華人社會的宣教航空母艦Taiwan, an “Aircraft Carrier for Chinese Missions”
(外國同工的見證 Missionary Testimony of our foreign staff)
臺灣常被比喻成通往華人社會和亞洲的宣教航空母艦。在軍事領域中，航空母艦指的是在海上的移動基地，讓航空部隊能夠降落，加滿燃料，再繼續起飛到最終目的地。同樣的，臺灣青年使命團也將自己擺在這個策略性的位置，讓宣教士能夠來學習所需的語言及文化，並在聖經及宣教領域上受裝備，最後再把他們差派到華人社會或是其他亞洲國家。而Joy就是這艘航空母艦上的其中一位，她進入中國宣教前，在臺灣做足一切的準備。
Taiwan is often referred to as the “aircraft carrier for missions” to the Chinese-speaking world and Asia. In military terms, an aircraft carrier is a floating base on the ocean on which aircraft can land, refuel, and continue on their mission to their target location. In the same way, YWAM Taiwan is strategically positioned so that missionaries can come and learn the language and culture, be trained in the Bible and missions, and then be sent out to reach the Chinese-speaking nations and the rest of Asia. Joy found this to be true of her years of preparation as a missionary in Taiwan before being sent into China.
Joy在12歲時就領受了中國宣教的呼召。在歐洲完成了門徒訓練課程時，透過在網路上搜尋「宣教/中國」，她找到了位於臺灣的拓荒宣教課程。於是她離開了家鄉歐洲，來到了臺灣。這是她第一次住在海外。Joy在臺灣參與了拓荒宣教課程，學習了兩年半的中文，以及完成了聖經研讀課程。原本只打算待在臺灣一年的，卻成為了她進入中國前，住了四年讓他收穫滿滿的孕育之地。
Joy was first called to China when she was just 12 years old. After doing a Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Europe, she stumbled across a course called School of Frontier Missions (SOFM) in YWAM Taiwan after googling “missions and China”. She left her home in Europe and moved to Taiwan, her first time living abroad. During her time with YWAM Taiwan, Joy did SOFM, studied Chinese for two and a half years, and then did the School of Biblical Studies (SBS). What was meant to be a one-year trip to Taiwan turned into four years of fruitful, and much needed, preparation for her time in China.
剛開始的時候，學習一個截然不同的語言及文化，對Joy來說真的很不容易。但是透過臺灣青年使命團的幫助，Joy更快速地融入當地的文化。為了練習新學到的用語，Joy在磐石咖啡館結交許多臺灣人的朋友以及參與全中文的主日崇拜。在聖經研讀課程中，透過中文及英文的授課方式，她能在神的話語上扎根，同時也學習中文。臺灣青年使命團也提供一個友善的環境使Joy能同時結交臺灣及其他文化的朋友。這樣的過程，雖然一開始充滿挑戰，但是也幫助Joy在未來更快速地適應中國。在搬到中國後，Joy了解到，她的中文比其他在中國學的人說得更精確。在臺灣青年使命團的這段時間，她不止學到了語言及文化，更有一群弟兄姊妹相伴，讓她能夠有屬靈長輩在宣教路上的經驗，及更多以中文傳福音的練習機會。
At first, learning a different language and culture was neither natural nor easy for Joy, but YWAM Taiwan helped ease her transition. She immediately immersed herself in the local culture and put her new language to practice, hanging out at local cafes and attending a Chinese-speaking church. During SBS, she used both a Chinese and English Bible so that she would be able to continue learning the language as she grew deeper in the Word. YWAM Taiwan offered a safe environment for Joy to learn among other fellow Christians - both locals and foreigners. This experience challenged and prepared her for her next step into China. Not only was YWAM Taiwan a great place for Joy to learn language and culture, but it also served as a great transitional phase because she was surrounded by Christian community, supported by mentors with long-term missions experience, and able to practice sharing the gospel in a Chinese-speaking environment.
現在，Joy過著在「日常中」展現福音的生活。她會邀請非基督徒的朋友參與每天的生活，帶領人回到神的面前，也見證神如何在親子教養的領域成為她的幫助。在家庭生活的層面，她也邀請神進入到家中她會為孩子的同學代禱，與孩子一同背頌經文，也慶祝每一個生日、聖誕節、復活節等節日。她在平凡中的生活中展現真實的信仰，而周圍的人則因著她的緣故，經歷到這位不平凡的上帝。
Today, Joy lives her “ordinary life with gospel intentionality.” She invites her non-Christian friends along the journey of her daily life by pointing them to Jesus in conversations and sharing testimonies of how God helps her in motherhood. With her family, she tries her best to involve Jesus in everything she does - initiating family time after dinner, praying and memorizing verses with her children, and intentionally celebrating birthdays and holidays like Easter and Christmas. She brings people into her ordinary life in faith that they will encounter her extraordinary God.
Joy描述過去在臺灣青年使命團的時光為她的生命打造了穩固的根基。在這裡，她認識了在基督裡的自我價值、學習了中文、練習用中文傳福音並且深深的扎根在神的話語中。她強調，如果你對華人社會的宣教有負擔，你一定要來一趟臺灣宣教使命團－華人社會及亞洲的宣教航空母艦。
Joy describes her experience with YWAM Taiwan as foundational. It was here that she grew in her identity in Christ and built a strong foundation in the Bible. It was here that she learned the Chinese language and culture and practiced sharing the gospel in a Chinese-speaking environment. Today, Joy would encourage all those with a heart for the Chinese-speaking world to get trained in Taiwan, as it is the “aircraft carrier for missions” to the Chinese-speaking world and Asia.