At the dedication of the Taipa Center

The New Center on Taipa
Gets Its License

Posted February 23

On February 15, Macau Mission Director Jana Hoobler jubilantly reported that the Education Department had approved the new English Language Program center on Taipa. The license would come within a week, and they could begin classes.

It was a long journey. After nearly a year of planning and endless dealings with architects, contractors, and government agencies, they were ready to go.

A dedication service was held at the Taipa center on February 10. Church members from both Living Water and Living Word churches participated, along with the missionaries and the Hong Kong leaders (Superintendent Peter Lee is pictured on the right).

Jana Hoobler says, "It was a wonderful time of celebration for all God has done over the past year. We are so thankful that He provided what was needed to get this far. We can hardly wait to start teaching!"

Classes will begin at the new center on March 6. To give prospective students a glimpse of what classes are like, they ran free sample classes February 27-March 2 (Tuesday through Friday, a full week's worth). They mailed 19,000 advertisements to every household on Taipa Island.

Meanwhile, ELP classes had already begun at Living Word Church for the spring term, which runs February 13--May 11. "We have a very higher enrollment, much higher than the past several years, which we are very thankful for," Jana reports. "Praise the Lord for all of these opportunities to share the gospel with young Chinese adults."

Several former students from Living Water are now studying at Living Word, since they discontinued ELP classes at Living Water. "Pray that students will be deeply impacted by chapel presentations this term at Living Word Church. We're trying a new format with our chapel program this term to help us present the gospel more clearly."

Pastor Karis Vong (far right) of Living Water Church
and others singing during the dedication.

Living Water Church held a music sharing night in February. Individuals and groups participated in four categories--contemporary music, traditional music, instrumental, and families performing together. It was a great night of fellowship, with everything from a trombone to a traditional Chinese harp-type instrument.