Our mercy team departing for China this month will be a group of people from New Zealand, Australia and the UK. What a great combination! Many of them are people who have been on a team before, but it’s wonderful to have a few first timers as well.
The team will visit a number of different facilities and venues, and will have the opportunity to be involved with kids living in a variety of circumstances. Mercy teams are very much ‘hands-on’, and team members are asked to use their skills and talents to create activities and programs for the children. Even before they leave their respective countries for China, the team has already worked together to share their ideas via email conversations. It’s great to see their creative juices flowing.
In China, the first stop will be foster homes run by a CCSM partner organisation, which are caring for up to 18 babies and children. The children have come from local orphanages to the foster homes and are provided with a loving, caring family-type environment staffed with local Chinese ayi’s (child carers). This organisation also provides kindergarten education for the children with singing, dancing, art and craft activities, and play, just like other children around the world.
The foster homes aim to meet the emotional and developmental needs of the children, preparing them to have the best possible opportunity for adoption and finding their ‘forever home’. The team members will be working under the guidance of the ayi’s to help with the children’s daily needs. They have planned a number of days there helping the ayi’s and working with the children.
The mercy team will then go on to visit two very different local orphanages: one serving children and the other caring for adults with physical and intellectual challenges. The staff in these facilities work extremely hard. The assistance and energy the team provides offers them a little welcome respite and encouragement. Any help is welcome, but for the children and disabled, any team members with experience teaching children with special needs, in physiotherapy or other associated areas are always needed. Depending on their skills, they are able to help in serving the children, the teachers or parents.
It is interesting to note that in the highly acclaimed book, ‘Five Love Languages’ by Gary Chapman, only one ‘love language’ requires the ability to speak and understand words. Sincere love can be extended by gift giving,
quality time, acts of service and
physical touch. Only ‘words of affirmation’ require words. The ability to speak words of affirmation in Chinese to these children is a great advantage, but God has many ways for us to show His love across cultures without the need to speak a word!
Next, the team will be able to contribute to a program working with migrant workers’ children. Many Chinese can by law only access public services, like schooling, in the villages they come from, so migrant workers' children stay behind, often with grandparents, to keep up their education. Across China, an estimated 61 million children are ‘left behind’ by their migrant parents. Others leave with their parents for the urban areas, but the family must pay for their private schooling. For some this is unobtainable and children miss out on an education.
Before they return home, the team will also attend a couple of English Corners and visit a rural school.
For the team, this trip is a chance to show the servant heart and love of Jesus. What we always find amazing is just how, in the midst of all the activity, God speaks. Not a team goes by without at least some people sharing with us how God enabled them to push into the tasks at hand, how He spoke with them about their relationship with Him, or how they now have a slightly different view about the Father’s love.
Prayer Pointers:
- Please pray for unity in the team as members come from different countries, cultures and church backgrounds.
- Pray for energy as mercy team members work hard with the children and adults they serve. Pray for them as they meet, share experiences and listen to the Father’s heart for the children they will be serving that day.
- Ask God to continue building good relationships with local venue leadership. Some are our ministry partners, some are government leaders.
- Pray for the smooth running of activities and plans.
- Ask God to bless the team with good health. We don’t want anyone to lose days by having to stay in the hotel due to illness.
Our mercy team departing for China this month will be a group of people from New Zealand, Australia and the UK. What a great combination! Many of them are people who have been on a team before, but it’s wonderful to have a few first timers as well.