Page 26 - Hualien Sustainable Living Bilingual Magazine

Rev. Moal has often wondered,“What kind of work can transcend ethnic divides and unite all ethnic groups?”He recalls the time when the government first started promoting environmental protection policies. He got the locals to work together to participate in the recycling plan, gathering and sorting discarded bottles and exchanging them for money to donate to the welfare institution Many people have rediscovered meaning in their lives and their sense of identity here. Once, a gangster came to him after being released from prison. Rev. Moal took him to the recycling center and gave him a job dismantling large pieces of machinery. Worried that he might try to organize a gang, Rev. Moal said to him,“You know, we don’t have a boss here. The boss is up there.”Then Rev. Moal pointed at the sky. Slowly, the ex-con let go of his tough posturing and gradually assimilated into group life.“Many people find a sense of belonging by working here. They come to see the group as a big family, and their defenses start to come down.”Under Rev. Moal’s care and encouragement, these people from different cultures, family backgrounds, and social experiences leave their past behind to become productive members of the group. “St. Andrew Training Center”, as well as the “Yi Feng Garden”, a home for the disabled and elderly. Every morning at 7 o’clock sharp, a truck would set off from the church, heading as far north as Guangfu and as far south as Guanshan to collect discarded large- scale agricultural machinery and electrical appliances. After many years, Rev. Moal is proud to say that this work has transcended religion, faith, and ethnicity. 21