More Precious than Gold Why I Came to Taiwan

I ’ ve always been a dreamer … but coming to Taiwan was something that I never dreamed of!

I didn ’ t start out as an English teacher …

Before I came to Taiwan, my job was exploring for … GOLD!

People ask me if I ever found any …

Well, yes … Here ’ s what left after they took out the gold … Santa Rosa Mine, Canazas, Panama (abandoned)

I grew up in Easton, Maryland

a small town on the Chesapeake Bay …

Chesapeake Blue Crabs are our specialty … But we only eat males!

The Talbot The Talbot County courthouse County courthouse

The Tidewater Inn

I ’ m the oldest of seven children. Our family in 1980

As the oldest child, I always took myself seriously … As the oldest child, I always took myself seriously …

On the school bus, I used to dream about becoming a U.S. senator! On the school bus, I used to dream about becoming a U.S. senator!

I became a Christian when I was 15 years old — after I heard a 22- heroin addict tell how Jesus had set him free. I became a Christian when I was 15 years old — after I heard a 22- heroin addict tell how Jesus had set him free.

I was baptized in the Chesapeake Bay …

That was in 1971, in the hippie era —

and the “ Jesus People ” days.

But I still went on planning my own life. But I still went on planning my own life.

I went to Lawrence University in Wisconsin … I went to Lawrence University in Wisconsin …

where my great-grandfather had been a professor … Trever Hall (dormitory)

That ’ s where I fell in love with geology That ’ s where I fell in love with geology

When I graduated, I headed off to the University of Arizona to become a real “ field geologist ”

I did my thesis research in a place called “ Happy Valley ”…

But those times weren ’ t always happy. I started to learn about going to God first for guidance.

When I finished my masters, I took a job with a mineral exploration company.

Standing on the trend of the “ Veta Madre ” silver deposit (Guanajuato, Mexico)

I spent most of the next 8 years looking for gold …

(but interpreting along the way … I had always loved foreign languages!)

For two years, I worked in Panama …

At the Tunel La Gringa prospect (Panama)

The “ Darien Gap, ” a roadless area between North and South America

Old locomotive at the Espiritu Santo Mine, eastern Panama

One day, as I was driving through Nevada ’ s Big Smoky Valley, I told myself I just wasn ’ t a “ people person ”…

Two weeks later, in a church service, the pastor stopped his message and spoke to me directly: “ God wants you to know — He is going to make you into a people person …” Two weeks later, in a church service, the pastor stopped his message and spoke to me directly: “ God wants you to know — He is going to make you into a people person …”

From then on, I began to pray about leaving my job …

In 1990, I came to Taiwan with a group called “ Youth With A Mission ”

I met a Canadian pastor in Tainan who asked me to stay and help his church …

… and the rest is history!

I taught at Chang Jung Girls ’ School for 9 years.

The first year, I had more than 400 students!

This is my twenty-first year in Taiwan.

My old company wouldn ’ t drill a target unless it had a potential for 1 million ounces of gold …

But I ’ m what I ’ m doing now is worth far more than that!