Chibi Church has opened a service center in the rural area annually to care the left-behind children since 2014. Workers are arranged to provide services to the special group such as teaching them how to initiate a video chat with their parents, helping them with their schoolwork, and leading them to play games, do crafts, sing, and dance.
"In recent years we have helped over 700 children, but the care service only covers the cultural aspects without any religious part." Claims Rev. Wu from Chibi Mu'en Church.
How did the church start this campaign? Pastor Wu shared that he once went to a rural church to preach and found an older sister with two grandsons dressed in ragged clothes. He later learned that the grandmother and grandsons were left behind. The parents were not home, leaving those children living with their grandmother without even money for school. The church started to aid the children after that.
The church staff found that there were left-behind children and orphans in different parts of the city. Some were with their grandparents and some were adopted by aunts, uncles, or other relatives. The church decided to establish a foundation and encouraged the congregation to pay attention to the children and donate in order to meet the needs and care for the children. Believers donated children's clothes to the church which was distributed according to the needs of the children.
In addition to these, Chibi Church launched campaigns for aiding and supporting lonely elders, poor families, and orphans. It had a total fund of more than 300,000 yuan for social services last year.
Rev. Tian Juhua from Chibi CCC&TSPM said that the city has over 50 churches and gatherings divided into eight parishes. There are 36 full-time workers and three large churches whose membership each exceeds 600. The urgent problem for the church is the social security issue for its limited financial conditions. They need to consider the retirement of workers who have devoted their lifetime to God.
Translated by Karen Luo
