It's been a while since I've written. Thanks to all of you who continue to partner in our ministry again and again--I'm glad no one waits for me to send an update before partnering--or if you do, let me know as that might just motivate me to send email updates more often ;-)
Right now we actually have a family here visiting us on their vacation--from Tucson, Arizona. So aside from the kids playing Settlers of Catan, Monopoly, launching catapults (Joey's engineering impetus), and playing frisbee, what have they actually done? Well, of course, there's the Museum of Natural Science, the department store in three connected 10 story buildings (each with three or four basement stories also,) and eating chinese, indian, italian, french, mcdonaldian, japanese, et al. Then there are the hikes up the mountainsides, walks in the woods, and bike rides (actually they didn't ride bikes, but Laura and I did anyway.) Oh, and the bookstores, night markets, tropical and asian fruits, and different kinds of tea drinks for everyone in the car. And a personal highlight for me, hearing Joey's new worship song as an offertory at our international fellowship last Sunday.
Now, I don't mean to pressure you, but if people do short term missions trips like they were camps, why not do a family vacation and come see us? Who knows how it might impact you--or us. And we didn't even get these new friends to the beach, to the national aquarium, or to Taroko Gorge--they did go up Taipei 101 (tallest building, fastest elevators in the world) and see the National Palace Museum in Taipei without us.
But saving the most sensational for the end, we're "eagerly" awaiting arrival of super typhoon Sepat, still on track to come straight through us, but dawdling as it transitions from a "medium sized, intense" storm to a large, strong storm. Just think, an actual category 5 storm on your Asian vacation--how exciting is that?!
We now have less than a week until Sarah returns to college, and we're very aware of that. Meanwhile, I'm preparing for a marriage and family therapy licensing exam, which I will return to the US to take in September. Yes, it's a little scary to take a test like this after so long out of school, but I have now officially put it off as long as possible, and I would still like to pass on the first try. (Just think, over the last couple decades I have avoided all risk of failing by simply not taking it. What a strategy.) Seriously, licensure has now become an expected thing for people in my role and so I am seeking to comply with that expectation. I would appreciate your intercession.
Our sons Joey and Robby start their last year of school in Taiwan next Monday. It's hard to believe they've been in this same school (all or part of) every year since kindergarten. They have done well and we hope they will also be able to finish well this last year.
In him who keeps us--even in typhoons--yours from the far side, Steve and Laura
PS Typhoons, like the father over all, are not to be predicted. We actually read an article on CNN about how the typhoon was "lashing" Taiwan before it ever arrived. (Creative reporting, eh?) But this morning it finally did come, straight over the top of us here in Tachung, essentially. However, as it hit the 12,000 foot peaks to our east it became a very big storm and therefore also a much less intense storm. So if we didn't know it was a typhoon we'd think it was a windy day, then a rainy day, and that's about it. I guess we'll find out by about tomorrow how bad it actually was on the east side of the mountains where it hit straight on and how bad the mud slides in the mountains themselves might be, but we are having a pretty bland day of it after all :-)
Dr. Steve and Laura Spinella, Sarah, Joey, Robby
Da Yi Street, Lane 29, #18, 2F-1, Taichung 40454, TAIWAN
011.886.4.2236.6145, of 4.2236.1901, fx 4.2236.2109, cell 9.2894.0514
USA: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, 719.528.1702, cell 719.360.6485
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60189, 800.343.3144 <www.teamworld.org>, <www.team.org.tw/spinella>, <www.team.org.tw/ccg>, <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TEAMspinella/>,
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu>, <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
