Emerge : “ to come into view or notice , as from concealment or obscurity ” ( dictionary . com ) … in this case , the emergence of young people who have special needs and are often excluded from activities . These children now have the opportunity to join a group of friends who play baseball and do other fun activities together . Through connections made in the U . S . last year , OMS Taiwan missionaries Rod and Beth Williamson have started an inclusive baseball league in Hualien , Taiwan , called the Overcomers Baseball League . Thirty-four individuals with special needs , ages 11 to 31 , gather every Saturday morning for eight weeks each year and play baseball .
The goals of the league are simple :
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
• Invite those with special needs , no matter their ages , to participate in a baseball game that is modified for their abilities and designed for their enjoyment .
• Give families time to rest from caregiving and watch their children play while visiting with other families who share this caretaking experience .
• Provide an opportunity for Christian volunteers to help make their churches more inclusive for people with special needs , giving the individuals and their families the opportunity to hear the Gospel .
Both leadership and participants have seen that they can trust God to help them with baseball . We pray that this positive experience will prepare them to trust God with their lives .
Can We Go Yet ?
“ Are we there yet ?” This common phrase , heard by many parents while on a long road trip , also resonates with missionaries around the world . After the last couple of years of living with COVID-19 restrictions , OMS ’ phrase has been , “ Can we go yet ?” Although each country has been different , many in the Asia / Pacific region have had strict rules and have not allowed foreigners in at all . This means new missionaries coming to our fields and many itinerating missionaries involved in church planting have been eager for borders to reopen . This is finally happening , so we praise God and celebrate with families like the Roennfeldts , who are finally in Japan after two long years of planning , booking and rebooking flights , and waiting on God ’ s timing .
9,976 worshiping groups 88,070 decisions 42,634 baptisms
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