wfn.org | Taiwan's Aboriginal Church Youth use Basketball for Outreach

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

The young people of Taiwan's Tayal Aboriginal Tribe hold an invitational
basketball tournament annually; this year from 9 to 12 August. The men's
preliminary one on one and team contests were held at Yawhbu Presbyterian
Church in Tao-yuan County and Manun Church in I-lan. Women's preliminaries
events were held at Ulay church in Wu-lai. For the finals, everyone convened
at Yawhbu Church.
The Rev. Sicang Eyo, pastor of Yawhbu, said that the competition was fierce.
He pointed to one player who suffered a broken jaw yet wanted to continue
playing even though his team had evidently lost the match.
The event was sponsored by the Youth Committee of the Tayal Presbytery of the
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. The Rev. Rusa Taru, pastor of Bnka Church in
Taipei County, was on the preparatory task force. He said that 55 teams
participated, including 15 women's groups. In total there ware 560 people
registered, and over a thousand came to watch each day.
Seeing so many Tayal tribal youth gathered in one spot was truly a moving
experience.  Rusa Taru said that this is among the very purposes of holding
the event. Many neighborhood youth have little contact with the local church,
but within the "play basketball" atmosphere, the gospel is spread and
exemplified.

For More Information: Tayal Presbytery tayal.batu@msa.hinet.net
		   Sicang Eyo s1819241@ms34.hinet.net
		   Rusa Taru rusa.taru@msa.hinet.net
Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.
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