09079
February 5, 2009

Moderator, family travel to Asia

Reyes-Chow to explore family roots in Philippines during Feb. 9-19 trip

by Bethany Furkin
Presbyterian News Service

PC(USA) Moderator Bruce-Reyes Chow and family

LOUISVILLE ― Bruce Reyes-Chow has never been to the Philippines, but his visit there this month will be a homecoming of sorts.

Reyes-Chow, the moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s 218th General Assembly, is a third generation Filipino-American — his grandparents are from the Philippines.

Reyes-Chow and his family ― wife Robin Pugh and daughters Evelyn, Abigail and Analise ― will also travel to Taiwan and Hong Kong. They will be accompanied by the Rev. David Hudson, the denomination’s area coordinator for Asia/Pacific, and Nancy Eng MacNeill, an associate in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

“It’s quite exciting on many levels for me,” Reyes-Chow told the Presbyterian News Service, adding that he hopes the journey will be a chance for him to gather firsthand knowledge to bring back to the United States.

He will speak with government officials as well as church partners and grassroots organizers to learn more about topics ranging from human rights to the commonalities between Presbyterian churches in the United States and Asia.

Although some people have suggested places he should visit during the trip, Reyes-Chow said he isn’t forcing an agenda. With 10 days to visit the countries — four days each in the Philippines and Taiwan and two days in Hong Kong — the trip will be a “whirlwind,” he said.

“My main focus is to learn and speak intelligently about what’s going on,” Reyes-Chow said.

And he plans to start that communication while still overseas. Reyes-Chow expects to start posting to his moderator blog Feb. 9. Depending on his phone’s cooperation, he might also update his Twitter account.

Once back in the States, Reyes-Chow said he’ll keep up the communication, and he expects that his experiences will open doors for new speaking engagements.

One of the traditions of the moderator’s office is to take one international trip a year. Past trips and personal ties are factors in deciding where to go, as well as current issues affecting countries. In the Philippines, civil rights issues have been impacting members of the clergy. His family roots in the country also were appealing to Reyes-Chow.

“We wanted to go where our actual presence would be of some use,” he said.

Reyes-Chow said his three daughters ― ages 12, 7 and 5 ― are excited to see more of their Filipino heritage and have been asked to speak to Sunday school classes about life as the children of a Presbyterian pastor and moderator.

They are also prepared to immerse themselves in another culture. His oldest daughter will have to wear dresses or skirts in public, something she’s unaccustomed to at home in San Francisco, Reyes-Chow said.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has played a great role in the development of churches around the world, Reyes-Chow said, and he expects to see the response from locals about the impacts of the PC(USA), perhaps in many ways that he has not experienced in the United States.

“As being moderator has opened my eyes about the entire denomination, this is just one more opportunity to see more,” he said.

Tentative itinerary

Feb. 9 ― departure (arriving Manila Feb. 10)
Feb. 10 ― meet with officers of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP); visit with PC(USA) mission workers; meet with human rights workers and advocates.

Feb. 11 ― historical tour of Manila; meet with UCCP programmatic workers, dinner with members of UCCP Ellinwood Church.

Feb. 12 ― meet with government officials, reunion with friends and relatives.

Feb. 13 ― depart for Taipei, Taiwan; dinner with Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) leaders and staff.

Feb. 14 ― travel to Taichung and visit Chang-Shan Presbyterian Church and “Joyce Home”; travel to Chu-Tang and visit Chu-Tang Presbyterian Church; travel to Tainan and visit Sin-Lau Christian Hospital; dinner with PCT officers

Feb. 15 ― worship at Min-Chu-Lu Presbyterian Church and Dong-Ning Presbyterian Church; tour Tainan City; return to Taipei.

Feb. 16 ― visit 228 Peace Park and Museum, Liberty Plaza; visit East Gate Presbyterian Church; visit Taiwan Theological College and Seminary; visit PCT General Assembly office and meet with church officials; dinner hosted by moderator of PCT General Assembly.

Feb. 17 ― travel from Taipei to Hong Kong.

Feb. 18 ― visit with officials of the Hong Kong Council of Church of Christ in China; meet with officials of the Amity Foundation; meet with Hong Kong Christian Council; dinner with Hong Kong church leaders.

Feb. 19 ― travel from Hong Kong to San Francisco.