Taiwan Church News
3402 Edition
8 – 14 May, 2017
Headline News
Light Of Nan-Shih Presbyterian Church Prompts An Elementary School To Win Number 5 In National Juvenile Football Cup
Reported by Chen Yi-fan
Nay-Shih elementary school football team, recruiting members mainly from the after-school class of Nan-Shih Presbyterian Church of Paiwan Presbytery, won an award of number 5 during a National Juvenile Football Cup held from May 1 to May 4 at Taipei’s Bai-Ling football gymnasium. This was an incredible achievement for a rural football team only equipped with so limited resources and many novice players.
If there was not a very questionable time-off extension, due to judge’s agreement to postpone the ending for 100 seconds and over, Nay Shih elementary school football team might have defeated Ray-Shin Elementary School, the champion of 2016 Juvenile Football Cup, in a very competitive score of 3:2 and entered into the semi-final match. Ray-Shin football team finally grabbed the last chance to kick in and very luckily won the penalty kick contest with a score of Nay-Shih 4:5 Ray-Shin. The result is indeed a pity, though, the national ranking of Nay-Shih elementary school football team amazingly stunned the media and many urban elementary schools in the match.
On May 7, in the Sunday service of Nan-Shih Presbyterian Church, Ms Umi Rufuchi, being the coach(of Nay-Shih elementary school football team), deacon, Sunday school principal and teacher of after-school class(of Nan-Shih Presbyterian Church), was specially invited to report the inspiring tournament about these great children. Except their daily football training on the field and their homework studies, the most important one is to stick on the faith, Ms Umi stressed, adding that the prayer was also insisted at both the beginning and the end of the match. At first, the children did not know how to say a prayer, but now they can fluently read out aloud together on Lord’s prayer, Ms Umi said.
As a football player having attended many international matches in her youth, and an elementary school coach having stationed in many cities on Taiwan, Ms Umi decided to return to her home town – Pingtung – eight years ago to do what she can do best for her folks in tribes. She has a dream to bring these kids of Nan-Shih Presbyterian Church to attend football matches oversea in order to make their eyes wide open and learn more about this beautiful world.
On the amazing performance of these wonderful children, Rev Tsai Ai-lien on behalf of Nan-Shih Presbyterian Church gave a sincere thanks-giving to 1919 Service Center of Chinese Christian Relief Association for their kind supports in after-school educational programs and in-time supplies for sports-wears and shoes; to Heng Chun Christian Hospital for donations of travel fees and expenses; and to countless anonymous offerings from the public for helping these children in rural areas to make their dreams come true!
Translated by Peter Wolfe
