Taiwan Church News 3006 Edition October 5~11, 2009
Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan, Lin Yi-ying. Written by Lydia Ma

It's been two months since Typhoon Morakot struck Taiwan and left flood victims homeless and forced them to seek temporary shelter in military barracks. For the time being, no one can say when these victims can finally return home and counseling services for victims continue to be a high priority among churches involved in reconstruction efforts.

Just before Moon Festival, Tainan Theological College, World Vision, and Chiayi Christian Hospital recruited volunteers to visit flood victims living in Aboriginal reserves and military barracks. They also organized evening parties to cheer up victims during this holiday and shared with them what God had been doing in their lives to encourage victims and boost their morale.

October 1~2 at Tainan Theological College is traditionally a time when faculty and students go on a retreat, but the retreat took a different form this year when staff and students seized the occasion to serve flood victims. To ensure their visit would meet the needs of victims, everyone gathered at the college the day prior departure for a full day of training. The seminary invited professional counselors and psychologists to conduct seminars on understanding the thoughts and feelings of trauma victims and how to help them.

PCT Church and Society Committee Secretary Chang Meng-yi was also present during training and gave a progress report on rebuilding efforts to staff and students. In the evening, a Taize-style meditation was scheduled to spiritually prepare faculty and students for the days ahead.

After a commissioning ceremony, about 200 faculty members and students left campus to serve at three different military barracks currently used to house victims. They formed groups of two or three people to facilitate house visitations and counseling. Some of them showed off their skills by giving massages, making balloons in the shape of animals, etc. as they tried to relieve victims' stress. Personal skills and hobbies were put to good use during an evening party later on that included dancing, drama, and lottery draws. These programs helped victims forget their troubles momentarily and get a good laugh.

But for victims, material support may not be as urgent as spiritual and emotional support and guidance. One pastor serving in military barracks confided that some victims have begun expecting every visitor to bring material goods or money as proof of sincerity and such behaviors or perspectives need to be rectified.

Beside efforts by seminary staff and students, Namasiya residents also partnered with other social service organizations to organize an evening party during Moon Festival. The party began with an opening prayer by South Bunun Presbytery Moderator Rev. Abus followed by presentations of traditional Aborigine songs and a documentary film directed by Mayaw Biho.

According to Mayaw Biho, he has always wanted to use film to highlight the plight and struggle of Aborigines in Taiwan. He feels that Aborigines' inclinations toward optimism, contentment and gratefulness all emanate from having to do without many things and living in poverty. He hopes that through this documentary on Typhoon Morakot, Aborigine communities can be seen, heard, discovered, and transformed.

Kimbo, also known as the father of Aborigine folk music, shared that his hometown of Jialan Township was also inundated by the typhoon. He encouraged victims to get back on their feet and take encourage.

Other than Moon Festival celebrations in Kaohsiung area, Chiayi Christian Hospital also organized an Aborigine evening festival in Hsinmei Village and Chashan Village near Alishan Township and invited Aborigines to participate.

One former village leader shared that, ever since the typhoon, most families have been busy rebuilding their own houses and the team-spirit and vitality that used to permeate Aborigine reserves have ebbed. He hoped the festival would bring everyone together again and restore a sense of community among Aborigines.

For many Aborigines, attending the festival was meaningful not because of the good food or good atmosphere but because it would help them reconnect with others and find out who still lived in their area. The festival served as a channel for people to encourage, support, and reconnect with each other during these trying times.

Besides Moon Festival events, Kaohsiung and Shou-Shan presbyteries have created counseling care groups that continue to reach out to flood victims. According to Ms. Lin Yao-fu from Kaohsiung Presbytery's Shan-Duo Church who leads these care groups, though groups were formed in early September, she still gets calls from concerned Christians willing to help wherever it's needed. Many military barracks in Kaohsiung area now have a permanent team of Christians ministering to victims.

Since no one can predict when victims will be able to return home, Lin said her team will continue to look for Christians and churches willing to serve and help victims on a long-term basis. She explained that Aborigines are still emotionally shaken from the typhoon and remain timid around strangers. Her team needs committed Christians willing to reach out and visit on a regular and pre-arranged basis.

In related news, PCT General Assembly Executive Committee convened its third meeting of the year on September 29 and confirmed that PCT would help flood victims by providing 500 temporary houses and rebuilding 16 churches in partnership with World Vision and Red Cross.

PCT's initial budget for this project is NT$1 billion and it has so far received NT$150 million in donations. Many Christian entrepreneurs in Taiwan such as Kingston Technology founder David Sun and VIA Technologies co-founder Cher Wang have pledged to donate millions of dollars toward reconstruction efforts.

All 500 temporary housing units will use high-quality and durable materials and each unit will cost approximately NT$800,000. Rebuilding church buildings will be spearheaded by local presbyteries with the General Assembly offering NT$2 million in financial aid for each church building that needs to be rebuilt.