wfn.org | TCN Editorial: From 9/21 Earthquake to 8/8 Flood

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3003 Edition

>September 14-20, 2009

>Editorial: From 9/21 Earthquake to 8/8 Flood

>Translated by Lydia Ma

In the wee hours of September 21st, 1999, Taiwanese people were  awakened

with a start by the shaking ground beneath them. The earthquake  shattered

families and exposed corrupt engineering firms when infrastructure  and buildings

came crashing down. After ten years of restoration, regions and  families affected

by the earthquake are finally moving on, but who would have  predicted that

another natural disaster would devastate Taiwan once again on  August 8th of this

>year?

Contrasting “921 Earthquake” with “88 Flood”  (as Typhoon Morakot has become

known in Taiwan), we can see that though time, location, and type  of damages

may differ, what remains constant is humanity’s vulnerability  and helplessness in

face of natural disasters, as well as our unwillingness to respect  the environment

and Mother Nature. Though Typhoon Morakot resulted in fewer human  casualties

than 921 Earthquake, its devastating effects on Taiwan’s  environment and our

personal properties, and its financial toll on our country far  exceeded 921

>Earthquake.

How did 921 Earthquake impact Christian churches in Taiwan? For  starters,

churches became active helpers in the aftermath of the earthquake.  Before 921,

churches would only pray and contribute financially whenever a  natural disaster

struck. However, many churches were also victims during 921, which  prompted

those churches that weren’t affected by the earthquake to  become actively

involved in rescue and rebuilding efforts as they cared for their  brothers and

>sisters in Christ.

Soon after 921, many churches began adopting churches in regions  devastated

by the quake so that they could contribute to rebuilding efforts.  Churches also set

up “rebuilding stations” across the country to help  rebuild tattered infrastructure

and created many programs aimed at reaching out to communities  affected by

the quake and helping non-Christians get back on their feet.

Since 921, PCT Church and Society Committee began promoting social

outreach teams headed by local presbyteries and offering  professional training

to church members so that they would be prepared to act if a  similar catastrophe

occurred again. Because of these efforts, when Typhoon Morakot  pummeled

Southern Taiwan and caused the worst flood the country had seen in  50 years,

local churches were well equipped to promptly set up rescue  stations.

In contrast to other religious organizations, soon after 921  Earthquake, PCT

churches allowed victims to place the casket of loved ones in its  sanctuary. Ten

years later, churches would lend a helping hand once more by  offering shelter to

flood victims and comforting them. These efforts transformed  people’s

perception of churches so that they were not longer perceived as  mere buildings,

but rather, a place where God’s people could gather and  commune with others.

Every time disaster strikes, people are bound to ask why God would  allow such

tragedies. The answer may remain a mystery forever, but what we  can know for

sure is that victims paid the price for society’s  long-standing disregard for the

environment. Therefore, those of us who remain must treasure our  lives and

ponder on the reason why we survived and do something based on  what we have

>learned.

The Prophet Jeremiah once wrote, “For men are not cast off by  the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so  great is his unfailing love” (Lamentations 3:31~32). As we  commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 921 Earthquake, let us remember  that stating “men’s determination will triumph over  nature” merely accentuates humanity’s egocentrism and  disregard for the environment.

We should instead clothe ourselves with humility and learn from  Mother Nature.

After all, it is only by respecting the environment that we can  protect our

descendants from nightmares such as 921 Earthquake and Typhoon  Morakot

and rest at peace in this precious island God has given us to  live.

>********************

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

You may translate and re-use our articles online only if you  acknowledge the source as

"Taiwan Church News" and list the names of the reporter and  writer.

Contact us before reprinting any of our articles for print  publications.

Direct comments and questions about this article to:  enews@pctpress.org

Visit our website for more news at: http://enews.pctpress.org/  (English) http://www.pctpress.org (Chinese)

>********************

> 
>