The "American E Friend" project was started this past summer of 2004 as a means to teach English, as well as evangelize to the city and Aboriginal children of Taiwan. To teach English is in a sense, is to give many of these kids a chance for a decent future. Equipping them in English skills increases their chances greatly with some sort of job future. This is especially true of the Aboriginal groups, who have little to no opportunity for work because of their undereducation. This is a two week program taught in Mandarin and English and centers around bible songs, stories, and skits. It is the goal of this program to establish bonds with the children there through teaching them English and evangelize through the stories we teach and the time we spend with them. The teache... (more)

The "American E Friend" project was started this past summer of 2004 as a means to teach English, as well as evangelize to the city and Aboriginal children of Taiwan. To teach English is in a sense, is to give many of these kids a chance for a decent future. Equipping them in English skills increases their chances greatly with some sort of job future. This is especially true of the Aboriginal groups, who have little to no opportunity for work because of their undereducation. This is a two week program taught in Mandarin and English and centers around bible songs, stories, and skits. It is the goal of this program to establish bonds with the children there through teaching them English and evangelize through the stories we teach and the time we spend with them. The teachers are missionaries from the United States and they work with mothers from the host church, Lin Liang Church of Nantou, to monitor the progress and needs of each individual child. After the camp, the missionaries return to the states to begin the "E phase" of the camp. Through e-mail, phone conversations, and webcams, we continue to keep contact with the kids and reinforce teachings throughout the year. It is the love that God has given all of us, that we want to continue to pass onto the kids and have them know and trust God. This is our primary goal. Most importantly, amongst all the coordinators and teachers, the one person that overlooks and plans this camp is God. The planning has all been from God and He has made so many things possible through this camp. None of this would have been possible without Him and He has given us, the missionaries as well as the children, strength, providence, and direction. He loves us so that we can love others.

『American E Friend』計畫在民國 93 年的暑假開始，其主旨就是教英文還有傳福音給南投市和住在山區的原住民小朋友。 英文教學從另一個角度來看的話其實就是給予這些小朋友在未來有更好的機會。 讓這些小朋友有某種程度的英文能力可以大幅增加他們以後的就業機會。 而這一點對我們的原住民同胞來說其實是含有特殊意義的。原住民的教育水準，因為環境的關係，普遍沒有達到市區居民的理想。 也因為這樣，原住民同胞比較沒有就業機會。

此計畫是兩個禮拜的教學，我們在課堂內是以中文和英文混合的模式來教學生的。重點是聖詩、聖經故事、以及戲劇。 而計畫的最終目的就是跟小朋友們建立起良好的關係，實行英文教學，並且運用我們跟小朋友們在一起的時間講故事和傳福音。 老師們都是從美國來的，他們跟主辦單位【南投靈糧堂】的媽媽們一起看顧和照顧每一位小朋友。

當夏令營結束的時候，老師們〈短宣隊隊員們〉就回美國並且開始本計畫的另一個階段 ─ 『E Phase』。『E Phase』基本上就是利用電子郵件、電話、和 webcam 來跟小朋友們保持聯絡，甚至在網上繼續上課。 我們的理想最重要的地方就是把上帝的愛傳給這些小朋友們，並且讓他們了解和相信 神。 不可忽略的事實是，在所有的老師還有同工當中， 神才是在準備此計畫跟看顧夏令營最重要的角色。 所有的計畫都是出於神的美意，而藉著祂的帶領，本營才有辦法完成其之使命。 沒有 神的帶領的話，此計畫就無法完成了，因為祂給了我們這些老師、短宣隊隊員、同工、以及小朋友們力量、照顧、和方向。 祂愛我們，好讓我們能夠去愛其他的人。 (less)