East Asia Update

Volume 100: November 11, 2008

CHINA. The landscape seemed to have changed since the Christian worker had visited the earthquake survivors a few weeks earlier. On that visit shortly after the quake, he had shown a desperate mother how to make a rehydrating liquid for her sickly child and had led a man to Christ. On this follow-up visit to deliver a Bible to the new believer, he sensed that he was headed in the right direction, but was a bit disoriented. He urged his reluctant and uncomfortably opinionated driver along, while silently praying that they would find the way. When a lone motorcycle headed toward them, the driver stopped to ask for directions. The motorcyclist looked through the van window and said, "He is going to my house." Amazingly, it was a member of the very family that the Christian worker was trying to find.

CHINA. He was one of the first members of his deaf community to receive Christ, and he was faithful in sharing the Gospel with other deaf people. But when his job was phased out and he left town, his spiritual mentors had no idea how to reach him. Then the deaf believer suddenly reappeared at a weekend training session. Using sign language, he told the group that although he had been gone from them, he had been constantly with Christ. He had carried in his heart a dozen or so Bible stories that he had memorized soon after receiving Christ. "I remembered all of them!" he signed. "I knew about the Rock foundation on which my life was built. I knew about the Good Shepherd who looked after me when I was alone. I knew about Jesus being the only Way, Truth and Life. I knew how to talk to my God and petition Him for help." He is now busily expanding his collection of Bible stories. He has a lot more to learn, and a lot more to share.

CHINA. The American teenager was only 13-years old, but she knew that she had a story to tell. So when a great natural disaster befell the people that her family had come to serve, she was intent on going with her parents to minister in the area. One day she and a Christian lady had an opportunity to share the Good News with a non-Christian Chinese mother and her teenage daughter. The mother had heard previously about Jesus' death on the cross, but hadn't heard about His resurrection. Once they heard the complete story of His love and received some responses to their questions, both mother and daughter indicated their willingness to accept Christ. But the mom insisted that her daughter was too young to make such a drastic decision. "Well, I'm only 13-years old and I believe," said the bearer of the Good News. "When God gives you understanding, it doesn't matter how old you are." The point was taken and both mother and daughter prayed to receive Christ that day.