July 7, 2008

Dear Friends in mission, 

The theme of our college ministry in 2008 is “Emmanuel, God is with us.” We have shared with you the story of how we came to Taiwan as missionaries in 1997. In 1996, Choon went to Ethiopia for a possible new assignment, and then went to the GAC offices in Louisville. There, his supervisors told us we were going to Taiwan instead of Ethiopia. Then they suggested we meet the Reverend Don McCall, who had worked in Taiwan more than 30 years as a PC(USA) missionary.

We went to Black Mountain, North Carolina, to see him. We were with him three days. When we were about to leave his house, I heard these unforgettable words: “I will give you my mission torch. Please go to Taiwan and serve the people.” At that time, I couldn’t say “Yes” because I had to learn another language, Mandarin, at 48 years old, and I had never thought about being a missionary in Taiwan. Six weeks later, I attended a seminar at Black Mountain. On Sunday morning, one of the pastors announced that Don McCall has passed away that morning. I went right away to his house and prayed with his wife and children. At that time, the Holy Spirit moved my heart, and I said, “Lord! I will go to Taiwan and am willing to carry Don’s mission torch.”

After two years of language study in Taipei, I still didn’t know where I would serve. The Rev. Ro, general executive secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT), suggested I go to Hualien on the east coast of Taiwan to plant a new college ministry. I went to Hualien in September 1999, and within two years I established a Christian groups in National Teachers’ College (now a university), Buddhist Nursing College, National Dong-wha University, Ta-han Technical College, and Jing-jong Business College. As the number of participating students grew, I saw that a mission center was needed. (Up to then, we held programs in our home.) I found out there was a mission house in Hualien. I requested it from the PCT for our college ministry, and on July 1, 2003, we moved in. A month later, I received our electric bill and saw a name on it. What a surprise! It was Don McCall’s name on it. I burst out crying as I went around the compound with joy. This house was Don’s residence and mission office.

From left: Choon Lim, Bob Montgomery, and Yen Hee Lim.

In May 2008 I got an email from the Rev. Bob Montgomery. He said that he was a former missionary in Hualien and would visit Yushan College and Seminary to preach at graduation. He also said he’d like to meet me. I told him what I do now and where our mission center is. He emailed me back to say he had lived in our center before and actually designed and built it. In June, he came to Hualien, and I met him at our mission center. He told me his name in Chinese and I remembered it because it was on our water bill. (When I asked around about it, no one remembered who he was.)

Now I have the whole history of our mission center. In 1963, Bob built it and lived in it. Later, Don moved in and moved out in 1993 on retirement. After that, a Christian organization rented it until we moved in. I thank the Holy Spirit for giving me the opportunity to meet both missionaries in person and to carry on the former missionaries’ torch, especially Don’s. Through their prayers and your prayers, the Holy Spirit has added more students to our College Student Church and our activities.

Foot washing ceremonry during the worship service to celebrate graduation.

On June 1 we had our final worship service this semester, which was a graduation service with washing graduates’ feet. This semester attendance at worship has doubled from 20 to 40 members. The Holy Spirit helped our students to attend the services as we equipped them with the Word of God. We had meetings this semester in which we read the Bible, prayed, and fasted. The last one was for our Summer College Retreat (June 30 to July 3), which was held at the Bunun tribe Ma-weyen Church. The theme of the retreat was “mission.” So on Sunday, June 8, we read the book of Acts before the retreat.

Beginning on June 30 we had a retreat lasting four days and three nights. Every day there were Bible studies and prayer meetings in the morning, main lecture courses like “Call me,” “Nurture me,” and “Send me,” in the afternoon, and special praise and worship services at the evening. I shared my calling and the mission center story with the students, showing photographs of former missionaries, such as Don and Bob. On the last day preached at the closing worship service. Counselors at the retreat sent off our students by placing their hands on them (Acts 13:3). We had two esteemed visitors: the moderator of the PCT, the Reverend Asing-aman, a pastor from the Amis tribe and chairperson of the aboriginal mission committee; and the Reverend Suna, a pastor from the Bunun tribe. It was one of most unforgettable events for me. The Holy Spirit touched us all as we listened to the Word of God and prayed for the students. We all cried for joy and thanked God for the blessings. Hallelujah!

Summer college retreat at the Bunun tribe church.

Thank you for your support and prayers. As we work together to spread the gospel to the ends of the world, the Holy Spirit will continue to help us and bless us.

With joyful work,

Yen Hee and Choon Lim from Hualien, Taiwan

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 108