“This group of children is looked upon in society as “offspring of evil people.” In the eyes of their relatives, they are just one more burden in the family. On the streets, they are seen as delinquents. Teachers mark them as problem child. Yet in reality, they are just innocent children, without a trace of harm, yet treated as though they were criminals… ”
On August 6, Chinese Christian Herald Crusades (CCHC) prepared a music concert for the Children’s Village orphans at Bowne Street Community Church in New York. Invited by Mercy Field in Fuzhou, CCHC has worked with Hong Kong Gratia Foundation to help establish orphanages in the province with Children’s Village. This music concert is organized to fundraise for the first three years this project.
Participating in the music concert were Chinatown Christian Choir and Mercy Field’s children choir. A film was displayed describing the lives of the children while their parents remain in jail. The film featured two brothers who were abused by their father until one day their mother, who wanted to protect the two children, placed rat poison in their father’s wine and killed him. Their mother was sent to jail. They lived with their grandmother but were used like slaves: everyday they would wake up 5am in the morning doing chores, walk two and a half hours to attend school, and were given only 0.4 RMB per month for food… These children who were left by their parents and abandoned by the society, everyday the wished for the day when they may meet their parents once more. “9 years and 7 months,” “3 years,” “3 years and 5 months.” They counted the days precisely and waited.
“Before then, let us give them a home.” Said CCHC general director Rev. Rev. Pok Cheung Lo. Using James 1:27 from the scriptures, he said that the most important word in this verse is the word “father.” What can we give these poor children? We give them money, food, and clothing, but no person or organization can give them a father. “Yet today, we thank God; we are able to introduce our Father God to these children,” said Rev. Lo, “Children in America lives happily in their families, their parents would tell them the love of God. Yet in China, the parents are not able to tell their children this; the nation would not tell them either. With out anyone beside them, it is up to us Christians to tell them about the love of Father God.”
There are many things that may seem farfetched for us to do in the Bible, yet there is one which God looks upon and everyone is able to do it,” said Rev. Lo, “That is to use the heart of love and take care of orphans and widows in distress.”
After the construction of two orphanages in Fuzhou, it will be able to house over 240 children, providing them shelter, education, medical care, and other basic necessities. CCHC and Mercy Field will share the burden of the two orphanages’ 600,000 fees for its structural foundation and first three years of construction. In the past year, CCHC has raised $270,000, but they still short of over $300,000.
Looking back at a year ago when they accepted this project when CCHC was facing financial troubles, Rev. Lo said, “Every time I work on this [project], there is an inexpressible feeling inside of me. I know that this was all done for the children of the prisoners who were deeply hurt in the world. This is like giving them cool water, which is the same as giving to the Lord.” After the concert, Rev. Lo encouraged everyone saying that although the gathering has ended, yet the heart of love will not end: “Let us always keep these Chinese kids inside of our hearts.”
