[3080]Church in Taipei opens after-school care and tutoring class for struggling families in the neighborhood

Church in Taipei opens after-school care and tutoring class for struggling families in the neighborhood

Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong

Written by Lydia Ma

“Ma’am, may I eat one?” asked a little Aborigine boy excitedly eyeing the irresistible freshly baked bread topped with cream cheese before him and fully taking in its fragrant aroma.

“We must wait for the pastor to come and say a prayer with all of us before we start,” replied a woman as she gently set down one cup of strawberry milk before every student.

Just then, Rev. Wang Chi-tsan, pastor of Ankeng Presbyterian Church, walked in and gently patted the little boy. “OK, little ones, let’s bow our heads in prayer,” he said to the 8 children gathered before him and they all quieted down to say grace.

“This after-school care and tutoring class can help financially struggling families. We care for their children’s safety and monitor their children’s homework right after school is over early afternoon when parents are still at work,” explained Wang during an interview.

His church began this ministry recently upon seeing the needs of financially poor families in its neighborhood, which it had a particular burden to care and minister. The idea of offering free afterschool tutorials came to mind because it would lighten struggling families’ financial burdens because parents wouldn’t have to dole out money to send their children to local cram schools.

Furthermore, such an environment would be better at fostering self-confidence among children and help them through better grades and help parents to know Christian churches better.

The church’s administrator Peng Ling-hui happened to be the supervising staff on-call that day. Not only did she help students with their homework, she also prepared snacks for them. Though it seemed like an arduous task, she took everything in stride and with gusto.

When interviewed, Peng underscored that even the most mischievous child can change for the better if taught and disciplined with love, and such a transformation also improves a child’s academic performance.

She also emphasized that churches running afterschool programs shouldn’t overlook their pupils’ grades because it could become a factor for parents to distrust churches once they start assuming that churches are using such programs merely to proselyte instead of showing genuine concern.