Coronavirus 2020 update (or: The month we cancelled everything)

UPDATES | ASIA
February 2020

By the Reedy family in Taiwan — Here’s an update from the heart of Asia about the coronavirus and how it has been impacting our lives and the lives of some of our coworkers over the past several weeks.

The novel coronavirus arose at perhaps the worst possible time, over Lunar New Year, the most important holiday in Chinese culture. During this time, the world’s largest migration occurs, moving people around and allowing the virus to travel with them.

Taiwan, where we live, and China have a long and complex relationship, but are culturally and economically linked, resulting in the need for much travel back and forth. Though fewer than 20 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in Taiwan, our dense population means that the country must take steps to avoid the swift spread of the virus. This has resulted in some changes in the everyday life of those of us who live in Taiwan.

Because local schools have extended their Chinese New Year break, our daughter’s international school also shut down its physical campus. She and many other SEND missionary children are doing online learning at home. This has a ripple effect as we parents rearrange our schedules to be home with our young scholars.

The universities where we work have also delayed the start of their next semesters, so we will not be in face-to-face contact with our students for some time.

Further, a training session for new SEND missionary appointees was scheduled to start next week in the Philippines. When the Philippines banned all flights from China and Taiwan, this training had to be postponed.

One family of co-workers who live closer to the breakout has returned to the States for the time being and are undergoing a two-week quarantine. Their children did develop fevers, but tested negative for coronavirus, praise the Lord! Other friends have found themselves unable to go home due to travel restrictions.

We are thankful that we can still be out and about getting groceries and other necessities, although we have been asked to wear masks to church. Warnings and hand sanitizer are seen in many public places. To enter some spaces, you must first have your temperature taken. A general atmosphere of fear pervades among many of our Taiwanese friends.

Throughout these inconveniences and much rescheduling, we have sensed the Lord asking us, “When things don’t go as planned, what will your response be?” We admit that our response has often been frustration, impatience, anger, and complaints. Will we trust him that the doors that he closes are just as important as the doors that he opens?

When our plans are disrupted, will we be thankful to our Father who persists in his plans and purposes for us? We now have the very real opportunity to live out Proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Please pray for us that we can live in a way that pleases God in a difficult situation.

And of course, our inconveniences pale in comparison to the difficulties that are now being faced by so many. Please join us in praying:

  • For healing for the sick. We know from the gospels that Jesus has power over every disease.
  • For comfort for those who have lost loved ones due to this virus.
  • For the medical staff who are hard at work caring for the sick, even at the risk of their own lives.
  • For all the people who are living under strict quarantine, that all of their needs would be met.
  • For the growth of the gospel in Asia. We believe that God can use difficult circumstances for his purposes, so please join us in praying that this crisis will nudge the hearts of people towards Jesus instead of away from him.


God is at work in Asia like at no other point in history! Learn more about SEND’s teams in Asia.

Explore Asia

Additional Posts

By Erin Brown July 2, 2025
"This probably looks impossible, but you serve a God who is greater." These are the words of Abigail Niles, a young woman who followed the Lord to Romania.
By Diaspora North America June 29, 2025
March 7, 2025 Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution only to break it in less than a week? On March 1, 1.8 billion Muslims began their annual fasting month called Ramadan. They are supposed to fast completely—no water or food—during daylight hours from March 1–Mar 29. It begins with much fanfare, promises, and declarations, as fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims believe that faithfully keeping the fast ensures one’s place of favor with God. But many Muslims won’t be able to keep the fast through the whole 30 days. The reasons and excuses are myriad. Sometimes they will continue to claim to be fasting, but in reality, they are eating behind closed doors. To gain God’s favor, they must fast through the whole month, not just part of it. So, they live with the guilt and shame of not fulfilling the requirements of Islam. What was supposed to help gain their salvation now stands in condemnation. A Feast Within the Fast To complicate matters even more, Persian New Year’s Day is March 20, right in the middle of the fasting month. Persian New Year is one of the most important cultural holidays for most Iranian and Afghans, as well as many others with a Persian background scattered throughout Central Asia and the Middle East. In fact, many people with Persian heritage don’t just celebrate on one day. Their New Year’s celebrations extend over two weeks! How do they reconcile these two weeks of festivities within Ramadan? For Arab Muslims, it is a non-issue. But for the Persian world, it IS a struggle. The hard-core Taliban will try to push people to keep the fast. However, many will lean more towards keeping their more ancient pre-Islamic traditions of New Year’s. I would encourage you to take time to explore with your Muslim neighbors and colleagues why they fast. Then share why Christians fast. Perhaps read Isaiah 58 with them, summarize it, and ask for their thoughts on this passage. One more thing to note during Ramadan is the Night of Power. Each year, during Ramadan, on or about the 27th day of the month, there is a special time called the Night of Power. This year it will happen on or around March 26. Muslims believe the Night of Power is when Mohammad first received the revelations of the Quran from the Angel Gabriel. Prayers offered up by Muslims during Ramadan—especially prayers in a mosque—are believed to be weightier than prayers at any other time. However, prayers on this special Night of Power, prayed in a mosque, are considered infinitely more valuable than any other prayer. Many Muslims will stay up all night praying on the Night of Power to earn extra points with God. There is a small problem in all of this, though—Muslims can’t agree on which night is actually the Night of Power. It is sometime during the last ten days of Ramadan, with tradition stating that it is on the 26th or 27th night. There are several resources to help Christians and churches pray for the Muslim world through this month of Ramadan. I would encourage you to connect with some or all of them. Please make others in your church aware of these resources. Perhaps you could even host a special prayer time at your church, utilizing these resources. Ramadan 30-Day Prayer Guide Booklet – This can be purchased as a hard copy or PDF. Prayercast – A wonderful website with many videos on the Muslim world. If you sign up, you can receive daily prayer videos that also work great during a Sunday worship service to help raise awareness of the need for prayer for the Muslim world.
By Erin Brown June 25, 2025
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
Show More