FAPA - OC 2011 Annual Meeting report

It was a great privilege to welcome our distinguished guests: Dr. Thornberry, Dr. Thomas, and FAPA President Bob Yang to the FAPA-California, Orange County Annual meeting. On Saturday, October 8th, we honored the esteemed doctors at the Irvine Atrium Hotel. Nearly 300 people attended the event and it was very well received. Dr. Thornberry and Dr. Thomas were moved to tears at the song specifically presented for them by the Grace Choir. We all know this is a well-deserved recognition that has been overdue for 40 years. 

Many thanks to Nick Wu, our Chapter Vice President, for conceiving the idea and Mr. Wencheng Lin of Pacific Times for his tireless efforts, Board directors and volunteers’ preparation, Los Angeles Chapter and San Diego Chapter’s support in making this possible.

A Congressional Certificate of Recognition was issued by Congressman Ed Royce to the honorees for their extraordinary courage towards human rights and the people of Taiwan.

Wang-Wang Chan

President, FAPA-CA. OC

Allow me to use my opening remarks as a prelude for the event:  

On behalf of FAPA Orange County, it is my great honor to welcome our distinguished guests: Dr. Thornberry and Dr. Thomas, Mr. Jerry Griffin, Katy and her husband. We would also like to welcome FAPA President Bob Yang and his wife Mei-Jin all the way from Kansas! I know Bob wanted to be here for such an important event.

 

We'd also like to welcome Ted and Bernice Anderson and their church friends for being here today.  There are so many other distinguished guests here among us tonight and I wish I could recognize you all one-by-one.  So let me just say that all of you are our distinguished guests and I can't begin to thank you for being here , some traveling very long distances for this very special evening.

 

 I came to United States 1977, and it was an eye opening experience from day one to live somewhere with such freedom for its people. Never have I taken it for granted the opportunity to live with dignity and respect.

You might have read or heard through the media recently the unimaginable horror stories from Mexico, Libya, North Korea and China to just name a few ---the ruthlessness, unlawfulness, and violation of human rights--there are people suffering around the world at this very moment. It makes me more so appreciative of how lucky we are here in America. The freedom we have today was not easily earned, but fought for by people like Milo and Judith, who have put themselves on the line for their strong beliefs in justice, fairness, love and the care for all human beings. The road to democracy is paved by the blood, sweat, and tears of many courageous individuals and the sacrifices of their families.

Taiwan is on this path--still struggling for a true democracy against rallying forces from outside and an unsettled consensus from within. I believe the people of Taiwan will one day enjoy the same freedom we have here in the United States because of the efforts of individuals like you in this room and others worldwide that believe Taiwan should be an independent democracy.

“Fireproof Moth” copies are still available for sale @ $15 per copy,  
please call Nick Wu @ 949-351-9314 or One One @714-693-1346  

“Thank You, Milo, and Judith”

                 FAPA-Orange County Chapter Annual Meeting Banquet

         In Honor of Milo Thornberry & Judith Thomas

October 8th, 2011, Saturday at 5pm

Atrium Hotel - 18700 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612 

On January 2nd, 1970, while Professor Peng Ming-Min was under house arrest by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), missionaries Milo and Judith Thornberry carefully orchestrated his escape. How they managed to escape the tight surveillance of the KMT is a mystery to all.  

It wasn’t until December 2003 that the couple disclosed their involvement in Peng’s escape. In 2009 Professor Peng published “A Perfect Escape,” in which he detailed the Thornberry’s crucial role in his escape. During this time, the couple also helped channel support from overseas to families of political prisoners. They were arrested in 1971, expelled from Taiwan, blacklisted by the U.S. State Department, and denied their passports for nineteen years.

Rev. Thornberry recently published “Fireproof Moth” recounting his experience of White Terror during his stay in Taiwan, and disclosing his role in Professor Peng‘s escape from Taiwan under the KMT.

We hope you can join us for this truly special event. It will be a rare opportunity to hear Milo and Judith speak in person about the rescue. They put their lives on the line and walked hand in hand with the Taiwanese people during the darkest time in the history of Taiwan. Let’s take this opportunity to show our deepest appreciation and thanks for their contribution in the history of Taiwan’s democracy.  

This event is organized by FAPA Orange County Chapter, Co-sponsored by FAPA Los Angeles and San Diego Chapters.