Taiwan Church News

3722 Edition

June 26 ~ July 2, 2023

Topical News

Reported by Lin Yi-ying from Chang-Hua
Translated by Peter Wolfe

Thanks to the collective supports from the public sector and the NGOs, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the National Fire Agency, the State-Owned Enterprises Commission of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Taichung Customs of the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance, and the Third Security Police Corps of the Police Administration of the Ministry of the Interior, the PCT Church and Society Committee and the Taiwan Community Care Association, a ceremony of “Sending First Aid Rescue Vehicles and Medical Equipment to Ukraine” was held in the auditorium of Shen-Gang Township Office in Changhua County on June 30^th.

There were more than 40 ambulances, fire trucks, pickup trucks and other first aid rescue vehicles showcased in the plaza square of the Shen-Gang Township Office. On this charity event, Rev Lin Wei-lian, secretary of the PCT Church and Society Committee, paid tributes to a generous entrepreneur who runs a traditional textile industry in central Taiwan.

Why did this compassionate entrepreneur come to the PCT? In an interview on June 25^th, Rev Lin Wei-lian said, it was because the businessman learned via media that the PCT had connections to send hospital beds to Ukraine, and he came to contact the PCT. The entrepreneur had intensive conversations with Rev Lin in early May, and after checking relevant details back and forth, he finally decided to cooperate with the PCT to transport dozens of ambulances, fire trucks, pickup trucks and etc to Ukraine, Rev Lin said.

This generous, low-keyed entrepreneur had also approached other charity groups before his inquiry about the chances to ship these first aid rescue vehicles to Ukraine, Rev Lin said. But during the entrepreneur’s contacts and inquiries, some charity groups just made verbal promises only yet without concrete actions, so the entrepreneur’s good-will and expectations failed several times. After learning the PCT support for Ukraine with hospital beds, the entrepreneur decided to contact the PCT.

Rev Lin Wei-lian said that this compassionate entrepreneur funded the project by himself alone, and then under the great assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Fire Agency and other public sector units, he asked the fire departments of various counties and cities across Taiwan to donate those to-be-scrapped rescue vehicles, and sending these vehicles into repair shop to fix and restore. It is estimated that the overhaul cost of of these vehicles amounts to ten million NT dollars.

Rev Lin Wei-lian said, many government officials and renown guests, including Mr Yao Chin-Hsiang, director of the European Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Li Yong-fu, deputy director of the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, Legislator Mrs Huang Hsiu-fang, Legislator Mr Chang Liao Wan-jian, Legislator Mrs Chen Hsiu-pao, Mr Alex Khomenko of Taiwan Stands with Ukraine, Mrs Olga Kulish, the convener of the Taiwan-Ukraine team, and Mr Shih Shu-hua, the representative of the charity party, will take part in an offering ceremony held at the Shen-Gang Township Office in Changhua at 10 a.m. on June 30^th. At that very moment, once again to witness the spirit of “Taiwan Can Help”, more than 40 vehicles of various first aid rescue vehicles that have been repaired and refurbished as brand new again will be showcased on the plaza square, and certificates of appreciation will be issued to the donating parties.