(Feb.09,2010): In China, a 71-year old Catholic farmer, who has spent 23 years
taking care of the elderly, sick, abandoned and handicapped, has been named one of
the "Top 10 People of 2009". The list is based on votes cast by major Chinese national
media and by the general population through online voting, reported Fides news agency.
The award ceremony will take place on Chinese New Year, which falls this year on Feb.
14. The story of Wang Ping An, who has accompanied 63 dying people during their
last days, has caught the attention of the nation. Fides said Wang Ping also took
out a loan in 2000, to build a 50-room shelter for the homeless. It noted that the
poor farmer is known for often saying: "Jesus taught us 'Whenever you did to the least
of these my brethren, you did unto me”. Wang Ping (which means peace) said that the
highlight of his life was when he visited Rome in 2007 and attended a general audience
of Pope Benedict XVI. Fides news agency called the award an "eloquent testimony of
how Chinese Catholics today, are valued and recognized by society and by the Chinese
media in general.