Again this year, the Young Adult Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) sponsored the “I Love Taiwan Mission.” ILT was held from June 26 through July 13 with the theme “Corners of God’s Kingdom.”

Since 2009, the Kyodan has been sending young adults to participate in ILT through the Committee on Taiwanese Church Relations. This year’s participants were Ms. Kosaka Wakana from Izumi Aisen Church in Tohoku District and Ms. Shimozono Haruka from Kyodo Midorigaoka Church in Tokyo District. The purpose of having this program in Taiwan is to provide an opportunity for young adults from both Taiwan and abroad to serve the Lord and the Lord’s Church as members of the Lord’s larger family and to gain a multi-faceted knowledge of Taiwan. This year 102 young adults attended, with 22 participants coming from eight foreign countries.

At the opening orientation, some pastors and professors gave talks on the Bible and other topics. Following the presentations, participants were separated into groups in which the topics were discussed. Kosaka was impressed that despite varying opinions expressed in her group discussion, the members seriously continued to debate and seek answers. Rather than only reading the Bible passively, she felt keenly the importance of learning more about why certain scriptures appear as they do as well as the need to pursue a greater understanding of the background.

The main part of the program was ten days of service in a local church. While serving in churches throughout the country, the participants and the members of these churches shared their culture, history, cuisine, dances, songs of praise, and much more.

This year both Japanese participants were assigned to aboriginal churches. Kosaka was assigned to a church of the Paiwan people in Pingtung. She learned that the Paiwan people and Japan have a strong historical connection. She also met a person there who had volunteered during the Great East Japan Disaster. As a result of her experience, she hopes to deepen her knowledge of the history shared by the Paiwan people and Japan, as well as to serve as a bridge between Tohoku and Pingtung.

Shimozono was assigned to the Kabalelradhane Church of the Rukai people in Pingtung. While there, she sensed the relational ties among these rural people, which people in the city lack, and felt a strong need across society to support the youth and elderly with intentional neighborly love. (Tr. JS)

                  —Hironaka Yoshimi, staff

                    Commission on Ecumenical Ministries

I Love Taiwan Mission を終えて

　今年も台湾基督長老教会（PCT）青年委員会が主催するI Love Taiwan Mission（ILT）が「神の国の片隅に」いうテーマで6月26日から7月13日まで行われた。

　教団は台湾協約委員会を通して2009年から青年を派遣している。今年は高坂若菜こうさかわかなさん（いずみ愛泉教会）と下園晴歌しもぞのはるかさん（経堂緑岡教会）を派遣した。このプログラムは「台湾で、」国内外の青年が主の大家族として共に主と教会に仕えることと、多面的な台湾を知ることを目的としている。今年は102名の国内外青年（海外8ヶ国からは22名）が集まった。

　始めのオリエンテーションでは、聖書や各トピックについて教授や牧師が話をし、参加者も分野ごとに意見を交した。高坂さんは、参加者同士が異なる意見でも諦めずに討論し、主体的に問いつづける姿勢に感銘を受け、聖書も受け身で読むのでなく、なぜ聖書にそう記載があるのか、その背景を問い続け、学び続けることの大切さ実感したそうだ。

 プログラムのメインは10日間の現地教会における奉仕である。参加者は台湾各地の教会に派遣され教会と地域活動の奉仕をしながら、互いの文化、歴史、料理、踊り、讃美歌を分かち合う。今年は二名ともに原住民教会へ派遣された。パイワン族の教会である長楽ちょうらく教会に派遣された高坂さんは、パイワン族と日本に歴史的にも強いつながりがあることを知り、同時に東日本大震災のボランティア経験者にも出会ったことから、今後パイワン族や日本の歴史について更に認識を深め、東北と屏東の架け橋になりたいと願っている。またルカイ族の教会である神山かみやま教会に派遣された下園さんは、都会では希薄になっている人々のつながりを感じ、社会全体で子どもや高齢者を積極的に支える隣人愛の大切さに改めて気付かされたそうだ。今年も皆様の祈りと支えに感謝する。 （廣中佳実）