Brother Zhang was an unfortunate person. When he was about 16 or 17 years old, he suddenly fell ill, leaving him paralyzed and bedridden for more than 40 years. Initially, Zhang's mother was able to take care of him. But after more than ten years, she also passed away due to illness. The local church had organized its members to show their love and care by donating essentials for Zhang, helping him turn in bed, cooking, and feeding him. However, as time passed, fewer and fewer people were willing to help, and in the end, no one was willing to continue assisting him.
Zhang had a very devout faith. Perhaps God had mercy on him and heard his prayers, allowing him to meet Pastor Zhu. Once, Zhu came to serve at a nearby church and learned about Zhang’s urgent need for help. He wanted to take Zhang into his own home and care for him.
However, at this critical moment, someone stood up and objected. Pastor Chen said to him, "Maybe others can do this, but you cannot." He explained, "You are appointed by God, and your work isn’t just to serve him at home; you still have many other responsibilities. So, you can't take Zhang home."
Although Pastor Chen disagreed with Zhu bringing Zhang home, there wasn’t a better solution at the time. During this period, Zhu, Chen, and others frequently visited Zhang, helping him eat meals and use the restroom.
During a Christmas program rehearsal at the church, a young Christian man heard that Zhang's living situation was bad and that Zhu was constantly worried about it. He suggested sending Zhang to a nursing home. The first home he recommended only accepted residents capable of self-care, referring Zhu to another home that could take care of those who couldn't care for themselves.
After signing a series of agreements, Zhang was admitted to the nursing home. But kind-hearted Zhu was still concerned. Having cared for Zhang for so long, Zhu knew that Zhang’s situation was different from others. Zhang was, in fact, "unpresentable"—he was filthy and smelly. Zhu worried that even if Zhang moved into the nursing home, they might eventually "return" him.
However, after visiting Zhang, the nursing home director reassured Zhu, saying to him, "Don’t worry. We will take Zhang. You’ve been serving him all these years without complaint. Taking care of him is our job—we can’t turn him away."
By this time, Zhang hadn’t had a bath or haircut in many years. He looked like a wild man—his hair was long, longer than many women’s, and it was matted like "mud cakes." His body was filthy and stinky. Bathing him was no small task. Zhu found a nearby bathhouse that had just opened, and since it hadn't launched yet, the owner gave them the largest bath.
In the end, it took Zhu and two others three hours to bathe Zhang. In fact, Zhang hadn't bathed in 28 years. At least 500 yuan, Zhu calculated, would be paid to the owner, as they had used the largest tub and taken up over three hours.
Zhu insisted on paying, but the owner just accepted five yuan, touched by this outsider's heartfelt care for a local man after knowing it.
He spent more than eight years at the nursing home. At the end of 2019, when Zhang's life was nearing its end, his family came to the nursing home and brought him back to the village. The next afternoon, he passed away.
Zhang lived a total of 58 years in this world. For over forty of those years, he was completely paralyzed, leading an extremely tragic life. He never accomplished anything; his life seemed utterly meaningless. But it seems that through Zhang, God was trying to tell us one thing—God loves all people, without exception. Even if someone hasn’t done anything or can’t respond to God in any way, they are still loved by God.
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
1，命途多舛的张弟兄
张弟兄是一个非常可怜的人，在16,17岁的时候他突然生病以致全身瘫痪，从此四十余年之久卧床不起。
刚开始，张的母亲还能够照顾他。可是十多年之后，她也因病离世。张当地的教会也曾经组织发动信徒奉献爱心，给张弟兄采购一些生活必需品，给张弟兄翻身、做饭、喂饭。但是时间久了照顾张弟兄的人却越来越少，到最后居然没有一个人愿意继续帮助张弟兄……
2，柳暗花明又一村
张弟兄信仰非常虔诚。或许是上帝怜悯他，垂听了他的祷告，让他遇到了身为传道人的朱弟兄。
有一次朱过来张家不是很远、了解张情况的一所教会服事。在这个过程当中了解到了张迫切需要得到帮助，朱想把张带回家，自己来照顾他。
但是，这个节骨眼上，有人站了出来表示“不同意”。一位陈牧师对朱说：“或许别人可以这么做，但是你不可以。”他接着解释说：“你是上帝设立的，上帝给你安排的工作并不是让你在家里服事他，你还要做其他很多工作。所以，你不能把张接到你家里去。”
陈牧师不同意朱把张接到家里去，只是一下子也没有更好的办法。于是，在这段时间里，朱弟兄、陈牧师他们几个人经常要到张弟兄，帮助他喂饭、如厕。
在一次教会排练圣诞节目的时候，一名年轻弟兄在听说张的生活暂时还没有着落，朱整天都在为此发愁。他向朱提到了可以把张送到福利院，但是他所推荐的福利院只招收具备生活自理能力的人。但这所福利院给朱弟兄推荐了能够照顾生活不能自理的人的另外一所福利院。
3，一次特别的洗澡经历
在签过一系列相关协议以后，张终于可以入住福利院了。
但是耿直善良的朱却还是有担心，因为长期照顾张的他深知，张的情况跟别人都不一样，张实在是“不能看”，因又脏又臭。他担心的是就算把张送去了福利院，最后还是会被福利院“退货”。
实际看望了张以后，福利院院长对朱弟兄说：“朱弟兄你不用担心，我们要（张弟兄）。朱弟兄你这么多年以来一直在服事张弟兄，你都没有嫌弃他。我们就是做这个服事工作的，我们更不能嫌弃。”
原来，那个时候的张弟兄已经很多年都没有洗过澡、理过发了。整个人跟个野人似得——头发很长，比很多姐妹的头发都长，而且跟“泥饼子”也差不了多少。身上脏不可言、臭不可言。要给这样一个人洗澡，实在不是一个小工程。朱弟兄找了一个附近刚刚开业的浴池，因为还没有开张，老板把最大的浴池给了他们。
最终，在朱等三个人花费了三个小时给张洗澡。实际上，张已经有二十八年的时间没有洗过澡了。朱合计了一下，他们用了浴池最大的池子，而且还用了三个多小时，至少得给老板500块钱。
因朱弟兄坚持一定要付钱，老板收了朱弟兄五元钱，因为被他这个外地人尽心照顾本地人感动。
4，张在世的最后时光
张从进到福利院第一天到最后一天，一共八年六个月零两天。2019年年末，在张生命将要结束的时候，他家族的人去福利院他接回了村里。到了第二天下午，他就死了。
张在这个世界上一共生活了58年的时间，后面四十多年的时间他一直都处于完全瘫痪的状态，是悲惨异常。他没有做成什么事情，人生看去完全没有意义。但上帝似乎在通过张弟兄告诉我们一件事情——上帝爱世人，没有一个人例外。哪怕这个人什么事情都没有做，什么都不能够回应。
见证|瘫痪在床四十余年，万般绝望中上帝给他开出路
Brother Zhang was an unfortunate person. When he was about 16 or 17 years old, he suddenly fell ill, leaving him paralyzed and bedridden for more than 40 years. Initially, Zhang's mother was able to take care of him. But after more than ten years, she also passed away due to illness. The local church had organized its members to show their love and care by donating essentials for Zhang, helping him turn in bed, cooking, and feeding him. However, as time passed, fewer and fewer people were willing to help, and in the end, no one was willing to continue assisting him.
Zhang had a very devout faith. Perhaps God had mercy on him and heard his prayers, allowing him to meet Pastor Zhu. Once, Zhu came to serve at a nearby church and learned about Zhang’s urgent need for help. He wanted to take Zhang into his own home and care for him.
However, at this critical moment, someone stood up and objected. Pastor Chen said to him, "Maybe others can do this, but you cannot." He explained, "You are appointed by God, and your work isn’t just to serve him at home; you still have many other responsibilities. So, you can't take Zhang home."
Although Pastor Chen disagreed with Zhu bringing Zhang home, there wasn’t a better solution at the time. During this period, Zhu, Chen, and others frequently visited Zhang, helping him eat meals and use the restroom.
During a Christmas program rehearsal at the church, a young Christian man heard that Zhang's living situation was bad and that Zhu was constantly worried about it. He suggested sending Zhang to a nursing home. The first home he recommended only accepted residents capable of self-care, referring Zhu to another home that could take care of those who couldn't care for themselves.
After signing a series of agreements, Zhang was admitted to the nursing home. But kind-hearted Zhu was still concerned. Having cared for Zhang for so long, Zhu knew that Zhang’s situation was different from others. Zhang was, in fact, "unpresentable"—he was filthy and smelly. Zhu worried that even if Zhang moved into the nursing home, they might eventually "return" him.
However, after visiting Zhang, the nursing home director reassured Zhu, saying to him, "Don’t worry. We will take Zhang. You’ve been serving him all these years without complaint. Taking care of him is our job—we can’t turn him away."
By this time, Zhang hadn’t had a bath or haircut in many years. He looked like a wild man—his hair was long, longer than many women’s, and it was matted like "mud cakes." His body was filthy and stinky. Bathing him was no small task. Zhu found a nearby bathhouse that had just opened, and since it hadn't launched yet, the owner gave them the largest bath.
In the end, it took Zhu and two others three hours to bathe Zhang. In fact, Zhang hadn't bathed in 28 years. At least 500 yuan, Zhu calculated, would be paid to the owner, as they had used the largest tub and taken up over three hours.
Zhu insisted on paying, but the owner just accepted five yuan, touched by this outsider's heartfelt care for a local man after knowing it.
He spent more than eight years at the nursing home. At the end of 2019, when Zhang's life was nearing its end, his family came to the nursing home and brought him back to the village. The next afternoon, he passed away.
Zhang lived a total of 58 years in this world. For over forty of those years, he was completely paralyzed, leading an extremely tragic life. He never accomplished anything; his life seemed utterly meaningless. But it seems that through Zhang, God was trying to tell us one thing—God loves all people, without exception. Even if someone hasn’t done anything or can’t respond to God in any way, they are still loved by God.
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
God's Love Revealed Through Man Bedridden for Forty Years
