In 1948, Mennonite Central Committee was invited to do medical and relief work among the aboriginal groups in Taiwan. A clinic and then hospital were established in Hualien on the east coast. Today, Mennonite Christian Hospital is a regional teaching hospital with 1,000 staff.
The General Conference Mennonite Church’s Commission on Overseas Mission began church-planting ministries in 1954, leading to the formation of the Fellowship of Mennonite Churches in Taiwan (FOMCIT) in 1962. Its foci have included church planting, evangelism, social services, theological education, and publication. The mission closed its ministries in Taiwan in 1994. In 2012, there are 20 congregations in four urban centers with a total membership of 1,750. FOMCIT operates two social service programs in Hualien – New Dawn Educational Institute for mentally-challenged persons, and Good Shepherd Center, a ministry to abused women and girls.
