Kaohsiung Declines to Rename Hospital for Founding Missionary

Taiwan Church News

2779

30 May 2005

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Taiwan Church News 2779 30 May to 5 June 2005

Reported by Li Hsin-ren. Written by David Alexander

The city-owned Chi-chin Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is situated near the site where Taiwan’s first Western medical clinic was established 140 years ago by Dr. James Maxwell, a Scot sent to Taiwan by the English Presbyterian Church. As part of the celebration of the anniversary of his arrival the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) and the Kaohsiung Municipal government joined hands to hold seminars and mount museum displays. A motion was to be put before the municipal council to re-name Chi-chin hospital for Dr. Maxwell, but it was withdrawn on advice from neighborhood political leaders. PCT Associate General Secretary Lim Chong-cheng commented, “The church must strengthen its presence in the community and re-establish close contact with local residents.”

Jaw Tien-lin, a city counselor who is a member of Chien-chin Presbyterian Church, backed the measure. He said that it had support from acting mayor Chen Chi-mai, the municipal culture bureau and the health department. It was thought that approval by the entire council was all but assured, but the matter was not presented because of opinions from the grassroots.

Chen Ling-li, another counselor (and a member of Min-tsu Presbyterian Church) said that the measure’s failure indicates the necessity of the church forming closer connections with local people and redoubling its mission work and community activism. She said that since many people in the neighborhood are not even aware of the church’s presence,the idea of taking the locale’s name off of the institution and substituting that of a foreigner was naturally strange to them. 

The Rev. Yu Yi-feng, pastor of Chi-hou Presbyterian Church, said that there are more than 400 folk religion temples in Chi-chin district but only 3 churches. Grassroots people are firmly tied to folk-religion and feel Christianity to be very strange. The church, he says, needs to move towards the people in community ministry to overcome the alienation. His own congregation has instituted weekend programmes for children and is holding “Maxwell Memorial Activities” through the end of August. Another plan is to for the congregation to open a neighborhood and mission history museum within the next five years to facilitate the penetration of the gospel into the area. 

For more information: Chi-ho Presbyterian Church kiau@seed.net.tw