The dog days of summer ended on August 24 this year. A friend who just returned to Fuzhou from Zhangzhou shared: "I was in Zhangzhou for a few days, and it was sweaty hot every day. I happened to pass by the entrance of Beimen Church and spotted the 'Spread the Word' notice board, so I decided to go inside for a rest."
It turned out that my friend was referring to the care station set up at Beimen Church in Zhangzhou City, which welcomes visitors and offers a place for pedestrians to rest.
I told him that due to an urban restoration project, since the Beimen Church's new building was built and inaugurated in 2016, the church has turned its first-floor hall, spanning 2,186 square meters, into a public care station. Anyone, believer or not, may enter the church to visit, use the water dispenser, or access the restroom. The spot has also become a popular rest area for outdoor workers, sanitary workers, and couriers. Over the last decade, the church has welcomed over 100,000 visitors.
It is reported that since 2004, every New Year's Eve, the church has hosted a reunion dinner, inviting the needy, migrant workers, sanitation workers, the elderly living alone, and single-parent families to join.
In recent years, Beimen Church has made great efforts to contribute to the local spiritual civilization and social development, earning public recognition. The church's efforts have been covered by local media and acknowledged by the provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Department.
(Originally published by the Gospel Times, the article has been edited under permission and the author is a believer at a church in Fuzhou, Fujian. )
- Translated by Poppy Chan
