Summer is over......

Today most of Taiwan started back to school. Yes, I know that USA kids started already, but Taiwanese kids go til June 30. So, things might get back to normal......is there such thing as normal?

Unfortunately, during this time, the abortion rate in Taiwan is estimated to increase by 43%! Yes...you read that correctly, increase of 43%. Why? How? WHAT!!!

Summer is over and students "need" to hide what they have been doing all summer. They find doctors who will help them, pay the money and think they can get on with their lives. It hurts to think that girls around the island, girls of all ages, will be hurt physically and emotionally by abortion.

 



Unfortunately, other things happen. Around the time of the typhoon, a day after I believe, Taitung made the news. Since our county RARELY makes the news, my ears perked up and I stopped what I was doing to watch. Saddness gripped my heart as news of a guesstimated 30 week old gestation period baby was found under a bridge. This bridge (not the one in the picture)  is less than a 10min walk from our center. Worse yet, it was 3 minutes from Mackay Hospital.

As we heard the news and we posted it on our Chinese facebook, a pediatric nurse from the hospital wrote:"why? it was right next to the hospital! so many could help you!"  You know, my heart really sank. Was it a mom we had talked to on the phone? Was it a mom that we had talked to in person? Was it a mom who had called our hotline but hung up? How old is the mom? What happened? Did we do enough? Could this have been prevented?

I know you are probably saying "don't be hard on yourself, you couldn't have known." I know that and you know that, but still it hurts. As we talked thru it here, high speculation that the child washed down river from a village. I am not judging the mom because chances are, she had no choice. It could be a child from an affair, it could have been boyfriend, husband or parents didn't give her a choice and took the baby. Maybe she was lied to about it.....there are so many things that go thru your mind. But one thing I do know, there is one less child here and one more in heaven. My heart still aches to hug the momma and say "you will be ok,we can get thru this." But chances are, she is either carrying another secret with her or not allowed to show her feelings at all.

This my friends is why our ministry is so important. A woman in crisis, not just her, but also her family, those around her. She didn't reach out to us, we didn't know about her and a baby was lost forever. Friends, we need prayers and support for getting the news out about our ministry. Our ministry is to helping women in crisis pregnancy situation, helping them make the right choices. Too many are told: it isn't really a baby, you have no other choice, you can't raise a baby, no one will know.....on and on. But we can sit with her and help her figure out her choices, give her the respect and encouragement that she deserves. Sometimes when I see former moms have another baby, I can see they are different and they really care about their baby. Not that they didn't care about the one they gave up for adoption, but because of the help and counsel they received from Morning Light,they are able to have a healthy relationship.

Friends, you will soon see more information about how you can help us. First, you can see in the top left hand corner a donation button. You can donate there. Secondly, you will see fundraisers and other items for sale from our Morning Light store. Please help us out!!

Thanks for all you have been doing! We know that God has great plans for this ministry!

update

MORNING LIGHT HOME
JULY 30 - AUGUST 4, 2012
please send donations to the following address:
CENTRAL MISSIONARY CLEARINGHOUSE

P.O. Box 219228 - Houston, Texas 77218-9228

*note: Luke Pan/Morning Light



I am hoping that I can get to post here regularly, how else can you

know what is going on and how to help? Our ministry is not just

temporary, though it may seem that way. Sure we have moms from far away

villages that come to stay, deliver two weeks later and then go home.

We have mommas that are 19 year old, kicked out of their apartment, no

job, family turns their head, and are here with us for 4 months. That

seems temporary, but the story goes on.

Just yesterday I received a phone call from a momma from 4 years ago!!

She is in town for the next month and with the typhoon,just telling me

to be careful! Just wanted to talk. Then a momma from over 2 years ago

calls for pictures of her son. We talk about her other children she is

caring for, one who is developmentally delayed and her hardships with

that. Then I find out she is out of food. These mommas know where to

turn, they know that we can offer help, not just physically, but

emotionally. That is our ministry.



I have been overwhelmed by what God is doing. Our mommas home, at the

writing of this letter has 4 mommas, and a 5th one waiting to make the

decision when to come to stay.

1) Momma #1: highschooler from a local church, her family visits her once a

week, but for her safety and the "eyes of the church", she needs to

stay at our home.

2) Momma #2: from out of county, heart disease, disability, 26yr old with her

own mother who has mental issues do to glue sniffing, her and her

boyfriend couldn't pay rent so the landlord kicked out a 7month

pregnant woman; boyfriend calls less and less. She deals with: will he

still be there when I get back?

3) Momma #3: just graduated from highschool, some friends got drunk one night

and while she was passed out, she didn't know what happened. She is 7

months pregnant and her family doesn't know but her family is very

dysfunctional as well. I met her for lunch and we talked and she came

over right away. She had prenatals once.

4) Momma #4: from a village far away, still lives with baby's father even

though he is an alcoholic with a temper; he is also the father of their

3yr old, but she admits,she only had the first baby to keep the man

around.

5) Momma #5: almost 20yr old momma with junior high education, the man she is

with is 10yr her senior, controlling, violent alcoholic. Her

grandmother came over to meet us to see if it was true or not that MLH

was free for those in need. Grandma about cried! She says she feels she

can be at ease with the granddaughter she raised as her own staying

here.



These are our current mommas. Will you pray for them? pray that they

will find what they need? pray they will see the Savior's unconditional

love? Our ministry is for these mommas, whether they choose to adopt

out or keep their children.



Friends, we need this ministry to continue. We need this ministry to

continue to be there for mommas like the above and many more who have

gone through our doors. While many enjoy the outcome, which is often

adoption, not many support the ministry so we can continue supporting

life. Will you support us?



Between now and end of February 2013, we need to raise 6months of

general fund, meaning support to keep our staff and ministry needs

going. That is, we need to raise $45,000US. I believe that is possible,

do you? There are many ways to do this but most importantly, you. You

are the ones who can keep this ministry going. We aren't ministering to

hundred's of orphans, or rescuing babies from trash collectors. We are

however giving a promise of life to those who walk thru our doors or

who call our hotline. Life for the unborn, the mother doesn't need to

say "I have no choice but to abort", and a new life for the mother as

she has support for years to come.



Will you? will your family? will your church? will your groups? will

you have a heart open to helping us? to giving the unborn the promise

of life?



Food Bank/Single Moms Ministry



We have relocated this ministry to a small building that has storage.

Originally it was at our church, but at times it is to overwhelming and

becomes difficult to find things. So we have a new office and building

with 3 rooms to store things. This way we can bring families in need

over and they can pick what they need as well.

We have recently received three phone calls of families needing food

and clothing. I understand that this ministry is hard for those

overseas to work with or help with. Current needs:

---diapers of all sizes

---formula

---basic staples

---tracts to hand out with the food

---books or devotionals

---shampoo

---sanitary items



Again, we understand that this is not something you can just ship over

from the USA, but if your church or group would like to raise money to

donate specifically for an item, that is great!! Or if you know of a

company that helps with funds to get these items, please do let us

know. Most of all, prayer as we minister to those physically hungry and

spiritually hungry as well!



Garden of Grace



Gog is getting so close to licensing we can almost taste it! here in

this picture the beds and shelves are being moved around for some other

things. The nannies are working hard and at full force to get things

done. We have our building permit, all our beds, shelves and most

everything. Just left is some tedious paperwork and we are ready. Pray

we can sit down and get that paperwork done! Please remember, this is

not an orphanage. This is a daycare center that will be allowing some families with
needs, needy families have affordable daycare so they can work instead of just

sitting at home waiting for the child to be old enough for kindergarten. We will be

servicing  children between ages 0-2yr.

Taitung county is one of the poorest counties in Taiwan. Taitung city

alone has close to 80,000 population (entire county has less than

200,000......some records say a bit over 110,000). But of that 80,000,

10% of those have low income status. Of the 200,000 population, 20% are

single parent families. Taitung also has the highest rate of highschool

drop out, though many junior high graduates never go on to highschool.

So that leaves this: unemployed or low income and lack of education

which then turns into what? domestic violence, alcoholism, drug issues,

gangs and so leaving children at high risk and disadvantaged

situations.

At GoG, we hope to prevent: developmental

delays, malnutrition, attachment issues and abuse. Each child will be

able to have a sponsor to help with the childs need (formula, diapers,

daycare). The child's parent will need to be working in order to allow

the child in daycare. You will have the chance to help the child and

family have a fresh start!!! Look for news about sponsorship and ways

to help.

For those of you who have promised support for the building fund,

please do keep it up. While many have promised, only a few have gone

thru with the promise. So please keep it going!! And look for ways next

year of how you can come and help with the little ones!!



Worth Waiting For, abstinence education



I am so thankful for the opportunity to speak to two different camps

this summer. It was great! It was the first time students had heard

anything like this. Something that they, in their little worlds, had

never thought about. Our prayer is that we have helped them set

straight in their heart how to save themselves for marriage and how to

love and respect others.

Today, we already have a class set up for October!! YEAH!! It is that

time of year to start getting things in order to set up new times of

teaching. Please pray that schools will open up and let us teach/talk

to these teens while it is not too late!!