At the annual national prayer breakfast yesterday, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) pledged to establish a clean, honest, diligent and sympathetic government.
Praying that God would protect Taiwan and guard its people, Ma said he agreed with Reverent Samuel Shaw (蕭祥修) that where there is fairness, there is strength.
“We hope Taiwan’s existence will encourage change in mainland China, peace in the region and justice in the international community. That is a major reason for the very existence of our country. It is also the principle value of our Constitution,” he said at the ninth national prayer breakfast in Taipei.
PHOTO: FANG PIN-CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
The event, co-organized by the Bread of Life Christian Church in Taipei and other churches, was co-initiated by Reverend Kao Chun-ming (高俊明) in 2001 after he attended a similar prayer breakfast event in South Korea.
Kao decided to start a similar event in Taiwan where politicians and business leaders can set aside their differences and join in prayer for the country’s common good.
Speaking in front of a large banner reading “Rise up and Shine — Building a Righteous, Merciful and Peaceful Country,” Ma said that in the past year, the country has transformed from a troublemaker into a problem solver and peacemaker.
“We not only create peace across the Taiwan Strait, but also have an opportunity to enhance mutual trust with our neighboring countries,” he said.
Ma thanked church groups for their compassion and contribution to the relief efforts following Typhoon Morakot.
The disaster claimed more than 700 lives after hitting central and southern parts of the country in August.
To show the country’s gratitude to the world, Ma said the government would donate locally manufactured swine flu vaccines to the WHO after the epidemic has peaked.
“This is the essence of compassion, righteousness and peace,” he said.
Quoting Leviticus 25:26, Ma said: “Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.”
As 2011 will mark the centennial anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, Ma promised to a government that is clean, honest, diligent and emphatic.
“It is a big challenge,” he said, “but we will begin with humility and start from gratefulness.”
Reverend Andrew Kou (寇紹恩), who lead the prayer for Ma, described Ma as an “honest president,” adding that he prayed that Ma’s honesty would help his government and the country become honest.
Kou said many times they felt “powerless” and he believed that Ma sometimes felt “powerless” too. He prayed that Ma would have strength, because he said Ma’s position would need a lot of strength and “ability.”
Kou also prayed that Ma would have “wisdom and joy” and better understand the grace of God.
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