Ten (10) participants of this year’s Training in Mission Programme (TIM) arrived in Taiwan on 2nd May for the commencement of the Programme in Taiwan. The Programme will run until 26th November in four (4) countries, including Fiji, Kiribati and New Zealand. The TIM Programme in Taiwan is being hosted by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT).

The TIM Programme aims to equip the young people for ministry and mission of the Council for World Mission (CWM) member churches. This year’s team is composed of participants from Guyana Congregational Union, United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, Presbyterian Church of Korea, Presbyterian Church of Myanmar, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, Congregational Union of New Zealand, Kiribati Uniting Church, and Congregational Christian Church in Samoa.

During the first week of orientation, the participants were introduced to the history of Taiwan and its people, their daily struggles and how these characterise the church. The participants also visited historical places in Tainan, including different temples of Taiwan’s ancient faiths as well as the PCT’s Khuan-Sai-Ke collection of different Bibles in Taiwan.

Dr Sudipta Singh, CWM Mission Secretary for Research and Capacity Development, was facilitated a two (2)-day teambuilding session with the participants. He communicated the CWM family’shigh expectations of each participant and the importanceshowing respect to each other and to keep an open mind with regard to  the new experiences and cultures that they will be exposed to in the coming months.

The participants will stay in Taiwan for two (2) months where they will attend learning sessions from renowned theologians on the Bible, mission and theology. They will also spend time with different PCT churches and communities as part of their field exposure.

Training in Mission (TIM) is one of the CWM’s longest running programmes. Since 1981, CWM has brought together young people for intensive mission training. Over three hundred and fifty (350) young people have had the life-changing experience of  of a cross-cultural practical and radical understanding of what witnessing to Christ means, over the years.

TIM participants go to every church as a living expression of CWM’s  global partnership in mission.