wfn.org | Taiwan and Thailand Youth Join Ecumenical Exchange

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Taiwan Church News 2738, 16-22 August 2004
Reported by Staff.  Translated and Rewritten by David Alexander

A group of young Christians from Taiwan, led by the Rev. Lim Hon-tiong (Youth
Secretary at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan)
visited Thailand from July 15 to August 5 as part of an Ecumenical Youth
Exchange Programme. While abroad they visited major urban centers and the
country side with the aim of experiencing cross cultural, multi-lingual and
multicultural life with Christians from Thailand.
Their visit included participation in a work camp, church worship, folk arts
and an introduction to Thai social problems. The group included members of
Taiwan's Taroko and Drukai Aboriginal tribes plus several ethnic Taiwanese.
Kawas, the Taroko participant, said "When I saw the dark underside of Thai
society, I asked myself if Taiwan, too, might not have such stories. I
wondered what Christians might do in these situations."
After leaving the Aka Tribal areas of northern Thailand, participant Chen
Chong-yuan from Tainan said he could more clearly see how... "God brought us
to a place we'd never thought to visit to show us things that had never
occurred to us.  I now understand this is one kind of training for life.
Rev. Lim said, "The Ecumenical Youth Exchange programme inserts young people
into the flow of world culture and faith.  It enriches life."

For More Information: Lim Hontiong hontiong@mail.pct.org.tw
Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.
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