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

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

3080 Edition

March 7~13, 2011

Church Ministry News

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.

 

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