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A few second-generation Asian-Americans returned to their homeland, Taiwan, a few years ago in order to teach English in churches during their summer vacation. Their intent was to reach out to the young people in the local Taiwanese communities. The program turned out to be very popular among the students, as well as the parents, in the city of Taichung, in central Taiwan. Many students accepted Jesus and, subsequently, became involved in local churches. All this was a result of the healthy relationships they had formed with the teachers in these summer English classes. Many churches have noticed a definite increase in the size of their congregations since the outreach program began. In early 2002 there were 30 churches looking for Americans and Canadians to help them with their English programs in Taiwan. It was this great demand for teachers that resulted in the formation of the Overseas Summer Missions (OSM), which now recruits Americans and Canadians for short-term missions to Taiwan.

 

OSM is supported by and the administration is done completely through volunteers. The goal of this non-profit corporation is to provide very affordable overseas mission opportunities for any mission-minded Christian that is a high school or college student or an adult. Teaching English, along with other activities, allows Asian churches to recruit non-believers. It is a great way to approach and attract, especially, the younger-generation of people, many of whom may otherwise never step into the doorway of a church.

 

The team members of Summer 2002 came from both the western and eastern sections of the United States and from Montreal, Canada. The teams were divided into groups of two to ten people. Teams taught in the churches for spans of time ranging from two to four weeks. At the end of the English classes, there were English summer camps sponsored by many of the local churches. The students and American teachers were able to spend three days of fun and relaxed time together, either in the church or in the beautiful retreat campgrounds. The Gospel was presented in the camp in the students native language. Friendships that were formed last summer have helped the non-Christian students to be more open-minded in accepting the true meaning of eternal life. In fact, many students came to know the Lord in the summer camps. It truly was a harvest time for churches, and they were able to reap the fruits gained from the summer teaching program.

 

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One of the Summer 2002 teams was a high school group from a church in Southern California. In the planning stages for this group, a question came up as to how we could effectively utilize this group of young Americans. Before long God had opened up a huge door for them. They were invited to teach in a local private high school that enrolls 8,000 students, 2,000 of whom were signed up for the summer English classes. It was the first time that American high school students walked into a Taiwan high school to teach English. The bonding and interest among the students was certainly evident. The national students were invited to the church functions over the weekends, and hundreds showed up. This opened up a new evangelical avenue for OSM and the Taiwan churches for the coming years. There have been already five to ten Taiwan high schools that have expressed interest in bringing our program to them next year, the summer of 2003.

 

OSM also sent four teams in the Summer 2002 to four Japanese churches in Tokyo and Osaka as a pioneer project to see how the program would fit into the different cultures. As the result of the openness of the churches and the diligent work by our team members and lots of prayer, it turned out to be a very fruitful and successful summer for the Japan mission. We have been invited to go back next year with more American and Canadian teams to help the churches.

 

When the Soviet Union collapsed in the late 1980s, western churches were basically stymied and stunned, at a loss as to how to handle the suddenly wide-open doors to the millions of equally-shocked Russian people. Ten years later, many churches are still in disarray and confusion, not knowing how to effectively approach the former Eastern Block nations. Many doors have since tighten or closed within this area. We do not want this scenario to be repeated in China.

 

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China is one of the major evangelical frontiers of the 21st Century. Joining the WTO (World Trade Organization) and the anticipation of being the host of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games have made China more sensitive to international criticism and opinions in handling human rights. We believe that the continued improvement of the economy and the modernization of communication technology will force the last major communism regime to eventually open its doors for the freedom of preaching the Gospel. It is our goal to evangelize Taiwan's population of 23 million and help them grow and develop in their biblically-sound faith within the local churches. It is hoped that many of these people, who have no culture or language barriers with the people of China, will become future missionaries in China by moving ashore and merging with their brothers and sisters in the Mainland for the final harvest.

 

Approximately half of western Chinas populations are currently Muslim. They are Arab-Chinese. They have retained their Arab language and culture for centuries, even under the Communist control. In the past 50 years the situation has changed very little. Beginning with the trades on the Silk Road, friendships flourished through mutual trust between the people of East Asia and the Middle East. There has never been a war between these two areas.

 

On the other hand, ever since the Crusaders in the Middle Ages, suspicions lie deep between the Arabs and Western countries. It would be easier for the Gospel to come from the East than from the West, since many have tried to reach the Muslims. Evangelism to the Chinese Muslim population could be a critical point to closing the last gap and bringing the Gospel back to Jerusalem through the Middle East by our former-Muslim brothers and sisters in Christ in western China. As it says in Revelation 22:20 Yes, I am coming quickly. when the preaching of the Gospel completes a circle on earth, it will certainly hasten Jesus coming again.

 

OSM is anticipating about 100 churches partnering with us in the Taiwan program next summer. We are looking for up to 700 Americans and Canadians to join the summer mission teams of 2003. Christian churches and schools are welcome and encouraged to send teams to join this mission.

 

The cost per person for the 4-week mission is only US$875. This amount includes international airfare, mission training, room & board, local transportation and other expenses. Please check the OSM website at www.OSMusa.org for more information.

 

Life is a journey. Lets travel together and serve our Lord!

 

Francis Wang, Mission Director, OSM