There are two nursing homes built and operated by churches in Qidong City, Jiangsu Province.
On May 21, I visited "Kuanxin Nursing Home" in Yichang Village, Beixin Town, and the "Bo’ai (or Charity) Home for the Elderly" in Jinhai Town.
Founded by Beixin Church, Kuanxin Nursing Home is a social-oriented elderly care institution. Receiving contributions from believers, the church spent millions of yuan in 2010 to purchase the land occupied by an abandoned factory building on the north side of the church. Carrying out simple maintenance on the basis of the factory building, they built the original nursing home.
The nursing home was officially opened in February 2011, with 28 houses and 93 beds. As the number of elderly residents gradually increased, an expansion plan was put on the agenda.
The nursing home began to build multi-functional residential buildings for the elderly, which passed the completion acceptance inspection and was officially put into use the following year.
At present, the hospital has a total of 220 beds and complete supporting facilities such as a canteen, an infirmary, and an activity room, with the qualifications of the license up to standard.
In the afternoon, I arrived at another nursing home.
At the end of 2003, under the cooperation of believers from Qidong and Jinhai Church in Qidong, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, the "Bo’ai Home for the Elderly" was completed and officially put into operation, becoming the first local charity organization for social care for the elderly founded by the church.
"Oh! Welcome!", an old woman with a northeastern accent came to greet us with the help of volunteer female Christians. "I am happy to sing here every day to praise Jesus. I believe in Jesus, who is the best!"
The new building of the nursing home was completed in 2017. At present, with the existing beds, the home has 220 beds for the elderly, according to Pastor Zhang from the charity department of Qidong TSPM (Three-Self Patriotic Movement).
"Since our nursing home is open to all the elderly, we will serve them equally and wholeheartedly, regardless of whether they are Christians or not", Pastor Zhang said.
For years, the home has paid special attention to hospice care for the elderly. Many elderly people who were about to come to the end of life achieved the final transformation of their lives.
There was an old couple from Shanghai. The lady lost a leg due to illness, while the man was already paralyzed in bed and unable to move. What was even more unfortunate was that both of them suffered from cancer, and their only son was too busy to care for them all the time. Many nursing homes dared not accept them due to their serious illness.
However, their family members found the Bo’ai Home for the Elderly. The staff workers admitted the two elderly people to the nursing home, willing to accompany them through the last journey of their lives. Under special care, their physical and mental outlook gradually improved. Many old believers living in the home often went to their rooms to chat with them, sing hymns, and pray for them. The old couple, who had been determined by the doctor to live for less than a few months, happily lived there for more than two years, with the grace of God and others’ company.
One female believer surnamed Yuan has served there for 18 years. She said that her monthly living allowance increased from 300 yuan at the beginning of 2004 to 500 yuan, and then 800 yuan. It has risen to around 2200 yuan in the past two years.
Despite the difficulties, many caregivers like Yuan, who are not afraid of hardship or tiredness, have served in the home for years. Today, more than 50% of the employees have worked there for more than ten years.
"We are all here to serve in the love and faith of Christ. No matter what the circumstances are, we have not changed in our mental state, psychological state, or willingness to serve," she added.
According to China’s seventh national census in 2020, the current population aged 60 years and above in China is 264.02 million, including 190.64 million people aged 65 and over. Nearly 100 million elderly people suffer from one or more chronic diseases, and more than 10 million have long-term care needs.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
2021年5月21日，笔者二人先后抵达了位于江苏启东市北新镇轶昌村的“宽心颐养院”以及位于近海镇的“博爱老人之家”两所养老院。
宽心颐养院由北新基督教会创办，是一所面向社会的养老机构。2010年，在弟兄姊妹的奉献下，北新教会花费上百万元将教堂北侧的废弃厂房所占用地购得，并在原有厂房基础上进行了简单维修，建立起了最初的养老院。
2011年2月，养老院正式开放。起初，该机构共有房屋28间，93张床位，随着入住老人逐渐增多，扩建计划被提上日程。
2016年，在启东当地政府及信徒们的大力支持下，养老院开始建造多功能老年住宿楼，并于次年通过政府验收并正式投用。
目前，该院共有床位220张，食堂、医务室、活动室等配套设施齐全，证照资质达标。
近海“博爱老人之家”——11年·变与不变
2003年底，在江苏南通启东近海基督教堂与启东籍的爱心弟兄姊妹的合作下，“博爱老人之家”建成并正式投入运营，成为当地首个由教会创办的社会服务托老慈善机构。
“哎呀！欢迎你们！”一位东北口音的奶奶在义工姊妹的搀扶下走过来迎接我们，“我每天在这唱诗赞美耶稣，很开心！耶稣最好！我信耶稣！”
据启东市基督教三自爱国会慈善部张菊英牧师张牧师介绍，养老院新楼于2017年竣工，目前，加上原有的床位，博爱老人之家共有220张床位供老人们居住。
“由于我们养老院是面向所有老年人的，因此不管他们有没有基督信仰，我们都会平等的，全心全意地服侍他们。”张牧师表示。
多年来，博爱老人之家尤其注重对于老人的临终关怀，在护工们无微不至的关爱中，也曾有不少生命即将走到尽头的老人在这里实现了生命的最后蜕变。
有一对来自上海的老夫妇，老太太因病失去了一条腿，而老爷子则已经瘫痪在床，无法动弹。
更不幸的是，两位老人都患有癌症，而老人的唯一儿子也实在是分身乏术，无法做到全天候照看两位病重的老人。
但是，面对病情如此复杂危重的老人，不少养老院也出于种种原因不敢轻易接收。
然而，老人的家属找到了“博爱老人之家”。院内负责同工本着基督的恩典与爱，就将两位老人接进养老院，愿陪伴他们走完人生的最后一段旅程。
在养老院特护同工的悉心照料下，两位老人的身体状态和精神面貌渐渐有了起色。
许多住在院里的老信徒得知这两位老人的情况后，还经常自发地前往他们的房间，跟他们聊天，为他们唱诗祷告。
原本医生断定仅剩不到数月生命的老两口，在神的恩典与大家的陪伴下，居然在这里又走过了长达两年多的喜乐旅途。
同工袁姊妹已经在养老院里侍奉了18年时间，她介绍说：
2004年刚开始我们每月生活补贴从：三百元、五百元、八百元慢慢上涨，到近两年才涨到二千二百元左右。”
尽管处境有些艰难，但许多像袁姊妹一样的护工们不怕苦不怕累，依旧数年如一日在院里殷勤服侍。如今，院里服侍有十年以上的员工占50%以上。
“无论环境怎样，我们这里的弟兄姊妹不论是精神状态、心理状态，还是侍奉的心态，都没有变，大家都是本着基督的爱与信仰，在这里服侍。”
据我国在2020年开展的第七次全国人口普查结果显示，当前我国60岁及以上人口为26402万人，其中，65岁及以上人口为19064万人。而近1亿的老年人患有一种或多种慢性疾病，超过千万的老人有长期照护的需求。
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/56921
【特稿】教会养老事工的积极探索——再访江苏启东养老院
There are two nursing homes built and operated by churches in Qidong City, Jiangsu Province.
On May 21, I visited "Kuanxin Nursing Home" in Yichang Village, Beixin Town, and the "Bo’ai (or Charity) Home for the Elderly" in Jinhai Town.
Founded by Beixin Church, Kuanxin Nursing Home is a social-oriented elderly care institution. Receiving contributions from believers, the church spent millions of yuan in 2010 to purchase the land occupied by an abandoned factory building on the north side of the church. Carrying out simple maintenance on the basis of the factory building, they built the original nursing home.
The nursing home was officially opened in February 2011, with 28 houses and 93 beds. As the number of elderly residents gradually increased, an expansion plan was put on the agenda.
The nursing home began to build multi-functional residential buildings for the elderly, which passed the completion acceptance inspection and was officially put into use the following year.
At present, the hospital has a total of 220 beds and complete supporting facilities such as a canteen, an infirmary, and an activity room, with the qualifications of the license up to standard.
In the afternoon, I arrived at another nursing home.
At the end of 2003, under the cooperation of believers from Qidong and Jinhai Church in Qidong, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, the "Bo’ai Home for the Elderly" was completed and officially put into operation, becoming the first local charity organization for social care for the elderly founded by the church.
"Oh! Welcome!", an old woman with a northeastern accent came to greet us with the help of volunteer female Christians. "I am happy to sing here every day to praise Jesus. I believe in Jesus, who is the best!"
The new building of the nursing home was completed in 2017. At present, with the existing beds, the home has 220 beds for the elderly, according to Pastor Zhang from the charity department of Qidong TSPM (Three-Self Patriotic Movement).
"Since our nursing home is open to all the elderly, we will serve them equally and wholeheartedly, regardless of whether they are Christians or not", Pastor Zhang said.
For years, the home has paid special attention to hospice care for the elderly. Many elderly people who were about to come to the end of life achieved the final transformation of their lives.
There was an old couple from Shanghai. The lady lost a leg due to illness, while the man was already paralyzed in bed and unable to move. What was even more unfortunate was that both of them suffered from cancer, and their only son was too busy to care for them all the time. Many nursing homes dared not accept them due to their serious illness.
However, their family members found the Bo’ai Home for the Elderly. The staff workers admitted the two elderly people to the nursing home, willing to accompany them through the last journey of their lives. Under special care, their physical and mental outlook gradually improved. Many old believers living in the home often went to their rooms to chat with them, sing hymns, and pray for them. The old couple, who had been determined by the doctor to live for less than a few months, happily lived there for more than two years, with the grace of God and others’ company.
One female believer surnamed Yuan has served there for 18 years. She said that her monthly living allowance increased from 300 yuan at the beginning of 2004 to 500 yuan, and then 800 yuan. It has risen to around 2200 yuan in the past two years.
Despite the difficulties, many caregivers like Yuan, who are not afraid of hardship or tiredness, have served in the home for years. Today, more than 50% of the employees have worked there for more than ten years.
"We are all here to serve in the love and faith of Christ. No matter what the circumstances are, we have not changed in our mental state, psychological state, or willingness to serve," she added.
According to China’s seventh national census in 2020, the current population aged 60 years and above in China is 264.02 million, including 190.64 million people aged 65 and over. Nearly 100 million elderly people suffer from one or more chronic diseases, and more than 10 million have long-term care needs.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Two Christian Nursing Homes in Jiangsu
