POW Remembrance Day
Today, Nov. 12, 2017 is the annual Prisoner of War (POW) Remembrance Day in Taiwan. It is a rainy day. I get off the bus and walk to the meeting point — Hyatt Hotel — where there are buses to take us to Jinguashi mountain areas, in which the previous prisoner of war camp and now a monument locates. I find my name on the list and get a ticket from Sabrina — she works at the Australian Office in Taipei and is the co-organizer of the event.
I stand by the road and look around. Although I always thought it would be better if my hometown, Taipei, could be more international, I feel like a fish out of water to be surrounded by so many foreigners — the British, Australian, and others that I could not recognize. All of the participants of POW Remembrance Day form a special landscape in the downtown Taipei.
The buses set off. The man seats beside me is a British, and he has lived in Taipei for twenty years. Wow. I feel interesting to talk to a foreigner who has lived in my hometown longer than I have in my native language, Chinese. As we approach Jinguashi, the mountain area, the rain gets heavier. When the buses finally find their ways through the rugged hills and stop in front of the Memorial Park, it rains cats and dogs.
Walking a short distance from the bus to the temporary canopy in front of the monument almost gets me wet. It’s crowded in the canopy, where the remembrance service would take place, some people even need to hold the umbrella and stand in the rain as the canopy is already full. There are the locals from Jinguashi, the former POW family members, Taiwanese veterans, and foreigners in Taiwan who are just concerned about the event. I find Michael, the director of the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial Society, at the front and help him give out the program. I’ve known Michael for just a few months, but he is so willing to answer my questions regarding the POW in Taiwan and we may probably work together in the future.
The service begins with the Reverend Barker’s prayer. Then there are messages from the Commonwealth & Allied representative, the R.O.C. (Republic of China, my country) veterans association, New Taipei City government and most importantly, the POW family members. They are the children or grandchildren of the POW who once suffered in the Japanese camps in Taiwan. Although I’m cold and wet, I relate to the former POW more in the gloomy weather when listening to the tributes and laying the wreaths.
The service ends in the ode of remembrance. The rain hasn’t stopped. All participants then have lunch together in the nearby activity center. People seems happy to meet old friends and build fellowships. Michael says to me, “I feel bad about the awful weather though. It’s the 20th anniversary of the Taiwan POW Camps Memorial! I pray for the God for one sunny day in the year but it doesn’t work.” Well, to be honest, it’s not a comfortable day, but I would say the atmosphere worths everything.
It’s my first time to be in the Remembrance Service, and I would like to participate it every year if I could. The POW would be glad that they are remembered.
