May 23, 2016

Ms. Castro, Rev. Lee, and Sisters in Christ:

Thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to come to your meeting to bring warm greetings on behalf of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. I am so delighted that you are honouring Taiwan with your visit.

Permit me to take this occasion to congratulate the ACWC for the unique role it has played in the life of the Asian churches. Whether it is through cooperation with the Fellowship of the Least Coin, or through your own advocacy in your own churches, ACWC has ensured that the Asian churches and the Asian ecumenical movement are not allowed to forget gender justice and the critical role that women as a whole have contributed to the life of the body of Christ. Like the PCT, women across the world form the majority of local congregations, exercise multiple tasks week after week and nurture the next generation in the Christian faith,

As women’s desk disappear in the ecumenical institutions such as the CCA and the WCC, your activities and your presence are ever more critical in reminding the churches to involve women as indispensable partners in building the household of God. In fact, without women, the household of God will not be able to stand!

As I read your programme of these days, I applaud you for your commitment to vitalize the ecumenical movement. I am very much encouraged to see that the young generation is invited to be part of your workshop. I want to thank you for including several young women from the PCT. I am sure you have strengthened their understanding of the ecumenical movement and their appreciation for the advocacy of gender justice.

You have come to Taiwan at a very significant moment in our history. The PCT is very proud that our people have given her and her Democratic Progressive Party a resounding electoral victory this past January. Their accession to power gives Taiwan a fighting chance, for the first time in our history, to establish Taiwan as a new and independent country. This was an appeal that the PCT made to the international community in 1977. That year, our future looked bleak. The USA had normalized its relations with Beijing. Our people felt abandoned.

Today, some forty years later, there is renewed optimism among our own people. We have a new national consciousness that we are not part of China. Taiwan, with its 23 million people that include 14 Austronesian indigenous groups, is a country in its own right. It has the right and freedom to enjoy its own sovereignty, just like your own countries. Our people have the inalienable right to self-determination.

President Tsai Ing-Wen is the first woman president in Taiwan. Our people are very supportive of her not only because of her talent, skill and abiding commitment to the welfare of the people. She comes from a very humble origin. She worked hard to become the leader of the DPP. The entire nation was very impressed by her victory speech on election night. She did not gloat. Instead, she enjoined her party and supporters: “Be humble, be humble, be humble!” Indeed, the people respond to her leadership because she is imbued with compassion and humility.

I ask you to join with the PCT to pray for her. I ask you for pray for the PCT so that we can continue to be a voice for the nation. I ask you to pray that the PCT will continue to be in solidarity with the most vulnerable in our society and those who suffer so that we can be a sign of hope for Taiwan.

Once more, thank you for coming to Taiwan and for visiting the PCT. May God bless your deliberations in the next days.