2021 is the fifth year that Rerum Novarum Social Service Center goes to the fishing port to send the collected materials to foreign fishermen before the cold winter comes since 2017. This year, on 12/16 and 12/17, we will go to 19 fishing ports with foreign fishermen in Keelung City and New Taipei City on the north coast. Thousands of water bottles donated by Wan Hai Shipping Co., Ltd., Wan Hai Shipping Charity Foundation, and Tianhe Foundation, as well as warm cold and epidemic prevention materials donated by the Rotary Club of East District of Keelung City and the public.
On 12/16, The god father 余明模 and Chialing Chung, the manager of Rerum Novarum Center, had led a team of 17 colleagues, interns and partners, Wanhai volunteer team, along the north coast of Shen'ao, Badouzi, Zhengbin, Yemen Liu, Shuanggang, Fuji, and Danshui No. 2, and a total of 716 foreign fishermen benefited. They received charity materials from the public, and through these materials, fishermen felt Taiwanese people’s love and care.
In the early morning, everyone gathered in the Rerum Novarum Office, and everyone divided their work and cooperated, and used relays to deliver boxes of sorted materials to the big truck. After the two large trucks were full, we hit the road to the scheduled fishing port and start a day's warm-up activities.
When we arrived at the first fishing port, Shen’ao Fishing Port, due to the good weather, some fishing boats left the port to fish in the offshore fishing grounds, so there was some difference from the expected number of fishermen. However, there are still many fishing boats that have just returned to the fishing port. The fishermen are unloading their catches and arranging their fishing gear. When they saw our arrival, they all expressed to their employers that they wanted to stop their jobs temporarily and go to take supplies. Employers are also willing to allow them to come to collect the supplies, and some employers especially bring fishermen to get them, expressing their gratitude to the public for their concern for foreign fishermen.
Many fishermen felt very special when they received the water bottle and anti-epidemic materials, and expressed their gratitude in shy spoken words. The fisherman happily told us that it was the first time that he received such a large-capacity 2000cc water bottle. Because of the habit of drinking water, he was drinking bottled water purchased by his employer or himself. However, after receiving such a water bottle, they can have their own water bottle to use for their daily drinking water, and they can also know their drinking water volume through the capacity indicator on the bottle body. Special thanks to Rerum Novarum for their diligence. When we left, there were 164 fishermen who got the supplies in total.
The second stop is Badouzi Fishing Port. The good weather made all fishing boats leave the port to work hard, but 119 foreign fishermen came to get the supplies, including local fishermen and those from other counties and cities who temporarily entered the port for replenishment. In particular, when the fishing boats and fishermen in other counties and cities received the supplies, they told us that they were very happy to get the supplies. They rarely got the supplies in their original fishing port, maybe it was a small fishing port, and fewer people came, saying that this time they was fortunate enough to get such special anti-epidemic materials, water bottles and heating clothes, and they happily went back to their original fishing port villagers by video call to show what they got.
The third stop is Zhengbin Fishing Port. This port is quite special because they are all super large fishing boats. Many boats go southside to fish in the southern fishing ground in advance. The fishermen in the port are busy in preparing for going to the south, but there are still 37 fishermen in the port. When they saw us coming, they stopped their work, with the approval of their employers, they lined up in an orderly manner to receive supplies one by one.
The president and members of the Rotary Club in the East District of Keelung City also assisted in the distribution of the cold protection materials that they prepared at this fishing port. After every fisherman received the supplies, they happily took pictures with their colleagues in the event, and thanked the public for concerning them.
After leaving Zhengbin Fishing Port, we go to Yehliu, Shuanggang and Fuji Fishing Ports. The fishing boats in these fishing ports are mostly crab fishing. The fishermen often need to leave the port in the afternoon and work in the fishing crab farm in the middle of the night, because of the sea temperature in the middle of the night is very low, and it is often needs to keep warm. It is not until the early morning that the fishermen return to the port to unload the cargo and rest, and then leave the port again in the afternoon. Therefore, when the fishermen knew our arrival, they all woke up their fellow villagers who were resting to get up and collect the supplies first. After some fishermen got the warm supplies, they tried them on immediately to feel warmth, and said,” Thank you!” in a very happy tone. One of them told us that tonight he's going to put on his clothes to keep warm and use a new big kettle for hot water to drink. A total of 385 foreign fishermen from these three fishing ports received the supplies happily and took pictures with the activity team one after another.
The last stop is Tamsui No. 2 Fishing Port, also known as Fisherman's Wharf. In the past years, there were few groups in this fishing port to distribute materials. Since we started contacting this fishing port last year, the fishermen in the port have been reminding Rerum Novarum to not forget them when delivering supplies. Because Tamsui is prone to become the area with the lowest temperature in Taiwan whenever a cold snap comes, we arranged to send quilts so that the fishermen in this fishing port can keep warm as much as possible from the cold. Before the team arrived at the port, the fishermen were already waiting in front of the warehouse where the supplies were scheduled to be distributed, hoping to get the supplies. The activity team distributed along the north coast along the scheduled fishing port. When we arrived at the fishing port, the sky was gradually darkening, and many fishing boats had already returned to the port. Therefore, a total of 111 foreign fishermen came to get materials, which exceeded expectations. number of fishermen. When the fishermen got the quilt, they hugged the quilt one after another, showing a warm expression, and said the two words of thank you with accents to express their sincere gratitude. While sending the materials, the Tamsui Fishing Association hopes that we can help to educate the foreign fishermen and promote the fishermen to cherish the use of the toilets, bathrooms and prayer rooms in the port, so that these facilities can be well maintained and more Fishermen can benefit from it.
The whole day of sending activities is very compact, but due to the prior planning and preparation, the team has paid attention to every small detail. Although the activities are long, but every step is in an orderly manner. We hope to maintain the love of the public and pass it on to the hands of every foreign fisherman. Every gift is full of society, and the migrant fishermen will no longer feel lonely because of love.
In the long run, the fishermen is a group who has been ignored. In 2017, Rerum Novarum reach these people. We not only concern about their lives but help them solve the problem about regulation, salary payment, job accident, employers changing, human trafficking, and so on. We went to 21 ports and solve the practical problems of the fishermen. Due to the language barrier, we see many fishermen do not know how to ask for help and bear the difficult working environment instead. They are working day and night with the thin salary. We are looking forward to your help and hope your can be the protector for the foreign migrants. Press “I want to donate.”or call (02)2397-1933 #122. Thanks for your attention!