Jia-rong, when he was four years old, caught the attention of his grandmother.  To her joy, she discovered the winning numbers for the local lottery in his scribbling!  She would ask him to draw for Grandmother when the time came for the weekly lottery, and she often won with the numbers found in his art.  Then Jia-rong’s Christian aunt–and nanny–realized what was going on, she told him to stop drawing for Grandmother, and he did!  He grew up learning to lean on Jesus from his aunt, and is growing in his faith and serving Him as a young adult!

Then there’s another four-year-old who began to serve as a spirit medium when he was four years old.  That was sixty years ago, and Mr. Chen is still serving in that way.  In Taiwan, when people need answers to life’s problems, they go to the local temple to ask the gods.  The answers may come through divining sticks drawn like lots by the inquirer; or they may come through the spirit medium who gets his or her knowledge from the spirits behind the idols worshiped in the local temple.  This has been Mr. Chen’s life since the tender age of four, because the adults around him saw that he was sensitive to the spirit world and chose to use it to their advantage.

Mr. Chen has an adult son who mysteriously became mute just two years ago.  He has asked the gods, “Why?  I’ve served you so faithfully, why did this happen to my son?  Why won’t you heal him?”  Mr. Chen shared this with Taiwan Harvest 119 coworkers on one of their Service Days in his village serving the elderly–cutting hair, doing foot massage and shoulder massage, telling Bible stories and sharing God’s promises.  What answer did he receive?  “It’s a secret!”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God has allowed this trial in Mr. Chen and his son’s life in order that God’s healing power and deliverance be displayed in their lives?

Rita Chen (left) and Ruth Harbour (sitting, right) are part of the Taiwan Harvest 119 team who serve the elderly once a  month in Changhua County’s Hsichou township.  As a result, they have gotten to know people like Mr. Chen (top right corner).