Love sets sail from Kolkata

Short announcement by Zhong Xinrong and Yadong Theater Company

Interview/Zhou Weiwei

▲Vagrants can be seen everywhere on the streets of Kolkata.

It was the early autumn of more than ten years ago. A group of people from the Yadong Theater Company and I were sitting on a bumpy truck, facing the flying dust and sand roaring through the streets of Kolkata, India. The chaotic and crowded traffic did not dampen the driver's interest in racing, and he still went his own way through the urban area where people and vehicles competed for the road. When walking on the streets, we must be careful not to step on lazy vagrants, human excrement, or cow dung; we must also be careful of the begging teams in all directions. If you show a little compassion, you will be surrounded by groups of beggars. When we first came to this dirty and impoverished foreign land, we, a group of passionate young people, suddenly fell from the clouds into the mire, and our confidence faced a severe test.

Saying goodbye to her career as a dancer in Canada, as soon as she joined the "Yadong Theater Company", she flew to Calcutta with the company to make a short announcement. The cultural barriers in different places and the huge disparity in the quality of life make me, who has never experienced hardship since childhood, often wonder: How can people live in such a harsh environment? There is a small group of Chinese compatriots in Canada. Most of the able ones have immigrated, so the economic conditions behind them are naturally poorer. I was even more surprised when I came to the local Chinese pastor's residence. The simple furnishings and a hard bed in the house actually allowed the preacher to stay, and he was willing to pastor the sparse Chinese expatriates here. The native-born Chinese pastor said: "These are the people I am familiar with. They are my home. I want to guard this land for God!"

Although the economic depression of that year made Kolkata's environment dusty, it could not conceal the charm of this ancient civilized city. During the colonial era, this capital of British India was the center of education, culture, and art. It was a place of outstanding people and gave birth to many famous figures, such as Rabindranath Tagore, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and Raman, winner of the Physics Prize. However, in comparison, peace The humanitarian love of Mother Teresa, the award winner, made this city famous all over the world. This girl from a well-to-do family in Macedonia was willing to give up her comfort and enjoyment and came to Calcutta to establish the "Missionary of Charity" to take care of lepers, patients with infectious diseases, orphans, the poor, and the helpless and dying people who had been abandoned by the world. Man, she could actually say something from the bottom of her heart: "When I see them, it's like seeing Christ."

▲More than ten years ago, when the Yadong Theater Company held a short-term mission and benefit performance in Kolkata, there were no taxis readily available, and only "iron ox carts" carrying cargo were the only means of transportation.

▲Indian children bathing on the roadside are a common sight in California.

love struggle

Our respected Sister Zhu, Pastor Zhu Wen, the director of the troupe, led everyone to Mother Teresa’s orphanage. Children who are supposed to be innocent and loved by everyone are often mutilated, with hands missing, noses broken, and smelly. When the children saw the visitors, they swarmed up excitedly, and a child with a dirty face also threw himself into my arms. Out of instinct, I wanted to avoid his sticky snot and saliva, but I suppressed the disgust in my heart and hugged him bravely.

A war between heaven and man quietly started, and I asked myself: "Don't I believe in God?...Aren't I here to preach, serve, and preach the love of Jesus?...Why do I hate innocent abandoned children so much?" Where has my love gone?…"

Looking back at the time when I plunged into theater ministry, wasn’t it because I hoped to connect artistic performance with faith and let the audience infect the audience with my burning love for Christ through drama? Now in front of these abandoned children, I suddenly realized that my love was too limited. I want to learn to care for others through serving. It’s like wearing a pair of shoes that don’t fit the size and being unable to move forward. Sister Zhu arranged for me to perform a self-written one-person play "Little Puppet" in front of these orphans the next day. I understood the deep meaning of her choice of this play, but I was still wrestling in my heart: a person who does not know how to pity "the youngest brother", a person who does not How can those who love express the love of God? I despise these orphans so much, how can I act hypocritically in front of them? I couldn't help shouting in my heart: "No, I can't continue acting!" I tossed and turned all night long.

▲Xinrong performed the "Little Puppet" play in an Indian primary school and deeply realized God's love for these innocent children.

entrustment of love

The twenty-minute play is sure to be a hit with children, as the characters are familiar puppets, Barbie dolls and gold and steel warriors. The protagonist "Little Puppet" is in a variety of toy stores, but he is unhappy. He feels that he is ugly, ordinary, and not as valuable as other novel and fancy toys. Barbie has a bright appearance, Golden Steel Warrior has dazzling functions, but he is just a doll made of wood and a few small iron nails.

When I first wrote this play, it was actually an allusion to my own mental journey. I immigrated to Canada when I was fifteen and became an international student. The huge impact on culture, environment, and language made me deeply confused about "Who am I?" In addition, he does not have a proud appearance, lacks self-confidence, and often questions his own value. During those years, the Christian faith that I had been exposed to at home since childhood suddenly turned into a ray of light, lighting up the darkness in my heart. I still remember that my parents often remind me that I am Heavenly Father’s masterpiece, and no changes in circumstances can change the way He sees me. I finally got rid of the world’s values, smiled up at the sky, and returned to the arms of my Heavenly Father. It turns out that happiness does not depend on external conditions, but on understanding that you are a uniquely created and cherished treasure of your Heavenly Father.

I was silent as we drove to the orphanage. When I got on the stage, the children looked at the paint on my face, and their excitement was palpable. Their innocence only added to my inner suffering. Do I want to play a puppet, or do I want to play myself? Should I play the real me or the "hypocritical" me? In that dilemma, the play "Little Puppet" officially started...

The little puppet on the stage searched for the secret of happiness in the toy store, but it attracted ridicule from other toys. Barbie arrogantly said: "I am happy because I am beautiful. You are so ugly, of course you are not happy!" On the other side, the Iron Warrior retorted: "Children nowadays like synthetic multi-functional robots like me, of course I "Happy, it's not like your whole body is made of wood!" The little puppet began to cry, and the little audience in the audience melted into the little puppet's dejected cry, with pure care on their faces... Suddenly, God's love was poured out through the Holy Spirit, A voice said to me: "You are my priceless treasure, and these abandoned children are also my priceless treasure. You must love them with my love!"

ah! It turns out that the abandoned children in front of me are like a group of traumatized little puppets, standing in a similar situation to me. I instantly had an empathic understanding of these children, and I couldn't suppress my deep guilt. The little puppet's sobs turned into howls! The children felt sorry for the little puppet's plight and cried too... A warm current of true love passed through my heart.

▲Performing the "Little Puppet" play in Mother Teresa's orphanage was an opportunity for Xinrong (front left, wearing suspenders) to change his life.

love quenching chain

At this time, the plot took a turn for the worse. The little puppet saw a passerby outside the window, pointed at him, and asked the boss for the price. Only then did he realize that he had not been forgotten. Although the shape was simple, the carpentry craftsmanship on his body gave the little puppet a unique delicacy and taste. The little puppet suddenly had an idea and declared: "I am valuable and unique!" Seeing the little puppet finding his own self-worth and being happy, the children in the audience also laughed. Those innocent smiling faces make people want to love them deeply. Something amazing happened! God's love touched me through this performance, and the shackles in my heart fell off, and the self that was imprisoned in the cage was instantly released...

At the end of the play, I asked the children: "Who wants to be the puppet's friend?" All the children in the audience, those with hands, those without hands, those with arms, and those without arms, all raised their "hands" high. Just during the interactions, my life experienced a huge transformation. During the missionary work in India in just a few days, my ability to love was as if it had been quenched by fire and water and was no longer the same.

When I returned to the place where I stayed, although my body was tired, my heart was at ease and joyful. I originally had a missionary spirit of spreading love, but I didn't expect that I would be the first to experience spiritual renewal. "God, thank you for choosing me, not because of how good I am, but because of your grace. I have no love, no humility, I am self-centered, and I am proud. Thank you for bringing me to such a bad environment and letting me Learn to deny yourself, let go of yourself, and see your responsibility in the needs of others. "Although there were a large number of chanting groups celebrating the Rice God Festival outside the window, passing by the hotel with loud noises and a lot of people, that night, I I slept very sweetly. In my dream, a love boat was quietly launching into the water.

Interviewee profile
鍾信榮，臺灣亞東劇團導演，於十二年前蒙神呼召，獻身全職服事。曾任加拿大現代舞者。2010年自美國Regent University戲劇研究所獲得Master of Fine Arts in Acting學位，與妻王小梅育有一女潔心。

Journalist profile
Weiwei Zhou is from Taiwan and now lives in New York. She is a bilingual teacher in public schools. Even though he is busy with family, work and church, he still devotes himself to writing and enjoys the moments of connecting with the source of life during creation.