Xin Nian Kuai Le

Today is the eve of Chinese New Year's Eve.  Tomorrow begins the largest holiday celebration for Taiwanese and Chinese alike.  Most people will have one week off to return to their hometowns and enjoy all their favorite Chinese New Year fare such as octopus arms, squid hot pot, and a fish egg concoction called a "mullet."

In China, most factories are shut down for several days which can cause a backlog of all those wonderfully inexpensive "made in China" products that we love to hate.  This is also many workers only chance to reunite with their children who are oftentimes left in the care of grandparents in the countryside. .Additionally, as jobs become more readily available in those rural areas, fewer workers will return to the long hours at the port city factories.

During this week, children will receive lots of candy and usually new clothes but their favorite gift is the "hong bao" - a bright red envelope filled with cash that most adults give to each of their under 18 relatives.

Tomorrow night, firecrackers with fill the damp night air with boisterous music as well-wishers rejoice in the coming "Year of the Rabbit" and say goodbye to "The Year of the Tiger."  This year will most likely see an influx in births and marriages that were put off last year because a Tiger year is not fortuitous for either event.

For Jeff and I work will continue much as usual with the exception of several days vacation from language school.  Chloe has been out of school the entirety of last week and her break will continue through this week and next.  It has been a nice break for her since she attended school on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve and has not had a break since school began last September. The local schools are very serious about their attendance days.  In fact, she is suppose to attend school next Saturday to account for one of the days in the winter break that was not accounted for in the school year.  I think she might miss that day.

So, until next year "Women Zhu Ni Xin Nian Kuai Le" (We wish you a Happy New Year).

A Day In The Life

Fruit Stands

Fruit Stands like the one below are a common appearance across much of Taiwan.  Although, in the cities, big-box retail chains as well as smaller local grocers are increasing in popularity, the local open-air markets are still abundant.  Individual vendors sell the usual assortment of fruits, vegetables and pigs feet - with a few textiles and live chickens thrown into the mix.  If you can overlook the market's aroma of decaying meat mixed with the rancid smell of fish and pungent fruit, you will find an abundance of fresh greens to satisfy your tastebuds.  The local market and fruit vendors that dot much of Taipei are also great places to practice emerging language skills if you go during off-peak times.  Usually vendors who are doing little else than watching TV or playing games on a cell phone will be more than happy to quiz you on all the names of the produce they are selling (as long as you buy a little at the end of their game).




In this photo from November 2010, Jeff and his Jie Jie (older sister) purchase fruit from a vendor located along the side of the Cross Island Highway in Taiwan's middle district.

 

What Do I Do With It?

"What Do I Do With It?" is a series of articles written about life, marriage and especially, parenting.  This is article 1.  Hope you enjoy it.

Barefoot Dancing- How to cope

by Heather Weathers

I slumped into the sticky, pleather sofa and stared at the ceiling fan creaking back and forth. It swayed in time with the smooth Eagles melody quietly humming in the background. I had found a few minutes of rest and planned to live it to the fullest.

Chloe, my oldest would be asleep for a few more minutes and the baby had just nodded off after another marathon nursing session. I glanced through the large living room screen door at the laundry pretending to dry in the sultry, Thai sunshine. The humidity prevented the wet clothing from becoming anything other than a moist mound of soured cotton. I peeled my sweaty legs from the plastic and ran through my to-do list: fold laundry, write news article, study Thai, start dinner.

I made my way across the room to the wall of cabinets that pretended to serve as a kitchen. A two-burner hot plate and a microwave worked their hardest to create tasty and healthful meals for a growing family of four. As for the refrigerator- let’s just say that I’ve seen bigger ice chests at college football games. I measured the rice into the cooker and pondered the amount of rice we ate. It was too much to count.

I turned the rice cooker on and the tell-tale red light didn’t blink. I tried again, no light. I glanced back through the living room screen and watched the building security guards race to each floor of the building. At each landing they carefully pushed open the elevator doors to check for occupants.

The electricity was off for the second time this week. The guards didn’t know where the elevator had stopped or if people were stuck in it. This wasn’t one of those fancy buildings with cameras in the elevators and emergency phones. We lived in a pink, concrete heap where if the termites didn’t get you then the ants would. A pair of eyes peeked from behind the bedroom door.

“Mommy, I’m hot,” said the sweet two-year old voice. In the background, the baby began softly stirring. It would only be a matter of minutes before the soft whimper would build into a full-on wail. Surely, she didn’t want to eat again. I sat down in a chair and pondered “how did I get here?”



Rewind Two and a half years.

I was an up-and-coming professional in my chosen field of public relations. I was on planning committees of non-profits and involved in several professional organizations. I drove a luxury car and spent more on my hair, makeup and clothing than our current entire monthly grocery budget. My days were spent hopping from meeting to meeting and eating at fancy country clubs.

After five years of marriage and a year of trying to get pregnant, I finally was. I was elated. I read every pre-natal and pregnancy book available. I signed up for weekly pregnancy newsletters, attended birthing classes and memorized “What to Expect When Your Expecting.” By the end of the first month, we had names picked and half the nursery prepared. The last few weeks of pregnancy I was put on bed rest and after three or four false alarms, I was finally ready to deliver.

After an emergency C-section and a few days in the hospital, we were ready to go home. We drove the mile back home and unloaded the car of the sleeping baby and all the goodies friends and families had bestowed upon us during the hospital stay. Upon entry, we sat Chloe down, looked at each other and without saying a word asked “now what do we do?”

It seemed that in all my preparation, I missed one small detail. What do I do with it? I had forgotten to read anything about what to do once the miniature human was home.

The first six-weeks were torturous. She wouldn’t sleep because she couldn’t eat and she couldn’t eat because she was “a lazy nurser.” Feeding sessions lasted for hours and despite help from a great lactation consultant, we just couldn’t get it. She cried all the time. I cried all the time.

After six weeks of her not gaining weight and me not sleeping, we switched to formula. I felt an overwhelming burden had been lifted and an intense guilt at the same time. All the books told me that every good mother only breastfeeds for at least six months and that if I didn’t do it my child would be less smart, less pretty and have a harder life.

What kind of mother was I? I couldn’t even get my first task done - feed the baby. I had images of teenage drug use and rebellion in subsequent years because of my failure as a mother. So, I retreated back to my comfort zone - work.

My first day back at my job was the exact day Chloe turned six weeks old. I would have gone back earlier but the daycare center wouldn’t accept babies less than six weeks old. I was elated to be returning to the business realm. I was good at this and I knew how to accomplish tasks with ease. I had worked out a plan with my company to work from home three days per weeks so as not to be a neglectful mother.

That first day was heavenly. No one spit up on me, I ate a quiet lunch in peace and at my own leisure. I answered emails and returned phone calls that had nothing to do with a small child. When I returned home that evening, I had more to talk about with Jeff than the color of Chloe’s stool that day. I felt alive again.

The next day I was to work from home. I still had not been getting much sleep and was feeling pretty exhausted and overwhelmed most of the time. I started the morning attempting to proofread my upcoming fall articles. Every time I sat down at the computer, Chloe would cry. She suffered from reflux and had a difficult time keeping food down. It made her very uncomfortable and she made sure to let me know about it every chance she could. As I kept reading, the constant interruption for food and the subsequent spitting up of that food sent me over the edge. I sat down on the floor next to my screaming baby and pondered how to cope. I frequently worked with music in the background and at that moment The Eagles “Peaceful, Easy Feeling” was playing. I laughed at the irony. I didn’t feel any amount of peace or ease at that moment. I wanted my peace back and I wanted to feel easy again. So, I did the only thing I knew to do- we danced.

I scooped that screaming child up off the floor and we swayed to the beat of every song for the next hour. Right there in my bare feet with a pile of work to accomplish, we bonded for the first time. She stopped crying and I laughed again for the first time in almost two months. It was heavenly. Through three different homes in as many countries and with the addition of another child, we still dance barefoot.

Fast forward two years.

I was sitting in a hot, humid apartment in Thailand with a two-year old, a screaming baby and no electricity. My daily schedule no longer involved business meetings. My life was consumed with changing diapers and little else. The electricity flickered back on and The Eagles “Peaceful, Easy Feeling” lifted me off my chair. Of course, there was just one thing to do –we danced.

Nowadays, Four-year old Chloe does more twirling in princess dresses than swaying to the music in my arms. Ava has found her own expressionist moves with a funky side-to-side bob and hip swagger. Every now and then, one of them will lift their arms for me to scoop them up and sway to the beat.

The countdown has begun when they will no longer want to dance to my music. My prayer is even though the beat they dance to may not match my own rhythm, that written on their hearts will be the rhythm that an almighty maker has placed in them. It’s my job to help them discover that music and keep them focused when life is overwhelming - even when all they know how to do is barefoot dancing.

What's for Dinner?

Several months ago we were out of groceries and hungry. I wasn't in the mood to go to the grocery store and our budget wasn't in the mood to eat out.  My pantry consisted of one onion, one green bell pepper, one cup of baby carrots and two boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  And of course, rice- we do live in Asia after all.  What began as an experiment has become one of my family's faves.

Mediterranean Chicken

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

Dash of salt and pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts- cubed

2 green bell peppers, chopped

1 1/2 cups baby carrots, chopped

1 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (approx. 3 cups cooked)

Combine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add cubed chicken and toss to coat.  I usually prepare this in the morning, cover with plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge to marinate several hours.  

About an hour before cooking time, I add the chopped veggies and allow them to marinate in the chicken mixture as well.  I like my veggies chunky.  You can dice them smaller if you have picky eaters.  Note: If you have washed the outside of your chicken, you shouldn't have to worry about icky things like Salmonella infecting your lovely veggies.  However, if you are still concerned take heart that you will be cooking this dish at 450 degrees for over an hour- the germs won't hurt you.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Cover with foil and bake 45-50 minutes. Remove foil, stir the mixture and cook 10 more minutes or until carrots are desired tenderness.

 

And where would I be without my "Super Lucky Elephant"?  (Probably not be in Asia)

About 30 minutes before dinner time, I prepare 4 servings of Jasmine Rice in my rice cooker.  You can use the microwave and any variety of rice you have including brown rice if you want to add some fiber to your diet.  

The finished product is a super-easy, super-healthy meal and if your family members are veggie lovers like mine- they'll love it.  Sorry to all you veggie-haters this recipe might not work out so well for you.  I'll post a good fried dough recipe for you later.

Things I have learned overseas #3: MOLD

Lately, the weather has been puny at best. Slightly chilled and damp air infiltrates every surface including tile floors, concrete walls and even bed linens.  Although the temperature is not particularly low- only in the 50s and 60s usually- we don't have central heat.  This means that the temperature outside is the same inside.  But worse is the humidity outside is the same as inside.

Winter is the worst time of year in Taipei for humidity.  With average rainfall doubling that of Oklahoma and average number of sunny days numbering in half, humidity is a force to be reckoned with. Imagine crawling into bed at the end of a hard day only to be met with cold, damp sheets.  Sheets that feel as though they had only half-dried before making a bed and that smack of mildew.

Jeff and I just spent the better part of the evening wiping (again) mold off half the walls in our bedroom.  The mold has penetrated through bleach solutions, Lysol and now a desperate attempt at using 409. We wipe it away only to be taunted every few days with dotted, black patches creeping through the damp walls.

Isn't this what New Year's Resolutions are like? We vow to wipe away the ickiness that accumulates in our lives only for the ickiness to return in just a few days.  We try different cleaning products in the forms of new diets, self-help books and maybe even a new religion (or revisit an old one), only to be met with disappointment at our old self shining through. It always begins small.  We allow ourselves just one candy bar, one bad mood, one lie or one excuse.  Slowly the mold creeps in and erases any good intentions we had.

But what if there were another way? What if instead of trying really hard, we just surrendered? What if we allowed a force greater than us to take over? And instead of the mold slowly creeping in, we allowed this force to penetrate every aspect of our being so as to not leave room for the mold.  What if this could happen?  Would you let it? Think on these things.

"In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God."

A Day In The Life

Lately, I've experienced "bloggers block."  This phenomena is like writer's block except I just can't think of things to post on our blog.  Taipei has almost become second-nature and we have settled into a routine that is usually unchaged.  Things that were new and blog-worthy to me a year ago, have become overlooked and mundane.

To help regain some of the awe of this wonderful country, I will try to post 1 picture a week of something that seems ordinary to me but in America, it is not normal.  Here is this week's:

 How many places in the world can boast beautiful mountains and sandy beaches as well as a rocky ocean coastline all within two hours of a major city? Taipei Can!

Happy Birthday Bubbie Sissy

Today was Ava's 2nd Birthday.  We ordered her favorite dinner, pineapple pizza and then she opened a few presents from Nana and Grandma.  And she topped off the evening with some carrot cake.  I'm not sure who was more excited about opening the presents- Chloe or Ava.  :)

Happy Birthday little girl.  I didn't think you would ever get this big and yet you are already here.  Crazy how the days creep and the years fly.

Check out this article on Taiwan

You can view the full article at http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=34355

Taiwanese churches needing American help

Posted on Dec 31, 2010
by Debra Weikel

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BP)--A desperate plea for help is ringing out to churches across America. Most churches have not heard the call and others have not considered that they could be the answer. Across Taiwan, the church is wavering. The resources are available, but the training and vision are lacking.

International Mission Board missionaries Jim and Brenda Schexnayder are attempting to solve this problem. In 2006, they began working with local Taiwanese churches in leadership development and evangelism training.

"In America, people have a good background of what a Christian is, but they don't have that here," Schexnayder said. "They are truly a baby. Oftentimes they add Jesus to their existing dichotomy of gods. It sometimes takes a while for those other gods to fall away."

Schexnayder trains small groups through the local church on the basics of Christianity. Usually his groups start with the basic understanding that the church is the people, not the building.

"People are used to doing worship in their houses and the temples, but in their minds the church is only a building down the street," Schexnayder said. "They don't see their small group of believers as a church -- even if they are meeting and worshipping regularly. We just keep trying to tell them that this is a church and we are building towards a church."

But there is one thing that Schexnayder cannot teach.

"If the church looks at me, they're not going to see anything to copy," he said. "The church in America needs to show the local church [in Taiwan] what the American church is doing."

Schexnayder would like U.S. churches to connect and become a direct model for churches in Taiwan. These churches need a good model so they can start to grow.

Jim and Brenda began working with one particular church that closed because of lack of interest. After moving to a new location, the church reopened and is growing again. Last summer, Jim and Brenda helped the local pastor host a three-day summer camp for 15 high school and junior high school students.

"I have been praying for help and now here you are," the pastor's wife said regarding Jim and Brenda's assistance.

Jim and Brenda receive numerous requests from churches for help, but their time is limited.

"The American church could come just once or twice per year and partner with one or two local churches by providing advice and materials as well as just a mirror for the church to see what it should be doing," Schexnayder said.

Tony Dong became a Christian five years ago and is the owner of an automotive center in Taiwan. Jim and Brenda recently began working with him to start a church using extra space on the top floor of his shop.

"I was waiting to get the car fixed and Tony told me, 'I have a vision to start a church in this shop,'" Schexnayder said. "Two months later he said, 'I have some people doing a Bible study and I want to grow it into a church.'"

Dong uses his business contacts to share the Gospel. His passion for God is evident in the number of people he invites to his weekly Bible study.

"My vision is to read the Bible. The more I learn, the more God will tell me what to do," Dong said.

Dong prayed weekly for a spiritual business plan and continued to preach the Gospel, which ultimately cost him his original business partner. God gave Dong the vision to use his garage as a meeting place for the church. Dong would like to see American Christian business leaders provide training to his other business contacts so that they will pray for the same spiritual business plan.

"Tony provides a unique opportunity for Christian business leaders in America to train local business leaders on how to do business God's way," Schexnayder said.

The opportunities for American churches to partner with local Taiwanese churches are endless. Vacation Bible Schools, leadership training among pastors, Christian business training and English summer camps are just a few of the ways American churches can help struggling Taiwanese churches keep their doors open.

"Don't ever let language be an excuse," Schexnayder said. "Pray and expect God to be glorified."

--30--
Debra Weikel writes for the International Mission Board. For more information on how you can help the struggling church in Taiwan, contact Jim and Brenda Schexnayder at jbshake@pobox.com. Volunteer teams are needed around the world. Go to www.imb.org for more information on how you can be involved.