Late Saturday night I went to JFK airport and at 1:30 AM Sunday took off for Taipei. With a 16-hour flight and 12 time zones crossed we landed at 5:30 AM on Monday, 22 October at the Taipei airport in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Breakfast this morning was at the Sisters Center. Most of our group were staying there and I went over to meet Sr. Arlene Trant, the only time we could meet during my few days at Maryknoll.The board meeting continued this Saturday morning, but we moved over to the board room of the Walsh Building, the headquarters of the Maryknoll Lay Missioners.Ted Miles, the MKLM executive director, gave his report and we listed various hopes and challenges that face the organization in the coming year.The Saturday board meetings at Maryknoll over, I left NYC at 1:30 AM Sunday on a 16-hour flight on a polar route to get to Taiwan. At this point in the trip, we were over Siberia and there was still 6+ hours to go.We landed in Taiwan early Monday morning, I got a new SIM card for my phone and changed money and then took a bus to the hotel for our meeting. It stopped a quarter-mile away from the hotel so I walked the rest of the way and passed another of the omni-present 7-11s in Taiwan.Participants in the meeting of Maryknoll in Asia arrived all day long and at 5:00 PM we had an evening prayer in the room designated as a chapel. Bro. Joe Bruener led the prayer.Then it was time to eat. Last year every meal was a full Chinese banquet! All of us were much relieved to have a more simple buffet this year.After eating Fr. Joyalito provided us with logistical information for the time here and an agenda for the meeting.
