wfn.org | Adventist Pastor in Taiwan Promotes Foster Care Programme

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2773 25 April to 1 May 2005

Reported by Gu Hao-jan. Written by David Alexander

Few families in Taiwan are willing to offer their homes to needy foster
children. But two generations of one family, comprising four households of
Christians in Pingtung County, are involved.  Pastor and Mrs. Chen have
fostered no fewer than 20 children over the years.  Five years ago their
children, Chen Si-han, Chen Ya-han, and Chen Wei-han began to follow the
family model.  All give thanks to God for the gift they have received.

The Chens belong to Taiwan¡¦s Paiwan Aboriginal tribe.  The paterfamilias,
Yuan-der and his wife Hsiu-ying were the first to begin fostering. They
continue even in retirement. Huang Su-ling, the Family Helper Association
Pingtung Center¡¦s social worker who supervises the cases, maintains close
contact with all of the Chens. She characterized Yuan-der and Hsiu-ing as
the most active foster care providers among the Paiwan. They began in 1996
when they went to serve a church in Taitung.  In the congregation there was
a family active in foster care who introduced their pastor to the concept.

Within a year, they were connected with the Family Helper Association¡¦s
Taitung center and had become foster parents. Today there are two children
living with them.

One special feature of the elder Chens¡¦ home is the absence of a
television set. Yuan-der has become an expert story-teller.  On weekends
parents and children gather in the living room, not to watch something on a
screen, but to hear and share stories.

Sixteen years ago Chen Wei-han fought a bout with throat cancer that left
him with an impaired speaking voice.  The cancer went into remission, and
he became an ordained minister. A year ago the cancer returned.  Ms. Huang,
the Pingtung Center Social Worker, recently visited Wei-han in hospice. She
said he was gaunt but in good spirits, unafraid of death and ready to meet
his maker. His only concern is for his wife and two children.

Through the leadership and example of the Chen family, not few Adventist
clergy and members of their churches have become foster parents. Of all
foster parents connected with the Pingtung office, fully 25% are Adventists.

Pastor Chen says that the greatest strengths for any family are unity and
faith. He hopes that through fostering children he has spread the love of
Jesus. For his own part, just responding to God¡¦s call gives happiness to
his home.

For more information: Taiwan Family Helper Foundation +886 4 2206 1234

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.

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