MacKay Hospital shows and visit to Mustard Seed Children's Home - Taipei, Taiwan

By Mary Livingstone  

MacKay Hospital is located in downtown Taipei and is founded by the famous missionary to Taiwan, George MacKay. On a typical morning it’s packed with harried, worried people waiting in long lines to see doctors and others waiting to pick up their medicine or take care of their bills, so on this particular Monday morning, the sights and sounds of our band and children’s dance group drew huge crowds to partake of the joyous Christmas spirit! The music, wafting throughout the first floor lobby area, ignited hope and happiness in old and young alike, from hurrying outpatients to the sick in their wheel-chairs. We, the Tamshui branch of The Family International in Taipei, have had a long term relationship with the Christian volunteers of this hospital as we perform and visit the sick in both of their hospitals about 4 times per year. 

This year our Christmas program was special thanks to Activated Ministries in the U.S., we had 500 Christmas music CDs and 500Christmas Activated magazines including children’s activity magazines to distribute! The CDs and magazines literally flew out of our hands to the thrilled recipients!

In the midst of the program, a young woman with her child in a wheelchair approached me, it was none other than the receptionist of our dentist friend who regularly supports our work. Her daughter had been admitted to the hospital recently due to a stomach problem and was doing better. Later, when we visited the children’s ward, we happened upon their room and they were happy to receive the special gift of Jesus’ love, as well as a CD and magazine!

Visiting the sick in their rooms is what we enjoy most as it gives us a chance to interact personally with not only the children, but also with the parents or grandparents who are there watching anxiously over them. After singing Christmas carols for the children and giving them the CDs, magazines, crayons, and stuffed animals, most of them were happy to pray with us for Jesus’ free gift of love and healing. In one room, lay a very sad little 6 year old girl, completely paralyzed from the neck down; however, after hearing our Christmas carols and receiving our gifts, her mother was thrilled and astonished as her daughter broke out into a wide smile bringing tears to our eyes and making it worth it all!

In addition we also received from Activated Ministries a total of 40 sponsored “Mottos for Success” desk calendars to place on the nurses’ stations around both hospitals for the encouragement of staff and patients alike. We also gave 40 of our beautifully illustrated inspirational book, “From Jesus with Love for Women” in Chinese to the MacKay Hospital Christian volunteers. They were thrilled to receive this very special gift. 

Thanks again to Activated Ministries and all the wonderful donors who made this possible! You are helping us to make a difference in so many lives!

Visit to Mustard Seed Children's Home with Donated Aurora Materials, 2010
 

Daniel McNally

“This year it’s not going to work out to have our annual friendship basketball competition.” This news from Daisy, our long term friend and former Bible student who is now in charge of “Mustard Seed Children’s Home” seemed a bit discouraging as we had just received a whole set of Aurora’s children’s books, poster cards, DVDs and coloring books donated from Activated Ministries. Upon mentioning this new dimension to our visit, Daisy lined up a story telling with one of the younger groups of children. There are approximately 45 orphans in her orphanage, ranging from preschool age until high school. (You can see their project at: www.mustardseed.org/msi-missions-taiwan.php)

We had a small team comprising of Danny, Rejoice with her 8 month old daughter Vanessa, and I. The children listened intently as Rejoice did a fantastic job relating the story of the little daisy in the garden who was content to be herself amongst the other discontented trees and flowers. We also sang children’s action songs and hymns, many of which the children knew and happily joined in with.

After the event, Daisy expressed to us her gratitude to Activated Ministries for donating the Aurora Books and materials and how valuable they are in helping to shape these dear one’s characters in teaching them to love the Lord and others. She commented that because these items are Bible based and emanate the warmth of God’s Love, that hopefully though them her orphans can also learn to speak and interact with more love and warmth. She mentioned how she has been so thankful for our visits to the orphanage, (we’ve known and worked together for 10 years) appreciating how we handle the children. Daisy explained that when volunteers from The Family International are with the orphans, she feels the kids are safe and she doesn’t need to worry.

We would like to thank you at Activated Ministries for providing these materials for these dear orphans. You’ve helped our ministry be so much richer! Not only the kids themselves, but Daisy and her staff were very thankful and loved the materials!