His Kingdom Family

It has been ten years since I moved back to Taiwan from the United States. Before returning, I spent three years at a ministry school in California, two years of worship school in Missouri and a year and a half as part of the YWAM community in Taiwan.

Although my experience in Missouri did not feel very close relationally, I did experience a beautiful and heavenly kind of community at my ministry school in CA and YWAM. In those seasons, I learned that when we are surrounded by a Christ-centered community, we become empowered to do things we could never do on our own.

I still remember one of my first experiences at my ministry. Early in the school year, our revival group went to a ropes course together. I have always had a great fear of heights, and at first, I did not want to go up. But because I loved my group and wanted to be with them, I finally decided to try.

Throughout the course, different group members waited for me, encouraged me, and helped me keep going when I was struggling to move forward. At the end, we had to slide down on a zip line. I thought I would not be able to do it, but one of my good friends prayed for me and cheered me on. Suddenly, I found the courage to slide down.

Looking back, I realize that some fears are not meant to be overcome alone. Sometimes courage comes when we are surrounded by love, prayer, and people who believe we can make it.

During my years at the ministry school, I also lived with housemates who became like family. We cooked together, prayed together, went grocery shopping together, and hosted groups in our home. It was one of the most beautiful seasons of my life.

I moved back to Taiwan in 2016 because my mom began to need my help due to her health condition. During my first few years back, she needed help with almost everything. Eventually, as her health continued to decline and her needs became more than I could carry alone, she was admitted into a nursing home.

The last ten years have been among the most difficult years of my life. I felt a huge difference between living in a community where help was all around me and living in a place where support felt very limited.

For a long time, I have been praying and asking God to help me build a strong community around me again. Since returning to my old church three years ago, I have sensed that the kind of community I dream of still requires an inner breakthrough in me first. I have had to ask the Lord to heal my feelings of lack and fear. I told Him that I first needed to be strengthened by others so that I could help build this kind of community with them.

Last month, one of my supporters came from the United States to stay with me for two months. During this time, several of my family members, including my mom, became sick and were admitted to the hospital. I was also feeling the weight of financial pressure, and it became one of those very difficult seasons.

On top of everything else, my mom was burned by hot water after it accidentally spilled on her. I asked the missionaries from Continents for Christ to pray for me, and I received many beautiful messages of encouragement.

At the same time, my supporter and a new housemate who had just graduated from Bethel were staying in my home. We were able to pray and worship together. In the middle of that season, this verse came to my heart:

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”— Galatians 6:2

When we feel like we cannot carry our own burdens anymore, we need the Body of Christ.

One night after my mom was burned, I was lying in bed with worship music playing. Though my heart was heavy, I found myself saying to God, “Lord, I am truly thankful that right now, in this very moment, I have community around me.”

In that moment, I understood more deeply why missionary care matters. Even those who serve God need to be carried, encouraged, and reminded that they are not alone. Many missionaries and ministers are faithfully serving in quiet and unseen places, often carrying burdens that others may never fully know. It is a privilege to come alongside them, listen, pray, encourage, and help them feel covered as they continue following God’s call.

Three days ago, a group of YWAMers came to my home and helped me move some furniture. It reminded me again of the time when I lived in a Christian community where people helped one another in very practical ways.

What can show the gospel to the world quickly and powerfully? I believe it is a Christian community that is unlike the world — a community that sees others as more important than ourselves, lifts one another up in prayer, and helps carry one another’s burdens.

I cannot express how thankful I am for Continents for Christ and my dear missionary friends, especially Daniel and Megan. They have encouraged and supported me in many ways. They have believed in me when others did not. Through their prayers, friendship, and encouragement, I have tasted again what it means to be part of God’s Kingdom family.

Today, I am still believing for a strong, beautiful, and godly community to be formed in Taiwan. The Lord is letting me taste it again through online community, my supporters, missionary friends, and the people He has placed around me.

I believe it is the Lord’s heart for all of us to walk in this kind of family.

On earth as it is in heaven.

This is His Kingdom Family.