News and Notes from Bradley & Anita Halter serving under Hope International Missions in Taiwan

Bradley & Anita Halter P.O. Box 328 Chungli, Taiwan 320 Hope International Missions P.O.Box 1065 Hobe Sound, FL 33475 December 2013 Dear Friends, Recently we have been faced with the reality of lifes uncertainty. Bradleys second brother, Gerald, passed away after a brief illness. He loved God and others and we have the comfort believers know in the face of death. Bradleys family always considered Gerald the strong one and the one most likely to live to an old age. Bradley hoped that someday he and his wife would visit Taiwan and we could show them the sights here. Now he will be the one to show us the sights of heaven. The husband of one of our church ladies died recently. Although he was an older man and infirm, his death came unexpectedly. Two of his three sons are not believers. These two sons and their wives were very concerned about what they could do to make their father happy and peaceful in the next world. This is a common concern among non-Christians here. Folk religion has prepared elaborate rituals and ways for people to satisfy their concerns. Our church conducted a service in their home and instructed them in the Christian belief of life after death. Especially comforting were the words of Jesus, I go to prepare a place for you. We hope they can understand that there is nothing we can add to what Jesus has prepared. Last year in December our church conducted a funeral for a Christian lady from another town. None of her three children are Christians. Recently the youngest son began to feel uncomfortable about his mother. He inquired of a folk priest about her and was told that she had not yet reached heaven. The family wanted to do something to help her. In folk religion, people burn hell money, offer food, and pay a priest to say special prayers and perform rituals to assist people to reach heaven and rest. Since their mother had been a Christian, they came back to us for assistance. In a service in the oldest sons home, we shared some thoughts from the Bible on what happens when a believer dies and encouraged the children to follow their mothers faith. We affirmed to them that their mother was safe in heaven with Jesus, and they could meet her again by trusting in her Savior. Our church is located on the sixth and seventh floors of an apartment building. A man came on a Tuesday to do some repairs to the building. Our ladies were meeting in their regular weekly fellowship on that day. When the man, Mr. Yang, came to the sixth floor where the ladies were meeting, he suddenly became very weak and felt like he was going to fall down. After finishing his work, he asked one of our local pastors to go downstairs with him to make sure he got down safely. Then he shared some things about himself. He said that he has been told that he is like a magnet for spirits. (We would call them evil spirits.) When he came into the church, it was a pure place and the spirits all left him, leaving him weak. He asked some very serious questions and our local pastor answered them and prayed for him. He lives in a neighboring city but the local pastor hopes to keep in touch with him. Let us leave you with some prayer requests: 1. Our daughter Joy as she studies in France; our son David as he thinks about his future. 2. Mr. Yang that he will continue to seek the truth and open his heart to the Gospel. 3. Our church Christmas program this is usually a big event with many unbelievers attending and hearing the Gospel. Love in Christ, Bradley & Anita