. Yet despite this majority, only ~0.5% of this group would consider themselves "Christian." Churches in these areas are often under-resourced and fruit is hard-won. The doors of the community often remain closed to local Christians.
In 2010, we discovered that English camps were a key to engaging with these communities. Using the "Unconditional Love" summer English camp curriculum, we were given the opportunity to enter into middle schools and teach the gospel freely and openly with thousands of students who had never heard about Jesus.
CALL OF THE WEST COAST
The west coast of Taiwan is home to a majority of the working-class population, and it is also where the annual Mazu pilgrimage takes place. As our camps have expanded, it is clear that God has been leading us along this route of spiritual darkness, calling us to help pave the way and empower local churches to enter in and establish spiritual "lighthouses" for these communities.
In 2015, by God's grace we opened our first local community center in Dajia, Taiwan, the starting point of the Mazu pilgrimage and home to the famous ZhenLan Temple. It is our hope that our summer camps become the starting point for sustainable long-term ministry that works in partnership with the local church so that a new generation of young people can bring a wave of spiritual revival to the west coast.
Our story is the testimony of what God can do with imperfect people who say 'Yes!' to His call
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Mazu Pilgrimage
"This sensational nine-day pilgrimage in March or April celebrates the birthday of Mazu, goddess of the sea. Covering four counties, 60 temples, and a distance of 400 km, it is the country’s largest religious and folk activity. A palanquin carrying a statue of the goddess travels from Zhenlan Temple (Taichung) to Fengtian Temple (Chiayi) and back, escorted by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and spectators from Taiwan and abroad... Everywhere the goddess goes, people throng to touch her sedan chair for luck or prostrate themselves so she can pass over them. Participating temples and volunteers provide water, meals, and lodging along the way." [Source: http://www.go2taiwan.net/mazu-pilgrimage.php] |