10 Stories in Ten Years in Taiwan: Story #2

A New Beginning in Taiwan: Planting Gospel Seeds

After our arrest in China, my wife and I were left perplexed. Why had God allowed this to happen? Hadn’t He called us to China? Didn’t He love us and want to use us? We had spent two years learning the language, building relationships, and sharing the gospel. We had even seen the fruit of our labor before we left. Just days before our deportation, a friend named Leo gave his life to Christ. I still remember the joy of baptizing him in the kitchen of a house church using an inflatable pool. It was a precious moment of victory for the Kingdom of God, but despite this, we were still confused. Why would God allow everything to fall apart?

After we were deported from China, instead of heading directly back to Ohio, we decided to tour Taiwan, a Mandarin-speaking country. Maybe God had another plan for us there. As soon as we arrived, I noticed something different. Everything was so green, full of life—such a stark contrast to the gray and somewhat lifeless appearance of the cities in China. It felt like a sign, but we didn’t fully understand it at the time.

As we traveled south through Taiwan, I realized just how deeply ingrained Buddhism and Taoism were in the culture. The farther south we went, the more traditional the people seemed, holding tightly to religious rituals and temples. Taoism, with its emphasis on balancing life’s energies and forces through mystical practices, felt very foreign compared to the gospel of grace and truth that we carried with us. Yet, I knew God was planting a seed in my heart for this place, even if it wasn’t yet clear what His plan was.

Once we arrived back in Ohio, our priorities quickly shifted. We visited the doctor for a routine checkup on my pregnant wife, Alisha, and discovered she had preeclampsia—a serious condition that could have gone undetected had we remained in China. The doctors told us the baby needed to be delivered immediately to protect Alisha’s life. As I sat in the hospital, holding her hand, I thanked God for His providence. He had allowed us to be deported at just the right time, and I began to feel foolish for doubting His plan. A month before our son was due, we welcomed our first child, Ian, into the world.

Even though we were now in Ohio, the question of our calling still weighed on us. Was China really closed to us, or was there still a chance to return? Determined to find out, I decided to go back to China with a friend. We landed at the airport and were promptly met by the police. Once again, we were arrested and immediately placed back on a plane to Detroit. It was a long and tiring journey, but it gave us the answer we needed—the door to China was closed, firmly shut.

Four months later, after much prayer and reflection, our family said goodbye to Ohio once again and made the journey to Taiwan. We found an apartment in a high-rise building, unpacked, and started making a home. I was eager to begin the work, so before all the boxes were even unpacked, I went on a prayer walk. I asked God to give me a burden for the people and to show me a way to begin serving Him in this new land.

As I walked, I stumbled upon a university where several young men were playing soccer. Feeling prompted, I joined the game and began talking with them afterward. One young man, Peyton Ling, stood out to me. He was 19 years old, full of energy and curiosity. After chatting for a while, I felt led to ask, “Would you like to help me start a church in this city?” I fully expected him to hesitate, but to my surprise, Peyton said yes.

The very next day, Peyton and I began meeting to study the Bible. As we studied, Peyton began learning about the things of God, and I learned how to disciple a young Taiwanese man in the ways of following Jesus. Within four months of being kicked out of China, God had given our family our firstborn son, a new home, a new ministry, and a new Taiwanese friend who would later become the first pastor of the first church plant in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. God was about to do great things, and despite our weakness, we got to be a part of His great plan.