wfn.org | Foreign Brides Driving School Puts Taiwanese Church into Community

["pctpress" <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

Taiwan Church News 2724, 10 through 16 May 2004
Reported by: Chiou Khai-li.  Translated and Rewritten by David Alexander

The second session of the "Foreign Brides Driving School" sponsored by
Talinpu
Presbyterian Church and the Kaohsiung Christian Family Counseling Center has
resulted in more than licensed drivers. Some of the women who had taken the
course have linked themselves to the congregation that loaned out its
facilities, and have become a stream of new energy into a church that had
become aged.  The activity in this 70 year old church has been a refreshing
change.

Talinpu Presbyterian Church, though in Kaohsiung City, is somewhat isolated.
It is on a peninsula known as "Red Hair Port", which is mainly populated by
persons whose livelihood has traditionally been derived from association with
the sea. Now it is a zone of heavy industry with serious pollution problems.
People move out of, not into, Red Hair Port.  Those who remain are either
very
old or very young.  Between the residential areas and the remainder of
Kaohsiung City there are several kilometers of industrial installations.

A year and a half ago Mr. Hsieh Fong-lung was assigned to the church as
pastor. He began his ministry there with vigorous visitation. In an interview
with the neighborhood chief he learned that the area was a real backwater.
The percentage of single parent households is 50% higher than Taiwan's
average. Junior High School students are involved in use of illegal drugs.
Reflecting on these and other problems, Mr. Hsieh took inventory of his own
and his church's resources, contacted private and government social service
agencies, and began to offer neighborhood ministry programs.  The "Foreign
Brides Driving School" is one of these.

To strengthen the congregation he instituted training classes for the elders
and deacons and got them involved in the outreach ministries.  Since many on
the church rolls are factory shift workers, the church has increased the
variety of occasions upon which groups gather for worship, giving options
beyond Sunday morning at ten.

For More Information: Talinpu Presbyterian Church paul0803@so-net.net.tw
Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.
Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw