THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN TAIWAN  

Mission in Action – news from Joy Randall
(October 8, 2005)

It has been over a year since I returned from Taiwan and a year since I retired. It has been a time of sharing and reflecting on memories from the past, being active in the present, and looking forward to other ways of service and witness in the future.
It has been great to continue to share and speak to churches and WMS groups and appreciate your continuing support in prayer.

A very special event this past June was the celebration of the 140th anniversary of the arrival of the first protestant missionary to Taiwan, Dr. James Maxwell

The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan invited representatives from partner churches including the Presbyterian Church in Canada, one of their longest partners, to attend this celebration. Margaret Zondo, International Ministries, Jack and Betty Geddes, and Joy Randall were asked to go. Wilma Welsh also decided to join the group. Louise Gamble and Murray Garvin were already in Taiwan,
There were many representatives from the various partner churches and it was especially great to see so many previous missionaries from the URC (previously the Presbyterian Church of England who sent Dr J. Maxwell and many missionaries to Southern Taiwan
Our Canadian Mission was recognized and thanks for their great contribution to the spreading of the Gospel from 1872 when Dr George Leslie Mackay arrived, until the present day.

The 140th Anniversary Celebration of the PCT Mission Consultation’s theme:
                            “The Mission of Taiwan and the Global Community in a New Era”.

Guests from various countries spoke on the various aspects-
               Mission- Spiritual Formation; Mission- Justice and Peace; Mission in Unity

The representatives from partner churches and the Taiwanese representatives were divided in to groups for Bible Study and discussion. Presentations of gifts to the PCT from the various partners were made during the closing service.

The 140th Anniversary Celebrations were held in 7 different places around the island. I was most privileged and honored to attend the one in Changhua. Which included three presbyteries in central Taiwan with over 8000 attending. It was a service of Thanksgiving and Communion with signing of partnerships between Taiwanese and Aborigines churches. Music and dancing from the various groups was special throughout the service. There was a bazaar going on outside as well in afternoon. The moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan was the speaker as this was his home presbytery.   

Area Celebrations and representatives:

      Taipei - Jack and Betty Geddes and Louise Gamble,
      Hualien -  Margaret Zondo and Murray Garvin; 
      Tai Tung -  Wilma Welsh
      Changhua -  Joy Randall

The following week I spent with Wilma and  Margaret visiting church related places in Tam Sui, Hsin-chu and Changhua.  We attended worship in Changhua Hospital and met the new superintendent. Dr Wei, and attended the Erhiln Branch Worship where they also celebrated my birthday and we met many of the nursing staff at my Birthday parties!   

I remained in Changhua for the rest of the month- to visit more friends, churches and the branch hospitals. I shared in some of their events and participated and lead in some of the worship services. I tried to do a little more work on our department’s Nursing History and organize pictures etc for future use.

I visited our other branch hospital in Lu Kang that opened last year and spent time with the supervisor, and attended a monthly meeting and their worship service.

We also have a hospital in Yuan Lin we have helped and the supervisor and head nurses there used to be on our staff. I enjoyed the tour and sharing with them.

Many of these visits were a time of encouragement and sharing in their concerns for the future of nursing in these various places.

I visited Pull Christian Hospital where the superintendent is a good friend of mine too and I know some of the other staff there too. We also had time to visit Sun Moon Lake, my favorite spot in Taiwan, and other places when rain and flooding did not stop them.

I attended my church, Eng-Hok and enjoyed the service and meeting so many members and their children again. Some of the elders had a meal which was special as two elders’ children are to be married in Aug. They had this celebration since I would not be there to attend the wedding.

Another Sunday our nurses’ choir visited a Hak ka church to sing and do a screening clinic. Many nurses and their children decided to go in order to have time away with me as well thus the numbers were increased. The choir sang one number in Hak-ka and this pleased everyone there. One of our ministers, Rev Khu had taught them and he was the guest preacher that day. When we got back to Changhua that night we had dinner with the supervisors, head nurses and their families. I think there were over 60 so a little noisy but a joyous occasion.

One more joyous event was the announcement that the Director of Nursing, Miss Susan Chang, has been accepted into the Doctoral Programme at Kaohsiung Medical University and plans to begin this fall. This is a great honour to her and our whole Nursing Dept and the hospital are behind her. I have continued to support her in prayer and encourage her in many ways and appreciate your prayers for her and the nursing dept.

I am most thankful for this wonderful opportunity to return to Taiwan for this celebration and to see the future plans and concerns of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan.  The time at Changhua Christian Hospital and our branch hospitals was most rewarding and to see the new Pediatric Hospital fully operating since it has been a year since it had opened.  I am thankful that I was able to support the Nursing administrative staff during that time and help them with the continuing History of Nursing at Changhua Christian Hospital. 

When I am home in Cobourg, I try to carry out my responsibilities as an elder at St. Andrew’s Church, sing in the choir, member of the WMS group and new Vice President of Peterborough Presbyterial. In the afternoons I sometimes visit the older people of our congregation.

I have been asked to be the chair person for the Personnel Committee of the International Ministries and thus a member of the Advisory Committee of International Ministries

Praying I will be able to continue to serve our Lord in these many ways and according to His plan for my future. Appreciate so many friends still keeping in touch with me and always glad to hear from you.         

Joy M. Randall.
103 Chapel St.
Cobourg, ON K9A 1J4

Rrandall@eagle.ca

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Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.

Visit our web site: http://enews.pctpress.org/

This website also contains updated news articles in English from Taiwan Church News.


The Atlantic Mission Society extends our congratulations and best wishes to 
Miss Joy Randall
 honoured on March 11, 2004
with an honorary citizenship to Changhua County, Taiwan.
We rejoice with her and her
colleagues
that her Christian witness 
and immense contribution to the health profession in Taiwan
has been so recognized.

 

Joy M Randall---------Honourary Citizen of Changhua County  

           An honourary citizenship for Changhua County was presented to Joy M. Randall
           at the Worship Service at Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan on 
           Thursday March 11, 2004.         

                                                       Certificate of Honorary Citizenship

            I, Wong Chin-Chu, Magistrate of Changhau County. Taiwan, 
            on behalf of the 1.3 million citizens of Changhua County, 
            issue this Certificate to Ms Joy Margaret Randall
            in appreciation for her long-term care and for contributions to Changhua County.”

           Joy is the 5th person to receive this honour.  
          
Joy Randall, a missionary of the Presbyterian Church in Canada 
           has lived in Taiwan since November 1969 
           and 33 of these years were in Changhua.

           This presentation made by Ms. Wong, the Magistrate of Changhua County, 
           and this celebration was shared with previous Presbyterian Canadian Missionaries 
                   Mr. Jack and Mrs. Betty Geddes, 
                          who brought congratulations from the International Ministries,  
                   Ms Wilma Welsh who spoke for Joy’s family, 
                          were in Taiwan for another celebration, 
                   The hospital staff and friends from her church were also present 
                            to give her flowers and their best wishes.

 

 
Top photo: Ms. Wong Chin-Chu and Joy Randall
Bottom: Rev. Peter Wang (Vancouver), Jack and Betty Geddes, Joy, Wilma Welsh, 
                                                                                Columbus Leo and son (in front)

  
Celebrations of the Tam Kang High School’s 90th Anniversary and the Inauguration of the Tam Kang Garden and Po Ting Bell Tower on March 13,2004. 

Rev Paul McLean, as the Presbyterian Church in Canada’s representative, helped to unveil one 
plaque in the park and later presented a plaque from our church. Betty Geddes and Wilma Welsh 
as one of the representatives from the Canadian Mackay Committee were among the 8 women 
who cut the ribbon to the Tam Kang Park. 
Jack Geddes helped to unveil the Po Ting bell. There were many other dignitaries from Canadian Trade 
Office, Canadian Society, and especially Dr and Mrs David Jenkins. Leslie is the grand daughter 
of George William Mackay who was the founder of the school in 1904. She and her husband rang 
the smaller bell while the larger bell was rung by the mayor of Tam Sui and the Warden from Oxford 
County. 

Top photo: (At gravesite of George Leslie MacKay) Mr. and Mrs. Jim Herder (St. Andrews College, Aurora, Ont.) Wilma Welsh, Jack Geddes, Dr. and Mrs. David (Leslie MacKay) Jenkins, Betty Geddes, Albert Yao (TamKang Middle School Principal), Joy Randall, Louise Gamble, Rev. Paul McLean
Middle photo: Jack Geddes
Bottom photo: Betty Geddes, Wilma Welsh, Joy Randall, Albert Yao, Jack Geddes, Louise Gamble, Paul McLean 

 

 

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan web http://www.pct.org.tw