Keep those registrations coming! Thanks to all who continue to respond. Email us at office@ism.org.nz to let us know whether you can attend. AND... please, if you want to attend but cost is a factor, let John know!
This Week's Nation at our Doorstep: Taiwan
As we round the corner for our FINAL 10, we need to stop and pray for the nation of Taiwan. Unless you don't have TV, newspaper or internet access, the stories of tragedy and survival as a result of Typhoon Morakot hitting Taiwan this week are sure to have been in your mind.
Last week we focussed on our Tongan family, and we must continue to keep those impacted by the ferry tragedy fresh in our minds. This week we are led to add Taiwan to the prayer list. I am sure many of us have ministry to students from Taiwan, and even know some who have returned home. Some of our returnee boys are probably a part of the rescue efforts, because they are utilising the military to administer aid to the survivors. In case you don't know the details of what happened, here is information from a CNN article:
Typhoon Morakot dumped three meters of rain on southern and central parts of the island. By Thursday morning the government had counted 108 deaths, 62 people missing and 45 people injured from the storm.
In our "A Vision for the World" internship workshop, we have been looking at God's heart for the nations... the 'ethnos' (refering to geneology rather than geography), how peoples from every nation came from one man, Noah! So, as you pray for your families, remember that God made all of us from that one man... so may we care about all peoples as if they too were close family.
Pray for the peoples of Taiwan - those who migrated and the indigenous Taiwanese who live in aboriginal villages in the mountains. Pray for God's mercy spiritually as well as physically and emotionally. And, if you have connections to Taiwanese students, bless them this week in an extra special way. Pray too that the followers of Christ in Taiwan would reach out to those who are suffering and be a major blessing to the hurting.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
