Jerry {Story}

Like usual, I finished Chinese class, hurried home, had lunch and jumped on the bus that would take me to the port. This was my normal, crazy Saturday routine. I had no idea what the day would hold for me, nor did I know at the end of the day that I had met a little boy that would change the way I saw people.

I took the short ferry from Big Kinmen Island to Small Kinmen and arrived at the church to find a couple of cute little kids waiting for my friend and I to arrive so that we could sing about God's love and hear a Bible story. I noticed this outgoing little boy with a cast on his arm who seemed to feel comfortable in the church which so many people in Small Kinmen would avoid. I got a chance to talk to him as we walked along. I couldn't understand half of what he said in Chinese, but I understood that he wanted to chat about anything. I tried to pipe in when I knew what he was talking about and other times I just pretended. He seemed to be an ordinary boy living an ordinary life, but I had no idea what his life was like.

As the weeks passed, Jerry (I cannot give his real name) faithfully came. Sometimes he would come hours early to wait for us or talk to the pastor. He was quite the naughty little guy. Sometimes I would have to chase him away from the church drums every five minutes. He was full of energy and was always talking.

On Easter, we painted eggs that had been hallowed out. We explained that this is the way that the tomb is. Jesus rose and conquered death and left an empty grave. (Taiwanese people are particularly afraid of death. They do not even like to mention it. They use a sign with their finger instead of saying the word.) Jerry was really interested and was unusually quiet as he listened. The next week, we were talking about how God calls his children sheep and how he is a loving shepherd to his children. Jerry, in a quiet voice, asked what makes someone one of God's sheep. My friend told him that if He believes in Jesus, then he is a sheep. Jerry said, "I believe." I was so happy! I thanked God for what he had done in Jerry's heart. He had never heard the Gospel before and within weeks, he believed that God was The God. I don't think that Jerry fully understands yet what surrendering his life to Christ means or what it might cost him, but I am so grateful that I heard him say, "我相信。" ("I believe.") I didn't realize how little time we had left with him. (Don't worry. He didn't die.)

One day, we heard that he was moving to the main island of Taiwan, to a busy city. When we went to Bible study that week, we found that he had already gone. After talking to his teacher and the pastor, we learned more. Apparently, his father was in the military, so he was not around, and his mother was insane. She was abusive. She wouldn't let him use water. Sometimes he only ate the lunches that his school provided. We also found out that he was years younger than we thought. Because of his home situation, he was forced to mature much faster than any nine-year-old should. Eventually, his father decided to send him to live with his uncle, and his mother he sent to the psychiatric hospital.

Before Jerry left, he went to the church to talk with the pastor. He stayed for hours. Jerry's main concern made me cry. He was worried that he would not be able to find a church in Taiwan where people would love him. This is what the church is all about! I PRAY that he found a church that showed Christ's love. If we just had more churches like this in America and Asia, how much faster would the Gospel spread and how much more respected would Christ be! How many children like Jerry would be rescued from a life of misery, living on the streets, trying to find happiness.  All that is required to change this is Believers loving the person that is in front of them, even if the person seems ordinary or seems to be doing okay. Everyone without Christ is hurting, and everyone with Christ is growing and is a brother or sister.

We tried to find Jerry, but haven't been able to locate him. I have to trust God. He is faithful. I believe that Jerry is His child and that He will take care of him.

If Jerry comes to your mind, please take a minute to pray for him. If you feel burdened to pray for him long-term, please do!

Love the person in front of you! It could change his/her life!

-Bethany Truth

Lydia {Portraits}

I had the awesome opportunity to meet a friend of a friend who came to visit Kinmen Island and to put on some concerts and show God's love. This friend of a friend quickly became a friend. This is Lydia. She's a singing evangelist and travels all over the world singing about His love and sharing the Gospel.

It all worked out so that I was able to do a photo shoot for her. That day was so much fun! Four girls piled into a little borrowed car with the AC turned all the way up and music playing. We drove until we saw a cool spot, then we all piled out and explored and took some pictures. Some of the places we stopped: a sunflower field, several beaches, and a rocky coastline that is just maybe a thousand feet from China's waters.

So, here are a few pictures from the day....

LIVE. LOVE. LAUGH. CAPTURE IT!
~Bethany Truth

Pray for Kinmen

A couple of weeks ago, all of the temples from Kinmen and Small Kinmen came together to celebrate the birthday of one of their gods with a huge parade. Tourists came from all over Eastern Asia to see the culture and worship. When I saw my students, the children I love so much, marching along, bowing to the idols, I wanted to scream, "DON'T LISTEN TO THEM! IT'S ALL A LIE! THESE GODS DON'T LOVE YOU! ONLY JESUS DOES! My heart was broken. I went home and begged God to use me to warn these people about the day that's coming on which each and every person will stand before God. I want them to know the truth.

Acts 17:22-31

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life an breath and everything. And he made from on man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring.' Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

Pray for Kinmen.

LIVE. LOVE. LAUGH. CAPTURE IT!

~Bethany Truth

Discovering Hope

In January, I had the opportunity to shoot a new mission that is starting in Taiwan, a mission that reaches out to aboriginal children who live in the mountains. Many of them are neglected, abused, and even sold into slavery. Our mission was to sing and share the Gospel with them and to take them gifts (things that were much-needed like shoes, pencils, paper, etc.). We were even able to give each child a Bible! We were so excited to see children and more children continue to come. When they arrived, they were frightened and they seemed very sad. But, at the end of the day, all of the children were wearing big smiles! They were different! They discovered hope. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! 

So, I wanted to share these with you. I'm in love with these people, and I hope that you will be too after seeing these pictures! Enjoy!

We will be going back to visit these kid in a week. I can't wait to see them again! We will be sharing the Gospel with them and teaching them about hygiene as well as giving them shoes, toothbrushes, and soap. So, hopefully I will have a lot more pictures of these kids to share with you soon!

LIVE. LOVE. LAUGH. CAPTURE IT!

~Bethany Truth

Northern Thailand

And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Luke 10:2

This is Northern Thailand. I don't even know what to say. It's so beautiful. The people are so friendly. The culture is so interesting. Needless to say, I was really sad to leave. I was there with a team of English teachers sponsored by King Car Education Foundation. We toured, visited mountain schools, and taught English classes in the evenings. 

The place that I took this picture from is my new favorite spot in the entire world! I haven't seen much of the world, obviously, but I doubt that I will find one much better than this. It took about an hour in the back of a pickup truck going up and down mountains to get to this small village, but it was worth it.

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I have tons of pictures that I want to share. So, hopefully, soon I will post more pictures from Thailand, pictures from GuangFu, Taiwan, and even pictures from Kinmen. I must say that I am glad to be back on our little island after a month of traveling. 

I can't believe how much God has blessed me!

LIVE. LOVE. LAUGH. CAPTURE IT!

~Bethany Truth