The Green Dorm is a small apartment we rented that is located within a short walking distance to the capital city’s main tumour hospital. Our Hui friends wanted us to call this place the “M*sl*m House” but we stuck to calling it the “Green Dorm” as it serves as a code-name and is also less sensitive where the government authorities are concerned. Furthermore, green is a popular color with the Hui M*sl*ms as they associate green with paradise (heaven).
We provide this place for Hui hospital patients who come from surrounding villages. They are usually accompanied by a family member and often need to stay several days as they await their medical test results. Those who need treatment like radiation and chemotherapy for cancer would stay longer. Many cannot afford to stay in the hospital or nearby hotels. At the Dorm we are able to accommodate a maximum of 8 people at any one given time.
Having a kitchen that is pork-free or “halal” is a high priority for the Hat people who come to stay. Thus, in order that the Hui patients and their accompanying family members would feel comfortable in the Green Dorm, we bought new cutlery and cooking utensils and also replaced the refrigerator and oven hood, together with other purchases.
A Hui Iman who came to stay in the Green Dorm told us that what we are doing is unheard of for them. He said that generally the Hui people would only do good to another Hui person or M*sl*m, and not to someone outside of their faith.
The Green Dorm has enabled us to:
- Meet the felt-needs of the Hui M*sl*m cancer patients in a practical way by providing them with needed short-term housing.
- Provide the local Chinese workers that we train, precious opportunities to build relationships with the Hui M*sl*ms.
- Get to know the Hui M*sl*ms, and engage them in spiritual conversations that lead to the gospel and knowing Christ.
- Share Christ’s love with them in practical ways through cleaning up the apartment on a weekly basis and offering foot massages.
- Have open doors into the surrounding Hui M*sl*m villages when we make follow-up visits to the patients and their families—we are able to connect with the families of the cancer patients and have access into their communities.
- Forge strong friendships with the Hui M*sl*ms as we serve them in their times of ill health.
We trust that God will use our acts of kindness towards them to open doors for us to talk more about Jesus.
