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【If it were the Hero Himmel, he would certainly do the same.】





"This is the most important gift I've ever received! Thank you so much!"

"This is from the Lord, we're just messengers sharing it. No need to thank us!"


Last week, on one of the nights when Britain was experiencing a harsh winter with temperatures between -3 and -5 degrees, rain and snow mercilessly beating down on us and the homeless on the streets, we accompanied a homeless who attends our free meals to Birmingham's largest train station. We were concerned about him and wanted to give him a New Year's gift.


Earlier, during our outreach in the area to connect with the homeless, we encountered him sitting on the ground at the train station. He was in his thirties or forties. He explained that due to a back condition, he had essentially become paralyzed and could only walk with great difficulty using crutches. Without a phone, he had to make frequent trips to the hospital to check on the dates for his back treatment appointments with doctors, as he was worried about missing appointments and having to reschedule.


"Your artwork is very intricate," we remarked. "I don't have the ability to move around much, so I can only draw street scenes and hope to sell them for a little money. I actually don't have enough energy and really need a wheelchair. It would help me get to the hospital to check on the progress of my appointments."


When we returned to the church, we searched for information about wheelchair rentals and related programs in government hospitals, looking for ways to find a wheelchair for him. A church member suggested, "Why don't we just buy one for him? It might be hard to find one otherwise." Indeed, applying through charitable organizations or the government healthcare system would require going through application processes. The Red Cross offers rentals for about £20 per week. Ordering a second-hand one online would cost around £60. However, the church also faces financial pressures, and purchasing one wouldn't be easy. "I'll buy it," the church member said, immediately ordering a wheelchair online along with a very compact mobile phone.


In recent years, a famous anime called "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" features a protagonist who often reminisces about her adventures with a hero. The hero, besides often posing, would also actively help those in need encountered during their journey. This church member's immediate action to buy the wheelchair reminded me of the "Himmel Theory" from the anime, where the protagonist, after the hero's passing, would say when encountering someone in need during her journey: "If it were the Hero Himmel, he would certainly do the same." Then she would provide practical help, changing her previously aloof attitude.


In response to the church member's action, I dare say: "If it were the Hero Himmel, he would certainly do the same."

Some might ask, with so many homeless people, how many can you help? Their needs are so great, "you'll eat yourself poor." But that church member said, "Can't helping others be simpler? If you want to help, just do it." In the Bible, Jesus teaches through the parable of the Good Samaritan to "become a neighbor to those in need." The "Starfish Story" I heard most often in my university department also embodies what this church member did. What I admire even more is that, more than 5 years after the anti-extradition movement, there are still Hong Kongers willing to share what they have, even what they perhaps shouldn't or couldn't possess, serving others through practical actions and real money. They no longer just worry about their own future or having enough to eat, but care for the lonely, widowed, poor, and weak. This is rare among Hong Kongers in recent years, and I'm glad to still find such rare individuals.


A few days later, when the wheelchair arrived, we immediately delivered it to the homeless person. That night was around -3 degrees, and we handed him a hot drink. The homeless person said, "This is my first hot drink and hot food today." This sentence often echoes in my mind, especially when I'm sitting in a warm place during cold weather. When he received the wheelchair, perhaps it was too cold, he simply thanked us and asked us to leave it beside him. After some small talk, just as we were about to leave, he suddenly responded with some enthusiasm, "This is the most important gift I've ever received! Thank you so much!" I said, "This is from the Lord, we're just messengers sharing it. No need to thank us!"


His reaction let me know how important this wheelchair was to him, perhaps in ways we couldn't fully understand. Yes, we're not Jesus, we can't miraculously heal the paralyzed, but we can still help the paralyzed move again through sharing. We may not have miracles to perform, but we can still share grace and blessings.


I saw that this outreach service and community care hub can have such a significant impact on those in great need, on those who are desperate. Here, I sincerely ask those of you who still have the means to bring light to those living in darkness and support our project.


I humbly request everyone to donate and support our Community Care Hub. The service currently provides a rest and charging station for the homeless, free dinners three nights a week, and hot showers, which are crucial for the homeless during the cold winter. Each time we have dinner together, it's also a feast of life, building trust relationships through meals, using motivational interviewing to find life motivation, having the homeless volunteer to enhance personal value, and using the gospel to guide each person's direction.


If Hero Himmel would surely do this, what about you?


👉 This vital project is at risk of closing in 2 months without funding.


Good Neighbour Church England


(Charity Registration Number: 1195452)

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