Today we began some more intentional ministry in China. This month we've been working with a church around Harbin that has been trying to reach the surrounding community, which is rather large because of the dense population within the city. Harbin houses several universities, four of which our squad has adopted for the month as outreach places. My team has been paired with another team and we have adopted the area around Harbin Institute of Technology. We're looking to befriend college students and families interested in the growing church around Harbin.
We spent some of today calculating numbers, trying to grasp about how many families live in the area (a several block radius surrounding the large university). Mind you, the apartment buildings in China reach very high and are quite close together, so a few blocks of apartments is several hundred families. After walking for a few hours in the sun, our ministry contacts, Rebecca and Harrison, asked if we wanted to stop for a small coffee break. They led us down an old run down road alongside a train track, a part of town where I'm sure few people ever visit, but just a block away from the university.
Milk and Honey Land Cafe. A small coffee shop, nothing out of the ordinary and nothing special. Except everything. Decorated completely in british and UK paraphernalia by the owners who spent two years studying in England, the quaint shop is tucked away. It's quiet, and peaceful in the midst of the busy city. It's clean and white and wooden. It's joyful. It's light. There are so many things very different.
This shop proclaims the presence of The Lord. The shop is covered in bible verses. On postcards, on posters, on chalkboards. "God is love." "God is the author of life." "I am the way, the truth and the life." The owners know the truth and aren't afraid to share it. They love Jesus, and they don't care who knows. The sign outside the door welcomes anyone to share a cup of coffee and share their faith. Because of their boldness, God is literally present.
I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the idea. God, so powerful and perfect, so unapproachable for so many years and guarded by the holiest of holies, is now literally present within a coffee shop in the middle of China. A country, just a week ago, I naively doubted that God was working miracles in. Now I've seen it, and tasted it, the presence of Jesus with a cup of coffee. So sweet, so quiet, so calming and inviting. And real. Jesus is real in China, and His people know it.
——————————————————————————
Pray for the owners of Milk and Honey Land Cafe- that their coffee shop would be a ministry for people to rest in the presence of The Lord. They long to share their faith with the students who live a few blocks away. While we're in China, they've opened up their shop for us to hold "english corners" at, to invite students to practice their english while discussing the bible and sharing our testimonies. They so generously printed hundreds of flyers for us to hand out, and are sponsoring a game night and movie night for us. They want to see God work in the lives of students at HIT.
Pray encouragement for Rebecca, a sweet church member dedicated to reaching out to students for Jesus, and Harrison, an actual student at HIT. They are active members of the church in Harbin, unashamedly sharing their faith in the city and helping us while we're in China.
Finally, pray for Sue, Crystal and Luke, three students at HIT who are friends with Harrison but have yet to accept Christ. They are so interested, and love talking about our faith. God is moving in their lives- one is actually taking a class studying the Bible this semester. (WHO KNEW YOU COULD TAKE A CLASS ON STUDYING THE BIBLE IN CHINA!)
God is moving. He's real, and so in love with the people in China. Keep praying!
