The storyteller’s bag
Aaron’s bag is small and usually resides on a hook on the wall. Whenever we go out, the bag is ready to go too.
The bag has:
- A Bible for reading with someone, or giving to someone.
- Tissue paper for blowing noses, et cetera
- Mini-Bibles, each having about four chapters of the Bible, for giving away. These were produced by OMF to look like Buddhist tracts so they didn’t feel or look foreign. People are more willing to accept and read a small booklet with a large font. A whole Bible might seem quite daunting and they may never begin reading it. As people continue in their interest, we then give whole Bibles.
- Question cards to help discussion after telling a Bible story.
- Business cards. A lot of Taiwanese people have business cards. Ours have links to a website with Bible stories.
- Notepad and pen. For writing notes especially sharing phone numbers and names. We don’t remember Chinese names that easily.
Recently we found the bamboo shoot seller again. He had heard two stories in the past. The week before last we visited him and chatted. Aaron told him the story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar from the book of Genesis, chapter 16. We quickly discussed it but Aaron had forgotten his bag that day so couldn’t leave him with anything.
Last week, we were out and Aaron saw the bamboo shoot seller on the side of the road. We stopped to chat and because Aaron had his bag, he left a mini-Bible with the story of Noah.
We keep asking God for continued opportunities to meet the bamboo shoot man and to keep telling him Bible stories. He has been helpful even with language, telling Aaron how to say things properly. We thank God for his language help and ask especially for good conversations about the stories.
We have been regularly visiting a coffee shop in the middle of the markets. The wife is a Christian but the husband is not. Last week Aaron told him the story of the snake deceiving the man and woman from the book of Genesis, chapter 3.
“What does it mean that the woman’s descendant will become the snake’s head?”, the man asked.
“Oh, I said it wrong. I meant to say that the woman’s descendant will hit the snake’s head,” Aaron said.
“I can’t work it out. What does that mean?”
“Well, we don’t need to answer that right now. The later stories might answer that question.”
We left him a mini-Bible with the creation story from the beginning of the Bible. He said that next time he’ll ask Aaron about any questions he has. We ask God to work in the coffee shop boss’ mind and heart through whatever parts of the Bible he has heard.
