Coronavirus 2020 update (or: The month we cancelled everything)
By the Reedy family in Taiwan —
Here’s an update from the heart of Asia about the coronavirus and how it has been impacting our lives and the lives of some of our coworkers over the past several weeks.
The novel coronavirus arose at perhaps the worst possible time, over Lunar New Year, the most important holiday in Chinese culture. During this time, the world’s largest migration occurs, moving people around and allowing the virus to travel with them.
Taiwan, where we live, and China have a long and complex relationship, but are culturally and economically linked, resulting in the need for much travel back and forth. Though fewer than 20 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in Taiwan, our dense population means that the country must take steps to avoid the swift spread of the virus. This has resulted in some changes in the everyday life of those of us who live in Taiwan.
Because local schools have extended their Chinese New Year break, our daughter’s international school also shut down its physical campus. She and many other SEND missionary children are doing online learning at home. This has a ripple effect as we parents rearrange our schedules to be home with our young scholars.
The universities where we work have also delayed the start of their next semesters, so we will not be in face-to-face contact with our students for some time.
Further, a training session for new SEND missionary appointees was scheduled to start next week in the Philippines. When the Philippines banned all flights from China and Taiwan, this training had to be postponed.
One family of co-workers who live closer to the breakout has returned to the States for the time being and are undergoing a two-week quarantine. Their children did develop fevers, but tested negative for coronavirus, praise the Lord! Other friends have found themselves unable to go home due to travel restrictions.
We are thankful that we can still be out and about getting groceries and other necessities, although we have been asked to wear masks to church. Warnings and hand sanitizer are seen in many public places. To enter some spaces, you must first have your temperature taken. A general atmosphere of fear pervades among many of our Taiwanese friends.
Throughout these inconveniences and much rescheduling, we have sensed the Lord asking us, “When things don’t go as planned, what will your response be?” We admit that our response has often been frustration, impatience, anger, and complaints. Will we trust him that the doors that he closes are just as important as the doors that he opens?
When our plans are disrupted, will we be thankful to our Father who persists in his plans and purposes for us? We now have the very real opportunity to live out Proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Please pray for us that we can live in a way that pleases God in a difficult situation.
And of course, our inconveniences pale in comparison to the difficulties that are now being faced by so many. Please join us in praying:
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Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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