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“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” Luke 2:14
150 years ago, Sin-Lau Hospital was established in God’s name as Taiwan’s first Western medicine clinic.
Dr. James Maxwell arrived in Tainan on 16th June of 1865 and immediately set out to open the Khòan - Sai Street Clinic and gospel hall. The intent of the work was to establish medical mission work. He gave best of his youth, fearless of the possibility that he might be wasting his life’s work. Throughout his brief 7 years and 9 months of life in Taiwan, and continued in the service of doctors who continued his work afterwards, missionaries in southern Taiwan established churches among lowland aborigines and ethnic Han peoples. They trained local medical workers and established clinics.
Dr. James L. Maxwell was the first overseas missionary, called by God and commissioned by the Presbyterian Church in England, to come to Taiwan. Modeled on the spirit that animated St. Paul, he offered himself as an apostle to the ethnic Han and lowland aboriginal people of southern Taiwan. He carried the good news of the Gospel of Christ, leading people out of darkness, sadness, sin and superstition into the glorious light of salvation and hope. By his conduct of medical mission work in Southern Taiwan, Maxwell opened a path of care and study that many have followed.
After his sojourn in Taiwan, Maxwell returned to the UK and went back to Birmingham. In 1877 he relocated to London. On the eve of his move, the pastors, elders, deacons and members of Birmingham’s Broad Street Presbyterian Church wrote a laudatory testimony to their friend:
We ardently thank God, whose temple is eternally filled sound and fragrance;
We are continuously strengthened and encouraged:
Because of your closeness to God and your prayerful heart;
Because of your joyful speech and generosity;
Because of your overflowing gentleness;
Because of your a hearty interest in people;
Because of your zeal for the Kingdom of God;
Because of your wisdom and fortitude;
Because of your nobility, patience, kindness, self- control, meekness, perseverance and faithfulness;
Because of your independent strength and liveliness;
Because of your kind deference towards others;
Because of your zeal to serve;
Because of your willingness to face suffering as you serve.”
Here in Taiwan, Rev. Lim Ian-sin published an ode to Maxwell in 1940.
Good Dr. Maxwell coming to Taiwan,
crossed the mighty deep on his first trip.
Grateful for God’s protection, this hero of salvation
Sometimes a bit awkward, patiently endured bitterness.
A Man for all seasons, he spread love around.
He proclaimed the light of Christ,
Clergy who followed him continued in his way,
Bearing the burden of humility, and the pain of morality,
In partnership with both men and women, they offered good examples
Skill and talent thrived, and people came to stand on their own.
So deeply thank the Lord, and never forget the time.
His service to this nation，,showed courage and loyalty.
When, in 1865, Dr Maxwell left the UK and crossed the seas, he arrived in Tainan and established Sin-Lau Hospital intent on doing medical mission work. He is to be regarded as the pioneer of both Western medicine and Protestant mission work here. In those days medical missionaries came to Taiwan because of the love of God. They offered themselves sacrificially in faith and love, serving professionally and gracefully to bring abundant blessings upon this land. Through the continued offering and diligence of many who have followed them, Sin-Lau Hospital marks 150 years of glorious history. The Second World War brought introduced a hiatus in Sin-Lau’s medical mission work. But through the grace of God, the zeal and concern of clergy, laypeople and medical professionals, this hospital was rebuilt and reopened in 1985. The blood, sweat and tears shed by missionaries of old was joined with the prayers of many. Step by step the promise was kept and the dream was fulfilled. Though there had been many difficult years, the foundations deeply laid were once again built up.
For many years Sin-Lau has continued in the direction of medical care tightly entwined with gospel proclamation, service, love and hope. This is more than just a motto, it is our basic spirit. The quality of medical care has risen, the standards of neighborhood spiritual and mental health have progressed, and we have developed a model for whole-person community care. Medical care and gospel proclamation are really two faces of one thing. Each person must enjoy health of body, mind and spirit. Our goal is clearly stated, to bear the fruit of God’s blessings.
In 2009 the Sin-Lau Hospital branch in Ma-Dou was named as a regional teaching center, and the main branch in Tainan received a grade of “excellent” from hospital accreditation authorities. In 2013 both branches were specially commended by the evaluation teams. From our very beginning, and continuing for all 150 years, the people in and behind Sin-Lau Hospital have offered themselves sacrificially in the spirit of Christ. This diligence has been met with affirmation.
Much has been done recently to strengthen emergency medical service, promote neighborhood and remote care, coordinate entire hospital professionalism and raise our understanding of medical mission. In terms of hardware, we have replaced the Tainan branch’s MRI and Cardiac catheterization machines, and upgraded the Computer tomography, ultrasound, and endoscopy equipment. We have established a health management system, plastic surgery clinic, and have remodeled patient rooms. In Ma-Dou, the MRI, Cardiac catheterization, digital mammography, and digital flatbed X-ray equipment have all been upgraded. In terms of software, we have professionalized the staff, implemented team-based nursing, speeded up our information technology systems and nursing resources, medical records, public broadcasting, intercoms, bookkeeping, medical systems and reporting of examinations in many practical ways. All of these actions have proven themselves to be beneficial improvements.
Our 2013 Taiwan Healthcare Indicator Series evaluation brought us a silver medal. The year previous to that we received commendation for improvement of medical care in the areas of septicemia and general teamwork. Our obstetrical department has been noted as a symbol of national quality in the area of high-risk pregnancy care.
Neighborhood services include healthful living activities, prevention education, traveling clinics, remote care and such. These are promoted by Tainan’s regional health authorities. In the area of Whole Person Care, Sin-Lau has established diagnosis related affinity groups for clients in the areas of diabetes, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and such. In June of 2010 the hospital established the “Friends From Cancer Joy Choir.” Through these groups, clients who have received therapeutic care live forth their renewed health. In September of 2012 the hospital began a neighborhood education scheme in the form of the Sin-Lau Hospital Elderly People’s College, extending our whole person care one more step. In the area of medical services to people living in remote areas, mobile clinical services have been made available as far afield as India and as near as Ta-nei , Fong-li and Chiong-chin districts of Tainan City and various locations in Pingtung County. Underserved areas are a special object of Sin-Lau’s mission to care for the weak sectors in Taiwan’s society. This is done in the spirit of Christ’s love and regard for people who are often left behind in Taiwan’s march to modernize. In 2012, Sin-Lau hosted the 18th assembly of the Asia Christian Hospitals Association, a platform for church related medical agencies in Korea, Taiwan, Japan and other East Asian nations that promotes medical missionary service activities in the region.
As Taiwan’s population ages, the need for professional long-term care and specialized facilities increases. Under the direction of the hospital’s board, a new a new mulit-story, purpose-built, long-term nursing care facility is under construction beside the Sin-Lau Ma-Dou branch hospital. It will include a nursing home, professional care, Chinese and Western medical practitioners, rehabilitation medicine, and nutritionists. We join to celebrate and remember 150 years of Sin-Lau’s history and simultaneously embark upon a new stage of Taiwan’s media history. Thankful for the grace of God, all of us at Sin-Lau join to bear witness on the hospital’s 150th birthday and the beginning of the operation of the new Nursing Care facility at the Sun-Lau Moa-Dao branch.
In I Corinthians 3:6, St Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, and God has brought the harvest.”
James Maxwell arrived in Taiwan in 1865 to do medical mission work. Starting with nothing, moving from barren to fertile, Sin-Lau Hospital’s people have moved through fear and devotion to joy, incomparable exultation, concern and thanksgiving. Today we celebrate celebration our 150th anniversary. We are sustained by God’s grace in the spirit of the dedicated medical missionaries who were here at our birth. We celebrate God’s promise and faithfulness on our 150th birthday.
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