Friday, May 8

Taiwan

Older Adult Week

When asked how they started the aboriginal campus ministries in Hualien, mission co-workers Yen Hee Lim and Choon Lim reply without hesitation that it is through the grace of God.

God’s grace intervened in Choon’s life when he was uncertain how to start a Christian group at Buddhist Nursing College. At a print shop one day, a student from the nursing college saw that Choon was copying gospel songs. She asked him if he would teach her an English gospel song. Choon said he would if she brought friends to the mission center for the Aboriginal College Ministry. The following week the student brought two other students to the center. That small group has now become the largest Christian group in Hualien. More than seventy students are now members of this group, which is called Pan-shi, or “Rock.”

Fiji

Suva, Fiji, is home to the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC), an ecumenical organization whose members include nearly all the Christian denominations in the region.

The theme for the PCC General Assembly held in Pago Pago, American Samoa in 2007 was “Atua, empower us to be liberating communities.” There they discussed HIV/AIDS, good governance, ecumenism, human rights, globalization and trade, and, perhaps most important, climate change.

Global warming has drastic consequences for many island nations. Several communities have already had to be relocated due to rising sea levels, higher tides, and stronger storms and storm surges. The countries of Tuvalu and Kiribati will undoubtedly vanish before the end of the twenty-first century.

Let us join in prayer for
Partners/Ministries
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan: Rev. Andrew T. C. Chang, general secretary
Changhua Christian Hospital: Dr. Chi Tao Wei, superintendent
Presbyterian Bible College: Rev. Joseph Lin, principal
Taiwan Theological College and Seminary: Rev. Dr. Hongshin Lin, principal
Tainan Theological College and Seminary: Rev. Dr. Huang Bochen, principal
Tunghai University
Yushan Theological College: Rev. Wan Chin Kao, principal
Rainbow Project [Taiwan]
Pacific Conference of Churches [Fiji]: Rev. Valumotu Palu, general secretary
Pacific Theological College [Fiji]: Rev. Dr. Feleterika Nokise, principal

PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Leigh Harper, GAMC
Michael Harper, GAMC
April Harris, BOP

Prayer
Creator God, thank you for ministries founded on your grace. We ask you to bless the Lims as they work among your people and the PCC as it prays, acts, and advocates for the restoration of this planet to health. Show us ways we can work to partner in this restoration. Amen.

Daily Lectionary
Ps. 96, 148 Ps. 49, 138
Jer. 31:15–22
Col. 3:1–11; Luke 7:1–17