As the Chinese New Year is coming, rural migrant workers have returned home one after another. For some people, the busyness of the year may only rest during the holidays. The lives of migrant workers are not comfortable. Of course, it's not easy in all walks of life, mainly because there is no diploma. They can only rely on hard work to earn money to support their families. They are worth our attention.
Perhaps everyone's burden is different. Probably because we are born in different environments and times, the challenges will not be the same. As for migrant workers, I often pay attention to those who work on construction sites or factories. Because I was born in the countryside and my father also worked on construction sites, I understood such migrant workers. According to my observation, most of the rural workers work in factories or on construction sites. Few migrant workers join other large enterprises or set up shops as owners.
The lives of rural migrant workers are not comfortable. There are strict requirements for work on construction sites or in factories. Site workers are relatively free because commonly, their salary is calculated per day. If possible, they can take time off to attend church meetings. And to the workers in the factory, the requirements will be relatively stricter. If they frequently ask for leave, there will be a risk of deducting wages. It is not easy for Christians to juggle their time between work and meeting.
In recent years, however, things have changed for the better. Some of the brothers and sisters in the church have opened factories, provided jobs for many migrant workers who are also believers, and arranged their Sunday meetings properly. Because migrant workers also need to be strengthened and herded in faith, some churches have ministry work for the working group. Although rural migrant workers' mobility is relatively large, spending time feeding with them is necessary. Because it enables them to face the Christian mentality in any position, protects their lives from corrosion and temptation of the world.
Rural migrant workers may sound like the most insignificant group of people in society. Still, they also go out to work for their families, for their children, and their livelihood. They often can not take care of their parents to fulfill filial piety. They cannot accompany their children in their growth for a long time because life's reality makes them go out to work. The environment they live in determines their choices, and the family situations they choose their options too. So, as Christians, we should pay more attention to them and try to understand their lives.
As the Chinese New year approaches, I also understand that many churches have specially prepared gatherings for migrant workers. Invited them to share their mental journey and talk about their faith views. It is a good calling, and it is also a concern and pastoral care for such a community.
As Christians, we should look at them from the right perspective. We often tend to be biased against rural migrant workers, thinking that they are just a group of people who do not study well and do not pursue. Not necessarily. All people have their difficulties. But in terms of faith, Christians should do more to help them, communicate with them more, and help them know the society and the world through faith principles.
Why do rural workers need the church's attention and care? I know some young post-90s migrant workers. Before they went out to work, they often have the habit of meeting worship at home, and they have no bad habits in their personal life. However, after they worked outside for several years, they sometimes didn't even go back during the Spring Festival. With the lack of faith for a long time, they may gradually lose the habit of faith life and become infected by the bad social atmosphere and develop some bad habits like smoking, visiting bars or KTV frequently, and rascal appearance.
All in all, rural migrant workers have different jobs, different pursuits, and different lifestyles. However, no matter who they are, they should uphold the principles of faith and maintain their faith and good habits after becoming Christians. They should not follow the secular values and drift with the tide.
Of course, the church cannot ignore such a group because they are also loved by God, eager to be redeemed, guided by faith, and live as Christians should be.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
临近过年这段时间，出外打工的人员都陆陆续续返回。对于一些人而言，一年的忙碌或许只有在过年的假期才可以得到休息。打工人这个群体其实非常不易，当然，各行各业都是不容易的，特别是因为没有学历文凭、只能靠苦力来挣钱养家的群体，更是值得我们去关注的。
或许每个人的担子都不一样，也或许我们生在的环境和时代不一样，挑战也就不会一样。对于打工人，我自己常关注的是在建筑工地劳作的群体或工厂上班的群体，因为我出生农村，父亲也在建筑工地，所以对这样的打工群体有些了解。据我观察，大多数农村的工人进厂工作的居多，在建筑工地工作的居多，参加其它大企业的、开店做老板的少之又少。
农村打工人的生活是不容易的，无论是工地干活还是工厂劳作，都有其严格的要求。工地工作相对会好一些，一般按天来计算工资的，有条件的话可以抽时间去参加聚会礼拜。而对参加工厂工作的群体，要求相对会严格一些，如果经常性请假，会有扣工资的风险。其实对于基督徒而言，既要参加工作，又想参加聚会，在时间上调配是不容易的。
其实近几年的光景是有些好转的，有一些主内的弟兄姊妹开厂，为许多信仰的打工群体提供了工作，并且合理安排了礼拜日的聚会时间。由于打工群体也需要在信仰上被坚固、被牧养，所以一些教会有针对打工人群体这一块的事工。虽然说农村打工群体流动性比较大，但花时间牧养他们也是必要的，因为这不仅仅使他们在任何岗位都可以以基督徒的心态面对，而且还可以保护他们生命避免世界的腐蚀和诱惑。
农村打工人表面上听起来是社会中最不起眼的一群人，但他们也是为了家庭、为了儿女、为了生活才出外工作的。虽然不能常在父母面前尽孝，不能长时间陪伴孩子的成长，但生活的现实光景不得不让他们出外工作。他们所生活的环境决定他们的选择，所面对的家庭境况决定他们的选择。所以作为基督徒我们应该更多去关注他们，理解他们的生活。
临近过年这段时间，笔者也了解到，有许多教会特别为打工群体预备了聚会，并且邀请他们分享自己的心路历程，谈谈自己对于信仰的看法。这是很好的召聚，这也是对这样群体的关怀和牧养。
作为基督徒，我们当用正确的眼光看待他们，太多时候我们容易对农村打工群体有偏见，以为他们就是不好好读书的一群人，是没有追求的一群人。其实不能一棒子打死，不同的人有着不同的难处。但就信仰方面，基督徒当更多去帮助他们，与他们多沟通，透过信仰的原则来帮助他们去认识这个社会，认识这个世界。
为什么农村打工人需要被教会注意和关怀？因为笔者所认识的一些年轻90后打工人，原来没有出去工作之前，在家时常有聚会礼拜的习惯，个人生活也没有什么不良嗜好。但因为常年在外工作，有时候甚至过年也没有回来，随着常年的信仰缺失，就逐渐失去了信仰生活该有的习惯，开始被社会的不良风气所沾染，比如有抽烟、经常出入酒吧、ktv、外表打扮也看着流里流气。
总而言之，农村打工人的工作不一样，追求也不一样，为人生活也都不一样，但无论是谁，成为基督徒后都应该秉持信仰的原则，保持良好的信仰习惯，不应该随从世俗的价值观随波逐流。
当然，教会对这样的群体是不能够忽略的，因为他们也是神所爱，也渴望被救赎，被信仰所指引，活出基督徒该有的样子。
关注：一群信仰里的特殊人群——农村打工群体
As the Chinese New Year is coming, rural migrant workers have returned home one after another. For some people, the busyness of the year may only rest during the holidays. The lives of migrant workers are not comfortable. Of course, it's not easy in all walks of life, mainly because there is no diploma. They can only rely on hard work to earn money to support their families. They are worth our attention.
Perhaps everyone's burden is different. Probably because we are born in different environments and times, the challenges will not be the same. As for migrant workers, I often pay attention to those who work on construction sites or factories. Because I was born in the countryside and my father also worked on construction sites, I understood such migrant workers. According to my observation, most of the rural workers work in factories or on construction sites. Few migrant workers join other large enterprises or set up shops as owners.
The lives of rural migrant workers are not comfortable. There are strict requirements for work on construction sites or in factories. Site workers are relatively free because commonly, their salary is calculated per day. If possible, they can take time off to attend church meetings. And to the workers in the factory, the requirements will be relatively stricter. If they frequently ask for leave, there will be a risk of deducting wages. It is not easy for Christians to juggle their time between work and meeting.
In recent years, however, things have changed for the better. Some of the brothers and sisters in the church have opened factories, provided jobs for many migrant workers who are also believers, and arranged their Sunday meetings properly. Because migrant workers also need to be strengthened and herded in faith, some churches have ministry work for the working group. Although rural migrant workers' mobility is relatively large, spending time feeding with them is necessary. Because it enables them to face the Christian mentality in any position, protects their lives from corrosion and temptation of the world.
Rural migrant workers may sound like the most insignificant group of people in society. Still, they also go out to work for their families, for their children, and their livelihood. They often can not take care of their parents to fulfill filial piety. They cannot accompany their children in their growth for a long time because life's reality makes them go out to work. The environment they live in determines their choices, and the family situations they choose their options too. So, as Christians, we should pay more attention to them and try to understand their lives.
As the Chinese New year approaches, I also understand that many churches have specially prepared gatherings for migrant workers. Invited them to share their mental journey and talk about their faith views. It is a good calling, and it is also a concern and pastoral care for such a community.
As Christians, we should look at them from the right perspective. We often tend to be biased against rural migrant workers, thinking that they are just a group of people who do not study well and do not pursue. Not necessarily. All people have their difficulties. But in terms of faith, Christians should do more to help them, communicate with them more, and help them know the society and the world through faith principles.
Why do rural workers need the church's attention and care? I know some young post-90s migrant workers. Before they went out to work, they often have the habit of meeting worship at home, and they have no bad habits in their personal life. However, after they worked outside for several years, they sometimes didn't even go back during the Spring Festival. With the lack of faith for a long time, they may gradually lose the habit of faith life and become infected by the bad social atmosphere and develop some bad habits like smoking, visiting bars or KTV frequently, and rascal appearance.
All in all, rural migrant workers have different jobs, different pursuits, and different lifestyles. However, no matter who they are, they should uphold the principles of faith and maintain their faith and good habits after becoming Christians. They should not follow the secular values and drift with the tide.
Of course, the church cannot ignore such a group because they are also loved by God, eager to be redeemed, guided by faith, and live as Christians should be.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
A Group of Special Believers: Rural Migrant Workers
