how great thou art - mission central
TRANSCRIPT
LCMS.ORG/HEIDORN
NEWS FROM JOHANNA HEIDORN // MISSIONARY PHOTOGRAPHER & COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST SERVING IN ASIA
[email protected] // @johannaheidorn // lcms.org/givenow/heidorn
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD.
HOW GREAT THOU ARTNo.9 | Relocation: Taiwan | On Assignment: India
TAIWAN TRANSITION As of last week, the Asia regional headquarters, where I was stationed in Hong Kong, has been relocated. This move affected myself and two other families. We packed up the entire office and our belongings and moved to Taiwan over Easter weekend. It’s been a hectic time to say the least, but we are slowly
settling into our new homes and learning how to get around this new place.Although sad to leave Hong Kong so suddenly, I will go where the Lord calls me and trust that this relocation has brought me exactly where I am needed most. I hope to grow to love this place and feel at home here very soon.
Already, I have been blessed to be surrounded with brothers and sisters in Christ. They have been gracious in sharing their time and knowledge of Taiwan to ease the transition of the unknown. I am especially grateful to receive a bicycle from a new friend of the church to use around the city. What a great gift and blessing, God is supplying! I have made new friends with a group of young ladies who took me out for tea at their favorite local chicken rice restaurant (a Taiwanese stapel). It has been great fun walking through the park and spending time in fellowship and getting an opportunity to learn more about their culture. Earlier this week I was shooting a project at the Concordia Middle School in Chiayi City. While there, I got to talking to a young man named Chen who claims no religion. I pray to continue to develop a friendship with him, and with others who do not yet know the hope of everlasting life with our Lord. Taiwan is full of non-believers, with only a 4.5 percent Christian population.
We pray that this new opportunity will place the right people into the lives of the missionaries here to begin to share the love of Jesus.I ask that you pray for this time of adjustment for myself and the other families and for health as we adjust to another new place.
LCMS VISITS CONCORDIA SEMINARY NAGERCOILAs you know, since my last newsletter, I also had the opportunity to visit the Concordia Seminary in Nagercoil India.Along with some of my missionary colleagues, we were able to witness the after-effects of the Ockhi disaster, which struck the campus and the surrounding area a few months ago.
[email protected] // @johannaheidorn // lcms.org/givenow/heidorn
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THE LORD HAS RISEN – HE HAS RISEN INDEED!
Easter blessings to you all.
Left image: Saying farewells, our last missionary prayer gathering in Hong Kong before departing for Taiwan Right image: My new friend Chen at the school in Chiayi City, Taiwan
As we drove to the first visit to campus for sunrise chapel service you could hear a faint murmur in the air. Being in a country with an overwhelming majority of Buddhist and Hindu, it is not uncommon to smell incense and hear chanting and music coming from nearby temples, and as such, I assumed
that was what we were hearing. As we drove closer the sound became clearer and I began to recognize the melody of “How Great Thou Art.” As we came closer still, the music grew louder. The deep voices of the students
wafted out of the open chapel windows with a truly overpowering sound and simply the most beautiful rendition of the song I’d ever heard.What a truly powerful first impression to the campus, afterall we were there to learn about the devastation of the storm that had
taken place. In the face of such adversity, their spirit remained undeterred and intact. During our visit to the seminary it was clear that despite the devastation of Ockhi, they were not broken, but more resilient because of it,
working together to rebuild the seminary with the support of brothers and sisters in Christ.God is present even in places where the odds are anything but for us. The students studying at the seminary are going against stringent cultural norms to become men who proclaim the Good News in a place in such desperate need of a Savior. Please pray as they rebuild the campus and continue their studies. The church cannot survive without well-trained and equipped, pastors to spread the Gospel in every tongue to all nations. Special thanks to the whole crew and my colleagues at the seminary for being such joyful hosts to us in India. I look forward to my follow-up return visit in a few months. Please visit the online gallery and use the password Asia to see photos from the campus and get a sense of southern India. A LOOK AHEADBecause of this recent transition, my calendar has been slightly altered. This month my focus will likely be on the work here in Taiwan with our partner church and missionaries. I will also be participating in an intensive language course which is imperative for meeting the day
to day language barrier challenges we face here. I am so thankful for your giving hearts, your prayers, and kindness even though I have not been able to update you as often as I would like. It is amazing to see God’s work unfold here in Asia and the hearts and people He has brought into my life already. This can only be done though Christ and your generous support of His mission. My sincere thanks to each of you. I am tremendously blessed. To God be the glory.More soon...God bless! JH
[email protected] // @johannaheidorn // lcms.org/givenow/heidorn
[email protected] // @johannaheidorn // lcms.org/givenow/heidorn
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[email protected] // @johannaheidorn // lcms.org/givenow/heidorn
THE SUPPORTHOW TO HELP* YOUR GIFTS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE
MAIL IN A GIFTMake checks payable to LCMS & include “HEIDORN-ASIA” in the memo line and mail to:
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod P.O. Box 66861St. Louis, MO 63166-6861
CALL IN SUPPORT1.888.930.4438
GIVE ONLINE / SHARElcms.org/givenow/heidorn
MISSION CENTRALGARY THIES | 712.882.1029 | [email protected] A special thanks to the tireless efforts of all the folks in the “middle of no-where” Iowa, Mission Central! Send an Adoption Agreement to our friends at Mission Central:http://i.b5z.net/i/u/1461075/f/JOHANNA_HEIDORN.pdf
Mission Central 40718 Highway E 16 Mapleton, Iowa 51034
PARTNER IN PRAYER
your support adds up SUSTAINING + $UPPORT
STAY CONNECTEDfollow along @johannaheidornemail me: [email protected]
GIVING THANKSI am so thankful and deeply blessed by your generosity and giving hearts, thank you for your continued support and prayers.