The 2005 Weber-Johnson Christmas Letter

Dear friends, family, and supporters,

On the first Sunday in Advent, we stepped out the door of our apartment to find that the poinsettia bush that droops over our front walk had, unbeknownst to us, begun to put forth its first red petals. You might say that we were a little surprised to discover that the towering bush we had been passing under for months was in fact a poinsettia. In the weeks following that first encounter we have watched as those tentative flames grew into the blazing vermillion blooms that have come to signify the arrival of Christmas. In many ways it has been surprising to discover not just the poinsettia but also to discover Christmas in our new home. In Taiwan Christmas comes almost as an afterthought, thrown into the “Holidays” as a sort of warm-up to Chinese New Year; sort of like Thanksgiving is to Christmas in the States. Without many of the cultural cues and reminders that Christmas is upon us, we have at moments completely forgotten that the holiday was coming. Then, out of the blue something like the poinsettia happens and we are reminded anew that indeed it is Christmas.


One of the ways we have been reminded that Christmas is coming has been through our involvement with the Chaplain’s Department at St. John’s University. Rather than skip straight from Halloween into Christmas, we have invited all of the faculty and staff of St. John’s to participate in the celebration of Advent. Prior to the beginning of the season the Chaplain’s department distributed Advent wreaths to every departmental office on campus. One morning per week we go to each office to light the next Advent candle, sing songs, and pray for the individuals that work there.

Members of Advent Church at the blessing of a new home. It was a great party and a wonderful way to start the Advent season with our church.

Another reminder came to us through the generous spirit of the Student Fellowship at St. John’s University who in conjunction with members of Advent Church, and various members of the Staff Fellowship held their annual Christmas charity rummage sale. It was a fun event with the loudspeakers blaring all our favorite Christmas songs and students bundled up to ward off the fifty degree weather. We joined with the students, parishioners, and faculty who woke early, erected tents, and prepared food for the event that lasted most of the morning and into the afternoon. Judging by the smiles and the empty food booths at the end of the day, we’d say it was a success. A highlight to the day was when Jered bribed a coworker into buying a pan of chocolate-chip cookie bars he had made. A news reporter on hand to cover the charity photographed his sale and interviewed our priest about the “foreigner” and his pan of dessert. We all had a good laugh.

Students crowd the main avenue through campus to browse the many food booths and rummage sale items.

Of course, Christmas reminders can come in odd ways too. Both of us were quite sick for two or three days following some of the busiest weeks of our time in Taiwan, and we had to miss two days of work as a result. We were blown away by the generosity of the community here; the whole two days our doorbell never stopped ringing, and we are still trying to finish all of the food that was brought to our doorstep. In addition, blankets, coats, hats, scarves and even a small portable heater were brought by our concerned Taiwanese friends who thought the temperature dip into the fifties might have been the culprit for our sudden illness. Whatever the cause, the generosity of our friends, neighbors, and coworkers here became another tangible reminder of the giving spirit of Christmas.

This is what 50 degrees farenheit looks like in Taiwan. Friends Da Ma and Yu Hai (foreground) huddle over their steaming cups of soup at the recent Christmas Rummage Sale.

The season continues to rumble on ahead and we continue to try to keep up. Erin has been busy in her work with the department of International Cooperation hosting visitors from schools in Australia, Vietnam, and the University of Illinois all in the past month. Erin also arranged for 2 representatives from Haiti to visit that ended in a partnership agreement between then St. John’s University and University Episcopal of Haiti. This Saturday Jered will preach his first ever sermon at Advent Church for a wedding. It seems that every night there is another event, party, service, or program, and we revel in the opportunities to join our new community in the celebration of Christ’s birth.

Erin keeps busy as part time pianist at Advent Church.

Live in studio... We both keep busy with various projects; this time recording an english lesson for neighboring Tamkang University.

Perhaps one of the most meaningful gifts we received came from one of our students named Max. Last night he presented us with a simple nativity he had purchased at a Christian store. Max is Buddhist and has been a faithful member of our Bible study and book study. The sensitivity that he showed in finding the gift and realizing its importance to us was profoundly touching, especially as he is a student and his money is limited. He will be joining us on Christmas Eve and we look forward to celebrating with all new friends together.

Recently we joined the Student Fellowship on a spiritual retreat weekend. Here one of the students takes a reflective moment at the feet of the Holy Mother.

We are very, very grateful for all the cards, gifts, and thoughtful reminders from you our friends back in the States who continue to generously support us in our work as missionaries. Without you, we are humbly reminded, we could not be here.

All of your reminders arranged under our Advent Wreath in our apartment.
It is our sincere hope that as we celebrate the reality of the Word made flesh, that he would bloom in your lives in new and surprising ways. God’s blessings to each of you and …

Merry Christmas!

Jered and Erin Weber-Johnson