It was a good week in Taiwan. Lots and lots of meetings. LOTS. But meetings are a necessary evil in this now-but-not-yet world. They can accomplish much good even if they often waste a lot of time. The price of community is trying to ensure that nobody is left behind, and it’s worth the time to keep everyone on the same page.
Everyone has headed homeward and, by now, should largely be back where they started from. The team in Taiwan has time to recuperate (I hope!). We take ideas and information gleaned, shared, and created here and find ways to apply it meaningfully to work in the region.
The calendar year is drawing to a close but the fiscal year is only half over. That’s always confusing, particularly as we’re already planning the next budget so we can submit it early next year and have it approved by May or so for implementation next July 1.
One common theme that came from our time together – we’d love to have y’all join us out here. Not permanently (none of us are here permanently!), but for a visit via short term teams (STTs). STTs come to a particular area of the mission field to either accomplish a predetermined task or to simply learn more about the mission field and how to be engaged in it and bring that information back to their families and congregations.
Our only problem is Asia is a lot farther away than our other three mission Regions (Latin America, Africa, and Eurasia). That means the cost is higher financially to come here, and the physical toll in terms of exhaustion and jet lag that affect the experience on the field is higher. Yet, it would be great if you came. Really great.
Interested in learning more? Let me know. Drop a comment or send an e-mail and let me know what you’re wondering, what information would be helpful to know in considering the formation of an STT. I’d be happy to help or point you to people who can be even more helpful. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. But it’s amazing how even a short visit can impact the rest of your life.
