Many rural residents work in cities, leaving their elderly and children behind. According to report data, over 90% of children in rural areas cannot live with their parents, reuniting with them only once a year during the Spring Festival. More than 60% of left-behind children are in primary education.
The majority of the left-behind elderly, aged 60–70, make up over 80% of the rural seniors. They are already frail, and, with a primary school education, they can’t teach the children well. Issues related to safety and guardianship also pose challenges.
Alternate-generation education leads to rebellious behavior in left-behind children, causing helplessness and loneliness in their social relationships. They may develop school aversion and truancy, becoming underachievers. Some children exhibit antisocial personalities or suffer from conditions such as autism and anxiety disorders.
A Christian woman X, from rural northeast China, has her elderly father and two children left behind in the village while she and her husband work in a city. Due to the closure of many factories during the COVID-19 pandemic, they couldn’t earn a living due to losing their jobs. The father's illness required money for hospitalization, and the two children in high school needed financial support. After the pandemic, they immediately went to work in Guangdong, even further away, keeping the father and two children behind in the village.
Children are heirs of the gospel, yet left behind, one rarely experiences the companionship and warmth of their parents and lacks the opportunity to hear the gospel in many remote rural areas without churches. How will they carry on the gospel inheritance in the future?
Urban churches supporting rural churches
Some urban churches have extended the ministry of pastoral care to rural areas, establishing gathering sites or cooperating with rural churches.
In City C, a church has established dozens of branches in nearby rural regions, each with 20–30 members, facilitating in-depth pastoral care.
The R Church in my city has established branch churches and partnerships in the spiritually impoverished regions of Ganzi and Aba ethnic prefectures in Sichuan. City church workers cultivate fields with the left-behind elderly and live with rural children.
Receiving very little tithes and offerings, many rural churches struggle to meet financial needs, having no ability to pay pastors and staff workers, who should engage in farming or selling vegetables while pastoring congregants.
Sharing spiritual resources between rural and urban churches
In the post-pandemic era, during a visit to my hometown in Chongqing, I attended gatherings at some village churches that were old and dilapidated, but the Christians’ love for the Lord were fervent.
Chongqing, one of China's hottest cities, experiences temperatures of 40–45 degrees Celsius in the summer. Despite the scorching heat, the left-behind elderly and children persevered in their gatherings. After intense heat, sometimes heavy rain poured, yet no one arrived late or left early.
Urban churches boast luxurious facilities with air conditioning but often have sparse attendance. As churches often closed during the pandemic, believers’ enthusiasm for gatherings cooled.
In collaboration with city churches, though lacking staff workers, rural churches can utilize the urban ones’ facilities for gatherings, training, and nurturing workers. Urban church workers and members can have their spiritual lives improved while immersing themselves in companionship with left-behind people.
Practical assistance for left-behind elderly and children with difficulties
Rural churches need to delve into the homes of left-behind people to understand their real difficulties, such as caring for seriously ill elderly people and looking after unattended children.
Members of a rural church L often invite left-behind elderly and sick children to their homes for meals to show companionship. The pastors keep in touch with government agencies and even cooperate with them as government representatives visit poor households with financial support.
Helping left-behind elderly anchor in the Bible
The left-behind elderly love the Lord, but many lack a clear understanding of biblical truth. They are susceptible to being led astray by extreme charismatic sects and other heretical cults. Churches need to help them establish a true foundation by teaching His words well.
(The author is a Christian in Sichuan and the article was originally published by the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
很多农村人到城市里打工，只好把老人和孩子留在农村。据报告数据显示，农村约90%以上的孩子无法与父母生活在一起，他们一年可能就春节见一次。留守孩子有60%以上正处于小学教育启蒙阶段。
而留守老人们，60-70岁的占比约80%以上。他们本来就体弱病多，而且多数是小学文化以下。在教育方面就无力担负，至于安全保护和监护也有心无力，出了很多问题。
隔代教育，致使留守儿童叛逆，他们在人际关系中的无助、孤寂。他们在学校厌学和逃学，成了差等生；部分孩子有反社会的人格，有些患上孤独症、焦虑症。
东北农村的女信徒x，家里老父亲和两个孩子留守在农村，她和老公外出务工。疫情中东北太多工厂倒闭，他们夫妻失业在家没有任何经济来源。老父亲生病住院需要钱，两个孩子正在读高中更需要钱。疫情之后，他们马上又到更远的广东做工，还是留下父亲和两个孩子。
孩子是福音传承最重要的接棒人，留守儿童既极少感受父母的陪伴和家庭温暖，也由于许多偏远农村没有教会而没有机会听到福音。未来他们如何担负福音的传承？
城市教会对农村教会牧养的延伸、扶持、合作
现在部分城市教会已经将牧养延伸到农村，建立分堂或合作关系。
C市一间教会，他们在附近农村建立了几十个分堂，每个分堂20-30人，便于深度牧养关怀；我所在城市R教会，在属灵最为贫瘠的甘孜州和阿坝州的部分地区建立分堂及合作关系。同工与留守老人们一起耕田，与农村孩子们同吃同住。
许多农村教会十一奉献收不上来，牧师和同工都没有收入。他们只好一边务农或卖菜，一边牧养信众。
农村教会与城市教会共享属灵资源
后疫情时代，我有次回到重庆老家，到过一些农村教会参加聚会。他们的房子又破又旧，但他们火热爱主。
重庆是中国四大火炉城市，夏天几乎都是40-45度高温。那些留守老人带着孩子们，依然坚持聚会。酷暑以后有时倾盆大雨，也无一人迟到和早退。
城市教会装修豪华开着大空调，经常大堂都坐不满，稀稀拉拉几个人。因为疫情停停聚聚，信徒聚会的热情倒冷却了。
农村教会相当缺乏同工，若与城市教会合作，可以借用他们场地聚会，培训、栽培同工。而城市教会的同工和信众们，深入到农村教会，一起陪伴留守老人和儿童，他们的生命也可以得到造就。
切实帮助留守老人与儿童的生活困难
农村教会要深入留守家庭中，了解他们切实的困难。如照顾病重的老人，看护无人照看的儿童。
某家农村L教会的信徒们常请留守重病的老人和孩子到家里吃饭，关心、陪伴他们。教会牧师与政府联系合作，政府派人上门探访，并在经济上给予帮助。
帮助留守老人扎根圣经真理
我们与留守老人交流中发现虽然他们很爱主，但是对于真理不清不楚的人却很多。他们很容易被极端灵恩派等邪教异端掳走了。教会需帮助他们认识真神、真理，站稳生命的根基。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系四川一名基督徒。
后疫情时代城市教会扶持农村教会牧养留守老人和儿童
Many rural residents work in cities, leaving their elderly and children behind. According to report data, over 90% of children in rural areas cannot live with their parents, reuniting with them only once a year during the Spring Festival. More than 60% of left-behind children are in primary education.
The majority of the left-behind elderly, aged 60–70, make up over 80% of the rural seniors. They are already frail, and, with a primary school education, they can’t teach the children well. Issues related to safety and guardianship also pose challenges.
Alternate-generation education leads to rebellious behavior in left-behind children, causing helplessness and loneliness in their social relationships. They may develop school aversion and truancy, becoming underachievers. Some children exhibit antisocial personalities or suffer from conditions such as autism and anxiety disorders.
A Christian woman X, from rural northeast China, has her elderly father and two children left behind in the village while she and her husband work in a city. Due to the closure of many factories during the COVID-19 pandemic, they couldn’t earn a living due to losing their jobs. The father's illness required money for hospitalization, and the two children in high school needed financial support. After the pandemic, they immediately went to work in Guangdong, even further away, keeping the father and two children behind in the village.
Children are heirs of the gospel, yet left behind, one rarely experiences the companionship and warmth of their parents and lacks the opportunity to hear the gospel in many remote rural areas without churches. How will they carry on the gospel inheritance in the future?
Urban churches supporting rural churches
Some urban churches have extended the ministry of pastoral care to rural areas, establishing gathering sites or cooperating with rural churches.
In City C, a church has established dozens of branches in nearby rural regions, each with 20–30 members, facilitating in-depth pastoral care.
The R Church in my city has established branch churches and partnerships in the spiritually impoverished regions of Ganzi and Aba ethnic prefectures in Sichuan. City church workers cultivate fields with the left-behind elderly and live with rural children.
Receiving very little tithes and offerings, many rural churches struggle to meet financial needs, having no ability to pay pastors and staff workers, who should engage in farming or selling vegetables while pastoring congregants.
Sharing spiritual resources between rural and urban churches
In the post-pandemic era, during a visit to my hometown in Chongqing, I attended gatherings at some village churches that were old and dilapidated, but the Christians’ love for the Lord were fervent.
Chongqing, one of China's hottest cities, experiences temperatures of 40–45 degrees Celsius in the summer. Despite the scorching heat, the left-behind elderly and children persevered in their gatherings. After intense heat, sometimes heavy rain poured, yet no one arrived late or left early.
Urban churches boast luxurious facilities with air conditioning but often have sparse attendance. As churches often closed during the pandemic, believers’ enthusiasm for gatherings cooled.
In collaboration with city churches, though lacking staff workers, rural churches can utilize the urban ones’ facilities for gatherings, training, and nurturing workers. Urban church workers and members can have their spiritual lives improved while immersing themselves in companionship with left-behind people.
Practical assistance for left-behind elderly and children with difficulties
Rural churches need to delve into the homes of left-behind people to understand their real difficulties, such as caring for seriously ill elderly people and looking after unattended children.
Members of a rural church L often invite left-behind elderly and sick children to their homes for meals to show companionship. The pastors keep in touch with government agencies and even cooperate with them as government representatives visit poor households with financial support.
Helping left-behind elderly anchor in the Bible
The left-behind elderly love the Lord, but many lack a clear understanding of biblical truth. They are susceptible to being led astray by extreme charismatic sects and other heretical cults. Churches need to help them establish a true foundation by teaching His words well.
(The author is a Christian in Sichuan and the article was originally published by the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Urban Churches Expand Into Rural Areas to Care for Left-Behind Elderly, Children
