台湾：与打工族、留学生和移民同行

    People emigrate to face new economic, social and political realities. Some by force while others by choice.

    In Taiwan, most migrant workers and care providers come from Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. The number of foreign brides is on the rise. The foreign students population is steadily increasing also because of the attractive scholarship grants by the Taiwan government and some NGOs to deserving college, masters, doctorate and post doctorate students from abroad.

    How do we receive and perceive these people or “migrants” moving into our neighborhoods? Do we consider them as brothers and sisters joining our big happy family? Or do we see them as a threat to our very comfortable living and working spaces? Or worse still are they totally invisible to us as we get on with our lives?

    Mhike So, born in the Philippines of mixed Chinese descent, traces his paternal lineage back to Fujian Province, China. Living in Taiwan for the past two decades now, he started a small computer training program 8 years ago for the migrant workers at the Hope Workers’ Center (HWC) in a parish in the Diocese of Hsinchu. After classes, many of the migrants attending the computer training asked for a one-on-one talk with him. Soon computer classes were extended to counseling sessions. He later realized that these migrants not only lack information technology skills but also needed a listening ear to their many social, economic and emotional issues.

    Living in a fast paced, technologically advanced environment, it is easy to forget those who slip through the cracks. This 20 minute talk will reveal the experience of how a small ITC apostolate began, grew, and empowered the migrant workers, foreign brides and foreign students in Taiwan.