Big-Hearted Beijing: Bethel China
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Over the festive season, we’ll be highlighting some of the organizations and people that give their time and skills to make our city a better place, and looking at what you can do to support them. Spread the spirit of giving these holidays!
China has transformed beyond imagining over a couple of generations, modernizing and developing at a rate previously unseen in history. But in a few areas, old-fashioned ideas persist, and rarely with such sad consequences as in attitudes to disabled children. However, there are many, locals and foreigners, working hard to change attitudes and transform lives. We spoke to Allie Haaz, English-language spokesperson for Bethel China, to find out more about one such organization.
Q
Tell us about the history of Bethel China. How did it start, how has it developed?
Allie Haaz: Bethel was started 16 years ago by a French couple who were volunteering at a state-run orphanage here in Beijing, teaching piano and music. They saw three children sitting there, who could barely sit up by themselves, who couldn’t talk or walk. They asked the orphanage “Can we teach these kids music and English?” But they said, “No, because those children are blind.”
There is an attitude in China that blind people or children can’t do anything, will never live an independent life, get married, or have children. The big problem is that there are no role models here in China. At the time, the Gauvains were looking for a way to get involved. When they heard this they knew that this was what they were meant to do. So they took those first three children and fostered them directly in their home. They were taking care of them themselves, then they started bringing in more kids, more teachers, more ayis… It grew beyond their small Beijing apartment, into Bethel China!
Q
What are you doing now, and what are your plans for the future?
AH: We are an organization with five centers across China. Four of them are for orphans. These are collaborations with state-run orphanages, which means these are programs run in orphanages where we provide them with educational activities, advocate for them to be adopted (usually by international families), take care of them, and make sure they have a better opportunity for a brighter life.
In Beijing, we have a family presentation center that provides screenings, a preschool for families to attend, and scholarships for the preschool. All this is to encourage families to stay together: we find that when families have resources, they don’t need to abandon their children. So it’s preventative care to make sure children don’t end up in orphanages.
In the future, we hope to have more family training in Beijing. We plan on opening more centers and orphanages so that more children get proper care and we see fewer children that are delayed [developmentally].
Q
How can people get involved? What help do you need, and how can they contact you?
AH: The best way to get involved is to contact me: email allie@bethelchina.com, or WeChat a_haaz. We need volunteers who can come during the school week in Beijing Mon through Fri 8 am to 5 pm, to teach English and music. We can’t accommodate volunteers at the weekend, unfortunately. But we always have room for volunteers to help with fundraising, organizing events in Beijing to raise funds to provide care and pay the salaries of the teachers and ayis who look after these children so well.
The best way to really help children in need is considering adoption. It’s not for everyone, but it is a life-changing and magical thing. So if anyone is interested in adopting children from China, they can contact me.
Q
What makes your organization different or special?
AH: We really open our hearts to these children who don’t have families. We love these children, our ayis love these children, and the teachers love these children, as much as their own. They go above and beyond every single day to make sure that these children feel loved and are properly cared for.
You can donate directly to Bethel China using the Alipay QR
Photos: courtesy of Allie Haaz
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