Vision Youth Action volunteers from Hong Kong and Cambodia on Wednesday helped repair and paint the walls of a temple in Taichung’s Shengang District (神岡).
New Power Party Legislator Hung Tzu-yung (洪慈庸) and the Sanjiao Community (三角) association invited the volunteers to join them in mending the cracks in the walls of the Jhanyun Temple (瞻雲) and decorating them with paintings.
Before starting work on the temple, Hung led the volunteers in making ritual offerings for the Ghost Festival.
Photo: CNA
The community project was aimed at improving the district’s image and cultural diversity, Hung said, thanking the international volunteers for their help.
She said she hoped the paintings would revitalize the community.
An important part of the program is for volunteers, who are in Taiwan for a 14-day youth camp, is to experience Taiwanese culture and sense of community, she said.
The foreign volunteers chatted with the elderly residents of the community and worked together with local volunteers.
The program includes learning about art work associated with Matsu worship, making fermented tofu, sharing a dinner with local residents and visiting night markets, said Lin Wan-han (林琬涵), the volunteers’ guide.
A volunteer from Hong Kong surnamed Liu (劉) said he is grateful for the opportunity to meet friends from around the world during the youth camp and that he found restoring the community architecture fulfilling work.
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