So it all began in the extravagant cosmopolitan centre of
Hong Kong.
As a squad of fifty, we studied together numerous cultural
norms and sensitivities. We removed religious words from our vocabularies, and
replaced them with others, forming a new language to help us remain under the
government’s radar. We prepped, planned, and practiced, and in the blink of an
eye, my team and I found ourselves deep in mainland China-alone and a full
day’s travel away from the nearest team. Talk about a little boy’s dream come
true!
I remember going to meet an “m” (code word for undercover
missionary) one day at an inconspicuous corner at some small university… so I
showed up early and waited around, yet for thirty minutes there was no sign of
the “m.” Just as I was about to give up, a little old man slowly approached me.
I tried to shoo him away, but he would have none of it. He would not go away,
and kept tugging at my arm for my attention, trying to lead me somewhere. Finally
he pulled out a crinkly old paper and started to unfold it for me. He clearly
had no idea what it said, because he showed it to me upside down, but in
English it read something like, “This man can be trusted. He is a brother. He
will show the way. Sincerely, ‘M’.” Moments like this I took very seriously,
but at the same time I couldn’t help but get riled up inside. Whenever I tried
to be mature, advertisements for the new James Bond movie would find their way
to my ears or eyes. I remember secretly wishing that the note he showed me
would have said something like, “this message will self-destruct in ten
seconds.” Heck, I might’ve even settled for a missile-loaded Lamborghini or a
Bond girl. But this story is not about car chases or sex scenes; it is about a
girl named Sam and the power of God.
I met Sam at a quaint little coffee shop somewhere in some
place in China. As soon as I met her, I was filled with a burning desire to
share with her the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sharing that sort of thing in China
requires much more sensitivity and care than sharing in the US. In fact, people
can be (and have been) imprisoned and even tortured for evangelism in China.
Not only are the stakes much higher and the price to pay greater for
evangelism, but the culture is vastly different, too. One must first build a
relationship, usually in smaller groups, and then tactfully bring it up with
the appropriate timing and environment. Furthermore, it would not have been
good to share in a public place like our quaint little coffee shop, mainly
because it could endanger the owner, who was a fellow brother whose
establishment already received regular inspections by the PSB. So I decided to
meet with her again at a later date, and to bring a girl from my team (the
wonderful Elizabeth Adcock!) to help witness and to help alleviate any
potential issues or footholds Satan might’ve tried to use.
Before meeting with Sam, we prayed for the Spirit’s
guidance. We prayed for the right words, the right actions, and the right
atmosphere. And God was faithful. When we met with Sam, she had several friends
with her, which would make sharing very difficult in this culture, but one by
one they had other ‘divine appointments.’ Unexpected things came up for each of
her friends, and as they apologized for leaving, I knew it was for the best.
In China, there is an entirely different view on personal
space. People are everywhere. The lines at McDonald’s are thirty strong. The
bathrooms are crammed. The dozens of bikes on every street resemble mini Tours
de France. Subways have designated
pushers to help jam people through the doors for maximum density. Yet somehow
we found a quiet corner at a laid back restaurant and took the initiative. It
was pure joy to see Sam light up more and more with every passing moment.
Everything was brand new and fresh for her. I couldn’t stop smiling! Liz and I
shared about our lives and our testimonies; we shared about the amazing
promises and glory of our Father; we shared biblical advice about life issues
and practical ways to apply scripture; and in the same night that Sam heard the
gospel for the first time, she accepted Christ as her personal Savior! I opened
my Bible and she was so hungry for the truth. Every verse was like sweet honey,
and she eagerly desired more and more. I gave her a ten minute synopsis of the
gospel of Matthew to briefly share about the life of Jesus, and she listened to
every word with urgent attention.
Liz and I prayed for her and walked her through her very
first prayer. Sam wanted to be perfect for her new Lord. She asked so many
questions regarding how to please Christ in her prayers. Witnessing this young
woman’s very first prayer to my pure Savior filled me with so much joy that I
literally had to excuse myself. I went to the restroom, locked myself in a
stall, and danced undignified like David did before His King, singing praises
and raising my hands in adoration, imagining the heavens above rejoicing in all
their resplendent glory above me.
Although my heart was bursting with joy, I maintained a calm
exterior as I left the squatty potty.
Now, I’m no stranger to poker or poker faces, but somehow Sam caught the
joy I was trying to conceal and decided she wanted to hear us sing praises to
God. She had been so timid before, but here she actually warmed up and wanted
us to sing aloud with her in a public restaurant and on the walk back to her
dorm room on campus! I taught her one of my favorite songs, “Trading My
Sorrows.” She joined with us in praising
God the entire trip back, and we decided to see each other again before we had
to leave for Beijing.
On our last visit, she tried to explain to us a concept, but
she didn’t know the word in English. She pulled from her purse a translator and
typed in something to show me the word in English, and the word was “Baptism.”
Baptism! We hadn’t even brought up the subject of Baptism to her, and here she
was telling us that it was her heart’s desire! Rather than baptize her
ourselves, we thought it was best to get her connected to a house church in her
area. We introduced her to a contact of ours who could help her find female
mentors, a loving church community, and an English/Mandarin Bible. Before
leaving, we gave her a pair of chopsticks with scripture verses written in
Chinese characters, so that she could remember both Liz and me, and the message
we brought her through Christ. Remembering Sam’s story (just like so many
Chinese) of never having the chance to have any brothers or sisters under
China’s one-child restrictions, Liz reminded Sam that she was no longer an only
child, but our dear sister. She now had a little sister and a big brother in
Christ. With tears in her eyes, she waved goodbye to us through the window of
the taxi as we parted ways, knowing we may not see each other again in this life,
but with a newly granted assurance that we will see each other in the next
one.
Sam’s story is an answer to prayers. God doesn’t need us,
but He chooses to use us. He is the Potter and we are the clay. I believe He
stirred her heart supernaturally. I believe He orchestrated everything
perfectly to create the right atmosphere for us. I believe He gave us the right
words and prayers, and I believe that Sam will go out to her friends, family,
and community, and share the Truth with them. I believe God has sparked a
revival in China, and He desires our fervent prayers to fuel the fire and to
send more workers into the harvest. Thank you for your support in bringing the
gospel to Sam. Please pray big things for her and her community! BELIEVE!
