Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and together with Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival forms one of the three major Chinese holidays. Since the summer is a time when diseases most easily spread, Dragon Boat Festival began as an occasion for driving off evil spirits and pestilence and for finding peace in one’s life. The festival was later enriched by the legend of the patriot Chu Yuan.

Dragon Boat Festival is highlighted by the dragon boat races, in which competing teams drive their boats forward rowing to the rhythm of pounding drums. This lively and colorful tradition has continued unbroken for centuries to the present day.

The festival’s significance as a time for warding off evil and disease is symbolized by a number of customary practices such as hanging calamus and moxa on the front door, and pasting up pictures of the god, Chung Kuei (a nemesis of evil spirits). Adults drink hsiung huang wine and children are given fragrant sachets, both of which are said to possess qualities for preventing evil and bringing peace. Another custom practiced in Taiwan is “fetching noon water,” in which people draw well water on the afternoon of the festival in the belief that it will cure illness. And if you can successfully stand an egg on its end exactly at 12:00 noon, then the coming year will be a lucky one.

The most popular dish during Dragon Boat Festival is tzung tzu, originally eaten in memory of the patriot Chu Yuan, but gradually evolving into a snack eaten during normal occasions as well. Tzung tzu are made with sticky rice and fillings of mushrooms, pork, shrimp and this is then wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed. Quite tasty depending on who made them and what contents they added to the rice!! Each person has a family recipe it seems.

Of all the major holidays celebrated in China, Dragon Boat Festival has the longest history. Occurring at the beginning of summer when insects thrive, the festival was distinguished from other occasions in earlier days as a time for reminding family members to take care of their health. The Chinese continue to heed this wisdom, however, by replacing the traditional customs of hanging calamus and moxa, drinking hsiung huang wine, and giving sachets, with more advanced methods for protecting one’s health. ….

MORE ON CHU YUAN…. Chu Yuan was a patriotic statesman who lived in the state of Chu over 2,200 years ago during the Warring States period. He remonstrated with the King of Chu on many occasions, expounding on the state of the nation. When he could nothing about the fact that the King of Chu believed accounts of lesser officials, and feeling that he could no longer save the nation from the turbulence into which it had fallen, Chu Yuan took his life by jumping into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Some say that people raced in boats to retrieve his body from the river and keep to keep the fish from eating his body, it is said that tsung tzu were thrown into the river to satisfy the fish. Chu Yuan’s patriotism is remembered every year on this day by eating tsung tzu and holding dragon boat races. Since Chu Yuan was also a famous poet, the day is also known as Poet’s Day.

LOOK OUT BEIJING 2008!!

Katrina’s year of TaeKwonDo class is coming to an end. She began last fall with 45 other students in grades 1 through 5. By the end of the present term there were about 35 students left. They had 2 classes of students divided according to their skill level OR according to the level each student has mastered in TaeKwonDo. Each class had at least 30 students. We know little about this sport other than this, that at the Athens Olympics Taiwan won 2 gold medals in TaeKwonDo. Because of the Olympic success TaeKwonDo has been very popular here and there is training underway for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Each student starts at the WHITE belt level and so that was where Katrina began. The following levels are : YELLOW, BLUE and RED ….and the 10th level is the BLACK BELT. Notice the black belt worn by the Coach in the photo! There are intermediate levels also distinguished by color. For example after WHITE, the next level is YELLOW. Following YELLOW is a YELLOW/BLUE Belt and then the next level is ALL BLUE. Katrina and one other classmate out of the 35 were bumped from WHITE to YELLOW/BLUE while the remaining 30+ students were only given the YELLOW Belt.

Katrina (as a 1st grader) and one other student (a 3rd grader) were the only two to advance to the YELLOW/BLUE level. An additional prize for being advanced was that they got to shake the coach’s hand (an honor here) and the coach also praised them for their skills. We are looking at getting Katrina into an advanced program in preparation for the 2008 Olympics!

Each fall the VFW has a contest for middle school students. The students write articles on a given topic. Three students from each school are awarded prizes for the best entries and the best of the 3 move on to a regional and then national contest in the US. Hannah won 3rd Place for her school, Morrison Academy, Taichung. Way to go, Hannah! (what follows is her article)

Patriot Teachers

Who are today’s patriots? Some might say the president or brave soldiers. I would say today’s patriots are teachers. Many patriot teachers not only serve as model citizens but they also educate students on how to be productive citizens as they teach students young and old about their country, government and the responsibilities they have as citizens. The teachers of today’s society are Patriot Teachers!

Patriot teachers are very good models for today’s children to follow. Students see their teachers and take note of what they do and say. Teachers show students how to interact with others, become better people, organize their lives, manage time, and how to grow to become stronger and more independent individuals. Teachers shape students to become productive citizens that seek to strengthen the society.

Teaching patriotism is done in different ways. Patriot teachers display the standard for patriotism. Some teachers arrange community service activities to show students that even one small deed done to help others can change their world and open students’ eyes to the needs of their community. Some teachers may set a patriotic example by encouraging students to contribute money for tragic events such as Hurricane Katrina. Others might display patriotism by teaching about and then holding moments of silence for sad moments in our national history. Teachers teach us about our government and country and our role in it.

Basic instruction about our country and government is taught by teachers. Teachers educate students on their country’s history and how it has come to be the way it is today. They teach their students about historic events that have molded and changed their government to be the way it is now and how its decisions influence their lives. By educating students on their country and government teachers show students why they should be proud to be Americans.

In conclusion, I believe that today’s patriots are teachers. The teachers of today’s society are important role models for students! As they educate children about their country and government they teach students how to be patriotic citizens. In sixth grade I was privileged to be taught by a strong patriotic teacher who once said; “I wanted to be a teacher because I thought that it would be an honor to know I had a part in educating someone that in turn used their knowledge to help others in this country.”

The Little Fish, is the nickname that baby Lin has. His Chinese name is Lin Jr-U and the Jr-U sounds like the Mandarin for Fish. Jr-U’s parents, Helen and Jack, were proud to bring their second son for baptism on May 21. Four years ago I had the honor of presiding over Jack and Helen’s wedding. A year ago on Easter I had the honor of baptizing their first son. God is good. Through baptism God gives his grace to us. The blessings of baptism, faith and forgiveness, come to us because of God’s love. A trip to the village church is always enjoyable!

The village church, Everlasting Happiness Lutheran Church, is named after the village that it is in. Average worship is about 15 people. This village, like villages everywhere, is not able to keep nor attract young families. The young workers flock to the big cities for job opportunities. It’s pure and simple economics. The village population itself only boasts a few hundred people. Although the village situation does not seem to offer much opportunity for growth in the church the leaders and members are optimistic.

Evangelist Lin shared with me their hopes for this year. They are in the process of doing some church roof repair to fix water leaks. After that they will repaint and spuce up the interior. This work is being done to prepare for hosting a weekly Mom’s Group and a weekly Community Youth Group activity beginning this fall. Through these activities they hope to get to know their neighbors better and have more opportunity to share God’s blessings with these people.

Pray for this small group of Christians in the village that they may use the opportunities that are before them to share the love of God with other villagers!

Psalm 23:1 ??23:1
????????????????
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Ps 23:2
?????????????????????
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

Ps 23:3
?????????????????????
he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Ps 23:4
??????????????????????????????????????
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Ps 23:5
????????????????????????????????
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Ps 23:6
????????????????????????????????
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.