Miaoli Church, Taiwan

Pastor Chai KwangByong

There was a turning point in my life 15 years ago, in the summer of 1991.  It was none other than the 1000 Missionary Movement.  The story of the 1000 Missionary Movement, presented by Pastor Jairyong Lee in the tent revival meeting of the Middle West Korean Conference, totally changed my life.

I came back home with a college entrance certificate after graduating from high school, pursued my own plans, worked at Sahmyook Foods and assisted with various evangelistic meetings with the hope of doing mission work. After three years of this, my inner thirst was still not quenched.  It was then that I heard about the 1000 Missionary Movement.

The 1000 Missionary Movement gave me a new opportunity to study theology.  I would go to the Philippines instead of Sahmyook University to study.  In fact, my father suggested I go to the Philippines to study theology since it was where the missionaries would begin their work.  My heart pounded as I heard that suggestion.

I left for AIIAS (The Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies) in the Philippines to study theology in January 1992, applied for the first batch of the 1000 Missionary Movement, which began in October of that year, and started my journey as a missionary.  That particular experience has always been in my heart, and I told my wife-to-be that we took that journey together, giving her my 1000 Missionary Movement certificate.  That’s how unforgettable my experience in the 1000 Missionary Movement was, and it gave me an opportunity to turn my life upside down.

I studied theology again after my missionary experience and did pastoral ministry for 10 years.  Then I heard about PMM.  It was a dream opportunity for me because I had served in 1000 Missionary Movement.  Now I was able to head for a mission field with my family, whereas I did so alone 10 years ago.  My wife and I talked and prayed about it for quite some time and finally made up our mind to go for it.

It’s been two years since I came to Miaoli for mission work in Taiwan.  I think God’s grace is sufficient for me and my family even though we have a hard time with the different culture, language and food.

In Miaoli, Hakka is spoken.  The Hakka people have been known to be industrious and frugal from old times.  Miaoli is also known for having a department store close down only after six months.  It is where the influence of Buddhism and Taoism is more powerful than that of the other districts, the 120-year-old Presbyterian Church has just 120 members, and the Adventist Church that was established 20 years ago had to close down due to its failure to reach out.

The Lord, however, is sending me new souls despite these difficult situations.  Because of the difficulty of this mission field, one baptism here is considered to be equivalent to 20 baptisms elsewhere, but God blessed me with 12 baptisms last year.  His promise, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” is valid to me today, and I’m experiencing it myself.  I would like to ask for many prayers that I may be a missionary that spreads the gospel of the Lord in a mission field where almost nobody knows Him.