3060 Edition October 18~24, 2010 Church Ministry News
Pastors report Taiwanese Christians making a difference in Armenia
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong
Written by Lydia Ma
Six pastors representing Bread of Life Church, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, and Change Life Church were recently invited by World Vision Taiwan to tour Armenia and get a glimpse of the difference Taiwanese people are making in that country through their financial donations and other forms of aid.
Luo-Tung Presbyterian Church pastor, Rev. Wang Jung-hsin, reported afterward that his church had already partnered with World Vision for a while and the trip afforded him a view of World Vision’s ministry in Armenia and what this organization hoped to accomplish in that country.
Wang added that, prior to this trip, he hadn’t felt a strong sense of urgency when it came to overseas missions because he felt his home church was already his mission field and the harvest of souls before his eyes and in his congregation was already a humongous task for him. But this trip to Armenia completely changed his perspective and convinced him that, when it comes to missions, “God makes all things work together for good” so that there’s no difference in terms of urgency or importance between domestic and foreign missions.
Rev. Wan Hsiao-yun from Bread of Life Church observed that a country’s financial poverty is often the result of a flawed social structure and a less-than-ideal geographical environment. He added that World Vision has been successful in Armenia mainly because it has succeeded in partnering with public agencies and community leaders in advancing basic infrastructure, education, and farming technology. It has also collaborated with churches in sponsoring summer camps for children, which are truly excellent opportunities to plant gospel seeds in the hearts of little children.
One pastor commented that, for the average Taiwanese living in Taiwan, donating NT$700 every month to World Vision toward ministries in Armenia may seem feel like donating spare change, but for Armenian children, this donation from many in Taiwan is making a night-and-day difference in their lives and helping them find a hope and a future again.
