wfn.org | TCN: PCT commemorates 10th anniversary of 921 Earthquake

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>3004 Edition

>September 21-27, 2009

PCT commemorates 10th anniversary of 921 Earthquake

>Reported by Chen Wei-jian

>Written by Lydia Ma

It has been 10 years since the 921 Earthquake in 1999 left an  indelible mark in

Taiwanese history. On September 19th, the Presbyterian Church in  Taiwan

General Assembly held a memorial service at Puli Presbyterian  Church in

collaboration with Atayal, Central Bunun, and Sediq presbyteries  to remember

this event. Christians from different regions of Taiwan gathered  to remember the

past, reflect on the present, and plan for the future.

PCT General Assembly Moderator Leonard Lin delivered the sermon on  that day

on the theme of God’s everlasting mercy and invited Taiwan  Theological College

Professor Rev. Cheng Yang-en to give a theological reflection on  921

Earthquake. Attendees at the service included DPP  Secretary-General Lin Chia-

lung who had come on behalf of DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen.

The service included three short clips on the themes of  remembrance,

reconstruction, and faith, and the films centered on how churches  faced such a

catastrophic event and got involved in reconstruction efforts.  Several Aborigine

church choirs presented song offerings and the service drew to a  close with

prayers led by presbytery and general assembly leaders.

There were many saplings near the altar placed together in the  shape of Taiwan

and these were given to pastors as gifts to take back to their  churches and plant

after their own worship services on Sunday, September 20th, in  remembrance of

>the 10th anniversary of 921 Earthquake.

Lin said 921 Earthquake was the most devastating natural disaster  in Taiwanese

history, but God had also watched over and remembered those who  had

suffered. Faced with tragedy we learned to remember faith and joy  even though

our memories mingled with suffering and, though difficult, we  waited on God.

After a period of suffering, we looked back and discovered that  those trials also

brought forth the best in humanity, prompted us to reflect on the  meaning of life,

>and taught us to love God and one another.

Lin went on to say that in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot, the  Ma

administration led the way in blaming others and shirking  responsibility and such

responses threw it into a tailspin. The Ma administration’s  behavior was also

indicative of their lack of faith, hope, and love, but it is  precisely during times of

crisis that we must seek God, reflect, and start anew.

PCT General Secretary Andrew Chang said he led PCT reconstruction  efforts in

the aftermath of 921 Earthquake and was responsible for 18 PCT  reconstruction

centers across Taiwan. Based on prior experience, he emphasized

reconstruction isn’t the same as short-term rescue operations  as it involves much

more than providing material or financial resources and requires  restoring

>emotional health and cultural vitality.

The PCT plans to model post-Morakot rebuilding efforts after  strategies and

lessons learned from 921 Earthquake which will require cooperation  between

professional social workers and local churches willing to  sincerely listen and

meet the needs of victims, instead of volunteers who only want to  impose their

>views and have their way.

Chang also used this opportunity to affirm the efforts of many 921  Earthquake

victims who stepped up to encourage and help Morakot victims in  the same way

they were helped ten years earlier. Many of them got together  right after the flood

to carry daily necessities to victims and even traveled across  Alishan Mountain

>on foot.

PCT Associate General Secretary Kho Sing-doh said he hoped the  saplings will

help churches remember one another and bring believers in closer  fellowship

with God and their native land. These saplings will grow and  become permanent

reminders of 921 Earthquake and encourage churches to reflect on  the intricate

relationship humans share with the environment.

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