HINSDALE, IL – VOICE Missions is a Christian agency that opens doors for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ on the island nation of Taiwan.

What do they do?

VOICE Missions operates much differently than most Christian missionary organizations. Its name is an acronym for Visualizing Opportunities In Character and English

• VOICE missionaries serve as volunteers.
• VOICE missionaries are teachers of English as a second language with TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification.
• VOICE missionaries serve for either 6 or 11 months. Many serve multiple tours of duty.
• VOICE missionary candidates must prove that they can conduct themselves with integrity as self-sufficient, responsible adults.

What is more, qualified candidates do not have to raise support or bear any expenses for their travel to and from Taiwan or for their food and accommodations while serving in the country.

All expenses are paid for VOICE volunteers, including a daily stipend above and beyond normal living expenses.

How do they do that?

First of all, it is imperative that candidates clearly comprehend that serving in Taiwan with VOICE Missions is NOT a vacation.

“Every VOICE Missions volunteer has daily responsibilities to their sponsor, team, and schools. While there are plenty of opportunities for relaxation and fun, volunteers with VOICE Missions must be prepared to work hard and give of themselves during their time in Taiwan.”

Although Taiwan is not a third-world nation, missionary volunteers will have to replace comfort with sacrifice. They must understand that this is a Christ-sharing experience, not a place to be mentored in character or the Scriptures. Regardless, serving should be – and has proven to be – a time of spiritual growth as missionaries learn to rely more on the Lord than they may have been accustomed to before traveling to Taiwan.

“As missionaries, we face physical and spiritual difficulties that tend to magnify our sinful human nature. If you have a problem with anger, laziness, greed, lust, or any other sin, becoming a missionary will not fix these problems. Please do not look to VOICE Missions to fix what only Jesus can fix.”

In addition to TESOL in classroom and camp scenarios, VOICE missionaries commit to looking for any opportunity to make Jesus known. Taiwanese people in urban areas need to learn about Jesus just as much as aboriginal tribe members in the mountains do. Time has eroded much of the Christian heritage on the island. 93% of the people worship some hybrid form of Buddhism and Taoism in one of the 15.000 temples. Christians comprise a mere 6% of the population.

But, How Do They Pay for That?

The seeds for VOICE Missions were planted by Dr. Stephen Chen and Mr. Morgan Sun. Dr. Chen had moved from New York to Taiwan to establish a Taiwanese branch of the Institute of Basic Life Principles.

Over the next 20 years, Dr. Chen and Mr. Sun began opening local Character and English Institutes across Taiwan. The HTC Foundation, a non-profit arm of one of Taiwan’s largest tech companies, was a funding source for VOICE Missions TESOL teachers. In 2008, HTC became the mission’s largest supporter. Since 2017, HTC has been the sole source of funding for all VOICE Missions’ volunteers, making the ministry distinctly different than most.

The resoluteness with which the organization operates is evidenced in the opening pages of the VOICE Missions Handbook. Applicants are asked to examine themselves prior to participation.

“Know where you stand; know what you stand on; know Who you stand in. Your personal Mission Statement will not only set the tone for your year – it will also define your ministry.

With everything that our King wants to accomplish in and through our lives this year, we cannot afford to stall the process by choosing to walk in our flesh.”

That last sentence should really apply to all believers. In fact, it does.

Read more news on Taiwan, Faith Based Organizations and World Missions.