“Love Never Fails” – His Perfect Plan – Kathy Pare

Kathy Pare
CRRS Broad of Director (Toronto Chapter)

In November 2002, May Wong (a beloved and belated friend) and I followed Dr. In-Sing Leung to visit rural areas in Guangxi, China. In my mind, the Province of Guangxi was a faraway land, let alone the remote areas in the mountains. The curiousity of exploration led me to a path of serving China – a path full of God’s grace.

I was born in Hong Kong to a middle-class family where I have seen and known poverty. However, it was a big challenge for me to face a land of adversity after living a comfortable life in Canada for more than 20 years. Especially, since the condition was worse than when we visited China ten years ago.

It was a shocking experience… For the first time: I saw “a house with only four bare walls”; understood what it meant by “working like a donkey” (as the poor donkey was the only mean of transportation to carry people and loads of produce); walked on hilly paths for hours to get to a school which was on the verge of collapsing… I heard from a teacher who had not been home for over six months as a single trip would take over two weeks of walking through the mountains; witnessed many mothers working in a field with babies tied to their back or with young children idling on the side of the field… Children collecting rocks to make a living… In the mountains, I watched people struggle every day to make a living – they toiled and sweated to make ends meet… from one generation to another. All of a sudden, I realized the hopelessness of the situation. That was when I shed my first tear for the children in China and made a connection to my motherland.

After returning to Canada, I started to ask God what I could do for the children in the rural areas of Guangxi. God gave May Wong, Grace Lee and me this clear vision of supporting the education of these children. Thus, we began the CRRS “Basic Education Project” with a group of like-minded Christian friends.

Time flies, 2012 is our 10th year in serving China. With God’s grace, we have accomplished many projects, such as:

1. Supported a total of over 6,000 students (education) and teachers (training);
2. Rebuilt and/or repaired many schools;
3. Built a multi-purpose resources centre at Rongshui Secondary School – computer lab, language lab and library for students and teachers;
4. Organized volunteer groups (including professionals, teachers and retired school principal) to provide training for students and teachers;
5. Organized youth groups to teach English for two weeks during the summer months. My daughter has participated for three summers and she treasured her time spent with her students in Guangxi and has fond memories of her students.

These are not much since the needs in China are so huge. But, we have touched many lives during the last 9 years and each life is precious and meaningful. To the children born to families in the rural areas, education is the only way they can step out of poverty. Education can change both their living and outlook on life. To assist one child to get out of the mountains is a huge endeavor – for one life changed brings forth hope for one and many generations to come. Each vision trip that brings us (CRRS volunteers and members) into the mountains to care for the children, we bring encouragements and love to brighten up their lives. We sow the seed of love so that a young life (plant) can grow and develop.

I would like to thank all of you – supporters of CRRS; volunteers and Christian brothers and sisters, for your continuous support financial assistance, time and prayers. Without you, we would not have this opportunity of celebrating our 10th anniversary.

As a small group, we have limitations. With the collective efforts that you have offered, we are able to carry out this ‘act of love’. The Bible says, “Love Never Fails” – with this as our motto, we will press on to spread love to the children who are in need. Let us join together to love these young people in China – by offering them an opportunity to education which will in turn bring them hope of a better future.