Taiwan: Bethesda ~ Home for Challenged Children and Adults

Earthquake Updates

All of our children are safe and evacuated. The buildings have to be checked for structural damage and we are waiting for the aftershocks to pass before they can return to the upper stories of the buildings. Meanwhile, all the children sleep on the first floor of the buildings.

Taiwan: Heart Beat - A Life Changing Sponsorship 

Our hearts are beating for children with special needs and disabilities. At least 10% of the children in the world, about 200 million, are born with some form of disability. In many countries, these children become outcasts from society and require special protection. In Taiwan, many do not have the chance to be raised in a family where someone really loves and cares for them, and promotes their personal development. The skills, learning abilities and potential of these children are greatly underestimated. We want to help them!

At Bethesda ~ Home for Challenged Children and Adults in Hualien, Taiwan, our motivation to support these children is rooted in the love of God. Jesus showed compassion to outcasts in His day, loving them, healing them and restoring their dignity. "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sister of mine, you did for me," (Matthew 25:40 NIV) is still God's standard for His disciples.

Liberty Corner Mission has supported Bethesda since its inception in 1955, with the children lovingly cared for by Sisters and Staff in the name of Jesus. Today about 130 children and young adults reside there, many needing financial aid. You are a HeartBeat away from changing someone's life! For more information, contact us today.

Taiwan: Story 1

God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

~ I Corinthians 1:27

It always amazes me, how God uses challenged children to share His love with others. Sixteen-year-old Miss Y comes from a non-Christian home. She is physically challenged, very intelligent and at the moment, seriously ill. For weeks she has been in our local hospital’s ICU because of severe breathing problems. 

One day a call came from the hospital telling us to come immediately. After arriving at ICU, an excited nurse told me that Miss Y had asked her for prayer, but continued, “I can’t pray with her! I’ve never prayed in my life!” When I took Miss Y’s hands in mine to pray, she asked the nurse to stay with us, so she could also learn how to talk to God and tell Him everything on her heart. Later she asked the nurse whether she had talked to God.

We brought Miss Y a CD player so she could listen to Christian music. One day the nurse asked her, “We do everything to make you comfortable, but not everything works. Why do you become so peaceful when you are listening to that music?” She quickly answered, “I need to be reminded that God is with me, and these songs assure me that I am not alone! God IS with me! That gives me peace.”

One day she told me she would like to be baptized, if her mother permitted it. Her mother’s answer surprised us. “We’ve known for a long time that my daughter believes in your God and so we respect her wishes.” On her hospital bed in ICU, Miss Y was baptized. Smiling happily, she confessed her faith. As we sang, peace and contentment were evident on her face. Everyone present felt God’s power. A doctor attending Miss Y’s baptism gave her a Bible and testified how God had used her to touch his own heart. 

This is God’s love transforming human weakness into godly power before a watching world! He can do the same for you!

Taiwan: Story 2

In God I trust; I will not be afraid.

~ Psalm 56:4 NIV

Mr. W is an retired professor and military general, who accompanied his wife to church for many years. Mrs. W became a Christian when she was young, but married this man who had never made a commitment to Christ. He is an interesting man to talk to, but had intellectual problems with Christianity. Initially he wasn’t even able to confess a belief in the God of the Bible. Later, he trusted in Christ, but still lacked conviction of the need to be baptized. The hunger of his heart, however, was not satisfied. Some months ago he confessed that when he comes to church he prays that the Holy Spirit would clearly speak to him. How thrilled we were to know that the Holy Spirit was knocking on the door of his heart! 

Then one day it happened. Our church went on a weekend retreat and Mr. W stayed home. Watching a Christian TV program, he felt motivated to write down the theme of the sermon: Start up your faith! Get rid of your fear! Seven days later he began with symptoms, which after extensive testing, proved to be a malignant tumor in his kidney. It was then he called me to his home to share the sermon he had heard on TV, recognizing it was indeed the Lord speaking to him in preparation for this sickness. His family was quite concerned, but he was at peace because he had given his life to God. He also promised that if he survived, he would get baptized and entrust his remaining days to the Lord. 

Mr. W survived the surgery, recovered well, and was baptized shortly after, just one day before his 83rd birthday. He knows baptism symbolizes new life in Christ, and therefore he wanted this special event to coincide with his birthday. He acknowledges that there are a lot of things in the Bible that he doesn't understand, but God wants man to simply believe. Start up your faith! Get rid of your fear! Mr. W has taken the step! 

Taiwan: Story 3

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

~ Ephesians 2:10

Mr. C is a teenager, wheelchair-bound, who has lived at Bethesda ~ Home for Challenged Children and Adults in Hualien, Taiwan, for a number of years. Even though he came from a difficult Buddhist home, it was evident upon his arrival that he had a great hunger to hear about God, to experience God’s love, to learn to pray and read the Bible.

It was therefore no surprise when one day he announced he had invited Jesus into his heart and now Jesus was his Lord and Savior. He said that he would love to become a pastor someday. It’s marvelous to see him witness! He tells Bible stories to children at school and is eager to share God’s love with his classmates.

What a joy it was several months ago when Mr. C asked if he could be baptized! We asked him whether he truly understood what it means to be baptized. He did. We then told him he would need his mother’s permission for baptism. This would be a step of faith. He had great assurance, however, that God would work in his mother’s heart and asked me and many others to pray. 

One day, Mr. C called his mother to ask for her consent. Miraculously she agreed, though she herself would not attend. A month later, Mr. C was baptized in our Bethesda chapel. This was not only an important day for him, but also for the entire Bethesda family. Our residents and staff were touched by the clear and concise answers he gave to the pastor’s questions regarding his faith in our Lord Jesus. They also participated in the service by choir numbers, leading in prayer, giving cards, gifts and blessings. 

We praise the Lord for Mr. C ‘s strong faith! Pray that he may continue to grow in grace as he reads the Word and spends time in prayer and fellowship with other believers at Bethesda. To God alone be honor and glory!