"It is different here, although I can't pinpoint exactly what is different," Director Zhang said about the common remark from many visitors to their place.
Before the Spring Festival, I visited the Enquan Love and Care Nursing Home in Changchun, Jilin, considered "special" by many people. Zhang, a Christian woman and its director, shared the story of founding this nursing home.
The idea for establishing a nursing home came to Zhang in 2017. She observed that many believers faced obstacles in their re-marriages when their elderly parents became a hindrance. At that time, Zhang, involved in Christian matchmaking, thought that if she could open a nursing home to take in the elderly who needed care, these Christians might be able to take a step forward. However, the first application was not approved due to a lack of space and insufficient reasons.
What moved Zhang to pursue the nursing home again was the "Song of the Wilderness," which won "the Best Documentary Award" at the 2018 International Christian Film Festival. The documentary tells the story of a seventy-year-old man leaving his daughter to care for a bedridden elderly person in Chaishan Town, Yishui County, Shandong Province. This led to the establishment of the nursing home.
Since its founding in 2021, the nursing home has moved three times and currently houses 47 elderly residents. This non-profit institution welcomes elderly people from all walks of life, including those with paralysis, abandoned individuals, and wanderers. According to Zhang, they take in those whom society rejects but God embraces.
The nursing home accommodates several homeless individuals without social assistance, as many nursing homes refuse them. Staff members of the relief station brought the first homeless person to the neighborhood street before leaving him there. The street office staff immediately thought of the nursing home and brought him over.
Two months later, without informing the nursing home, staff from a different community on the same street brought another vagrant, Xiao Chen, who was picked up from the subway entrance. Supposedly, he had previously been placed in another nursing home but left due to dissatisfaction, and he no longer qualified for social assistance.
Having been homeless for three years, Xiao Chen expressed a desire to end his wandering life; otherwise, he would be dead. Zhang reassured him, saying, "You're at home now. Since you have nowhere else to go, we'll take you in for free." They also care for many elderly people with conditions such as cerebellar atrophy, depression, insomnia, and mobility issues. Despite their challenges, they receive excellent care at the institution, and some are reluctant to leave even when family members come to take them home.
"Thanks to the nursing home, which is great, I can live past a hundred! The director here is incomparable, and they buy plenty of fruits," an eighty-year-old grandmother exclaimed, praising the facility. She had experienced many nursing homes but only found them to be the best because they have companionship and conversations.
"If not for the sake of the Lord, no one would serve like this," Zhang said. When doing things, she often considers the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” She said there was no greater thing than serving the Lord.
The director explained that they moved to their current location in July 2023. The previous standalone villa they rented lacked property rights, causing difficulties in obtaining the necessary approvals. Proactively assisting them, community workers negotiated with real estate developers to address the high rent and helped with various procedures. Within a month, this nursing home was set up.
The current nursing home covers an area of over 630 square meters (0.016 acres), with an annual rent of 270,000 yuan, higher than before. However, Zhang mentioned that the pressure is not as great as before due to the stability of membership, which allowed them to maintain a balanced budget. She recalled the most challenging period during the initial phase of the nursing home. There were only three elderly residents in the first three months, but she should cover the operating expenses. Zhang did her own work while managing the nursing home, using her salary to pay the staff. However, they struggled to make ends meet every month and considered giving up.
The COVID-19 pandemic was the toughest time for the institution, with over thirty residents facing a shortage of food. Roads were blocked, and there was no way to contact suppliers. "It was the time when we had the closest relationship with the Lord; I prayed with tears every day," Zhang added. But eventually, God answered their prayers abundantly.
The director believed that the most important thing for Christians was to shine for the glory of God. Zhang mentioned that many advised her to expand her compassion with the service-oriented concept rather than operate just one nursing home.
"It is not enough for one person to focus on the group; more believers need to be moved to take action," she said. "Only when people everywhere join the ministry can they bless more elderly individuals."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
“感觉你们这里不一样，虽然说不出哪里不一样，但就是感觉不一样。”张院长说，这是很多到访他们这里的人常说的话。
春节前夕，笔者来到了这间在很多人眼中“特别”的“恩全爱心之家养老院”，想探究一下他们的特别之处。女基督徒张院长向笔者讲述了创办这间养老院的故事。
张萌生办养老院的想法，是在2017年。她看到很多信徒再进入婚姻时，家中的老人貌似成为了他们再跨越一步的阻碍。彼时的张是做主内婚恋的，她就想，如果自己开一间养老院，把需要照顾的老人接过来，那这些基督徒或许就可以向前再走一步了。然而第一次的审批并没有通过，因没有场地，申请理由也不成立。
让张有感动再次做养老院的是她后来看到的《旷野之歌》，是获得2018国际基督教电影节的最佳纪录片。影片中讲述一位七旬老人离开自己的女儿去山东沂水縣柴山乡馍馍墩照顾一位素味平生、瘫痪在床的老人的故事。于是才有了今天的“恩全爱心之家养老院”。
养老院从2021年创办至今，辗转了三个地方，现今住满了，有47位老人。这样一个不以盈利为目的养老院，汇聚了天南海北各式老人，有瘫痪的、被人遗弃的、流浪。她们听说哪里有需要的老人，如果他自己没办法过来，张就开车带着护工一起去给接来。用张的话说就是“世人不要的，神家都要”。
该养老院居住着几位流浪汉，他们没有低保，很多养老院不接收。第一个流浪汉是被救助站人员送到了辖区的街道处，当时他们扔下他就走了。街道处的工作人员第一时间就想到了恩全爱心之家养老院，并送过来。
两个月后，与前面同一街道不同社区的人没打招呼又直接送来了一位流浪汉小陈，是被从地铁口接过来的。据说他之前是被安置在别的养老院，待的不顺心，自己就离开了，低保也没有了。
小陈说自己流浪三年了，不想再流浪了，再这样下去就活不了了。“没事的，你到这就到家了。你没有地方去，我们免费收留你。”张姊妹对小陈说，有我们一口饭吃，就不能饿着你。
除此，送来这里的很多老人，有小脑萎缩、抑郁症、半夜不睡觉、满地爬的。不过他们都在这里得到了很好的照顾；有的老人甚至家属来接也不愿意走。
“感谢敬老院，这里可好了，能活一百多呀！这院长别人没法比呀，水果啥都不少买……”一位八十多岁的老奶奶拉住笔者，不住地夸赞这里的好。奶奶说，她待过很多养老院，但都比不上这里，因为在这里有人陪他们一起说话。
“若不是因着主的缘故，没有人会这样服侍，”张说，她做事情的时候常常在想，做在最小的一个人身上就是做在主身上。没有什么能比做在主身上更大。
张院长介绍，他们2023年7月份搬到目前的地方。之前租的独栋别墅因为没有产权，养老院的一些相关手续办不下来。社区工作人员主动帮助她们，房价贵就帮助和房地产商协商，又帮助她们跑各项手续。不到一个月的时间就都顺利解决了。
目前养老院使用面积630多平米，房租一年27万，比之前的贵了不少。但张姊妹说，现在没有之前压力那么大了。因为养老院人员稳定，能维持收支平衡。她说最艰难的时候还是养老院初办期。前三个月，就三个老人，各方面都需要开销。那时张一边上班，一边负责养老院的运作，自己领的工资转头也都拿出来发给养老院的员工了。但每个月还是入不敷出，也曾几度想要放弃。
新冠疫情期间是养老院最难的时候，三十几号人面临着没有饭吃。道路封锁，也没有途径可以联系上物资。“那时是和主的关系最近的时候，我每天都以泪洗面祷告，”但神最终按着她们所求的加倍给了她们。
院长认为，基督徒最重要的是要为主发光，为荣耀神而活。张说常有人劝她，就是冲你这份爱心和服务的理念，也要把它扩建，只办一家太可惜了。
“靠着我自己的力量是不够的，需要有更多信徒有感动也去做，”张说，“当每个地方都能有人行动起来的时候，才能祝福到更多老人。“
专访/基督徒养老院院长：让信仰可以被看见
"It is different here, although I can't pinpoint exactly what is different," Director Zhang said about the common remark from many visitors to their place.
Before the Spring Festival, I visited the Enquan Love and Care Nursing Home in Changchun, Jilin, considered "special" by many people. Zhang, a Christian woman and its director, shared the story of founding this nursing home.
The idea for establishing a nursing home came to Zhang in 2017. She observed that many believers faced obstacles in their re-marriages when their elderly parents became a hindrance. At that time, Zhang, involved in Christian matchmaking, thought that if she could open a nursing home to take in the elderly who needed care, these Christians might be able to take a step forward. However, the first application was not approved due to a lack of space and insufficient reasons.
What moved Zhang to pursue the nursing home again was the "Song of the Wilderness," which won "the Best Documentary Award" at the 2018 International Christian Film Festival. The documentary tells the story of a seventy-year-old man leaving his daughter to care for a bedridden elderly person in Chaishan Town, Yishui County, Shandong Province. This led to the establishment of the nursing home.
Since its founding in 2021, the nursing home has moved three times and currently houses 47 elderly residents. This non-profit institution welcomes elderly people from all walks of life, including those with paralysis, abandoned individuals, and wanderers. According to Zhang, they take in those whom society rejects but God embraces.
The nursing home accommodates several homeless individuals without social assistance, as many nursing homes refuse them. Staff members of the relief station brought the first homeless person to the neighborhood street before leaving him there. The street office staff immediately thought of the nursing home and brought him over.
Two months later, without informing the nursing home, staff from a different community on the same street brought another vagrant, Xiao Chen, who was picked up from the subway entrance. Supposedly, he had previously been placed in another nursing home but left due to dissatisfaction, and he no longer qualified for social assistance.
Having been homeless for three years, Xiao Chen expressed a desire to end his wandering life; otherwise, he would be dead. Zhang reassured him, saying, "You're at home now. Since you have nowhere else to go, we'll take you in for free." They also care for many elderly people with conditions such as cerebellar atrophy, depression, insomnia, and mobility issues. Despite their challenges, they receive excellent care at the institution, and some are reluctant to leave even when family members come to take them home.
"Thanks to the nursing home, which is great, I can live past a hundred! The director here is incomparable, and they buy plenty of fruits," an eighty-year-old grandmother exclaimed, praising the facility. She had experienced many nursing homes but only found them to be the best because they have companionship and conversations.
"If not for the sake of the Lord, no one would serve like this," Zhang said. When doing things, she often considers the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” She said there was no greater thing than serving the Lord.
The director explained that they moved to their current location in July 2023. The previous standalone villa they rented lacked property rights, causing difficulties in obtaining the necessary approvals. Proactively assisting them, community workers negotiated with real estate developers to address the high rent and helped with various procedures. Within a month, this nursing home was set up.
The current nursing home covers an area of over 630 square meters (0.016 acres), with an annual rent of 270,000 yuan, higher than before. However, Zhang mentioned that the pressure is not as great as before due to the stability of membership, which allowed them to maintain a balanced budget. She recalled the most challenging period during the initial phase of the nursing home. There were only three elderly residents in the first three months, but she should cover the operating expenses. Zhang did her own work while managing the nursing home, using her salary to pay the staff. However, they struggled to make ends meet every month and considered giving up.
The COVID-19 pandemic was the toughest time for the institution, with over thirty residents facing a shortage of food. Roads were blocked, and there was no way to contact suppliers. "It was the time when we had the closest relationship with the Lord; I prayed with tears every day," Zhang added. But eventually, God answered their prayers abundantly.
The director believed that the most important thing for Christians was to shine for the glory of God. Zhang mentioned that many advised her to expand her compassion with the service-oriented concept rather than operate just one nursing home.
"It is not enough for one person to focus on the group; more believers need to be moved to take action," she said. "Only when people everywhere join the ministry can they bless more elderly individuals."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Interview With Director of Christian Nursing Home: Making Our Faith Visible
