🏠 Pastor Jamie Tseng | BBPN Beit Simcha | April 29, 2026
On the evening of April 28, I hosted three backpackers from Israel—N, D, and R. They had only recently met one another on their journey, carrying the freshness of youth, freedom, and curiosity as they travelled through Taiwan and into our dinner table.
The atmosphere around the table was light and natural. N tried hot pot for the first time, fully attentive and joyfully enjoying every bite. R was quiet and gentle, often responding with a nod. D, however, was direct and deeply thoughtful. He asked right away, “Why do you love Israel? Why would you host us?” His question gently shifted the conversation from casual exchange into something far deeper.
I answered him that we want to give thanks to the Jewish people for preserving the Scriptures and for bringing the Messiah into the world. He listened quietly, and then shared his inner struggle—that even as a chosen people, they still wrestle with the meaning of that calling. In response, I gently said to them, “Because you are the most special.” And with a small smile I added, “If not for the Bible, if not for God, who would care so much about Israel?”
In that very moment, a Hebrew word suddenly rose within me—Mishpacha (family). I looked at them and spoke it aloud. Their eyes immediately lit up, and without hesitation they replied, “Yes, we are family.”
It was more than a word; it was a reality being unveiled. People from different nations, cultures, and backgrounds were suddenly connected around the same table, bound together by the same God.
As the conversation continued, we touched on history, war, political powers, and the complex realities between Taiwan and the Middle East. Topics that could easily carry tension instead flowed into a shared longing—the human desire for peace and for mutual understanding. They mentioned that although they did not support the Iranian regime, they did not hate the Iranian people. In that moment, we all nodded together. There was no argument, only a rare sense of resonance.
As the dinner drew to a close, I made use of the brief remaining time to give them a handcrafted gift—“Ning’s Aroma・Viva Massage Roll-On”—and also shared a prophetic blessing prayer from the “Voice of Burning Bush.” The three young men responded with eyes full of surprise and emotion, simple and childlike. R said this was one of the most beautiful experiences of his life. N was almost speechless in astonishment. D asked me earnestly to send him the written prayer. And I stood there in awe of God’s work—every open heart receiving the tangible, tender love of God.
When we left, I accompanied them to the MRT station and only then realized I had forgotten to bring the birthday hat I had prepared. Unexpectedly, N—tall and full of joy—put it on right there on the escalator, and the four of us laughed as we took a photo together inside the station. The moment was simple yet deeply real, carrying an unexplainable closeness and joy, like family.
That night, I came to a deeper realisation: the Gospel is not only to be preached, but to be embodied. When love takes visible form, when hospitality becomes action, human hearts can behold the invisible God. Truly, “family” has never merely been about blood ties, but about being recognised and joined together in God.
May the Lord continue to use our lives and our tables, that every traveller who comes among us may be connected in Him—moving from strangers into family, from brief encounters into deeper relationships. And may more backpackers, in seemingly ordinary meetings, truly encounter the God who is Love.
