A Beautiful Thing to Me
15/10/2010 12:17 pm
The words above taken from Mark 14 vs 6 record Jesus’ assessment on the act of devotion displayed to Him by the woman who poured the jar of expensive perfume over him.. Many criticised the wasteful act while others misunderstood its significance. Jesus’ evaluation of the act as a beautiful expression of faith and love underlines the value and importance of all that is done as unto the Lord. The workplace, home or direct church ministry can all be the arena where to devotion to Christ can shine and influence others.
(Colossians 3 vs 17, 22 – 4 vs 1).
During a recent visit to China I was impressed by the quality and sacrifice I saw by many in their professions who displayed a devotion and love for God as they stooped to serve the needs of people in the earthquake area of Sichuan province. Before I introduce just one person of the team to you let’s remember the awful statistics relating to this area that faced such calamitous disaster on May 12 2008. As you survey the stats below think of real people – mothers, fathers brothers, sisters, neighbours, work colleagues and school friends.
87,148 Dead (including missing cases)
374,640 Injured
4,624,000 Homeless
If we focus on the one town I visited where the whole of the town centre – including the main Middle school of 3,000 pupils - was devastated the figures look like this :-
Dead: 15,645
Missing: 4,311
Houses ruined : 200 thousand
Homeless : 142 thousand
Economy Loss : 59 Billion RMB
Then another breakdown of statistics of the school itself :- Dead : 800 Missing 400 . 40 teachers were killed and the headmaster lost his wife who worked in the school office and his only daughter. Of the remaining 1,800 pupils over half of them have lost limbs or are disabled in long term ways. Many have scars and injuries that disfigure or disable them in some way. But everyone has some degree of post traumatic stress and ongoing emotional scars of hurt, loss, grief and bereavement as everyone lost someone in the earthquake. There are orphans, widows and other staff who find just carrying on a normal life hard and painful. There have been a few suicides of school staff and pupils. Then the loss of all equipment, classrooms and everything that makes up a school community where over 50% were boarders because they come from remote mountain areas for their education.
The government response in relocating people to temporary accommodation, temporary schools and temporary healthcare has been swift and impressive. The country that organized thousands to volunteer in the Olympics and found millions to pay for the spectacle has not been slow in reconstructing new roads, homes and a whole new infrastructure of care, facilities and business enterprises. But the continuing care, commitment and love needed to heal and help people who feel hopeless and hurt by such trauma can not be bought or organized institutionally. This is where Christian love, dedication and service can shine and provide deeper medicine and therapy for souls and spirits of those broken and scarred internally.
Patsy a Christian teacher from a nearby Asian country heard that the school in the earthquake area needed English teachers. She went for a short term visit and was struck by the helplessness of many of the pupils who now struggled to learn and live normal teenage lives. A young girl who had lost her left leg and had severe head injuries would cry herself to sleep for months after the earthquake. She still has fears and there are memories that seem to stay and haunt her. Moving around the school and adjusting to walking again was difficult. The wrong fit of a new plastic leg created sores that wept and then smelt. Her dorm mates were less than helpful. Shame and self loathing set in too. Would she ever gain the grades to pass exams – but more pressing for a teenage girl would any boy ever want a girl with a false leg?! Was there any point to life? Until she met her new English teacher she had never heard of a God who could help, care and support her. Patsy came alongside to love and befriend her and started to change the attitudes of friends too. Some extra tuition and help on weekends to shop and enjoy some time in coffee shops provided a bridge of friendship. Bible study followed and the message of the gospel is now transforming this young girl’s life and along with ten other girls in the school faith and trust in the Lord is blossoming. So all the guys think this is a girly thing! Nice for them females! Well except for one young man aged 17. He found the new English teacher from faraway Hong Kong quite engaging. Her lessons were different and her attitude was quite different to other teachers. Why had she come to help? He’d heard of many Chinese teachers from other parts of China who would not leave their comfortable city schools for this backwater place scarred by earthquake and weighed down by the challenges of dust, dirt and stretched resources. He watched and listened to Patsy as she taught English but also who would listen and be so wise and patient with the class of fifty! Nothing was too much. He’d heard how she helped the disabled girls even with showering, hair combing and other menial matters. Whenever he found the lessons and the language hard she had lunchtime and evening classes for extra help.
The young man himself was interesting to Patsy. He was from one of the ethnic minority groups of the region. The Qiang people with their unique ancient culture, language and customs stand out amongst the other people of the area and province. To complicate matters for newcomers there are 11 types of Qiang peoples! Around 250,000 people in all. Patsy’s pupil belonged to a Qiang group where the whole issue of being clean was vital. The washing of clothes, body, food, homes and all else is really important. Outside their dormitories even in school the fences around were full of underwear, shorts, trousers and shirts that were washed everyday. I counted 36 pairs of socks outside one dorm I saw on my visit to the school. The big morning and evening fight is for showers! When Patsy thought it right and appropriate to share the good news with the young Qiang teenager the need to be clean before God was the obvious way to pique his interest. After many discussions and Bible studies and a real sense of sin’s uncleanness he has come to believe in the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood. He is the first believer in his family and whole community. No Church in a wide area covering hundreds of miles, no other believing young people. No Scriptures in his own language. He came to Patsy one morning burdened that he had an important assignment to accomplish. She thought it was some unfinished work from class. But it turned out his burden was the need to go back and tell family, friends and neighbours of how they could be really clean inside. Patsy longs for a mature male Christian to mentor, train and disciple him. Indeed there are openings for more English teachers as well as medical care staff who can work in rehabilitation centres in the earthquake area.
Patsy’s teaching from day to day and her Christian character lived out in acts of kindness and sacrificial love have been the key to reaching young people in the school. She also visits homes on the weekend and is beginning to meet parents, grandparents and neighbours. Her being as well as doing is beautiful to see in an area where much ugliness remains. The sweet smelling aroma of Christ has brought life to many girls and one young man. Meeting Patsy and hearing her passion and fervency as we prayed will remain with me for a long time. Do you sense the privilege and challenge to partner in prayer with Patsy and to ask with her for more to go and help while there is an open door for witness?
If you are interested in short or long term opportunities to teach English in this area of China or working in rehab clinics as a therapist please contact china@omf.org.uk
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