wfn.org | Christian Hospital in Tapiei Urges People to Consider Dying

["pctpress" <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

Taiwan Church News 2734, 19-25 July 2004
Reported by Dong Hong-jiun. Translated and Rewritten by David Alexander

"Mama, where did Grandpa go?" This is the opening question in a prize winning
French book on the subject of death.  It clearly sets out the kind of
questions that children have about the end of life while explaining the topic
for adults.

Aging and dying are as natural as the progression of seasons from spring
through summer, autumn and into winter. Death will come to us all, but common
understandings of death are very shallow. It's time to think more about it.

Taiwan's Hospice Foundation recently sponsored a seminar at which scholars
and
experts shared viewpoints on death. Professor Lee Khai-mei from National
Taiwan University's Department of Social Work said from the time of our birth
we all begin move towards death, but we don't want to think about it.
Everyone
seems to feel that talking about death is projecting too far into the future.
So, when the time draws near, most of us are unprepared. This is why death is
such a fearful thing.

Professor Lee encourages everyone to have their own "end of life plan." It
not
only helps psychologically, but can also lighten the burden on one's family.

Lee Ing-fen, director of the hospice at Mackay Memorial Hospital, says,
"Young
people see death as a remote thing, but our current hospice patients include
not few young clients. Death is not just a lesson for the old to learn.
Everyone needs to give it some thought."

In her ward one often hears patients regret that they haven't had time to put
their affairs in order. She encourages everyone to have a plan for when their
own time comes.

For More Information: Mackay Memorial Hospital www.mmh.org.tw
Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.
Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw