Serving Smiles of Taiwan

Lost in Douliu

Sunday, September 3, 2017. It was just my second week in Taiwan since my arrival, and my second Sunday in Douliu City. Guess where I was and what I was doing that morning from 8 a.m. to 12:30! If you think I might probably be attending the Sunday service, you are wrong! I was in the street. I wasn’t supposed to be exploring Douliu City that Sunday morning biking around, and drawing people’s eyes and attention on me. Yet, that was what I did. That was where I was: in the streets of my new home away from home spending my Sunday morning biking around. What happened? I just couldn’t find my way back to my location after trying to see if I could quickly find a nearby church to join for Sunday morning service. Welcome to Taiwan!  Ha ha ha!

Eyes and smiles of grace

I can’t share my first impression as foreigner in Taiwan without mentioning how I felt whenever I go outside: There are always some eyes somewhere staring at me somehow, with curiosity, amazement or with a big beautiful smile. What about my first eye contact with kids outside? A deep time of love and grace sharing! And I could feel my heart whispering to me words such as: “Surely, your ministry here in Taiwan starts right here. With those street’s unusual eyes and smiles, because each instant of joy and amazement your presence brings to those kids and those eyes staring at you is worth it”.

Chinese tea culture show

How exciting it was to experience this exceptional Chinese tea culture show! Although the show cost me nothing but my Saturday morning rest, it was well worth it. And how great was my surprise in the evening when I started to receive messages on the Line app from my CEI coworkers! They were eager to inform me that I was in the news. That experience made me realize one more time how good and marvelous God has been to me since I came to Taiwan. I believe He has always led me to the right place at the right time and at His right time for His right and good purpose. I’m definitely and infinitely so grateful for that.

Sowing a seed of love in hearts

I remember that my greatest fear before my first camp week was rejection from kids. I was afraid they might be afraid of me and run away from me or be distant, since they are not used to having foreign teachers like me (I mean “Colored skin”). I was wondering how they will respond to my willingness to share with them Christ’s amazing love, care and attention, that love I carried such a long way (from Togo to Douliu) just for them. But I was positively amazed by their love response and by their attention in return. No one can make such gracious, passionate, lovely links possible in no time, except God who is by definition Love. So, I’m so grateful to Him for giving me the tremendous honor and opportunity to represent Him and his affection before all those lovely kids.

Smiles beautiful like sunset

At the end of most camps, nothing is more rewarding than seeing some of the kids waving at you, sadly saying short English sentences such as: “Bye bye Teacher Yar. I love you.” That’s the very time your call here in Taiwan makes deeper sense to you: You have sowed a seed of love in hearts and the fruit is just obvious: Smiles beautiful like sunset. I remember the last camp we had before the New Year.  At the end of the camp, the kids were all so eager to say goodbye to me that they almost ignored all my coworkers (Chinese teachers). In fact, I think that wasn’t so kind of them! One thing I learnt from all the kids I taught and shared my love with so far: when they feel really loved and cared for, they respond with love and happiness showing up in their eyes and their cute smiles.

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Yarmonth Drissou (Yar) is 34 and is from Togo (a small French Speaking country) located on the West African coast. In his hometown, Yar used to be a French and English as Second Language teacher in both elementary and junior high school for 5 years. And 5 years ago, he responded to God’s call upon his life, quit teaching and moved to Switzerland for a three year Bible college program. He is a professional graduate with a Bachelor of Theology since June 2016 and is willing to pursue his postgraduate studies for a Th. M. (Master of Theology). He is a Pastor and Bible teacher and also a writer fond of poetry and philosophy. “Eurêka” and “Le procès de Tromal” are his published books so far. After his Bachelor degree in Switzerland, Yar was waiting for 2017 fall semester to make it to Dallas Theological Seminary when God opened Voice Missions' door for him in Taiwan, where he has been serving since September 2017.