Outreach to the Elderly
23/08/2007 9:00 am <>
“It’s because of my bad fate. That’s why I am here!” “My family doesn’t want me any more.” “My children don’t think it is safe for me to be alone at home. All of them are busy at work.” “My health is very poor. No family member has time to take care of me.” These are the complaints of the elderly who live in Taiwan’s nursing homes.
I have discovered that most elderly Taiwanese people are not happy living in a nursing home, especially the elderly women. That’s why I seldom see a smiling face at the C.K. Nursing Home, where I sometimes visit people. This is true even though most nursing homes here provide a positive environment and good facilities. Because of this, most of the proprietors of the nursing homes welcome religious groups to visit and provide programs for the residents.
One-to-one concern is the first step in building a friendship with an elderly person. They just need a friend to listen to them and talk with them. As I talk with the elderly, I begin to tell them about Jesus at appropriate points. They usually reply, “I am too old to change my beliefs.” I remember one dramatic exception, however. She was an 83-year old retired teacher. Right away she accepted Jesus. She loved to attend Sunday services. We baptized her before she went to spend the summer visiting in Shanghai, China. Although her health was deteriorating, she always had a smile for people. She was taken by the Lord while on her visit to Shanghai.
I have also gotten to know Su Chen, an elderly woman who needs to face dialysis three times a week. One of her feet has already been amputated. Before she accepted Jesus, she was always scared to talk to strangers. She would seldom talk to me. One day I felt a compulsion from the Holy Spirit to spend some time with her. As we talked, I realized that she was filled with self-pity. I told her that only Jesus Christ could give her a new life and a heavenly home. God opened her heart and gave her the grace to understand the truth. She began to try to memorize one Bible verse every week. One day she told me she wanted to be baptized. She expected her family to attend the service. However, she discovered that it was impossible, because her two sons reside overseas. She still hoped her daughter would attend. She tried to set up a time for me to baptize her when her daughter could come. It was all arranged one day, but her daughter didn’t show up. She was very discouraged! Then on January 31 I arrived at the nursing home for a visit. There she was with her daughter at the front door! I grasped the opportunity. I explained to her daughter how important being baptized with her daughter in attendance was to her. We baptized her that morning.
Grandpa Chua is an 82-year old retired chemical engineer. He began attending my Wednesday morning Bible story hour at the nursing home. This led to a serious search for eternal life. He went on to attend a worship service on Sunday. Six months later, his attitude towards church attendance can be a reminder for all of us. He is always dressed well and waits for church members to push him in his wheelchair to the Sunday worship service. Early this year he asked me, “What’s the meaning of baptism?” I answered him briefly. As the day of his baptism approached, he had to be hospitalized for ten days. But God gave him strength. He was baptized on February 25.
It takes time to lead elderly people who are illiterate to Christ. Sin Ha is a 75-year old widow. Her husband died when she was just 23 years old. A devoted mother to her one daughter, she never remarried. As a typical traditional Chinese woman it has been difficult for her to go to church. Even so, three years ago she believed in Jesus Christ. Twice she has experienced Jesus’ healing power over illness. In order to help her confirm the reality of her new faith, for several months I visited her and regularly asked her, “Do you still believe in Jesus Christ?” Each time when I asked her that question, she nodded her head. I believe that her faith is real.
Praise our Lord! In recent years Christians are increasingly aware that the Taiwan church must not neglect to reach out to the elderly. The elderly should also have an opportunity to be saved and set free from the bondage of sin, Satan, and the world.
Rosie King – Kaohsiung
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