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ABC CHRISTIAN CRUISE & TRAVEL |
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Praise God for HIS faithfulness in China!
I was born into a rich, well to do family with You Min Dang connections. At an early age I was married to You Min Dang, a high ranking army officer, and had five children. He was killed during the Anti- Japanese war leaving me as a widow in poor circumstances.
I became a Christian when I was seven years old through the influence of a Christian relative and can testify to God's care of me throughout my life. God's guidance has been very clear, even though I have not always followed it as I should.
Following the death of my husband, we lived in a tiny 'ping fang' which seemed small, but well built. One day while visiting the cinema with a friend (a rare treat) God spoke to me and said, "Your house is going to fall down." I tried to dismiss the voice, as I could not think of anywhere else we could live, but it persisted that day and the next. During the night, it rained heavily and I woke to see a glowing hand in the middle of the room. The children were in bed with me and this hand gently began to nudge us out of bed. I realized God was wanting us to leave, so waking the children, we grabbed our clothes and went out into the rain.
Then I remembered our neighbors in the other 'ping fang' and banged on their door to wake them up. "Go away you crazy woman, leave us in peace!" was their reply. I was so sure the house was about to collapse that I pressed my way through their door, grabbed the husband by the legs while he was still in bed and began to pull him to the door, despite his protests. His wife and children became frightened and followed us out. As the last of the children stepped out of the door, the two houses collapsed in a crash, but we were all safe.
During the Great Leap Forward, many people suffered from hunger. Day by day, my children became thinner and thinner. I could hardly bear to see them suffer. One day, they cried, begging me to find them something to eat. I knew God had to help us or we would die, so I kneeled and prayed, knowing it was now 'All or nothing'. Having prayed, we could only wait. So we went to bed hungry and somehow drifted off to sleep.
In the middle of the night, I was woken by gentle knocking on the door! Who could it be? Then I remembered that the outer door was locked - how could someone climb in over the wall without waking the dogs who slept in the courtyard? I was frightened, but got out of bed and went to the door, "Who is it?" I called, but there was no reply. I cautiously opened the door and saw seven trays piled with steaming buns - what a sight! Who had left them there?
I brought them in and woke the children. We gave grateful thanks to God and started to eat the buns, one by one. They were delicious! We ate, and ate, and ate. Happy and full, we slept for an hour and then ate some more. When we were full, I realized there were still some buns left. I thought, "Perhaps whoever brought them, would take them back and give them to another hungry person." So I left the trays outside the door and went back to bed.
The next morning, the trays were gone and the outside door was still locked. Marvelled that the dogs had not woken and barked, and wondered whether angels could cook steam buns! God had certainly looked after us!
Later, I experienced God's hand again, during the Cultural Revolution. Sadly, many in my village did not stand firm for their faith and some even denied the Lord. God gave me grace to persevere. I had trained as a midwife and was involved in some difficult deliveries. Though the authorities wanted to lock me up, they never did, as I was too valuable to them delivering their babies and looking after their wives.
One day, the Red Guards burst into my home, dragged me out and beat me. In the streets, I saw they had lit a bonfire and were burning Bibles. They handed me a stick, "Poke the fire!" they shouted. My spirit rose within and I shouted back, "No! These books are more valuable than my life!" This filled them with rage so they picked me up and threw me on the fire. I felt the rush of flames on my face, but suddenly I felt a huge hand grasping my back and shoulders which pulled me out of the fire.
I was on my feet and looked around, but no one was behind me. Again, they rushed forward and threw me on the fire, but a second time a huge hand grasped my body, picked me up and stood me on my feet. I still could not see anyone. The third time it happened, I was lifted out again. Then further down the street a noise attracted the attention of the Red Guards and they rushed off, leaving me alone......but was I alone?
Following my experience of God's protection when the Red Guards threw me in the fire, the guards would often come and harass my family, who were living with me at the time. These relatives would constantly encourage me to deny the Lord, so they could get some peace, but I always refused. One day after lunch, I suddenly felt a terrible pain in my stomach. I could hardly move and cried out to the Lord to help me. Slowly and very gradually, the pain subsided and I resumed my daily work. A week later, exactly the same thing happened. After my mid-day meal, the terrible pain returned. I kneeled and prayed as before, and it subsided. Another week went by and one of my relatives came into my room.
I noticed she was white and trembling, "Please forgive us," she pleaded. "Whatever for?" I asked. "Don't you know, we have tried to poison you? Last week and the week before, we gave you enough poison to kill a horse." Then I understood, I was an embarrassment to my family. They had tried to kill me, but now they were more afriad of the God who protected me than of the Red Guards.
"Why are you not dead?" my relative asked. I opened my Bible and showed her the words in Mark 16, "These things still follow them that believe.....If they shall drink any deadly thing, it will not injure them." I explained, "This is God's protection for those who preach the Gospel." And I encouraged her to trust and believe in His Word.
On another occasion, I had been on a visit to deliver a baby and was walking home late at night on a remote country road with the moon to guide me. It had been raining and the road was slippery when suddenly I slipped and fell into a deep drainage ditch. My feet were stuck fast in the mud and the ditch was well above my head (I am short). Also, I still had in my hand my bag of midwifery instruments and did not have the strength to throw it up onto the bank.
I asked the Lord, "What shall I do?"   and he replied, "Call for help." There is no one around, I thought, and I am so weak I don't have enough strength to shout and my voice won't carry far. After debating for a few minutes, I gave in and called, feeling sure no one would hear me. Almost as I called, two men appeared on either side of the ditch and one of them told me to jump. I thought that was a stupid suggestion as my feet were stuck in the mud and explained this and told them how weak I was. The man smiled at me and again told me to jump. It all seemed crazy, but God seemed to be in it, so I did as they told me and jumped.
To this day, I cannot explain how it happened, but suddenly I was in the air above the ditch and the two men caught me and lifted me gently onto the bank. I was so shocked and surprised I didn't notice they had begun to walk away. "Please tell me your names so I can thank you," I called after them. Then the man who had first spoken to me looked at me and smiled again, "Why do you ask my name?" he said with a smile, "You know very well who I am." Then they disappeared.
A couple of years ago we were going through some very difficult times. I was laid off from my temp job and my husband almost died from a bleeding ulcer. My husband was only working odd jobs at the time and neither my husband nor I had medical insurance.
After my husband's three-day stay in ICU and surgery on his ulcer we were faced with having to pay a $7500 hospital bill. We didn't have a clue how we were going to be able to pay it since neither one of us was working. The stress and uncertainty were taking a toll on both of us. Several people donated small amounts of money that covered the doctor bill, but the hospital bill still loomed.
We were at a point of despair when the hospital called and said an anonymous donor paid our bill. We were humbled, overjoyed and shocked all at once. IT WAS A MIRACLE!! We realized that stranger really cared even when we didn't think anyone did.
May this letter encourage and bring you hope, and faith that no matter how difficult the situation you may be facing, take heart and don't lose hope. A miracle might be right around the corner!
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