Life in Taiwan is great!  We truly love the culture and the city life.  Here are some pictures of some of our favorite places and memories.  We hope it will make you want to come visit us and help with the new church work!  We recently had some new friends visit, and we realized we LOVE being tour guides.  Our love for Taiwan is obvious, they told us, and apparently it is also contagious!  They hope to return someday, Lord willing.  Nothing would please us more!

 

Flower in Danshui

 

On the university campus next to the school where we teach in Danshui with our friends Peter Barban and his daughter Maria.

 

Rachelle on the MRT

 

 Annie and Ryan in front of 7-11.  Ryan turned 7 on September 3rd, and Annie turned 11 on the same day, so it was their 7-11 Birthday.

 

Our school is also a museum.  Nathaniel is by part of the museum exhibit on campus.

 

The boys enjoying some Nintendo time at home in Danshui.

 

 The boys playing on our school playground

 

 

 The bell tower on campus.  The boys are walking across the bridge over the fish pond.

 

Traditional Chinese houses across from our school.

 

 

 

The elementary school at Tamkang where Terrie teaches Kindergarten on Thursday and Friday mornings.  This building was the first school for girls in Taiwan.  It was built by a great missionary named McKay.  He built the whole campus we're on.

 

 

Fishing boats in Danshui.

 

Local Mexican restaurant in Danshui after worship services.

 

 Another pretty Danshui flower.

 

Terry and Juliette Baenziger from California.  They came to Taiwan while we were home and left before we came back, but we corresponded the entire time.  We feel like we know them and can't wait until we can meet face to face someday.  Their friends Spencer and John visited us recently.  We have been blessed to use their scooter since we've been back.  It was a lifesaver!  Thanks, guys!

 

Rachelle and Nathaniel near the 101 in Taipei by an interesting sculpture.

 

 

     

The kids went to WuLai with Priscilla and some others from the church winter of 06.  They had a great time and saw some beautiful scenery.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

We loved going to Tam Shui as a family or just Dave with the kids to give Terrie a break now and then.  It is a town built by the river leading to the China Sea.  It is a beautiful area where the kids could ride bikes or ride horses. 

 

 

 

Riding on the MRT (that's the rapid transit train which is sometimes a subway and sometimes is above ground)

 

 

Annie's field day at her Chinese school. 

 

Annie dancing at the Hakka Festival with her class.

 

 

Ryan at Chinese kindergarten.

 

 

One of our favorite parts of town where we had Chilis, a food court, movie theaters, etc.  This dragon statue was out front when the movie Eragon was coming out.  We thought it was kind of cool that the light looks like it's in the dragon's mouth as a fire ball.

 

On a one-day adventure to Keelung.  It is a port city on the north end of the island.  This was in 2000.

 

 

 

National Taiwan University

 

 Baby Ryan, born in Taipei in 2001

 

   

A trip to Kending in 2002 or 2003.  When we couldn't vacation in the States, we would try to vacation in Kending whenever possible.  It is a beautiful coastal area on the south end of the island. 

 

   This is another time in Kending.

 

At a fellowship at Paul and Queenie's house.  This is Doran and her friend with the kids at the party. 

 

 

 

This is Paul and Queenie when we met them in Hong Kong on our way back to the States Christmas 2004. 

 

         

Traditional Taiwanese dress.  The kids had fun dressing up for the pictures.

 

 

Annie when we were on the Sunday School retreat at the clay shop.

 

Annie and one of her best friends Elva.  Elva's Aunt Grace became Annie's Chinese Mama.  They graciously helped her everyday with her homework and blessed our family greatly.

 

This is a picture of the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial.  We loved going there to watch dancers practicing in the big courtyard, the soldiers marching in formation, and to attend special events. 

 

 

These aren't some of our favorite memories, but they are a sad part of life in Taiwan.  These are pictures of a "god walk" when they take their idols out for a walk and a parade.  It can take hours for some of them to pass by.  We can't help but want to tell the people about the God who carries them, loves them, and wants them to know Him personally. 

 

 

  Yang Ming Mountain, which is, incidentally where Dave and I first knew we were going to marry one another back in 1984 when we were on a mission trip in Taiwan...although we didn't actually date for a few more months.

 

 

 Taipei 101

 

Before we left Taiwan we had some great pictures made of the family.  That was fun!  And they really captured the kids' personalities.