The courage to reach out
【Ministry】2 The light of hope for poverty in Taiwan
Picture provided/Christian Friends Center
"God did not create poverty, poverty was created by the world. In front of God, we are all poor. We should not pity them, but should treat them with empathy." - Mother Teresa (quoted from Wang Qiao's book, "A Practitioner Who Leads with Love: Mother Teresa")
Many people call Mother Teresa the "Angel of the Slums" and the "Angel of Love". She took care of the poor in Calcutta, India. In order to serve them, she became poor and owned only three sets of coarse cloth saris and a pair of sandals. , apart from electric lights, the only electrical appliance in the residence is a telephone. She spent her whole life taking care of the poor, sick, helpless, Han disease (to avoid misunderstanding and discrimination, Taiwan has now changed its name to leprosy) and dying people. She is an ordinary and weak woman, but possesses extraordinary vitality. She is a Practitioners who lead the world with love and compassion.
Offer yourself and become a pastor to the poor
There is such a person in Taiwan who is determined to follow the example of Mother Teresa. Pastor Li Zhenglong, who graduated from the Institute of Architecture at National Cheng Kung University and was a famous architect, is now the director of 27 "Christian Friends Centers" across Taiwan. person in charge. He gave up his generous remuneration and his prosperous career of repairing historical monuments, and dedicated himself selflessly to God. He treated unlovable people as his own children, and led a group of people to help the poor. Some people called him "the poor man's son." "Pastor", and he is accustomed to others calling him by the title of deacon, "Just call me 'Pastor'!" He said that engaging in poverty relief work indeed requires courage, "Christians must respond to the poor and cannot pretend not to see it. .
Try to imagine this scene. In the cold and windy season, a person with thin and ragged clothes is lying in the park, huddled up. He was a street friend, dirty and smelly. When most people were passing by quickly, a gentle gentleman knelt down in a friendly manner, treated him like a family member, talked to him cordially, and showed him love and care. , this person is Li Zhenglong as pastor.
Li Zhenglong emotionally pointed out that poverty is not just about having no food to eat and no place to live, but also being looked down upon and not receiving care from others, especially not being understood and being abandoned by the world. This is the most terrible kind of poverty. These people actually live in poverty. All around us. What the poor need is not pitiful looks, they need substantial help. Li Zhenglong adheres to the instructions in James 2:15-16 and firmly believes that only by touching them and serving them personally can we live more like Jesus. , becoming a channel for God’s mercy on the world.
The gospel is the main thing, and charity and relief are the supplement.
The first "Christian Friends Center" was established in Banqiao in 2003. At first, it mainly held meetings and provided a meal after the meeting. Later, in order to completely solve the food and clothing needs of the street residents, we began to provide lunch and dinner every day throughout the year, and established a "Benefactor Covenant" based on the teachings of the Bible to regulate some bad habits of the homeless. "Benefactor" is a "gospel-based, A church supplemented by charity and relief.
▲The church is a home─The "Christian Friends Center" church is willing to be the last wall that the desperate can rely on.
▲I'm hungry, give me something to eat─Over 400,000 poor people in Taiwan come to enjoy the lunch and dinner provided by the Enyou Center every year.
▲I'm living on the street, you keep me here─The Friends Center is engaged in the ministry of homeless shelter.
To relieve the poor, you must be able to face the strange eyes of others. When the Banqiao "Enyou Center" was first established, neighbors saw street residents who were dirty and defecating in the open. Almost every day, people came to protest and ask them to relocate. Li Zhenglong said: "One time, a street resident defecated in the open, and the neighbor reacted angrily and asked us to move away. I immediately rushed to the scene to clean up, picked up the feces on the ground and threw it away, and apologized to the other party in a low voice. Please give us some more time, but the neighbor showed an embarrassed expression." Gradually, after seeing what the "friends" did, some people initially opposed it and then actively participated in it, which also allowed the original lease to expire. The landlord who took the house back had a change of heart.
Li Zhenglong explained: "Many poor people mistakenly believe that "Benefactor" only does work for homeless people, and they dare not come to ask for help. In fact, only five to seven of our 27 "Benefactor Centers" do work for homeless people, and the rest They are all poverty relief ministries. Street homeless people are a unique phenomenon in metropolitan areas. This problem does not exist in rural areas, because if someone in rural areas does not have enough to eat, most of the neighbors who know each other will take the initiative to provide care. "For example, the one established in Nantou in 2005." "Enyou Center", the Nantou Social Affairs Bureau once asked for help. "Enyou" went to visit and find out that there was only one homeless person. When the "benefactor" extended a helping hand to him, there were protests among the neighbors. Some people said that this was their relative, so they took him back to take care of him.
More than ten years ago, in order to get to know the street residents better, Li Zhenglong visited Banqiao Station, which was called a "six-star hotel" by the street residents, and saw with his own eyes thousands of street residents eating, living, sleeping, sleeping here. With the station as his home, the air was filled with stench. Seeing so many people living in misery and hopelessness, Li Zhenglong said with deep emotion: "The church is my home!" Taiwanese says: "Four walls", when there is no wall When there is hope, the church must act as the last wall.” He hopes that the “Friends Center” will be the church of the desperate, their home, and the last wall they can rely on.
According to conservative estimates, there are nearly 4,000 homeless people in the greater Taipei area. They can be roughly divided into thirteen categories, including the elderly, physically handicapped, poor, wanted criminals, rehabilitated people, drug addicts, alcoholics, mentally ill, and depressed. Among them, patients with bipolar disorder, runaways, victims of domestic violence, and abandoned babies, among whom mentally ill patients account for the largest proportion, accounting for about 70%. Li Zhenglong said: "At least two meals a day are provided, which solves the problem of hunger, and the place to live can be more comfortable." The church established by the "Friends Center" during the ten years provided free meals, homeless shelter, Poverty relief, and free medical care.
Life is transformed, serving the Lord with joy
Brother Lai Tong (tong, Yintong) once worked as a shaman and a Buddhist priest. He has suffered from ankylosing spondylitis for many years and takes painkillers, antibiotics and steroids three times a day to control the disease. Because of his illness, he exhausted all his family property, was abandoned by his wife and divorced, life was difficult, and life was worse than death. He committed suicide ten times, drank pesticides and rat poison, but survived; he hung himself from a chair and kicked the chair away, and the rope broke but he did not die...
For the last time, he returned to his hometown in Yilan and hid in a rock cave at low tide, waiting for the tide to end his life. At the critical moment, his cell phone suddenly rang. It was a call from a social worker from the Banqiao Employment Service Center whom he knew before, urging him to leave. Rock Cave, and assured him that someone would definitely come to help him. Half-believing and doubtful, he crawled out of the rock hole. Sure enough, a policeman appeared among the haystacks in the deserted field. The policeman asked him why he was here. After understanding the reason, he gave him a lunch box and 400 yuan for a ride to Taipei.
After arriving in Taipei, Lai Tong called this kind-hearted social worker. The social worker told him that he could go to "Enyou" for help. Lai Tong received meals and shelter here. He had an environment like home and felt the care of his family again. Care, it was also here that I came into contact with the Bible for the first time and began to read Psalms and Proverbs diligently.
In just two weeks, Lai Tong decided to be baptized and became a Christian. From the moment he was baptized, his health improved, he was completely free of drugs, and he felt the joy of taking root in grace. He stayed like this and participated in the service with joy. , is currently assigned to Zhongli "Enyou" as an officer. Among co-workers in various places, there are many stories of "benefactors" like Brother Lai Tong. Because he received unconditional help, he now devotes himself to helping others unconditionally.
▲I'm lonely, you care about me─The sunny smile of Pastor Li Zhenglong (the one wearing a tie in the middle) warms his palms and supports the elderly to express the greatest value of life.
The Free Clinic Alliance for Solving Diseases is on standby
As the saying goes: "The poor are more sick than others." Li Zhenglong often encountered people who were poor and sick. There was a poor man who couldn't afford medical treatment. He lay on the sofa and wailed until he died. After a week or two of painful torture, his wailing sound in the middle of the night made the neighbors' noses sore. He deeply understands that the problem of medical treatment must be solved. Taiwan's health insurance system is highly respected internationally, but no matter how perfect the system is, there are still shortcomings. People who cannot afford to pay health insurance premiums have to grit their teeth and endure it when they get sick, or go to pharmacies to buy over-the-counter medicines. , the result of delaying medical treatment is that minor illnesses turn into serious ones, and it turns out to be a bunch of illnesses at first glance. Therefore, the "Enyou Clinic" was set up in 2010 to provide free medical treatment to the poor, but it could not afford the huge funds and it only lasted for half a year.
To solve the problem of illness, there is now the assistance of the "Friends Free Clinic Alliance". If the poor and without health insurance fall ill, they can apply for a "Beneficiary Card" at centers in various places. Cardholders can read and refer to the information provided in the Beneficiary Handbook and go to "Love" "Clinic" provides free medical treatment. If the "Love Clinic" discovers a patient who is seriously ill and needs to be transferred, it will call or write to the "Enyou Center" in various locations. The referred patient can then be admitted to the "Enyou Center" and wait for medical services from a major hospital. The center will Contact relevant medical units or social workers to take over the transferred patients until they recover.
▲I'm sick, you take care of me─Having no money to pay medical insurance premiums, my card is locked and I am unable to see a doctor. Enyou Center connects several clinics to form a "free clinic alliance" to provide free medical care.
"Friends" in various places provide lunch and dinner twice a day, as well as washroom facilities, shelter and other services. Half an hour before each meal, co-workers lead everyone to read the Bible, pray and praise before starting the meal. Will there be people who don’t want to participate and just want to come and eat? "We will still provide meals to those who don't want to participate. After eating for a long time, they will naturally feel embarrassed to come to the gathering." Treating the poor with an attitude of acceptance and respect is the way "Friends" serve.
▲My clothes are in rags, you give me some clothes─During the poor relief visit, the children hugged their new clothes and laughed happily.
On the day of my visit, after singing a hymn, a co-worker led everyone to read the historical story of Joseph being killed by his brothers and sold to the Ishmaelites in the Book of Genesis in the Bible. The members lowered their heads and listened to the sermon in silence. Most of the attendees were middle-aged and elderly people, but there were also a few young faces, about 80% of whom were male. Although their clothes are old but neat, there is a slight musty smell in the air. I think it is not easy for ordinary people to love them, because people like to see the glamor of successful people, but most of their faces have no expression and their movements are a bit slow. . Here, there is a group of Christians who understand their pain, are willing to treat them kindly, and hope that they can live well.
▲I'm thirsty, give me something to drink─The relief food delivered by Lee Chi-mok (the squatter) with a sincere smile on his face contained the drinks that the children longed for, leaving sparkling memories of his poor childhood.
At the end of his speech, the co-worker encouraged the members: "Sometimes, we don't know why we suffer. The Bible mentions that righteous people will also suffer. When we face suffering, don't complain or lose heart. When we suffer, we have God's will. There is God’s blessing behind suffering, just like Jesus being crucified and becoming the hope of the world.”
The Bible records a very important sermon given by Jesus two thousand years ago - the "Sermon on the Mount". He said at the beginning:"Blessed are the poor in spirit! For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3, Lu Zhen Chinese Translation)God’s words carry the power of comfort and building, allowing tired and dry souls to rest, become citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and regain the dignity of life.
Poverty relief lights up the candle of hope
"Friends Center" follows God's command to "preach the gospel to the poor" and goes to the bottom of society and the poor. The most important thing is Matthew 25:35-40, the teachings of the Lord Jesus:“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you gave me something to drink. , come to me." The righteous man will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when did he see you sick or in prison and come to see you?" The king will answer him, "Truly I say to you, you have done these things to one of the least of my brothers. It was done to me."Poor people in Taiwanese society face pressures such as hunger, money, housing, work, and family every day, develop material and mental problems, and endure unimaginable survival difficulties. "Friends Center" is not a wealthy church that cannot solve every problem. Just like the seemingly frail Mother Teresa, the "Friends Center" relies entirely on obedience to God to emit strong vitality and light the candle of hope for poor people when they have no hope in life.
"Christian Friends Center" Church
http://www.good119.org/
Helpline (02) 27751712 If you are moved to donate, please go online and click on the donation column in the upper right corner.
Profile of the person in charge of "Christian Friends Center"
Pastor Li Zhenglong was originally a famous architect and an expert in the maintenance and repair of major temples and monuments in central and southern Taiwan. His achievements are obvious to all. He is also a professor of the Department of Architecture at the university. He has won the "Golden Duo Award" awarded by the Ministry of Education. He is also a historian and the author of "New Taiwan History" and "Taiwan Christian History". With a humble heart, he and his wife, Pastor Li Qimei, Devoted to church and social welfare, the couple serve the Lord together.
Author profile
Lin Biyun loves writing and writing. She lives in Neihu, Taiwan and has a daughter. Under the pen name Huang Xiang, he has written books such as "The Conditions of Happiness" and is currently a columnist for "CITIC Monthly".