Editorial: Helping disadvantaged seminarians fulfill their calling

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

3064 Edition

November 15~21, 2010

Editorial

Editorial: Helping disadvantaged seminarians fulfill their calling

Translated by Lydia Ma

Due to the ailing Taiwanese economy in recent years, financial aid 
programs for seminarians in Taiwan have all but dried up. The dearth 
of financial aid is especially evident among seminarians toward the 
end of every semester when we see some of them struggle to pay for 
tuition, accommodation, and other school-related fees.

The reason why more and more seminarians have been struggling 
financially in recent years can be attributed to the following 
reasons: First, a significant number of seminarians in recent years 
come from either remote and poor areas or financially poor families. 
They cannot expect much financial support from their parents and must 
fend for themselves.

Second, a significant number of seminarians nowadays are 
first-generation Christians whose parents most likely aren't 
overjoyed at the prospect of having their child devote the rest of 
his or her life to Christ and preaching the gospel. These seminarians 
won't get the kind of moral or financial support from their family or 
extended family as their second or third generation Christian peers 
enjoy.

Third, many seminarians today come from rural churches or small 
churches and the scope of financial support they are able to receive 
from their home church, if any, cannot begin to compare with a 
classmate who hails from a mega-church and is able to study with the 
support of a full or partial scholarship. 

In the past, there have been reported cases of seminarians who 
couldn't afford to buy a meal plan, skipped meals to save money, and 
later fainted from malnutrition. Though the price of meals is no 
longer a problem nowadays, it's still not uncommon to see seminarians 
struggling to make ends meet.

We know from biblical examples that God often calls people from 
underprivileged backgrounds into his service to show that his calling 
isn't based on one's family connections or bank accounts - Jesus' 
disciples were mostly fishermen, Paul's faithful co-worker, Onesimus, 
was a slave, and Gideon's family was the smallest in his tribe, just 
to name a few examples.

I often see many young seminarians from underprivileged backgrounds 
whose dedication, work, and passion touch my heart. I know that the 
only thing they need is our support – moral and financial support.

So, as we mark Taiwan Seminary Sunday on November 3rd of this year, 
it is my hope that all Taiwanese Christians can support our 
seminarians through prayer and financial support. I hope that you 
will give these young people – especially those struggling 
financially - your support on this arduous road to full-time 
ministry. 

 

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