In 2002, I went to Nanjing,China as a member of a 5 person team assigned to a college campus. I taught English and the others enrolled as students of Chinese. I taught about 500 students and gave lectures to about 2500 students in the course of the 3 years I was on that campus. I set up meetings between the Campus crusade kids and the Chinese students for lunch or outings. We did relationship evangelism with parties through out the seasons and playing the Jesus Film . The lectures I gave were on “American” culture and through those opportunities I shared the gospel using Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter.  The Lord give me many ideas for evangelism such as teaching Psalms as part of the most widely sold book in the world…the Bible. We held “english corners” or study groups in apartments or our dorm rooms where we helped the students practice their English and expand their vocabularies  by reading the Bible. Those students whom Jesus called became part of Bible studies to learn and grow in their faith. We gave them Bibles written in Chinese and English. These students were fervent and faithful in study and prayer. It was not easy for them because there could be serious consequences for professing their faith to family and friends. I am not sure how many accepted Jesus call to come to him in the three years but there are many I know and still have contact with and at least 3500 who heard the gospel. What an amazing God we serve!

 In 2005, God moved me to Shanghai where I was no longer affiliated with CCC but just on my own with Jesus. I was the head of an ESL department at a private company school founded by a Taiwanese-American Christian man. God had given him a vision to start a computer company in China; staffing it as much as possible with Taiwanese Christian supervisors to evangelize employees. The school was founded to educate the children of the english speaking staff and curriculum was available in Chinese and English.  Most of the teachers for grades K-12 were Christians in the beginning. As it grew, more local Chinese sent their children and we hired unbelievers when there were no applicants that could fill the job for teaching. So, my mission field grew from the employees at the company to students and then teachers and teaching assistants. These were in addition to neighbors, shop owners and local restaurant employees.

China was wide open and hungry for the Good News. Many had never even heard the name of Jesus. There were always safety and security concerns for the Chinese when we met or handed out bibles. Police did show up from time to time saying they were checking on “our safety”. Once they made us disband our 40 member “English corner” meeting because there is a law that states no more than 15 people may congregate in any place at a time. Yet, God has enabled churches to be open for foreigners and there are huge crowds in the state sponsored Three Self Churches. They frequently have 5 to 10 meetings in a weekend because of all the locals wanting to attend.

Now I am back in Texas and missing my friends and life in China. It was an amazing time of growth and joy and love. I did not even know any Chinese people before I went. Now my heart is full of God’s love for these people . One thing that became very clear to me . One thing of which I am absolutely certain… God is in control…He is in control of everything or nothing. Since it is everything; we never need to fear or doubt His love. No matter who you are, how insignificant and unequipped you feel….God can use you and give you true purpose for your life.