CHINA UPDATE

Left: Chinese tourists spend holidays visiting many of China's scenic wonderlands.

Summertime and Anytime

Summer and travel are often considered to be synonymous. Family vacations, trips to exotic locations, and restful get-away weekends are on the docket for many. There is a lot of travel going on in China as well. How incredibly thankful we are for the hundreds of volunteers who are spending their hard earned vacation time and money to share Christ in China this summer. We praise Him also for the hundreds more who live and travel throughout China year-round so that the gospel can be proclaimed. Here are a few exciting travel stories from workers in China.

Never Been Asked
Headed home from a training conference, an overseas Christian worker used some photos to initiate a conversation with a Chinese man seated next to him on a plane. That led into an opportunity for him to share his Christian testimony. As the plane was landing, he asked the Chinese man if he wanted to believe in Jesus. Oblivious to onlookers, the man began to weep copiously and then said that although he had been told about Jesus before, nobody had ever asked him if he actually wanted to receive Jesus. Now that the question was out there, he had a ready reply. "Yes!"

New Friend, New Brother
Riding a bus into an unreached area where they had never been, the two Christian workers were befriended by a curious passenger. The man asked about their plans for the day and when the workers replied that they were canvassing the area to better understand it, he invited them to his home. That night the two Christians shared the gospel with five people in the man's home and two of them accepted Christ into their hearts.
Testing the SoilChristian workers had been targeting the ethnic-minority area for several years. Prayer walkers had been sent in, followed by literature distribution teams. Then an agriculture team came to visit. As they were driving down the road praying for guidance, they sensed God telling them to stop the jeep right where they were. They looked out into a nearby field and saw four men working. Approaching the men, they asked for permission to test their soil. In the process, they found the soil to be too acidic and were able to help the farmers correct the problem. That led to relationships with several fathers and sons who farmed together. Four men in their 60's soon accepted Christ. One year later, 18 persons in their previously unreached village were Christians.

Pedal to the Metal

Chinese people are pedaling electric bicycles to beat the price of gas and avoid traffic jams. More than 16 million of the electric cycles were purchased last year and sales may reach 30 million this year. The vehicles can run for 48 kilometers before having to be recharged and emit no noise, odors, or pollutants