Author: Catherine Lee

St. John's University, TaiwanLeave a comment

St. John’s University 2016 Opening Service ~ At Last!

Catherine Lee

Yes, we’re very late ~ delayed by the typhoon! Every semester we have an opening service for St. John’s University, held in Advent Church, and always on the second Wednesday of the new term. But this year, the original date of Wednesday September 28 saw us hit by Typhoon Megi ~ all classes and work were cancelled. So we had to reschedule, and after a delay of two weeks, the service was held this past week.  In the pouring rain of course!  It was the first opening service with our new acting chaplain, Rev. Wu Hsing-Hsiang, and with our new … Continue reading St. John’s University 2016 Opening Service ~ At Last!

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Rain, rain and more rain!

Catherine Lee

A whole week of rain, and the rivers are full!  I’ve never seen so much water in our local river at Sanzhi as on Monday, when the rain stopped a little, enough for me to take a look. Usually this river has enough rocks and stones sticking up so that kingfishers can sit there and fish. But not now! Photos do not convey the noise of all this rushing water ~ it is deafening!   Think we must be making up for a very dry summer when we could cross this river by the stepping stones! Continue reading Rain, rain and more rain!

St. John's University, TaiwanLeave a comment

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Tseng ~ and all the Tseng family!

Catherine Lee

Last Sunday was an auspicious lucky day in the Chinese calendar, so there were lots of weddings being held all over Taiwan.  It was the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, Chongyang Festival, which is also Senior Citizens Day, so there were many activities going on for older people as well as weddings. Mr. James Tseng works in our General Affairs Office at St. John’s University, after many years heading up the Student Recruitment Office, and last Sunday his elder son was getting married ~ and I was invited, yippee! He told me this morning that on that day, … Continue reading Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Tseng ~ and all the Tseng family!

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Calling the World @ Laomei Elementary School 老梅國小!

Catherine Lee

Laomei Village is right there at the northern tip of Taiwan, and it’s elementary school is Taiwan’s northernmost and maybe one of the wettest, and yes, it was raining hard yesterday. The school is building a shelter in the playground so that the children can still be outside in the rain but not get wet.  Laomei is also famous for the Shimen Kite Festival, and this year the sun was out, and it was wonderful! It’s such a friendly school with such lovely children, teachers and staff. As part of our community outreach program from Advent Church and St. John’s … Continue reading Calling the World @ Laomei Elementary School 老梅國小!

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I love CMS! A Great Big Welcome to Taiwan for Raj Patel, CMS Regional Manager for Asia ~ all the way from Oxford ~ YES!

Catherine Lee

Yes, honest, I love CMS!  And all those associated with CMS ~ the mission partners, CMS staff, UK Link Churches and of course all those who welcome us to serve in their dioceses, churches, organizations and communities! CMS stands for Church Mission Society ~ I joined in September 1989, served in Tanzania for 7 years, and then in January 1999 arrived in Taiwan and I’ve been here ever since, first at St. James’ Church, Taichung for 7 years, and since early 2007 based here at St. John’s University, on Taiwan’s NW coast.  My last formal CMS-UK visitors came in November … Continue reading I love CMS! A Great Big Welcome to Taiwan for Raj Patel, CMS Regional Manager for Asia ~ all the way from Oxford ~ YES!

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Advent Church Community Concert 2016 社區音樂會!

Catherine Lee

Our annual community concert at Advent Church last night to celebrate Mid-Autumn Moon Festival – and to give the local community a chance to come together to perform and celebrate. A great variety of choirs and groups and individuals as always, all wonderful!  We had all sorts of music, from musicals to pop to classical, from indigenous aboriginal to traditional Chinese, from ancient to modern, from Bunun to A-mei to Taiwanese to Chinese to Japanese to English, and everything in between….. loved it all! And the highlight is always the Bunun Church Choir who perform last, and they were wonderful … Continue reading Advent Church Community Concert 2016 社區音樂會!

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Taiwan’s North Coast Kite Festival 2016 @ Baishawan Beach 白沙灣, Shimen District ~ YES!

Catherine Lee

Kites, kites and more kites ~ amazing kites, beautiful kites, fun kites, crazy kites, stunt kites, home-made kites, kites of every kind and from every where ~ and all on show at Taiwan’s annual North Coast Kite Festival, held ever year since the year 2000 at Baishawan Beach in Shimen, just near Taiwan’s northernmost point and lighthouse. Happens also to be only 5 minutes on a bus from where I live ~ YES! Last year, this last weekend of September was Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, and also a big typhoon was on its way, so although it was nice and windy … Continue reading Taiwan’s North Coast Kite Festival 2016 @ Baishawan Beach 白沙灣, Shimen District ~ YES!

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On Typhoon Watch Again!

Catherine Lee

All Taiwan on Typhoon Watch again for the second time this Mid-Autumn Moon Festival as we batten down the hatches and wait for Typhoon Malakas to arrive, as it blows up the east coast of Taiwan tonight and tomorrow.  Lots of torrential rain expected in northern Taiwan.  As often happens, the day before a typhoon comes, the weather is stunning – with blue skies and fluffy white clouds…. Hope our papaya tree still looks like this in a few days time! Continue reading On Typhoon Watch Again!

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A grey Mid-Autumn Moon Festival @ Keelung!

Catherine Lee

A grey grey day in Keelung, on Taiwan’s NE coast, as always!  Grey city, grey weather.  But particularly so today as the country surfaces after yesterday’s Typhoon Meranti, and prepares for tomorrow’s Typhoon Malakas.  We’re in a kind of typhoon-sandwich…. Today is Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, the first day of a 4-day holiday weekend, when the moon is supposedly at its best and brightest all year ha ha ~ no sign of any moon round here!  It’s grey grey grey with rain rain rain and more rain! In Keelung today, my arrival coincided with the arrival of the huge Golden Princess … Continue reading A grey Mid-Autumn Moon Festival @ Keelung!