the taste

So, as promised; here's an update on the Taste. It went so much better than I could have hoped!! God is good, and we had about 50 people there; give or take a couple. And much more money was raised than I spent, which is good. :) The kids enjoyed the coloring pages, and word searches that I was able to make specifically for the Taste. The cooks were amazing, and easy to teach - I could not have done it without either of them; nor the other family members who helped set up, and tear down, and what not. :) I shared a bit of more in-depth information about what I'll be doing next year, and we had a fun time playing a trivia game I created about Taiwan, and Asian culture. It was great seeing some people try chicken feet too - they were brave!

And, with some updated info from Taiwan - My support is about 75% of the way in.... maybe a bit more. As of 5 days ago, or so, we had 7 students, and a few more are projected to be added to our numbers within the next 4 weeks until school!! As I continue to get closer to my departure date, and as I find out more things that have changed since I left; I continue to get more excited about this next season of life!!

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support over these last days in America. I covet them greatly - and am thankful that God continues to stir my heart for Taiwan, and the Asian people, and He has been amazingly faithful in preparing my heart for this year!

two weeks to go

Well, I'm two week away from landing in Taiwan. School starts Sept. 11th, and this morning I got more information from the school leader; Brent. From the information I just got, my support is almost fully in; which is amazing!! God is so good, and has continued to show His faithfulness in so many ways.

We have seven students; having gained two more this week, and as far as I know, we're fully staffed as well. My visa is still being processed over in Taiwan, and I'm assuming it won't, in the next two weeks. That will mean that one month after I get to Taiwan I'll have to fly to Hong Kong at least overnight, and try to re-get the visa... we'll see.

We're in Michigan for the next week or so, seeing family that I haven't seen in years, and taking some time to relax and simply be together, before I leave. It's already more than I could have hoped; and God's teaching me a lot through some books I've begun reading. One's the memoirs of a boy soldier from Siere Leon. And I just last night began reading the life story of A.B. Simpson. And the biography is written by none other than A.W. Tozer. :) Well, time to be with grandparents; it's a blessing to be with a grandfather who's lived through so much this year. God is good, and continues to sustain Grandpa and the rest of us.

I'll update about "the Taste" in a few days.
Blessings from Michigan.
~Miranda Kay~ <><

the taste

Come get a

TASTE OF TAIWAN!

What: a night of food, games, music, and pictures from Asia

when: Sunday, August 2nd 5:30-7 pm (but come and go as you need)

where: Dover Avenue Alliance Church – Fellowship Hall (417 3rd Ave. NE, Orange City)

Why: to hear more about what Miranda Rockhill will be doing in her year as a missionary in Asia, and to get a feel of a culture we don’t interact with everyday

in Northwest Iowa

Cost: FREE (a free-will donation opportunity will be available)

just in case you haven't heard about this :) (sorry, yes I know I'm beating a dead horse for most of you... but it will be a great time for the whole family, and I'm just hoping I get to share some culture and what I'll be doing next year, with everyone. See you there!

ticket!!!

Just thought I'd give a quick update. Tonight I'm excited because I purchased my plane ticket for Taiwan. :) I leave Aug. 19th, getting into Taiwan the morning of Aug. 21st (their time). Last night I got to talk to one of my best friends from my DTS, which was wonderful. Always a good thing to get up to date with a good friend.

Things are coming along really well for the Taste of Taiwan. Less than two weeks to go! God is continuing to blow me away with his faithfulness; especially in the area of financial support. It's like each time I go to raise support; I forget how faithful He's been in this area of my life (and my missions work) over the years. I trust that it will come in....but He always seems to do something to just remind me of His wonderful presence through the blessing of speedy support-raising. One third of my support is already in; and I'm just now sending out actual, physical letters. That's incredible!

The butterflies are slowly but surely becoming apparent; especially this week, as things are getting set in stone. Good and bad, nervous and extremely excited all flooding my heart at once. Anyway, thanks for caring and for praising the Lord with me tonight for his faithfulness and blessings.

Taste of Taiwan

(picture of friends from the english class Zulfe and I taught alongside 2 college profs. at Tam Kang University near our house in Taiwan)


Well, I finally have a day off work and I'm using it to the max, getting things prepared for Taste of Taiwan; an informational night of food, family, fun, music and more at church on August 2nd. I've been practicing recipes, putting together playlists, and creating layouts of the fellowship hall in my head. And now, Abby and I are on our way to Sioux City to an Oriental food store that I'm excited to explore. I miss Asia so much, and anything even close to what I experienced there helps bring back the joys of living there! The church secretary grew up in Taiwan as an MK, and when she and I had Chinese for dinner the other night together we had a wonderful time reminiscing about Taiwan and Asian culture. It was such a blessing to be able to talk to someone, and connect with someone who has experienced some of the same things I have. There's a bond that we can share that I don't have with anyone else.
God has continued to answer my prayers as things move ahead and seem to fall into place fairly well. He keep reminding me that He's got things under control, and he knows what He's doing, and for that I'm grateful. I'm now praying more intensely for the staff as we all prepare to lead our students into a deeper understand and love of Christ. Please pray that God will bind us together, in deep ways in the few shorts weeks we have together before the students arrive. And, a huge praise, and reminder of God's faithfulness; I've already raised enough support for my plane ticket over there!!! I didn't think that money would come this soon, and so now I just have the other $4,500 to raise. Thanks for the prayers that you've sent up on my behalf already; I appreciate them more than you know. Blessings!

update for mid-June

Wow, I should really start to get creative with these titles... but it's 11:20 pm, do you blame my lack of creativity? Anyway, just wanted y'all to know that things are coming along. This week I...

- got a background check done (don't worry, I've committed no murders in the last year) :)
- got letters of recommendation from work, church, and an organization that I worked with in Chicago, called Emmaus. ((ps - you should check out the work they're doing on the streets of Chicago, it's powerful stuff. God's moving. :) www.streets.org))
- found out I'm doing the Missions Moment at church a week from Sunday, so that everyone at Dover will know about my work next year, and find out about this blog =) (yes, I'm feeling smiley tonight.. hope that's ok)
- I'm pretty well done w/ all the paperwork that the base needs, in order for them to turn in my visa application. that will take longer than I thought to get processed, so... I'm praying God works in that situation, so that I don't have to pay for a flight out of the country a month after I get there. :/
- and, nailed down (pretty much) things for the Taste of Taiwan. (more on that coming soon)


Yes, this was a short entry, but it's been wonderful to be in contact with Taiwan this week. I got an E-mail from Tammie, the "lady in the office" (she does everything, so it's difficult to pin-point her job description) at our base in Danshui,and the school leader of the DTS I'll be staffing. God's working, and it's exciting. He rocks my world.

this picture is a fairly recent one (from a missionary friend) of the kids at the AIDS hospital that I worked at everyday in Cambodia. :)

Thanks for praying me through, and sharing this journey with me.
~miranda kay~ Acts 20:24

Update for beginning of June

Well, not much has changed since I last wrote; a bit more correspondence. I will be calling them either today or tomorrow about visa "stuff". The Lord is continuing to move my heart for this next season, and I'm continually more excited about what next year holds! And... to add to my excitement, and just a wonderful reminder of God's faithfulness I got some spectacular news last week... A girl that I became quite close with when we were in China E-mailed me asking for me "skype" name, because she remembered I had Skype, and she just got it on her computer, and wanted to talk to me. Now,at this point we hadn't talked since some two months after I left China... so we hadn't communicated in a year. Her second E-mail told me that she's accepted Christ, and believes the sacrifice He made for her and wants to follow Him with her life!!! Praise God!! She told me how glad she was that we were now actual sisters, because of our bond through Christ Jesus. And she told me how excited she was that we were now connected in a new, deeper way through our Lord!! The fruits of our labor are not in vein, and Layla's E-mail was such a wonderful reminder of that. All the people who've poured into her over the years and loved her.... it paid off, and we have another sister with whom we will spend eternity praising our father... TOGETHER! :)

Just thought I'd let you know about some things that are in the works; if anyone has any other ideas or would like to find our more about one of these ideas, or would just like to comment.... I'd LOVE input. :)

Ideas for this summer.......

-- a fund-raiser called "Taste of Taiwan" - I would show pictures from last year, and explain what I'll be doing in more detail. To be held a Dover Church, and I'd cook some Chinese/Taiwanese food so that people could get a literal taste of Taiwan along with a mental/pictoral taste as well.

-- Proceeds from family garage sale will go towards Taiwan also

-- but.... I'm making crafts (jewelry, candle-holders... that stuff) and was hoping to do a fund-raiser type thing at De Koffie Hoek to raise awareness and support for Asia as well. Do you think this would work, or should I just stick with the Taste of Taiwan? Let me know, I'd really appreciate it. :)

Thanks for loving me, and praying for me. Continue to seek HIS face! ~miranda kay~