Bethesda Rehabilitation Ministry of Anshan, China Feb, 2008

News from the…
Bethesda Rehabilitation Ministry of Anshan, China
February, 2008

“Special Purchases for the Spring Festival”
Spring Festival – Chinese New Year is the most important holiday time for Chinese people. It means the start of a new year, the coming of another spring, the time of family reunion, a lot of delicious food, new dresses for children… the new beginning for everything. Traditionally, in most parts of China, when the festival approaching, people would be busy with preparing “Special Purchases for the Spring Festival”, which mainly consists of different kinds of food. In old days, the “reunion dinner” might be the only feast many families could have for the whole year.

Nowadays, with rapid economic development, food is no longer a big concern for most Chinese families. Food supply is aboundant alnost everywhere. But for those poor families affected by disabilities, it might be another story. Some of them still have problem to get their “Special Purchases for the Spring Festival” for different reasons, like poverty, mobility limitation, lack of help… These people really need care and warmth in this cold season.
Days before the Spring Festival, Bethesda volunteers start our special Home Visitation to about 12 very poor families affected by disabilities, bringing with them some New Year gifts -- fish, chicken, pig feet,… and a red bag. Most important, we hope bring Love and Warmth to these needy families in this special time. During our visit, we could feel their joy and thankful heart…

Fan Jia Yue is a 5 years old girl with cerebral palsy (CP). She is living with her parents and aged grandma in a village near Anshan. Her grandma has been suffering from a chronic problem for years. Her mother has to spend all the time to take care of her at home. The only income for the family is from her father, who has chronic osteomyelitis with part of his infected ankle bone uncovered by skin. Even so, he has to go to find a coolie job in a city in South China. He should have come back for family reunion for the Spring Festival, but the severe snow disaster in South China cut the transportation, making his back home impossible. When we brought the food to the family, they were deeply moved… The mother said in tears: “If you do not come, we even don’t know who could help us buy these foods!”

As a new project of Bethesda – Mobile Clinic, we have a doctor and a nurse from a local public hospital joni in our homevisit team. Because of poverty and poor living condition, most disabled people or their aged caregivers (parents) are suffering from different chronic conditions or malnutrition. It is not easy for these people to have or afford for hospital care. So, we hope to give them some basic medical care support, also teach them knowledage regarding their health, nutrition, and preventation for various complications from disabilities. It is our first try this time and we will find the best way to meet the need.



Family Reunion

As you might remember, our family moved in this new bright apartment on May 13, 2007, the day of Tenth Anniversary after my accident in 1997. In the past ten years, I lived in the hospital and my mother had to spend all the time taking care of me there, while leaving my father alone at home, a apartment on fourth floor. Since then, our family never had opportunity to spend the New Year Eve together, which is very important for Chinese families. I often feel very guilty for the situation…
So in the past several years, I made a lot of efforts to appeal the help from the government, for we really need an accessible home where our families could live together. And I also prayed a lot… Finally, with the help from government and some friends, we have this beautiful home. It is the first time our families could have the “Reunion Meal” and spend the New Year Eve together. We are very happy and grateful…
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Happy Chinese New Year!