Went to church today =). In the morning I was so tired, and discouraged to go because it was cold and still raining. But I managed to finally get up by 10am in belief that there "must" be service at 11am, even though I had set my alarm at 845. I didnt know what time service really started, or even where the church was. The night before I asked my NCCU buddy where the church was, she said "it is on the street where the fruit market was and across the bridge in the direction away rom school". I did not remember a bridge at the fruit market, but I thought I'd at least try. Its pouring rain and I turn onto the street where the fruit market was, and walk and walk, but there is nothing but small restaurants and residential buildings. I walk back out towards the only bridge I knew of on the other side of the main street and see crosses on a wall right before the bridge started. I look, but my chinese skills told me it wasnt a Christian church, maybe it was a orphanage? I peer over and think, maybe the church is across the bridge, but just then I see a church service timetable, saying service begins at 10:30. I recognize the words so I walk in to look and see a sign saying "Believeing in Christ beings everlasting life". I hear singing and so I go in. I learned that "on the street" doesnt really mean on the street, but prolly where the main street closest to it is and that "across the bridge" may just mean before you cross the bridge to local Chinese here. =S

They asked for newcomers and I stood up and said I was an exchange student in mandarin (which sounded all wrong) and sat down, then they kept looking at me because I forgot to tell them my name, so I stood up again and said my name (I looked so stupid) =P. Something interesting about service is, there is lots of prayer, and inbetween times when the pastor prays, the congregation joins outloud to pray individually over the same matter. At least that's what I thought was going on, as there would be a rumbling of voices in the middle of prayers. After service, this girl Alice I met in one of my classes a few days before came to me and said it is her first time as well. Her friend brought her, what a coincidence. =) We chat with these very nice Uni students. They were all going to a small retreat that afternoon up a mountain for devotion time. Though the church is small, it was so welcoming to me. The Taiwanese are a lot more friendly than Hong Kongers, maybe it is because in Hong Kong the church is so big, but here its more close knit. They treated us to some lunch boxes (which is very common here to eat) and asked if I could join them for retreat, but I was not really ready to go. But I will join them for fellowship on Saturdays, I heard its a small group. Wonder if it will be like Josiah during the school year? I feel really blessed that I pulled myself out of bed, and endured getting lost in the rain. I think God is giving me the encouragement I need here in Taiwan, when I can easily just make excuses for myself.