The Impact of the GLS | Inspiring Youth in Taiwan to Become Seeds of Change

In 2015, the GLS will have been presented in seven cities in Taiwan: Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hsinchu, Taichung, Hualien and Taitung. As a new addition to this year’s Taiwan Summit series, a special “Youth Night” program was held on the first evening of the GLS in each city, with free admission for attendees 30 years of age and younger.

In Taipei, a special Youth Night program attracted more than 700 young leaders from churches across the Greater Taipei area. Describing the vision behind Youth Night, Reverend Mark Shia shared, “If we don’t actively help our young people come into their own today, it will be our churches that will be falling tomorrow!” Youth and Adult Ministry Pastor Yueh Wu shared that Taipei GLS Youth Night’s deeply inspirational program could “help the church’s young leaders make a real impact at their schools … It is truly wonderful!”

Two first-year high school students, Yung-chi and Li-ting of City Of Light Covenant Church, shared their excitement over the Youth Night experience. “TOMS’ buy-one- give-one story was so moving. Even though the program lost money for the first two years, Founder Blake Mycoskie held true to his principles. I think that was such a brave thing to do.”

San-hsien Pi, Shih-en Kao and Yi-tze Chen of Yungho Methodist Church shared, “We’ve heard about the TOMS shoes story before, but didn’t know that it had inspired Walgreens ‘Buy One, Give One Away’ campaign, which gave free polio and measles vaccinations to nine million children. We think that’s just fantastic!” They further said they would encourage their friends in other counties to attend the GLS Youth Night program.

Local leader Yu-jen Yang also spoke at the event, and shared his story about how he was only in his early 20s when he began “Old Shoes Save Lives,” a campaign that has already channeled several hundreds of thousand of shoes to needy children in Africa, keeping them safe from the often-debilitating infections caused by Chigoe flea infections. He said that despite his junior high school education, his special calling in life shows that God takes care of all who give their life to Him.

Yu-ting Su was impressed with Yu-jen’s story about blazing his own trail despite his young age. Yu-ting said his story has started her thinking about what she can do to help others.

The Reverend Mark Shia encouraged all church workers to encourage their young leaders to join in the GLS Youth Nights at the next six venues in Taiwan. The stories and Christian testimonies given by GLS speakers will help prepare and inspire Christian youth to become heavenly seeds of worldly change.