[Oe List ...] Thanks for news from Taiwan

[Janice Ulangca]

Evelyn - The compassion and "bringing people together to create more than possible separately" of your work in this crisis is an inspiration.  Thank you for taking the time to write this account.  You give heart and joy to your ICA-O:E colleagues around the world.
Janice Ulangca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Evelyn Philbrook 
  To: Order Ecumenical Community ; Robyn & John Hutchinson ; Isabella Delamaza ; Nelson Stover ; Gerald Gomani 
  Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 9:32 AM
  Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] You Deserve a Treat Today


  Dear Jann and OE, 

  The Philbrooks, the Wests, Jessie Hsiao, Shu Fang Tsai, Laura Hsu and Shawn Chu and Jorie Wu and George Yen and our FCP crew who live in Taipei are all high and dry... but not so for those living in the middle and south of Taiwan who struggled with all the mudslides and lost bridges, roads and homes.. it is hard to believe that 80 inches in three days could destroy so many lives in such a short period of time. 33,000 have been saved, but several thousand are still without aid and homes in the remote rural areas. Unfortunately those who suffered the most are the aboriginal and hill tribe people who were pushed up and away from the more prosperous bottomland in the south and central Taiwan. These people did not vote as strongly for President Ma and as a group have been left high in the mountains... the same is true for those in the south. Many bitter responses have come from those who literally feed the nation of Taiwan.... flooding takes the whole plant and and the seedlings needed to replenish the land. The most important thing to remember is that there are people who are willingly volunteers who will go to help anyone in a crisis, whether here or abroad which has been locally created by a Buddhist Monk... a woman named Tsu Chi... she has mobilized hospitals, clinic, volunteer groups in the thousands and more around Taiwan... 
  On her TV station she broadcast news of people going to help those who needed aid, and gave free health care, free clean up crews, free wheelbarrows to be transported and she has received aid from those who have money to give for helicopters to transport bulldozers and backhoes to areas that need these equipment. It is not easy for the government to do all this alone, but this foundation has the trust of the people because they will help and go where it is needed and do not take credit for it. The Christian Missions in those areas also are important communication points to get help brought in from outside..Praise God to all who look beyond the divisions of race, political party, or religion... 

  The International Association of Facilitators are working to bring crisis intervention aid people to work with the social workers and volunteers who went to help because the emotional impact is so great. We brought these people when we had the earthquake and we want to bring them again. We want to have Chinese and Taiwanese speaking people ready, and (aboriginal dialect people) so that we can work together to help ourselves in times of crisis. Those who have lost everything still need help and Taiwanese people can find ways to support those in need. I have heard of groups of women here in Taipei who have already started working to collect money for lunches of those children whose families lost their homes so they can keep going to school. But they are waiting to find out who is really in need. This is a long term plan. We are still operating out a principle of self sufficiency and self confidence, not just charity. 

  Larry has gone to work in Korea. Jorie Wu and Keli Yen with the Yen foundation are working to find out if they can bring people who would still be here for the conference to do special workshops with local groups and be at the conference too. 

  One of our good colleagues, Jessie Hsiao, who also went to the the Open Space conference with Gail West this past summer and a crew of other people from Taiwan, is offering to hold an Open Space to assist those who are working together to respond to the crisis in the south and central Taiwan next weekend. Oh October 15 or so is an Open Space on Open Space International Conference here in Taiwan. August 29-30 is International Association of Facilitators in Taipei... so we are busy working away. 

  On behalf of Those Who Care, 

  Evelyn Kurihara Philbrook
  ICA Taiwan
  ICAI VP of Asia and the Pacific

  LAURELCG at aol.com wrote: 
    In a message dated 8/15/2009 8:15:39 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, joyful at icatw.com writes:
      Evelyn Kurihara Philbrook
      ICA Taiwan
      ICAI VP of Asia and the Pacific
    Evelyn,

    Did the typhoon miss you-all entirely? How are things?

    Jann McGuire


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