June 27-July 3, 2011
Church Ministry News
Small, independent church opens Caleb House to house and minister to homeless seniors
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong
Written by Lydia Ma
Despite many financial hardships, Shengshan Church has helped countless of homeless and needy people since its inception. Recently, the church reached new heights by starting “Caleb House“ – a place designed to house and minister to homeless seniors.
Caleb house will be under the auspices of Shengshan Care Association, an association founded by the church and governed by a board of Christians from various denominations.
An opening and thanksgiving service was held on June 18, 2011. Shengshan Association’s CEO, Liu Yu-hua, who attends a Baptist church, said the main ministry of this church is to minister to the poor.
The church’s minister, Pastor Chen Yanfu, added that after he’d read various passages in the Bible detailing God’s care for widows and orphans and God’s compassion for poor people, he decided the church should follow suit. “I just don’t want to see these old folks sleep on the floor every day,” he said.
But with a deficit totaling more than NT$1 million and a monthly rent of NT$10,000 for Caleb House alone, how will Shengshan Church support this new ministry? The answer is, a lot of its revenue comes from donations from various organizations or individuals who support the church’s mission statement and its ministries.
Furthermore, beds, refrigerator, television set, sofa, fans, and other household appliances in Caleb House were either bought at second-hand stores or donated by supporters of Shengshan Association.
Additionally, many homeless people helped by Shengshan Church donate money they make from odd jobs to the church and part of the rent for Caleb House comes from a few seniors willing to donate portions of their government allowance. The church also generates some income by setting up booths at local bazaars that sell items donated by manufacturers.
Who resides at Caleb House? Well, the list is as intriguing as it is heart-rending. One example is Lin-liang who used to work in the construction industry until he suffered a stroke which also cost him all of his savings. Thanks to the care of Shengshan Church this past year, his body has slowly recovered.
Another example is “Mr. Yang”, a 70-year-old who used to be the CEO of a watch shop and an advisor to President Ma during the 2008 presidential campaign. After a gastrointestinal illness followed by surgery ravaged his health, Yang was abandoned by this family. It was his younger sister who later introduced him to Shengshan Church.
