Going for the Gold—

Our final day of the 2006 Taiwan/Hong Kong ministry trip dawned bright and early. I guess most days dawn bright and early, I'm just not always up for that part of them! Today, however, we were all up—some to leave, some to haul luggage, but all to say goodbye. Despite the best efforts of all, United Airlines' staff was able to reroute everyone around cancelled flights to still get them home today. Everyone was finally ticketed, luggage was checked, tears were shed, and final goodbyes were waved as the team made their way through customs and back towards the United States.

I've been trying to figure out for nearly two weeks now what to say about this trip, and how to summarize all that God has done in me and through me. The Olympics in Torino have finally given me an analogy—the gold medal.

This year in Taiwan we went for the gold—and won. From the very beginning this trip was designed for nothing less than gold. Four seminars in less than four weeks, over 800 children, three different languages, cultures, and nations, 25 amazing ATI students, 67 awesome interpreters, 13 experienced staff, and a God who loves to act on behalf of His people.

I arrived in Taiwan knowing that this would be my last trip to lead the Children's Institute, but with a vision to raise up another generation to carry on the work of the Kingdom both in Taiwan and around the world. Right now I'm struggling words to succinctly describe how I saw that happen. The "performance" wasn't perfect—there were slips, wobbles, and skids—but we truly won a gold medal.

Maybe someday I'll be able to write a book about the 2006 Taiwan trip, to remember the works of God, but today I want to give testimony to His amazing grace and to the pouring out of His Spirit upon our team as a whole and upon me as its leader. For we truly overcame him, by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of our testimony, and that we loved not our lives unto the death.

The problem with winning a gold medal is knowing what to do next… Do Olympic athletes have an identity crisis on the podium? Everything in me wants to stay here, to hold on to this victory forever. And yet the Spirit of God is moving… ever moving… and I want to be with Him.

—Rowan