Christian clowns spread love to sick kids

Cheers and laughter rang out at the children's ward of the Taichung Veterans General Hospital on a sunny morning recently. Dressed in colorful clothes, Aaron Berg and Andy Morrow demonstrated their skill, performing magic tricks to entertain sick children. With props including ropes, balloons and stuffed animal toys, they perform magic tricks. They can blow up balloons with their noses and they make balloons into different shapes - dogs, motorcycles and toys. Some children burst into cheers while others were dumbstruck at what they said is the mystic power of the two magicians. This is the purpose of the performance - to bring joy to the patients in the hope of relieving their pain, said Ho and Marrow who always wear a smile on their brightly painted faces

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Aaron Berg, left, and Andy Morrow entertain patients at the Taichung Veterans General Hospital. They have been doing similar voluntary performances at many hospitals and charitable organizations in Taiwan over the past two years as a way to show concern for the sick.

Berg and Morrow, both U.S. citizens in their thirties, have been entertaining and making little patients laugh at numerous hospitals and charitable institutes in northern and central Taiwan over the past two years.

Born into a Christian family that advocates generosity of spirit and unselfish dedication, Berg sees the voluntary performances for the sick as a way to spread the love of God. Berg said his talent for performing was discovered in his childhood when his family formed a singing and dancing troupe traveling in Europe. He then showed concern for the sick and the needy by giving solo performances at hospitals and charitable institutions in Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China. Berg moved to Taiwan two years ago to spread the Gospel to people here.

In Taiwan, Berg began performing with Morrow and a group of Christian friends who hope to improve the condition of sick children by giving them spiritual healing. They do not preach at the hospital. Instead, they clown and perform tricks to amuse the young patients, hoping to heal them spiritually. Brochures illustrating the glory of God are given away to the patients and their families after the show. Children apparently like the performance. During our interview at the hospital, a mother came in and asked for a magic show for her child who was in an emergency unit.

Berg set up a 60-member clown troupe so more patients will have the opportunity to enjoy their shows. Most of them are Christians and have a talent for the performing arts.