“When you come, you act like my charger.” Mei Yong Wen
This child is called Xiaoyu. Although he is only 8 years old, he is tall and well built. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with autism since childhood. In present-day China, autism means being abandoned by society. No special education is provided at school. This means that children with autism can only stay at home. However, parents do not have relevant knowledge and experience of how to take care of these children, nor do they have any relevant information.
Children do not get appropriate and effective treatment and training. Their symptoms tend to become more serious with increasing age. It is tough enough for the parents to take care of these special children. Sadly, they also need to face the peculiar looks from strangers. Many parents feel weighed down and do not want to let others know that they have such a child.
Xiaoyu’s mother is a Christian. Her church saw the helplessness and struggles of these children. “Angel Home” autism center was established three years ago with the help of the brothers and sisters whose dedication and selflessness make it possible. The director of the center is led by a sister who was originally a computer engineer while the two teachers were university graduates, one with a bachelor degree in chemistry, the other with a master degree in ancient linguistics. One of them resigned from a well-paid job and volunteered to serve the center and learnt how to teach children at the same time. From then on, Xiaoyu has had the opportunity to go to school. Xiaoyu’s mother accompanies his son to the class every day. She not only volunteers in the school. Meanwhile she also learns how to teach and train her son. Rainbow Mission from the United States send their service team to visit them every year. The service team is composed of autism experts, psychologists, and experienced autistic family social workers. It not only brings care and greetings to the school, but also shares valuable knowledge and experience with the staff. Teachers and parents agree this is an effective way. Gladly, children’s performance has gradually improved and progressed through learning and training.
Last summer, I went to visit this center with the Rainbow Mission service team and met Xiaoyu and his mother. Xiaoyu was a very active child, unable to sit still. It took a lot of efforts to ask him to sit down to do a task. When we were in the center, we saw Xiaoyu keep running around restlessly. If he wanted to take anything and the teacher told him not to, he would insist stubbornly and did his own way. The teacher needed to hold him in her arms vigorously and repeatedly told him not to. Later, we went to visit his house. His mother said what we saw at school happened more often at home. When Xiaoyu’s father went to work during the day, his mother must keep Xiaoyu away from the kitchen for safety reasons when she was cooking. However, he would climb up the high cabinet to find out what his mother was cooking through the glass window. Everyone was worried that he might fall down. You can imagine how much pressure his parents had to bear in taking care of such a child. Xiaoyu’s mother said in tears that she sometimes felt she could not hold on, and would go crazy sooner or later! However, she said to me: “But once you are here, I feel like you recharge me so that I can uphold for a while. When my energy level is going down to such an unimaginable extent, I still believe you will come and help me again next year. I really thank you. I can’t wait to see you come back soon! ”
Frankly, when I decided to attend the service team, I was so skeptical in my heart: as I was not a social worker nor a psychologist, not knowing anything about autism, what could I do there? How could I help them? That day I finally understood after the conversation with Xiaoyu’s mother: Our biggest help to them is just our physical presence. Although most of the time we can only be a listener and cannot do anything, yet they feel the love, care, acceptance and warmth from our visit. They are encouraged to move on in their daily life. At the same time, I truly appreciate the significance of Rainbow ministry from the bottom of my heart.
Dear friends, Rainbow Mission sincerely invites you to join them. You can also become their “charger” if you want. You can cheer them up by passing the hope and positive energy to the disabled children and families in China. If you would like to be their charger and offer them support, please email us at kerywong@therainbows.org for more information or send your check to Rainbow Missions, PO BOX 40145, Bellevue, WA 98015. Please specify “STST“. Thank you!
Introduction: Rainbow Missions is a faith-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization set up in US Seattle exclusively for charitable purposes. The Rainbow Project, through Christ’s love, serves children with disabilities and their families in China. Welcome to browse our website @ www.therainbows.org.
“你們來，就好像給我充了電一樣＂ 梅詠雯
這孩子名叫小宇。 雖然才8歲，已經長的高頭大馬，圓滾滾的一身好力氣。 不幸的是從小就被確診患有自閉症。 在目前的中國，自閉症意味著被社會遺棄。 學校沒有特殊教育，患童不能上學，只能呆在家里。 父母沒有教養這種孩子的知識和經驗，也無從得到相關的資訊。 患童因為得不到適當有效的治療和訓練，症狀往往隨著年齡的增長變得更加嚴重。 為人父母的，照顧這樣的孩子已經夠難了，還要面對外界異樣的眼光，很多父母覺得連頭都抬不起， 更不願意讓別人知道自己有這麼一個小孩。
小宇的媽媽是基督徒。她所屬的教會看到這些孩子們的無助和父母們的辛苦與掙扎，在弟兄姐妹的愛心奉獻和無私的幫助下，三年前創辦了一間＂天使之家＂自閉症中心。 中心的主任由一位本來是電腦工程師姐妹負責。兩位老師原來分別是大學化學系教授和古語言學碩士畢業生，她們有些是辭去優厚的工作待遇，自愿到中心服事，一邊學習一邊敎導孩子們。 小宇從此有了上學的機會。小宇媽媽每天陪著兒子去中心上課，兼做義工，也學習如何教導和訓練兒子。 彩虹工程每年從美國差派服務隊去看望他們。 隨團的有自閉症專家、心理學家、和經驗豐富的自閉症家庭社工人員。 他們不僅帶去關懷和慰問，更將寶貴的知識和經驗傳授給她們。 老師和家長們反應這些裝備很實在而且有效，通過學習和訓練孩子們的表現慢慢地有了改善和進步。
去年夏天我隨彩虹工程的服務隊去探望這個中心，認識了小宇和他媽媽。小宇是一個非常好動的孩子，坐不住，要他坐下來做一點事情必須花很多的口舌和力氣。 我們在中心的時候看到宇航不停地跑來跑去，靜不下來。 他要拿一件東西，老師告訴他不可以，但他硬是要，與老師角力，老師使盡全身的力氣摟著他，跟他重複地說不可以。 後來我們去他家探訪，媽媽說宇航這樣的情形在家里是每時每刻地發生。 白天爸爸上班去了，做飯的時候為了安全起見，媽媽必須將他關在廚房外，他便爬上高高的櫃子趴著玻璃窗看媽媽煮東西，真是擔心他會下來。 可以想像照顧這個孩子給父母所帶來的精神上的壓力和體能上的消耗是多麼大。 小宇媽媽流著淚說有時她覺得實在撑不下去了，快要瘋了！”但是你們一來，就好像給我充了電一樣，我可以堅持一段時間了。 等到明年我耗盡，又撑不下去的時候，你們就又來幫助我了。我真的感謝你們，希望你們快回來啊!”
坦白說，決定參加服務隊之時我心裡就一直有這樣的疑慮：我不是社會工作者，更不是心理學家，對自閉症也一竅不通，我去能做什麼？ 我能幫的上什麼忙？那天聽到小宇媽媽的話我忽然明白了：對他們來說，我們去，就是最好的幫助了。雖然大部分時間我們只能傾聽，不能做什麼，但他們從我們的來訪感受到真愛，關心，接納和溫暖。 他們因此得 到鼓勵，重新得力繼續前面的生活。 而我也真實地體會到彩虹事工的意義了。
親愛的朋友們，彩虹工程摯誠邀請你與我們一起同行，只要你願意也可以成為他們的「充電器」，把昐望和正能量傳遞到國內的殘障兒童和家庭當中，為他們打氣。 若你也想成為那一道電，給予他們支持，歡迎你們致電郵 kerywong@therainbows.org 索取更多有關資訊，或把支票寄往Rainbow Missions, PO BOX 40145, Bellevue,WA 98015,請註明「服務隊」。謝謝！
簡介: 彩虹工程是依據非牟利機構組織法501(c)(3) 在美國西雅圖註冊的慈善機構。彩虹工程以基督的愛為中心，服務中國殘障兒童及家庭。歡迎瀏覽網址:www.therainbows.org。