August 15-21, 2011.
Church Ministry News
Remodeled Mackay Mission Hospital adds new café to boost tourism
Reported by Taiwan Church News
Written by Lydia Ma
Mackay Mission Hospital, presently located at No.6 Mackay Street, was first established in 1879. It was the first hospital in Taiwan to practice Western medicine and played an important role during the Sino-French war in 1884 and1885 when many wounded soldiers were taken there to be treated. Rumor has it that the hospital’s two main doors were at one time taken down to serve as stretchers and the hospital was awarded a prize at the conclusion of the war for its role and contributions.
The hospital was relocated to another location in Taipei to make way for a bigger building during the time of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. The old building was transformed and renovated many times over the years to serve as a seminary, library, kindergarten, and student dormitory. In 1992, it was renovated into a museum for the community.
However, termites and harsh weather resulted in a temporary closure of this museum for safety precautions in early 2011 so that the building could be renovated. Now, according to reports, months of renovations not only kept the old museum intact, but also added a small coffee shop to the museum. The new coffee shop also provides internet access so that tourists and local residents can spend more at the museum and tour its surroundings and have a relaxing time there.
Tamsui Presbyterian Church’s Assistant Pastor Lu Ping-heng said that these renovations and the addition of a coffee shop to the museum serve to boost interaction between the church and its surrounding community. He hopes that the building can serve as a venue for seminars in the future on topics ranging from medicine to literature. He also hopes that holding public seminars there will enable visitors to know more about Mackay’s legacy and his Christian faith.
On a final note, Lu said many newlyweds love to take pictures inside Tamsui Presbyterian Church because it’s a perfect and beautiful location to shoot artistic photos. To smooth this process, the church has set aside a spare room for the bride to rest, change clothes, and apply makeup
