Editorial: Shining the spotlight on Aborigine ministries

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

3077 Edition

February 14-20, 2011

Editorial



Editorial: Shining the spotlight on Aborigine ministries



Translated by Lydia Ma



Taiwanese Aborigines are geographically dispersed throughout the country; 
they live in off-shore islands, by seasides, in valleys, on mountaintops and 
the deeper parts of our forests, and in plains. Most aborigines depend on 
fishing, hunting, and farming to make a living for themselves.

With the advent of technology and trade and the rise of organizations such 
as WTO, and the mass influx of cheap imports, we’ve seen a significant 
decrease in consumption and sale of domestic products. One of the 
side-effects of increased imports is urban migration among Aborigines who 
are manual laborers.

However, making a living in urban areas is not easy for Aborigines in search 
for jobs because they must compete with foreign laborers who’ve come to 
Taiwan for the same reason – to make a living through low-paid, manual 
labor jobs, or jobs typical Taiwanese aren’t willing to do.

Besides these challenges, Typhoon Morakot destroyed many Aborigine 
reservations in 2009, forcing even more Aborigines to evacuate their homes 
and properties. Soon after Typhoon Morakot, a few organizations somehow 
convinced the Ma administration that the land needed “rest”. As result, 
Aborigines who were already left homeless by the typhoon were forced from 
their lands permanently. “Permanent housing units” for aborigines were 
soon passed in the legislature without respecting or consulting Taiwan’s 
native people.

As we mark Aborigine Sunday this week and support Aborigine ministries 
through prayer and financial offerings, we are reminded of an old missionary 
who reached out to disenfranchised Aborigines while she ministered in Taiwan 
and could offer a stark contrast or alternative model to Taiwanese 
officials.

Her name is Lilian R. Dickson and she is the Canadian missionary who founded 
Mustard Seed Mission in 1952. Besides helping the poor and the sick, this 
organization also helped train Aborigines by offering group lessons. “in 
nursing, carpentry, arts, mechanics, and childcare so that they could find 
employment and make a living and provide for their families.

Mrs. Dickson followed examples set by her predecessors such as James 
Maxwell, George Mackay, etc. and her example would become an inspiration for 
future leaders such as C.M. Kao and Yang.

We pray that our Aborigine churches will rise to the challenge before them 
and won’t stop ministering at home or abroad simply because of 
discouragements in daily life. We also pray that fellow PCT members will 
continue to support Aborigine ministries.

For more information on Lilian Dickson, go to: 
http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2007/11/mrs-lillian-dickson.html

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