Road Rules: Look Left, Right, Front, Back and Oh Yeah, Up!

Where in the World is D?

Looking Up and Saying... DUH!

OK, I know I promised no more stories on Taiwan traffic but this is REALLY important.

You've heard say or read my comments about the traffic here in Jhongli. Comments like, "People drive like Freddie Kruger on Crack!" Or "Taiwan traffic is not for the faint of heart" or "I said a prayer of Thanks because I didn't die crossing the street." (I actually do this several times a day.) In all seriousness, the traffic is not joking matter. I saw two scooter accidents on Sunday. Yesterday I was almost hit by a scooter, but here's why, and this is very common; It was 7:30 PM, the driver Did NOT have their light on AND was wearing a tinted visor. Even though I have taken to wear WHITE shirts at night, I can't see you with no lights on and she/he certainly didn't see my me in all my Blackness, white shirt or no. So, when crossing the street, I look forward, I look left I look right and I look behind me, because having a scooter follow you across the street only to whip around you on your blind side so they can make a left hand turn is very common. (People back home have no idea what I'm talking about, but I guarantee every Taiwanese person reading this knows Exactly what I'm talking about.) You understand why I thank the Lord just to go 50 feet without dying.

You also know I walk every everywhere. A big part of my routine is going to and from work. At every corner I look left, right, front and behind. I see the same things everyday. And EVERYDAY I come to the corner of Yanping and Jung Ping Roads. I look left. There's the Organic Food Store. I look right. There's lots of shops. I look forward. There's the Little Green Man (He is Animated. Which is TOTALLY COOL!) telling me I can cross the street. I go on to work without thinking. I come home the same way, except now the Organic Food store is on the right and there's a LOT more traffic and people to negotiate.

Saturday I was rather bummed about some personal stuff. The usual stuff for me; How are the boys, Why can't I get everything to work right all at same time, but the big thing on my mind was am I doomed to walk the rest of my life "alone" (without a mate.) When I get like this, I like to take a prayer walk. It's calming. So as I'm wander the streets of Jhongli like some sort of ghost, I take a path I never before. Instead of going straight at Jung Ping Rd. I turn left at the Organic Food store. I walk all of 40 feet when I hear Christian music. It's in Chinese, but the style is completely recognizable to me. I stand across the street and watch for a long time. I was asked to go sit on a stool several times and decline. I'm comfortable watching and standing by this nice safe pole. After a while this group, lead by Lia, comes over and hauls me over to the seats. They have no idea what's going on in my head or my emotional state, but I acquiesce. They are not to be denied!

Remember that Organic Food store I see twice a day as I'm looking left and right for and arrant scooters or cars? Well, it never dawned on my to look UP!! If I would have looked up I would have seen this.......DUDE!!

I found my church home.

And like so many things that I've looked for over extended periods of time, it was right in front of me all along. The timing was perfect. I told Yi-Wen, the group leader, it was no accident I wandered by on Saturday. It was their first time doing something on the street.

So I needed to look up both literally and metaphorically. I will never understand God's timing. But I don't really care. I found wonderful Brother's and Sister's in Christ. A few people suggested that they could help me find an English church. My response was, "You don't want me to go to church here?" with a smile. "Oh no, I mean yes we want you" or something like that.

Thus begins a new chapter in this adventure. I'm sure more wonderful stories are on the way.