How Two Americans Changed 3,000 Lives in Taiwan

This unbelievable journey of Ted and Bev Skiles, American missionaries who left Missouri in 1968 with their young family and devoted over 50 years to serving children in Taiwan. In this episode, we explore their founding of an orphanage that has cared for over 3,000 children and facilitated more than 500 adoptions worldwide.My guests today are Ted and Bev Skiles, Christian missionaries that left their hometown of Missouri, USA in 1968. They packed up their whole life with almost nothing to their name, and they went with their three children on a boat for 17 days to the opposite side of the world. This is Terminally Curious With Kayne MastersWhat You’ll Learn:Bev saves a baby boy who had stopped breathing, and years later that boy, now a nurse, cared for their dying son in the U.S., completing a remarkable full-circle moment.Ted and Bev left Missouri in 1968, embarking on a 17-day voyage to Taiwan with their three children, facing the challenges of adapting to a new culture and language.The Skiles felt called to open a children’s home in Taiwan, received land as a gift from local leaders, and relied on faith and prayer to sustain their mission without ever asking for money.They experienced miracles and challenges, including critical donations at just the right moments and drilling a well that still provides water for the orphanage today.Adoptions began soon after the orphanage opened, with the process evolving alongside Taiwan’s changing laws and the complexities of placing children both domestically and internationally.Finding homes for children with special needs was difficult, and the Skiles navigated changing societal attitudes and emphasized honesty and transparency in every adoption.The miraculous connection between the boy they once saved and their own family’s loss highlighted the unforeseen impact of compassion and the full-circle nature of their work.This is Terminally Curious with Kayne Masters

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Chapters (Clickable Timestamps)

(00:00) A Miraculous Encounter: The Full Circle Story
(02:00) Early Years: Love, Marriage, and a Call to Missions
(04:21) Embarking on a Mission: The Journey to Taiwan
(08:00) The Birth of the Orphanage: A Divine Calling
(13:12) Faith, Family, and the Missionary Mindset
(16:02) Influences and Connections: How the Mission Began
(26:36) Making the Leap: Funding the Journey and Arriving in Taiwan
(33:05) Christianity and Missionary Work in Asia
(36:43) Facing the Unknown: Life on the Boat and Arrival in Taiwan
(43:33) Settling In: Learning the Language and Teaching English
(46:35) From English Classes to Orphanage Founders
(47:07) Miracles and Challenges: Building the Orphanage
(51:40) A Gift of Land and the Birth of a Children’s Home
(53:18) Challenges and Miracles in Building the Home
(56:19) Opening the Doors: Welcoming the First Children
(1:03:41) Navigating Adoption Laws and Cultural Differences
(1:08:34) East vs. West: Adoption, Family, and Societal Norms
(1:13:05) The Push for Family Reunification and Its Challenges
(1:17:03) Special Needs, Difficult Cases, and Miraculous Outcomes
(1:19:31) The Full Circle: How an Adopted Child Became Their Son’s Nurse
(1:23:21) Spreading Ashes and Honoring Family in Taiwan
(1:24:36) Returning to America: Reflections on Sacrifice and Family
(1:27:10) Adoption Outcomes: Positive and Challenging Stories
(1:32:27) Tough Decisions and Trusting Faith

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Keywords: Ted and Bev Skiles, Home of God’s Love, Taiwan orphanage, adoption, missionary work, international adoption, Christian missions, cross-cultural service, faith, resilience, children’s home, Kayne Masters, Mastered Podcast.