July 4, 2010
Reported by Chen Wei-chien
Written by Lydia Ma

Many Christian parents in Taiwan agonize over whether they should send their kids to cram schools or church small group meetings during weekends – especially when there's a time conflict.

This year, Chang Yuan-cheng, first-place finisher in the Technological & Vocational Education Test and Nei-shin Presbyterian Church member, has a compelling testimony to make on this dilemma: In his three years of high school, he never went to a cram school, never skipped a church gathering to study for a test, simply went with the flow of his school, and landed in first place overall.

Chang is a student at National Feng-Yuan Commercial High School. He scored well enough in his exams this year to earn a spot at Taiwan Normal University. Chang and his twin brother and another elder sister are the only Christians in his family. He will be baptized in August of this year.

Chang said he didn't like to study when he was in junior high school, often frequented internet cafes, and came home late. When he first went to church during his first year of senior high school at the invitation of his twin, and saw how church youth lived and studied with passion, he was awestruck by their lives and began attending church regularly.

In the past three years, his church attendance never fluctuated. He always attended youth fellowship meetings and Sunday services – exam or no exam. Looking back, he believes the church has impacted his life in big ways in the past few years and he wouldn't have come this far if it weren't for his church.

According to Nei-Shin Presbyterian Church's pastor, Rev. Wang Fu-hsiang, the church has about 120 members, half of them youth. Impressively enough, out of the church's 14 high school seniors this year, 10 were accepted to a public university even though none of them attended cram schools. With the support of their church community, every youth at Nei-Shin has keys to the church so that they may go to the church to pray, meet, play ball, rehearse any time. The church is an integral part of their lives. Their pastor's only insistence is that every one of them be home before 11:00 p.m.

According to Wang, Chang's family is struggling financially. Chang's sister has suspended her studies to earn money toward another year of tuition fees. Chang and his twin brother's college tuition fees will become a big financial burden for the family.

Wang hopes Christians can financially support Chang and his siblings so that they won't have to quit school over lack of money to pay tuition. He urges those willing to give an offering to help them to contact the church.

Taiwan Church News