I’ve written about Dr. Frank Dennis before. His stories of adventures as an orthopaedic surgeon in Taiwan are always inspiring. Frank is about to turn 95, and I received this email “report” of his ongoing activities. I’m inspired. I hope you will be, too.

I soon will pass the 95 milestone.  I thought I would send out a little update, sort of an inventory of what is still on my shelf and how God is still keeping me going.  I will be celebrating in 3 different places and with a Taiwan Zoom call in the midst of one of them.  Chocolate cake seems to be abundant in which case I may skip my daily routine  of a 30-minute nap, followed by a small cup of coffee and. a chocolate nugget. That routine keeps me perky to 9 or 10 most evenings. I sometimes feel old!

I dress like a cowboy with a big hat.  In the hat I keep handouts to explain the Key of Promise in Ephesians 2:10, ”You are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for Good Works, which God has prepared in advance for you to do”. (NIV) I also have one that is “How to use the Key” for those who are looking for ways to advance the Kingdom and want to buy more ($2.50).  Sad that very few Christians realize they were created to do a Good Work appointed by God!   I buy keys 250 at a time and have them engraved EPH 2:10. We must use this tool before keys become obsolete!

The hat also has a lot of paper strips for making the world’s cheapest educational toy, a paper helicopter which  teaches  1/3 and 1/2 very simply and is fun and an intro into a conversation. I have a lot of fun in restaurants with kids and grandparents while they wait for food.

Portrait of Frank by a pastor’s wife in Taitung, Taiwan

I also am enjoying giving lovely gift books of the “Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ”… a vey readable sequential record from the Bible, just a straight read all together.  If you want to get in the game, just go to plusnothing.com and ask for as many as you can give away.  These are FREE!

I still preach once a month at  the Colorado Springs Chinese Evangelical Church, drive when Billy [his son] isn’t available, Billy will be flying to Taiwan for two weeks so I will see how I get along without him.  My granddaughter, Anna Saracoff, is living downstairs and will be a help. She is also making Blessing Bracelets which she and I love to sell ($10) to remind the wearers to give thanks for their blessings, a blessing for each of the 4 or 5 beads. “Count your blessings, name them one by one ,and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”  It helps cultivate the attitude of gratitude.

My book, “Come, Let’s Work Together with God.” has been printed in Taiwan but we are having distribution problems with the English version.  The Chinese version is available in Taiwan.  Billy is hoping to sort out the problems.

I am scheduled to go to Taiwan Oct 14 for about 10 days to show my face at a drama production about our work, always a lot of fun and to see many friends and speak here and there.

I always appreciate your prayers which have opened many doors and have preserved me so long. I am not sure I like that word “preserved” but you know what I mean. Please keep praying God will be pleased and Jesus will come soon.

Still in His glad service,

Dr Frank Dennis, AKA。譚維義 or 譚爸爸, Papa Tan

Again, the man is 95. I get tired just reading about all his activities. Frank embodies this section of Psalm 92. I want to be like Frank when I grow up!

The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. (Psalm 92.12 – 15, ESV)