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presbyterian Church of Korea (pCK) builds container village for earthquake victims in turkiye

The Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) has announced that it will construct 50 containers and a children’s centre for the victims of the earthquake in Turkiye. The project is part of the PCK’s relief efforts for the Turkiye-Syria earthquake in February 2023.

The container village will be located in Iskenderun, a city in Hatay Province, southeast of Turkiye. The PCK is collaborating with the Federation of Korean Associations in Turkiye, a local organization that represents the Korean community in the country. The containers will provide temporary shelter and basic facilities for the families who lost their homes in the disaster.

The PCK’s Social Service Department, which oversees the project, will send a delegation to Iskenderun from 12 to 16 June to monitor the progress and provide support.

The PCK has been raising funds for the earthquake victims since February, under the slogan “Turkiye-Syria Earthquake Relief Fundraising Campaign”.

Rev. Dr Soon Chang LEE, the Moderator of the PCK, said, “The General Assembly has received donations from member churches across the country to support millions of victims who have lost their homes. We hope that our solidarity of love will bring comfort and hope to our brothers and sisters in Turkiye.”

presbyterian Church in taiwan (pCt) provides translation services for medical mission to ukraine

Taiwan’s MacKay Medical Mission sent a team of medical personnel to Ukraine in April, making it the first team from Asia to provide voluntary medical assistance on site since the Ukrainian-Russian conflict began. The team of eight medical staff members conducted medical clinics at mobile local stations, performed surgeries, and demonstrations in hospitals with surgical equipment, and executed medical treatment in Mukachevo, Ukraine. In addition, they also provided health education training for personnel going to the frontline and post-traumatic counselling and treatment. The trip enabled them to evaluate local medical needs, and plan long-term medical support, as continuity is crucial for those suffering during, as well as for post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

The mission was organized by the MacKay Memorial Hospital in collaboration with the Taiwan Christian Medical Association and the North America Branch of Chinese Christian Medical Mission, and supported by The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) which provided translation services and material supplies. Prior to this, PCT had donated a new hospital bed to Ukraine, and Secretary of PCT Church and Society Committee Rev. Lin Wei-lien pledged to cooperate with more international relief organisations for Ukraine aid.