March 24, 1997 – it is a very important day. It started at 3:00 am; but to be really honest; it started yesterday afternoon at 2:00 pm...
We are in a big white car, a new car. It is one of those cars that normal people like me only buy in dreams. It’s trying to find its way through thousands of cars and scooters that are trying to copy the ants. Have you ever been to Taiwan? If you have, you’ll know what I mean. If you haven’t, use your imagination freely…
The “we” I talk about, is two of my Taiwanese friends and myself. Our destiny is Ali Sun. “Ali” is the name of the mountain and “sun” is the Chinese word for mountain. For those of you who love nature; who understand the voice and emotions of nature - for you this will be a small piece of heaven on earth! It is really enchanting, especially now in spring when all the trees are flirting with their flowers. And of course, the beauty that awaits you, makes you patient for the two hours battling through the giant ant nest! Mainly scooters with quarrelsome sounds!
Finally you received your reward at 4:00 pm. You are bubbling over with joy. Little do you know that you have nothing to exuberant about, yet!
First we went to our hotel. You must be there to really understand the elegance of it. I can tell you this: somewhere in the past, this hotel paid a visit to Japan. The style is a witness there off. How ever, you feel happy and at home. Then we used the best bus on earth, bus number 11 to the “god-tree” (if you look downward to your legs, you’ll find the number 11 bus).
The “god-tree” is not a tree people pray too, but in the Chinese languages/culture they call a very old tree a god-tree. This specific tree on Ali mountain is very old, really very, very tall and extraordinary wide. Eight people barley touches hands when they circle around the tree. It is a must for every eye! It’s amazing and forcing you to bow in worship. Not to the tree, but to the true God of Heaven Who created this tree!
We forced ourselves back to reality. It is late and no good time for three pretty young girls, like us, to be outside in the dark. It was not dark, but soon it would be. So obediently we followed the trial back to the hotel. It is really hard to stay in touch with reality when you find your self in nature you know. The trial was full of curves. We were just coming around one, when the sunset stole our breaths away. We just had to wait, our eyes wouldn’t even blink … it was really awesome! The rest of the way we walked in the silence of the dawn. Inside of us was no fear for any evil, because a Mighty Shepherd had led us beside quiet pastures.
We had to sleep. God said: “Six days shall you work and one day shall you rest” I think He also means that sixty present of the day you must work, the rest you must rest. So we did, we slept for 4 hours. At 3:00 am we resided, but did not shine!
We hurried to the train. I had to use my hands to keep my mouth in position. Man! (or shall I say: woman!) , there was thousands and thousands of people waiting upon the train to take them to the sunrise house on top of the mountain. And more thousands were climbing to the top This is crazy, I thought, please don’t tell anyone! Why would people, thousands of them; get up at 3:00 am to see the sun rise at 6:35. Back home (South Africa for me) you almost have to pay people a million dollars to get up at 6:34 to watch the sunrise with you. But here it is another story. Let me tell you…
When we reached the top, thousands of people were selling food, special classes to watch the sunrise with and all kinds of things that had nothing to do with the sunrise. There was this man that led us humorously to 6:34. Of course I don’t understand Chinese, but everybody was laughing them self to death!
6:34 – a quiet quietness rested in everybody. No soul moved, no breath dared to blow the sun away! Every body quietly waits for the sun. Thunders of applause awakes my sleeping soul – God we are selling your sun if that is okay with You!!!!
Easy by Willa Potgieter
English Bible Center of the SDA Church
Taiwan, ROC 3 April 1997
After word: It is now 2009! I have to share that two months after our trip to Ali Sun, the “god-tree” sadly tumbled down to the ground. It became too heavy and old. I've also learned Mandarin –
Chinese in the years I lived in Taiwan – my second home!
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