One does not often find panegyrics in praise of Catholic nuns in a semi-official organ of the Chinese press. But it happened, and the article reports the work of Sister Maria, a (Chinese) nun of the order of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus. In a village (Biancun) of the Hubei province, in central China, Shi Junfang – Sister Maria – she dedicated her life, together with 17 sisters, to the care of handicapped orphans. They live in the Liming orphanage, which houses 130 children. All suffer from debilitating conditions and Sister Maria, in her thirties, director of the institution, ensures that all are given appropriate care, nutritious meals and recreational activities.
When Shi Junfang first visited the orphanage in 1996, she wasn't sure if she wanted to work there full-time: "the conditions were primitive and there was a bad smell." But he continued to attend and finally took over the leadership in 2009. The center is funded by Caritas, a Hong Kong-based charity, and Agape, a subsidiary of the Catholic Diocese of Beijing, also organizes fundraising as well as visits to the orphanage, of short or long duration (for voluntary work).
Read the article of China Daily
