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Articles by Country
Taiwan
Will It Still Be the Same?
By Beth Sabado
The author is from Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, and before becoming a Columban Lay Missionary was Chief Nurse in J. Cabahug Hospital, Pagadian City. She has been in Taiwan since 2003 where she worked at the Hope Workers’ Center. Recently she was appointed Coordinator of the Lay Missionary Central Leadership Team and will be moving to Hong Kong.
One evening a friend invited me out for a walk and a drink in one of the shopping places in Pasig City, part of Metro Manila. The structural design, the different artistic expressions, the ambiance and other features of the place were surprisingly and overwhelmingly beautiful for someone like me who sees art as an expression of the soul. Exploring the place for the first time made my brain cells do ‘multi-tasking’. We moved to explore the place, but my eyes spotted a giant chess board situated in the middle of the park. Walking closer, both of us agreed to play a casual game, thinking that it would be exciting. The last time I had played chess was with my brother Patboone in the summer of 1981. Soon after his death in December 1981, the family chess board was put away with his other stuff in our underground storage. Since then, I had never had the chance to play chess again.
Bookstore in Taiwan
‘Come after me and I will make you fishers of men’ (Mark 1:17)
By Rodolfo Christopher Kaamiño IV
The author, from Ozamiz City, was ordained deacon in Malate Church, Manila, on 12 December. He writes here about his experience as a Columban seminarian on First Mission Assignment in Taiwan.
Friends ask me what I’m doing here in Taiwan. Half-jokingly, ‘Washing asses’ is my frequent reply, and they laugh, thinking I might be joking or that I mean something else. Here is somebody who has studied for four years in graduate school in the USA now washing other people’s asses. It led me to wonder what’s ‘wrong’ with this, probably because it’s a ‘dirty’ job, or because it’s not a ‘classy job’, a ‘sophisticated profession’ such as engineering or accountancy. A friend asked me why I’m doing this. I told him I don’t do it on my own, or else I would have quit a long time ago. I have some help from above.
New Year in February
Mission brought me home
From the streets they cry out to us
By Sr. Marvie Misolas MM
The number of homeless people all over the world is growing and Taiwan is no exception. Shelters are being set up for these people as a temporary solution. Maryknoll Sister Marvie Misolas, a native of Marikina, shares with us about a friendship she had with Ka-Li, one of the residents she met when she visited Taichung City Homeless Shelter established by the Taiwan government.
I still remember the first time I met Hwang Ka-Li at the Shelter. She was smoking while her eyes were fixed on the television. Her long black hair flowed over her shoulders. She was beautiful despite the signs of hardship evident in her face. When she saw me she looked at me intently and pointed at the cross I was wearing and smiled. I smiled back and told her who I was. Then she opened her mouth and uttered some sounds. She began to motion with her hands with muffled sounds in between. I panicked a little when I realized she was speech-handicapped.
Trapped: A Strange Story
By Sister Judith Malon, OSA
When we first arrived we were introduced to Yawee, a close friend of Fr. Barry the parish priest of Ching Chuan. Yawee is in his late thirties now, married and has six children now, the youngest of which was given for adoption. He sometimes accompanies us when we visit families in the evening, giving a helping hand to my sister companion who could hardly manage to climb hills. Yawee had a drinking problem. He wanted to stop drinking and here’s his strange story.
Room 1003
By Fr. Wens Padilla, CICM
Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
With 20 million people, Taiwan is the Worlds most densely populated country. In this article Fr. Wens Padilla, CICM, a Filipino missionary in Taipei, tells us about a day in the life of a Superior of a dynamic group of missionaries.
Hearty Welcome
As the days and months come go, the office unfolds itself to familiarity. The file cabinets are time and again revisited, the sometimes squeaky sliding doors of the various bookshelves are slid with much frequency, the chairs in the reception are not underused, for the four –line administrative telephone, together with the black colored one with a wireless receiver, are given plenty attention, and, an electric typewriter gets plugged in daily and keep on changing ribbons and correction tapes. Day is and day out, at atmosphere of busy-ness” prevails over the room. As the former occupant used to say, “There is always something to be done.” But anyone who comes in and goes out is given a hearty welcome…if not by the man behind the table, at least by the ever-ready –to-be-seatled-on-easychairs
