Companions in a mission of justice and reconciliation

16 December 2020

Multiplying the five loaves and two fish

Each semester, students at The Beijing Center (TBC) are encouraged to participate in local service-learning activities to practice the Jesuit tradition of helping others and attaining a sense of social responsibility. This fall semester, TBC students volunteered at Five Loaves and Two Fish, an organisation acting to support migrant worker families. The name Five Loaves and Two Fish originates from the biblical story about a miracle performed by Jesus where he served five thousand people with five loaves and two fish.

Since some migrant workers may not have typical full-time jobs, family in the nearby area, or the financial resources for extracurriculars, their children are often left on their own outside of school hours. This is where Five Loaves and Two Fish steps in to provide a safe space for these children to receive help with homework, participate in various activities, and enjoy snacks with their peers.

On a couple Saturday afternoons, TBC students split into small activity groups to play games and spend time with the children at Five Loaves and Two Fish. A few students joked about feeling out of touch with the younger generation and were amazed to learn the new and improved versions of the games that they had played in their childhood years. This service experience enabled the students to connect with the children.

Through the service-learning programme, TBC hopes to draw attention to grassroots organisations supporting the often-overlooked groups in society, while enhancing students’ learning, and personal and social skill development. As a Jesuit institution, in this unpredictable year of 2020, TBC has received an abundance of support and continues to spread love, kindness, and devotion to communities. [The Beijing Center]

Watch what happened during TBC’s 2020 Serving Learning Programme

Share this article

More News

Subscribe to JCAP eNews

Stay Connected with the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific.

Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific will use the information you provide on this form to provide news and updates. Please tick the box below to confirm your subscription.

JCAP eNews

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at enews@jcapsj.org. We will treat your information with respect. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at enews@jcapsj.org. We will treat your information with respect. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

GDPR We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.