Christmas Eve means a warm get-together with friends, a candlelight dinner, or perhaps a celebration at a pub (洒馆) for students. But, for Cai Yingjie, the night has a different meaning: helping beggars (乞丐) and the homeless (people without homes).
Cai, who is a student in journalism at Tsinghua, could be found at Beijing’s Wudaokou Light Railway Station that special evening. When she saw an old beggar, she took the cold, rough hands of the woman with her warm, clean hands, and gave the woman some warm bread and helped her put on a pair of new gloves (手套).
The woman was surprised for a few seconds, then burst into tears, saying "for the first time I feel respected (gsa)".
Cai said, "A beggar’s life is very hard. That’s why I want to help them."
Cai was one of 14 Tsinghua students spending Christmas Eve among the poor. They walked in the cold wind along the streets from 4 to 7 p. m. on Friday, visiting 15 beggars in Beijing’s Haidian district.
They brought bread and gloves with them, and stopped to greet beggars and offer them some of the warm food. Each beggar greeted them with a look of surprise.
"I know the activity can’t help much, but it’s meant to show our respect and care for beggars and the homeless who have been neglected for so long," said Sun, head of the group. "And Christmas is a good time for that.\
What does Christmas Eve mean to the 14 Tsinghua students