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Singapore/China—Captain Ian Robinson, in a recent Survivor Island newsletter, reports on China’s (a country of 1.2 billion non-Christians where the Army has no presence) interest in how The Salvation Army runs its Peacehaven Nursing Home in Singapore. Robinson and his wife Isobel are the directors at Peacehaven.
Last year a delegation from Qing Dao, China visited Peacehaven for training. At about the same time, a Chinese foundation asked that Peacehaven’s executive director for clinical services, Mui Lang, travel to Qing Dao to teach nursing care and nursing home management. So successful was this training that she was asked to return to teach nursing care for the elderly.
Impressed with Mui Lang’s efforts, the Chinese Commissioner of Charities asked her if the Army could run one of their nursing homes—despite the Army’s being a church and an “army” that wears uniforms. This official wanted the Army in Qing Dao to run its nursing home just like Peacehaven.
Mui Lang visited another almost completed facility, where she was asked if the Army could set up an accredited training program for the staff.
Meanwhile, Robinson learned that Qing Dao is the site of the sailing competition for the 2008 Olympics. Shortly thereafter, THQ in Singapore held a seminar called “The China Games and Beyond.”
The pieces began to come together, and Robinson writes, “If we are able to make this connection with the nursing homes in Qing Dao, we can build relationships with city officials that will allow the Army to be active during the Olympics in August 2008! Of course, it will go far beyond that, but let’s take one step at a time….Pray that the walls of opposition within the Chinese government will fall, and churches like the Army will be able to freely serve and evangelize in that country.”