105th Hakka Toasmasters Meeting (9/26/2009) @ Baldwin Park

Hot ! Hot! Hot!
The heat wave is continuously hitting Southen California today! It is over 105 degree outside, and inside the meeting room, it is not less hot at all even with air-conditioning on ...
Our 105th meeting went on with surprises!
Brother Peng and Sister Su did an excellent presentation - demo and explanation, very informative and plus great teas they brewed and served to all. Many photos and video clip to record their great performance.
Lisa did her evaluator's assignment with her very funny describtion.
Ivan led the whole meeting process as our MC, and Josephine served as timer.
New friends, Rev Thomas Chen and his wife came in as the first time attendee. We really look forward to their active participation...
Mr. James Leu and his wife joined us for the second time since last Descember. We have planned to invite him for one presentation soon...He also helped us to do the video taping for the tea presentaion...
Sister Fan showed up with her new toy, a walking stick along with her recovery from last year's accident...Her son Justin stayed the whole meeting with us to learn about The Art of Tea...Glad he did so.
Mrs. Chee popped up after quiet a few months' no show...She made one big pot of green bean soup to help cool everyone off...but unfortunately, no bowls available on site to serve...
Ivan's parents did join us this month...Not to mention our regular gangs...Mrs. Huang Wen, Mr. Lai, Lisa & Kim, Ivan, Wen & Nancy... A full house packed in a tiny conference room. Exactly what I mean: HOT ! Simply a great meeting. We got chance to practice our mother tongue, and Brother Peng and Sister Su got chance to present their Cha-Do in Hakka. Thanks to their nice teas. Wait a minute, it is Moon Festival coming up...Wen & Nancy did bring the moon cakes to share with all...and how can I forget to mention about the famous Mochi made by our captain Madam Hunag Wen Wentze.
Enjoy many good photos and the video.  See you all next month!

What did we learn from 88 Disaster?

After 88 Disaster, what did we learn from it?

Did we get the message from our motherland yet?

a.) Share with you the Statement by Hapa-Na.

b.) Share with you an article that sent in to echo.

c.) Share with you my personal thought about Hakka and Taiwan.

I hope we can have a forum to discuss this serious topic...looking forward to your comments.

a.) Hapa-Na's Statement:
To whom it may concerned:
Our Board has approved the following statement to express our sincere concern about the recent 88 Disaster happened on our motherland. We pray for the relief of victims and their early recovery.

我們出生的地方台灣，原本是美麗之島，但這幾年來卻飽受財閥與政客的巧取豪奪，蹂躪摧殘，使得天氣驟變，山川走樣，以及產業外移，造成士農工商迷失方向，失去本位；正當我們憂慮之際發生八八水災。

八八水災重創南台灣，道路、橋樑與建物的損壞超過十年前的九二一大地震，人員死傷的數量多過五十年前的八七水災。我們旅居國外，從電視畫面傳來的慘狀使我們哀悽，讓我們流淚，更讓我們擔憂的是執政當局仍是心繫中國，延遲救災，操弄媒體，愚弄災民；稍假時日，再大的災情也被遺忘，數萬災民仍將繼續困頓於水火之中。

我等呼籲國內外客家鄉親弘大志願持續關懷受災居民，應用各種專業或各種職業，以金錢財務、或勞務、或監督等途徑，直接或間接的幫忙災區，務必到最後一位災民生活受到照顧，心理受到安慰為止。

我們呼籲所有台灣同胞，把迷失的心找回來，住在台灣關懷台灣的土地，把台灣的心找回來，愛護台灣這塊土地上的人民，讓所有同胞的得到照顧。

北美臺灣客家事務協會會長 李常吉 敬啟 9/2/2009
 
b.) An echo from Taiwan:
 
水災過後，洗盡塵垢，廣植福田

莫拉克颱風帶來超大豪雨，造成台灣五十年來最嚴重的水災，眾多民眾死傷、失蹤，各項損失數字更是破紀錄；災區的悲慘情況透過媒體報導及網路傳播，讓全國人民都同感傷心，捐輸物資大批擁進災區，青年男女搶當志工，在泥濘中不顧自身安危搶救人命，許多青年還擠不進志工的行列，他們或在災區內，或在外圍默默的從事服務災民的工作，一件件感人的故事透過網路得到國際社會的肯定與讚揚。

八八水災情況也引起全球八十多個國家的關切，或捐助金錢物質，或以機具人力協助救人，國際友邦的援助，除了表現人道關懷的普世價值外，更是我國多年來樂於援助其他國家的回饋。我國自從1959年派遣第一批農業技術人員前往越南開啟援外之路以來，到今年正好滿五十週年。半個世紀以來，我們援外的腳步遍及全球各洲，雖然因應國際局勢的改變以及中國的抵制，各項援外工作內容不斷的調整，但終究建立了良好的友誼基礎，當我們有難時，友邦都把政治暫擱一旁，對我們積極表達關懷與協助。

水災初期，國內媒體對於國防部高層的救災態度和一些作為頗有微詞，但是基層官兵的努力與貢獻絕對不能被遺忘，基層官兵從困厄中開道，在危險的地方翻山越嶺，為的是即早救出災民，他們連日在惡水中聞屍聞臭，餐風露宿，官兵無畏艱辛散播大愛的行動讓國人肯定。

經歷了這場災難，我們有幾個感觸與建言。
    其一、八八水災重創南台灣，除了國軍、政府、消防及民間等救援行動，網路在此次救災過程中扮演了極為重要的角色；無數年輕網友架設災情網站，透過網路一呼百應的特色，網路在台灣的這次災難中發揮巨大的影響力，網路已成為新型救災行動聯繫平台，也成為愛心的的連結網。
    第二、水災重創台灣，造成的滅村、走山、橋斷、路崩的區域，慘況令人觸目驚心，重建的路艱鉅又長遠，但是我們看世界許多先進國家，多有從大災難後重建起機能優越。嶄新的城市或社區；我們企盼學術界與決策當局，在這個慘痛的災難之後，也能做好國土規劃與重建，絕對要杜絕財閥政客從中牟利，落實重建工程，才能讓後世子孫安身立命
    第三、這次莫拉克颱風造成數百民眾死亡或失蹤，倖存者雖然暫時安然無恙，但面對生離死別，家園毀損的傷痛，創傷後壓力症候群將漸次呈現。根據「九二一」後一項災民評估報告，將近四分之一有精神健康障礙，高達一成到三成二受到創傷後壓力症候群的困擾，兩年後仍有二成一有創傷後壓力症候群症狀；九二一的重建經過八年以後，重建工作才告完成，重建委員會才解散，而這八年期間國內是以台灣優先為氛圍，但這次八八水災，國內氛圍卻處於以兩岸關係為前題，再加上災害初期政府單位的漫不經心，不得不讓人憂慮大難過後災區倖存者心靈的重建問題，漫長的重建之路，是否仍會被漫不經心的對待，我們認為各界關懷的心情不能一刻放鬆。
    第四、客家鄉親居住台灣，長久以來，不論國家建設或逢災救難，出錢出力都不落人後，但是以往因客語禁聲，努力總被忽略；這幾年政府部門運用預算，成立客家委員會，推行母語政策，興辦諸多客家活動，這些所用都是全民納稅錢，客家人當以國家公民身份，積極參與國家一切事務。

據瞭解已有許多客家鄉親捐錢捐資，或深入災區，聞聲救苦；為了長期關心我們受災的同胞，我們呼應北美客家公共事務協會向全球發出的聲明：

「我等呼籲國內外客家鄉親弘大志願持續關懷受災居民，應用各種專業或各種職業，以金錢財務、或勞務、或監督等途徑，直接或間接的幫忙災區，務必到最後一位災民生活受到照顧，心理受到安慰為止。」

水可以載舟也可以覆舟，可以是生命的寄託，也可能是席捲生靈的殺手，山可以聳立讓人依靠，也可能在轟然巨響後覆蓋生靈。山明水秀的村莊部落，很可能就是惡水挾帶土石流蹂躪的場域，因此，毋恃天災之不來，而要經常檢驗有無一旦天災猝襲的當下，是否已有萬全的自救與求生之道。

但是，災難亦未必不是福根，大難過後，痛定思痛，建設方面力求踏實，心靈方面，洗盡塵垢，廣植福田，這應當也是八八水災往生者想要教育我們的道理。
--
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C.) Hakka & Taiwan:
Over the last three weeks' efforts in 88 Disaster Relief Funds Raising, I have thought it over and over again. "Hakka" mentality could be the cancer cell for our homeland, Taiwan.
I used to be so proud to be a Hakka. Full of adventural spirits and continuously finding new homelands!
But, what happen if one day, we will beome just another diminishing Gipsy?
Or, over a sudden, just like the landslide bury the whole village! There is no home for us any more.
We all know what kind of Government Taiwanese are dealing with now...
It is more important that all Taiwanese waked up to set our own goal to make this island our own country !
Over the last 400 years, besides the native aboriginals, most immigrants came here to take advantage of the island of Formosa...
Our mentality haven't set for building a "Country" to keep this Formosa forever.
Hakka's (客居) attitude - has been deeply rooted in all "Taiwanese" minds over these long 400 years, not only limited to Hakkanese speaking people, but all Taiwanese.
Yes, we were and are still "guest living" on this island.
Never plan to have this place as our homeland. Never think of having our own Country here!
88 Disaster should be a turning point.
No No No No.....No more Hakka.  Only Hakkanese speaking Taiwanese.
No No No No.....No more confusion!  Taiwan is our Country.
All Taiwanese must humbly admit and thoroughly apologize to our mother land - Taiwan.
We have to rebuild a beautiful island and let Formosa be Formosa, a forever beautiful island.
We have to build Taiwan as a formal Country, which we love, we care and we will be loyal to, we shall be  proud to be a Taiwanese.

No more "Hakka" in Taiwan. Hakka should be Taiwanese, and we are Hakka Taiwanese., we are citizenz of Taiwan.  We don't guest living here, we are Taiwanese.

And, after 88 Disaster -
All residents on Taiwan must reprocess their identification.
We propose that every resident to go through an official Immigrant & Naturalization process:
1.) Every one in Taiwan now must get Green Card to stay as a legal resident, lives and pays Tax in Taiwan. Whoever, cannot qualify to have Green Card, must apply Visas to become visitors and stay in Taiwan legally with Visas.
2.) Apply for Taiwan's Citizenship, to become a Taiwanese.
For those who currently live in Taiwan now, they are not willing to identify themselves as Taiwanese, they can remain so to have their Green Cards as legal residents, pay the tax, enjoy their stay...But they won't have the Civil Right to vote or running for certain official positions.

Make it clear:
Only Taiwanese, the Citizens, can run our own country. No more the messy messy...

Taiwanese for Taiwan.
Different languages, various colors, when to be Naturalized... are no issues.
Taiwan for Taiwanese.
From now on, Taiwan is a formal Country, a country of Freedom and Democracy.
No other names, no other people...
Taiwan is our country, and we are Taiwanese!

All the best,
Thomas Shu 9/3/2009