wfn.org | Churches and Christians mark Earth Day with creativity and love for neighbour

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>3034 Edition

>April 19~25, 2010

Churches and Christians mark Earth Day with creativity and love  for neighbour

>Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong, Chen Yi-hsuan

>Written by Lydia Ma

Earth Day is observed on April 22 around the world every year. It  was first 
introduced by U.S.

Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and environmental activist  Denis Hayes 
around 1970.

Today, many countries around the world use this day to promote  
environmentally-friendly

>habits or tips.

This year, Taipei Shih-Tung Presbyterian Church’s Ladies  Fellowship marked 
Earth Day by

inviting Housewives Alliance to host a seminar at the church. The  alliance, 
whose members

include young and experienced mothers, taught participants how to  make soap 
from

>discarded frying oil.

According to reports, not only is soap made from discarded oil  safer to use 
compared to most

soaps found in stores, it also reuses and recycles something  people would have 
otherwise

>discarded.

With help from Housewives Alliance, participants enthusiastically  made about 
to 4,000 ml of

soap. Their finished products are currently stored away so that  the soap can 
dry and harden.

Once ready, they will be distributed to the whole congregation for  sampling.

In another part of Asia, a Japanese youth is continuing his trek  to raise 
awareness on

environmentalism. Yuji Miyata, who trekked across Taiwan for the  same reason 
last year

during his three month visit, is currently in Vietnam.

As Yuji walked across Vietnam, he discovered that many people were  maimed 
because of

the Vietnam War. He also saw many orphans living in need. These  encounters 
prompted him

to start a fundraiser by selling canvas backpacks. Proceeds from  the sales 
will go toward

>helping Vietnamese people who are in need.

Yuji met many people during his visit to Taiwan. One of his  supporters is a 
pastor from

Fongshan who has been corresponding with him. With the help of  this pastor 
(who wishes to

remain anonymous), Yuji found a 50-year-old, renowned shop in  Tainan willing 
make canvas

bags. When the owner of the shop heard that the bags were  supporting 
environmentalism and

orphans in Vietnam, he quickly agreed to sell them at a reduced  price.

Though Yuji is not a Christian, this pastor has been reaching out  to him and 
praying for him.

Through their interactions, Yuji said he has been greatly  encouraged. He 
shared that he

recently encountered some setbacks in Vietnam that prompted him to  try prayer, 
and was

amazed that soon after he finished praying, he received a call  that promptly 
solved all his

problems, enabling him to accomplish what he needed to do.

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