August 13-19, 2012
Headline News
PCT youth selected as “Miss Taiwan for UN” at upcoming trip to UN office
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong
Written by Lydia Ma
Taiwan United Nations Alliance (TAUNA) held a press conference on August 11, 2012, just one day ahead of the UN’s “International Youth Day”. The press conference focused on introducing the two youths who had been chosen as “Mr. and Miss Taiwan for UN” ahead of a trip sponsored by TAUNA in September to lobby for Taiwan’s entry into the United Nations. It also formally unveiled an internet petition asking the UN to stop indexing Taiwan as a province of China and urged Taiwanese to go online and sign the petition. An English version of this petition will also be posted shortly.
Chuang Hui-yu, a youth from Chungkang Presbyterian Church was selected as “Miss Taiwan for UN”. She is currently a freshman at National Taipei University and majoring in foreign languages and applied linguistics. She sincerely hopes that the international community will one day be more receptive of Taiwan. With God’s help, she hopes that one day Taiwanese may go anywhere and confidently declare “I am Taiwanese!”
Chuang said that her dream, as a Taiwanese, is to see Taiwan become a member of the United Nations. However, she admitted that this is a distant and challenging goal based on present international circumstances. She underscored that this is precisely the reason why Taiwanese citizens need to rally their friends and neighbors and tell them to take part in this petition. “I firmly believe that all things are possible in Christ though it may seem impossible to mankind,” she said. Therefore, she urged Taiwanese to entrust this impossible dream to God and let God guide the nation back into the UN.
As a youth who grew up in church, Chuang underscored that Christians who voice their concern about Taiwan’s future or Taiwanese politics are not wrong. In fact, they are rooted in their faith and living it out. She pointed out frankly that most churches only focus on worshipping God and knowing God as a loving savior. However, because the PCT also stresses on God’s justice and speaks out on social issues, it is often labeled by outsiders as a political organization instead of a church.
For this reason, the PCT sometimes has a hard time sharing the Gospel. But Chuang encouraged PCT to plow on despite these stereotypes. She believes that youths’ minds can be influenced and changed, subtly but consistently, with exposure and she believes that it is only right to continue stressing on God’s justice and God’s love. She hopes to see youths in Taiwan be more concerned about the future of Taiwan because of PCT’s efforts.
Photo by Chiou Kuo-rong
