wfn.org | Taiwan's Churches Respond to the SARS Scare

[Taiwan Church News <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

Taiwan Church News 2670, May 4, 2003
Reported by Ku Hao-jan. Translated and rewritten by David
Alexander

   "Weep with those who weep!	About a thousand medical staff,
patients and their family members have been placed under
quarantine in Ho-ping Hospital in Taipei City.	Rumors emerge
from every quarter. There has been at least one suicide. Since
news of the hospital closing and the quarantine of those inside
reached the public, many church related agencies have responded
with 24 hour prayer chains.  And beyond the prayer, groups have
met in front of the hospital to publicly pray, sing, and
otherwise encourage and lift the morale of the quarantined people
indoors.
   People inside the hospital have displayed "large character
posters" with messages like, "My baby needs diapers." "There's no
milk powder." "Why don't we have bottled water, disinfectant and
thermometers in here?" By these means they have sought to inform
the mass media of their needs.
   Taipei City Deputy Mayor Ou Chin-der has been in regular
contact with the quarantined group.  He spends part of every day
at the "support camp" established across the street.  Lin Jing, a
member of Xiamen Street Baptist Church and elected head of Taipei
City's Chung-cheng District said, "Don't over-react to the
situation." She encourages outsiders to write encouraging
messages to those quarantined in the hospital. When asked about
the last few days, she says, "Trust completely. There is no fear
in love."
   On April 26th the "Whole Person Concern Center" sponsored by
Cosmic Light Magazine delivered 500 copies of their publication
along with music and video compact discs in the hope of offering
some spiritual comfort.  The Eden Social Welfare Foundation sent
a choir to serenade and bless those confined inside.  They also
sent 35 cases of bottled water as a tangible demonstration of
their concern.
   The China Christian Rescue Association has organized a prayer
chain, inviting one and all to gather every evening from 7 to 8
PM outside Ho Ping Hospital and to surround the building with
prayer.  The association will deliver messages of encouragement
sent from other cities around Taiwan at that time.
   Christians are asking how to give practical and tangible
demonstration of their faith in this time of SARS.  Hsia
Chung-jian, the Rescue Associations secretary, calls for
churches to clean and disinfect their own facilities. He also
believes that believers should wear facemasks in church.  If a
congregation cannot afford these measures, his association will
offer a 50% subsidy to make it possible.
   The association encourages all churches during this time of
contagion to reduce the number of large scale events and
non-essential meetings.  Facilities should be sprayed with
disinfectant the day before any meeting is to take place.  Church
members should become familiar with the symptoms of the condition
and avoid attending public meetings for two weeks if there is any
suspicion that one may have become infected.
   During the time of the SARS emergency, the association
particularly asks prayers for Christian government officials who
are involved in research and prevention work.  This includes the
head of the central government's Public Health Department,
WengRui-xiang, Taipei City Deputy Mayor Ou Chin-der, Principal of
the Taiwan University's College of Public Health Wang Rong-der,
Professor Chen Ching-ren from Taiwan University's Public Health
and communicable Disease Research Institute, and head of the
Center for Disease Control, Chen Zai-jin.

For more information: Hsia Chung-jian  +886 2 2729 0466 ext. 136.

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