October 1999

Dear Friends,

In a Bible study last week a man asked, "Do you think this earthquake is God's punishment on Taiwan?" I replied that I do not believe that God is punishing Taiwan or any other country that has recently had an earthquake or natural disaster. Another woman asked if all the recent natural disasters are some sort of sign of the end of the world. I asked the class to discuss the woman's question, and most decided that only God knows when the world will end. We talked about doing God's will each day in preparation for Christ's coming. All kinds of questions and theories are being discussed in Taiwan these days.

When the ground began to shake early in the morning of September 21, no one knew that shortly our lives would never be the same again. As the plates deep below Taiwan began to shift, buildings crumpled like cards and lives were forever changed. Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit one of the hardest-hit areas in the center of Taiwan. While Taipei had two buildings collapse, the worst damage was in the very center of the island. I traveled with several Taiwanese pastors from the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan's General Assembly Office to visit churches and communities that have suffered the most trauma. We sat outside on plastic chairs because the church building is unsafe. A cement cross still towers above the church, but the cement base has huge cracks, and the pastor hopes the cross will not fall on the apartment block behind the church. We sat with several pastors from this area and listened to their stories and to the stories of their communities.

One young pastor took us to see his church. The night of the earthquake, he and his wife were sleeping. Their two children, aged six and seven, were in the next room. Suddenly, as the ground began to shake, the roof started to collapse. Bricks and tiles cascaded down upon them. They leapt up and grabbed their children and tried to escape. When they got to a second floor door that led to a walkway, the door was blocked by debris. Just as they got the door open, the entire roof collapsed. Except for minor cuts and bruises, they were all safe. Now they are living in one of the church's Sunday school rooms. Since the church is located in the mountains, they have placed a wooden board across the door jamb to prevent snakes from entering. Their children have had a difficult time sleeping since the earthquake. The pastor said that the earthquake moved from the ground into the hearts of the people.

Many people continue to live outside in tents. Either their homes were totally destroyed or are considered unsafe. Some folks' homes are safe, but they don't trust their homes in the many strong aftershocks that have rocked the island daily since the original earthquake. Relief teams and aid have come in from all over the world, and the Taiwanese have been truly grateful. I have communicated the prayers of so many friends who have written to say they are praying for Taiwan. What do you do when the ground beneath begins to shift? What do you hold on to when all the familiar securities are suddenly gone? These are the new realities for the people of this island. Suddenly, in a place where people thought they were in control, with a high-tech economy that has grown amazingly fast in the past 25 years, people all of a sudden feel that they have no control. Each time the earth shakes, they are reminded of how little control they really have.

I am confident that rebuilding the homes and offices and schools will happen in time. The bigger challenge will be the rebuilding of human lives and spirits. Social workers in Kobe, Japan, which had a major earthquake in 1995, say that alcoholism, divorce, unemployment, depression, and suicide have all been on the rise since their earthquake. I am praying that the Presbyterian Church and other churches here will be able to help people rebuild their lives and learn to build them on Christ, the rock that cannot be moved. The task will not be easy, but the church has already mobilized in short-term relief and is devising plans for long-term relief and care.

Please continue to pray for the people of Taiwan and other parts of the world that have experienced recent disasters, as they seek to rebuild their lives. I am thankful to be here at this time to share with my fellow Christians in witnessing to a God who is with us in our suffering. I am thankful to be able witness to a God who brings hope out of suffering. May you know that hope this week.

Gratefully,

Rev. John McCall