The Rev. Ivy and Emerson work with their IM area director, Ben Chan, to establish a network of global Chinese churches and Christian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) through which the network members will develop and implement common strategic missions, including those from the IM’s strategic planning process, Responding to the Call. Ivy and Emerson also represent IM in relating to church and NGO partners in Hong Kong.

They write – We returned to Hong Kong for another term of ministry in September 2018, and we thank God for allowing us to explore many new things and expanding the ministry.

First, we went to Taiwan twice before and after 2019 New Year. We sponsored the intensive theological training events at Christian Hakka Seminary and also helped the Research Center for Supporting Families of Children with Special Needs at the Chung Yuan Christian University. It was our privilege to help serve the unreached Hakka people by interaction with the students in the seminary and visiting and preaching at the Hakka churches. We also met with the leaders of one college in CYCU to discuss a potential partnership with American Baptist related colleges or universities. Both working with Hakka people (in seminary and churches) and connecting with the CYCU and research center are God-guided breakthroughs in ministry. They are the first ministries that American Baptist Churches and International Ministries have ever done in Taiwan. We are thankful that the Lord Himself initiated His Kingdom work and used International Ministries to begin serving the churches and people in Taiwan.

We also thank God that He opened a door for us to revisit Yunnan, China this year. In China, the majority ethnic minority Lisu people live in Yunnan Province. For those living in Yunnan, there are two big people groups: West Lisu – those who live in the west of the province, and East Lisu who live in north. West Lisu has more population than East Lisu and there are big differences in outfits, dialect, written language, customs and living style.

There are two counties, Yingjiang and Fugong, located in the west of Yunnan province bordering Myanmar’s Kachin State to the west. It takes about a day to drive between Fugong County in the north and Yingjiang in the south. Yingjiang County has about 40,000 Christians who are Lisu, Jingpo (Kachin), Dai (Thai) and Han (Chinese). It is one of big Christian populated counties in the province. Besides Yingjing County, there are about 300,000 West Lisu people living in the Nujiang (Salween River) Valley. Fugong County has about 70,000 Christians and is the most Christian population density (more than 90%) in the province. Through generations, because those Lisu people followed early missionaries’ teachings, they have kept their faith and transformed their lives. There are no alcohol or drug addictions in the Fugong County. The local government rated the county as a “drug free county.” …

Read Ivy and Emerson’s full journal at https://internationalministries.org/a-kernel-of-wheat-dies-in-the-ground/