Caotun Church, Taiwan

Pastor Jeong DaeSeong

Ten student volunteers from the Department of Cosmetology and Beauty, led by Pastor Ha HyunSoo of Sahmyook Health College Continuing Education Center, came to Caotun Church for the worship service in July 2005.  A cultural exchange event between Sahmyook Health College and the Nankai Institute of Economics near Caotun Church was held, and we enjoyed it thanks to the help of Lieutenant Colonel Chun MiaoMan, an instructor of that institute.

At that time, she and I promised to have cultural exchanges through Korean young people visiting Taiwan in the summer and Taiwanese young people visiting Korea in the winter to enjoy the snow.  When she recruited students that wanted to visit Korea, 34 of them applied for it.  So the institute received their parental consent forms for the trip.

However, I heard from the student next door that the institute was against sending its students to Korea.  I went to the institute at once and pleaded for them to reconsider, but its authorities wouldn’t allow the trip for a variety of reasons.  Nevertheless, I was determined to take the students to Korea and share the gospel with them.  So I closed my eyes for a moment and pleaded with God to help me out with this matter, as Nehemiah did, because it was for His glory.  Moments later, the dean of academic affairs called the person in charge and had him remove this trip to Korea from the control of the institute.  He also mandated either that the students go to Korea on their own, or that the institute refund all their airfare deposits.

After a few days, I got a new list of students from Lieutenant Colonel Chun MiaoMan.  She was very sorry to tell me that several students, herself included, could not make it.  I went to the institute and asked the dean of academic affairs to allow her to go to Korea, but he told me to visit her senior officer since it was not his responsibility.  I had an assurance from God that she definitely had to go to Korea, hear the gospel and become the pillar of the church.  But Satan knew about it and was trying to ruin it.

I was barely able to contact and meet her that evening, but I kept telling her she had to go on this trip.  But all I heard from her was “Sorry about that.”  Her plane ticket was canceled after all.  Later on, however, I realized that she would have to quit her job if she was found to be involved in this trip to Korea with the students.

The students that applied for this trip were scheduled for training on the last Friday before departure.   Lieutenant Colonel Chun MiaoMan told my wife and me to go out of the room in the middle of the training and talked to the students about something.  We wondered if she could make it after all as we watched from outside.   While paying all the airfares to the travel agency manager that came that day, we were surprised to hear that Lieutenant Colonel Chun MiaoMan finally paid for her airfare.  So we were able to see her on the day that we headed for Korea.  Twenty-two students and nine of their family members left for Korea to hear the gospel.

Lieutenant Colonel Chun MiaoMan prepared everything needed for this trip, such as parental consent forms, travel insurance and a list of items to bring.  She has been giving precious gifts to the Korean church members and helping out missionary families on a continual basis since her trip to Korea.  I just can’t help praising God the Jehovah-jireh.

This group enjoyed the culture of Seoul during the day and was deeply touched by Pastor Kwon JohngHaeng’s powerful message at the SDA Language School Japanese Church at 7:30 each night.  The second batch of the Golden Angels cared for them and shared the happiness of Christ with them from early in the morning until late at night.  Their official schedule was finished already, but they did it out of love for the souls.  Not only that, but those that had been to Taiwan for volunteer service in July 2005 were happy to see them again and help them out with activities during the day.  This evangelistic meeting would have never been successful without the help of the Golden Angels and those that had served in Taiwan.  Seoul Central Church invited this group for a meal, gave them gifts and took them around the church.

What these young people of Taiwan enjoyed about Korea was not the beautiful sights of Seoul, but its people sharing love with them.  They experienced the love of Christ through friendship.  Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to Adventist churches in Korea, which have shown the wonderful love of mission work by cooperating with each other.  I was able to see the church truly united in Christ rather than only supporting its own church, local conference and union conference.  I was able to experience their sharing, loving and helping hands instead of attractions of Korea.  My hope is that Adventist churches in Taiwan will take the lead in sharing the love they have received from those in Korea with others.  I also hope to see the Taiwanese students help out with evangelistic meetings in Taiwan and take the lead in helping the churches that have PMM pastors.

I was blessed to see the providence of God once again through this evangelistic meeting because a testimony was shared, and there were five baptisms.

Lieutenant Colonel Chun MiaoMan wasn’t baptized on that day in Korea, but I look forward to seeing her get baptized with her students around.  I pray that she may continue to be a faithful worker of God after baptism.  In fact, she has already begun to help out with church.  Praise God, Immanuel!

Lieutenant Colonel Chunmiaoman, the instructor of the Nankai Institute of Economics (the lady in the middle of the back row)

Taiwanese young people baptized in Korea through its cultural experience as well as the evangelistic meeting