November 2023
… NEWS FROM BECKY BARTELT
…Serving the Lord in Taiwan/Asia
Thanksgiving
In Chinese “thank you” is xie xie (pronounced shyeh shyeh). It is written in the picture on the left. The literal response is, “no need to be polite.” However, as Christians at Thanksgiving and all the time we give thanks to God 
not out of routine politeness, but genuine gratitude. The Israelites gave thanks at various harvest festivals. The Psalmists gave “thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His steadfast love endures forever.” One of the ten lepers returned to give thanks to Jesus for His healing. I, too, am giving thanks that God’s steadfast love endures forever. He is not a god who needs to be appeased with offerings in order to bless us. He is a God Who loves to shower us with blessings and loves to receive our thanks and offerings out of faithful joy. I, too, am giving thanks that God has healed us from the sickness of sin by Jesus’ death and resurrection. I am also thankful that my dad continues to recover steadily and has “ditched his walker” and is now able to walk over a mile a day! My sister has three chemotherapy treatments left. I give thanks that He has seen her through this journey so far with a positive and jovial spirit, even as she is tired and dealing with side-effects. I give thanks for colleagues who are friends with whom I will gather to give thanks on November 23rd. I give thanks for each of you and for your faithful prayers for God’s work in Asia!
Christmas Outreach Concert:
If you haven’t checked your calendar yet, Christmas is on December 25th this year (That’s a family
joke…a statement someone made in all seriousness at a church meeting one year.), which happens to be a Monday, which is a normal workday in Taiwan. On Sunday afternoon/evening, December 24th Salvation Lutheran Church in Chiayi is presenting an outreach Christmas concert. We pray many of our friends and neighbors in the area will come to hear traditional Christmas carols performed by an adult choir (in Chinese and English), a children’s choir (in Latin), recorders, flute, piano, string quartet and hand bells. I will be playing viola in the string quartet after not playing publicly since 2003! Please pray for all the participants as they prepare and for all the listeners that they would hear the Gospel clearly in the music, from Pastor’s Wu’s commentary and from God’s Word!
Conservatory Project:
Preparations are under way to refurbish/refurnish the space on the first floor of the building where I live. This room will serve as a performance space for the conservatory and a worship space for the start of a new Lutheran congregation in Chiayi. We are working and planning for things like the acoustics of the space, how future instruments will sound in the space, a sound system, AC and the possibility its noise will interfere with performances or worship. Just recently Ruth Wu and I traveled to Taichong to try out some possible pianos for the space. This is an exciting and daunting project. Please pray for wisdom and courage for the planners from our “God of Grace and God of Glory” to make wise decisions so that many can hear God’s Word sung, played and spoken in this space. On the left is a picture of the space in its current condition.
Cultural Corner:
Many people in Taiwan do not have much for kitchens and eating out can be both inexpensive and nutritious. In the picture is the roast duck shop near my house. I got roast duck slices, egg, rice, green beans, tofu and cabbage all for about $3.33 (US Currency).
Maybe you can see in the picture that birds are usually sold with the neck and sometimes the head on if you order a whole bird. In fact, I hear the turkey we ordered for Thanksgiving (since my toaster oven is too small to roast a turkey), will come with the head on, ready to be carved! And, yes you can order through Uber Eats in
Taiwan. It will be delivered on a scooter with a box on the back to keep it warm. I have not been brave enough to tackle the Chinese website yet, though…or spend the money on that. There are many shops within walking distance.
My Address in Taiwan:
Becky Bartelt
5F #167 Gongyuan Road
East District
Chiayi City, Taiwan 600044
+886 903337255 (cell number and WhatsApp number)
Rebecca.Bartelt@lcms.org
PLEASE GIVE THANKS FOR:
