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Dear daughter.

In front of me is the Z-None Presbyterian Church.

In the heart of central Taipei, a historic red brick building built in a Gothic European style.

This is the first day of the Lunar New Year, which happens to fall on the Sunday in 2023.

It's a national holiday here in Taiwan and in many parts of East and Southeast Asia.

Traditionally, a time for families to come together and celebrate.

So the people who have been to the morning service, the Mandarin service have come out and are taking some snacks from the table set outside in the courtyard.

There's lots and lots of oranges put into baskets to celebrate Chinese New Year.

These oranges actually are symbol of prosperity.

But for some of the church's congregation, Lunar New Year is a point in reminder that they are a long way from home, separated from their relatives.

Some can't even tell their families where they are.

You're listening to the documentary.

From the BBC World Service, I'm Cindy Xu and this is hard and so.

Exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

Since Hong Kong's national security law was passed in 2020 and in the year of protests before then,

G9 Presbyterian Church has become a lifeline for pro-democracy activists fleeing to Taiwan because they feared arrests.

Hundreds of those who were involved in widespread and sometimes violent protests.

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