At the end of 2021, Rerum Novarum held the winter clothes donation event. On the day of the event, some fishermen were unable to receive the materials because they went out to work in the port. The severe weather, cold snap, has affected the thermal needs of these people working and living beside the ports. This kind of cold protection needs, Rerum Novarum are always keeps in mind and continue to call on the public to care for the fishermen together. We hope to raise more clothes to help this group of people living and working at sea and in the port.
In just one month, with the donations from the public, the long-term cooperative fundraising of Taiwan Catholic Mission Foundation, and the Cardinal Tien Cultural Foundation enthusiastically supported the Rerum Novarum Biscuit Charity Sale, and supported this warm-blooded activity to continue the love. This event was held on 1/18. Under the leadership of Father 徐森義神父, Father 謝詩祥, and Director 鍾佳伶, the event team went to Badouzi Fishing Port, Shenzhen-Macao Fishing Port and Zhengbin Fishing Port for delivery. The collected goods include 300 new quilts, 113 coats, 71 thick long-sleeves and other 334 cold protection items such as socks, wool caps, head covers, heating clothes, and warm pants, which are provided to the migrants in need in the port. In this warm activity, Rerum Novarum invited local partners to participate, such as the Keelung City Police Department Foreign Affairs Division, Keelung City Fisheries Association, and Ruifang Fishery Association, so that local partners could get closer to the fishermen through the event, under the good interaction, to enhance mutual trust, instead of cold regulations and laws.
On the day of the event, due to the bad weather and the cold snap, it rained heavily along the way from the center. We followed the North Coast Highway to Badouzi Fishing Port. Many fishing boats did not leave the port due to the strong wind and waves. The fishermen were repairing boats and fishing gear aside from the fishing port. When the team arrived, many fishermen has been waiting in line at the sending location early because they received the message. In order to prevent the waiting fishermen from getting cold, the working colleagues speeded up and stay organized to allocate the clothes. The public's love and cold-proof gifts are sent to the hands of the fishermen, so that these gifts can warm the hearts of the fishermen and prevent the cold from outside. After some fishermen got their winter jackets, they happily put them on immediately, rubbed the jackets they put on, and said that they were warm, and said,”Thank you, Thank you to the staff!”
As for the second port, we came to the Shenzhen-Macao Fishing Port. Due to the geographical location of the fishing port and the ventilation design of the buildings in the port, the cold wind ran through the sending position. When the fishermen were queuing to receive the warm clothes, they were so cold that they shivered, so the team used the fastest speed to let the fishermen get their supplies and get back to the boat as soon as possible to avoid the cold. After getting the quilt, one of the fishermen happily told Rerum Novarum worker that he used to see Rerum Novarum sending materials every year on the Internet. Since he worked in fishing ports in other counties and cities before, he was very envious of the fishermen who could get the materials. He didn't expect to get a cold protection material just after switching to this fishing port for less than a week. He feelS very happy and said, “I finally got it!”
Next, we arrived at the third fishing port, Zhengbin Fishing Port. When they first arrived at the fishing port, there were already many fishermen waiting, expecting to get the cold-proof materials soon, so they waited at the delivery location in advance. When the truck with the supplies arrived, due to the experience of the fishermen who participated in the delivery of new events in previous years, they took the initiative to line up and received the supplies happily. In the process of queuing, the commissioner still preached new regulations and epidemic prevention matters to the fishermen, and asked fellow villagers to help each other more.
Let the love continue is a touch and a support. Xinshi will continue to work hard to let more people in the society see this group of fishermen who silently work hard for Taiwan's fishery in remote villages and at sea, and thank them for their families and the land of Taiwan. We will continue to pay attention to and provide support and assistance, so that foreign fishermen can work in Taiwan safely and return to their hometowns safely in the future.
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!