March 5th, 2008 - Medical Patient

Mrs. MF, the Bouyei patient had undergone successful surgery. After the surgery, her husband really grew in his understanding of the truth. One day, he asked if there was anything else he could do to strengthen his commitment to be a believer. It was clear that he was ready to be baptized. He and his wife were both baptized with great rejoicing on January 25.

The next day, they returned to the province for a few days to see their parents and then went on a 39 hour train ride to the eastern coast of China. They had worked as migrant laborers there for several years before she became ill. Their two school age children are still there with his brother. They still owe 10,000 yuan from medical bills last year which he will be working to pay off.

It was hard to see them go, but they are returning to a community of Bouyei migrant workers, who have not heard of Christ. He is eager to share his testimony with them.

Among the Bouyei believers in the city there continues to be a lot of spiritual growing pains. Mr. XL, continues to struggle in his life and faith. After losing his vehicle a couple of months ago, he has really hurt financially. He has no skills to find a decent job and the only work he has known has been trash recycling and a bit of construction work. His wife, Mrs. WF worked briefly as a street sweeper in January and he has had a job for about two weeks now guarding a trash dump. The wage is minimal and more importantly, the jobs they are able to find all seem to require them to work 7 days a week, leaving no time for a Sabbath rest or worship.

There are tempting offers from other nonbeliever Bouyei to join them in raising pigs. However, this would require them to move as well as borrow more money. He is also worried about his eldest daughter starting school after the Chinese New Year break at the beginning of March, and not being able to afford her school expenses. He is discouraged that God does not seem to be answering his prayers. It is difficult to walk with them in their suffering. It is a time of testing and waiting on God.

Mrs. LJ and Mr. L, the key Bouyei couple, continue to battle with the flesh. They have been so used of the Lord in ministry. Mr. L has planned to visit MF’s brother weekly to share and pray with them. They had a wonderful time of fellowship with all of WF’s family before Chinese New Year’s with communion. But one week ago, LJ said she had kicked her husband out of the house.She said he had continued to dabble with mahjong (the Chinese gambling game, even watching when he had no money) throughout this new year and she had had enough. She was still concerned about him. When called, he said that he had just bought a train ticket to a city where he knew no one. The caller communicated that leaving for another city was not facing up to his sin and was not the solution to their problems.

Mr. L decided to go visit his 85 year old father who had just recently fully committed himself to the Lord. He had been a shaman priest doing fortune telling for many years. In the Lord’s providence, his father had rapidly lost vision in one eye and gone completely blind in that eye over the past month. Mr. L brought him back to the city for medical care. The old father has been hospitalized now and had cataract surgery today on one eye and may undergo surgery for the other eye in a few days. This unexpected turn of events assures us of God’s grace and mercy in their lives.