T38 & T39 - The North West Synod Trip in Taipei

24/10/2009 by paul.

Well in these last couple of days I found some English people to speak to! Apologies to them for speaking really slowly to start with! The North-West Synod of the URC sent a party of four to Taiwan, and they have spent most of their time in the presbytery they are twinned with in Chiayi. However they stopped off for two days in Taipei on their way back to the airport, and so I had chance to listen to a good Mancunian ‘Hiyaaaaah’ once more (sorry Kathryn…).

On Thursday we met up at the Assmebly Office, and I had the chance to meet the general secretary of the PCT, Rev. Andrew Chang, and the program secretary of the Evangelism committee Rev. Tsai. They shared some of their work and vision and then the NW group talked about a Taiwanese missionary who is working with students at the University of Manchester. Afterwards we had a scrummy tea, before making arrangements for tomorrow.

So a little bleary-eyed (due to the late night preparing material for Saturday’s English class and Young Adults talk!) I made my way to the Taipei Main Station to meet the group on T39 - that’s Friday. Thankfully there is a Starbucks next to the station so I could stock up. When we had all met together we jumped in taxis and were driven out to Bali…

View Bali and Damshui in a larger map

There we visited an archeaology museum about the discovery of a prehistoric aboriginal people who lived on this particulr part of the coast. It was a cross between Jorvik Viking Centre (although historically earlier, I think) and Time Team. After a good wander and muchos explanationos by our tour guide, we headed to Damshui. We got on a bus and then a ferry across the river…

Damshui was important for two reasons. The first was quite simply because that’s where lunch was. Secondly, and much more important and inspiring was the fact that this was the place where Rev. Mackay first established his ministry. Mackay was the first Presbyterian Missionary to come to Taiwan in 1872. It is from his work that the PCT established, and what work he did. I;ve been reading some of the excerpts from his diary, even on the crossing from Canada to here he showed himself to be the most humble biblical man. There are often entries like, ‘Could only managed to read and study 70 Psalms today. Was very sick.’ But his Biblical mindset obviously gave him great strength and commitment when he arrived, setting up a clinic and a church, both of which flourished under his guidance. He took great time to visit and preached powerfully. Now if I could just achieve a small amount in my ministry…

After a short visit to his clinic and some more goose bumps of admiration and challenge, we wandered up to our host’s (a lovely missionary lady called Carys from Wales, who works at the PCT general assembly office) house for tea before heading back on the metro to Taipei. After saying our goodbyes as the metro pulled in Shuanglian station I left the intrepid four to pack and get ready for their 4am departure back to the UK. I wasn’t jealous all, well not much, well OK a little bit, but I’ve got so much more to do yet before I’m allowed on aeroplane. Talking of work, there’s that presentation to sort out for tomorrow night….

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