Wednesday, April 7.
Here's a thought. The local Sin-Lau Hospital (Run by the PCT) offered everyone free medical checkups this morning. It seems to encourage attendance at General Assembly. I wonder if we could improve attendance at Synod if we threw in a free auto tune-up and oil change. Or maybe would offer to spay and neuter delegates' pets for free. Anything to get people to make the trip to Synod.

This morning was an exposure to the business end of General Assembly of the PCT and I don't think it differs much from the PCC. From what I could gather from Sidney's translations the two most contentious issues were the terms of service on the Christian school boards and concern over a letter written to the government calling for a ban on capital punishment. A recent poll showed that 80% of Taiwanese are in favour of capital punishment. In both cases the agony was over procedure more than content.

We heard from an expert speaker concerning the implications of a proposed free trade agreement between Taiwan and China and it sounded so much like the NAFTA headache that I wanted to get up and speak to the issue. Never trust an elephant when you get into bed with it.

The afternoon exposure tours were to the Taiwan Church Press (Founded by the Presbyterians in the 1880's) and right beside it the Tainan Theological Seminary (Founded by the Presbyterians in the 1880's) and then later over to the Sin-Lau Hospital around the corner from both and founded by the Presbyterians in the 1880's. Lastly we ended up at the Chang Jung High School which houses the Presbyterian Museum and about 5,000 students. It has many pictures of the early days of the press, the seminary and the hospital and guess what? It was founded by the Presbyterians in the 1880's. Busy little missionaries, eh?

Then a huge gala dinner with all the delegates at a fancy downtown restaurent. Anne and I are learning to pace ourselves during the 3 hour dinners.


Scott