austraLasia #2476

Amidst typhoons, earthquakes..... the Lord still smiles

TAINAN: 11th August 2009 -- One would need to live on another planet - and these days even that would hardly count - to not know that parts of Asia have been badly pummeled by typhoon Morakot - Taiwan and the China mainland coast have been seriously affected. Morakot has also brought heavy rains to South Korea and Japan, all suffering from serious mudslides, loss of life.  And now Japan has been by a 6.5 magnitude earthquake.
    Reports from our own Salesians are coming in slowly, as could be expected amidst the general difficulties they are experiencing, including with communications.
    A correspondent from Taiwan tells us that in Taipei the St John Bosco Parish, kindergarten and living quarters of the Salesian community are ok.  Tainan's school compound, 300 kms to the south, is at least fortunate in that it is in higher ground - that helps where flooding is concerned, but less so for wind!  With some buildings more than 40 years old, there are problems from leakage, grounds literally awash and/or covered with leaves, but the structure still stands.  But it's a case of water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink! The area has been three days without fresh drinking water. The school has large tanks but they are already dry, so the school has to do what it can - buy water, borrow some from the firemen's tanks, collect it from the roofs.
    Chaocou, Boys Town, is 70 kms south-east of Tainan. They have had a tough time. Last month the 49 year old Fr Francis Wang Chun-run, in charge of the boys, passed away.  His replacement has not yet arrived. The Bursar of the House is blocked by weather conditions in Hong Kong.  Fortunately the boys are home for a break!  The Rector in Tainan has sent a 'relief' priest down from the city, and he found that the normal one hour for that distance became four, due to floods.  He also found the compound at Chaocou flooded and the older buildings leaking. But, as our correspondent notes, God is good and all considered, our people and our work are bearing up well.
    We hope to have additional reports from other weather or earthquake affected areas, in due course.
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 AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2476
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces China typhoons
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2476