1994 - Little Wang

1994

Hainan

In 1994 a small group of Christian men on Hainan Island travelled to a town to conduct evangelism in an unreached area primarily occupied by members of the Li minority group. The first Li church had been successfully planted in another location, but in this new place things did not go as planned. A missionary’s newsletter recounted what happened after the evangelists were brutally attacked by the local people:

“Old Wang winced in pain as the creaking bus bounced along the dirt road. His broken ribs were excruciating but he was better off than his co-worker Cai Wen. He looked at Cai, weak from blood loss, who had his eyes closed and was cradling his broken arm. The ten-hour trip would seem much longer, but Wang wasn’t eager to get home. He would have to face Little Wang’s wife, Liang, and her ten-year-old son. He wondered how he would break the news to her that her husband had been killed by an angry mob of Li people the evening before. He could still hear the accusations: ‘The spirits of the Mountains rule our land. You Chinese dogs have only been here 500 years and you know nothing. You have stolen our land and now you wish to steal our gods as well. You will pay for this!’

The mob had then beaten Old Wang and his companions with sticks and farm implements. A particularly fierce young man had continued to beat Little Wang. When the crowd dispersed, Little Wang didn’t move. He had paid the ultimate price. He and his family had only been believers for five months.”[1]

After Old Wang and Cai returned home, they started to help Liang with the farm work and provided some meat and eggs. The following Sunday the church decided to send Old Wang and Cai Wen back to the same hostile Li village to evangelize again. There were no churches in the entire county. Someone had to take the message of salvation to them. The church grew strangely silent when Liang, the widow of Little Wang, requested to accompany Old Wang and Cai Wen on their trip.

The Christians worshipped for hours that day, praying fervently for the salvation of the Li villagers. The other house churches in the county were also notified to pray and fast for the first three days of the evangelistic effort to the village.

The trio arrived at the Li village it was evening, and they slept beside a pig pen. The next morning they went to the market. Soon the word spread of their return and a mob quickly formed again and a few people began to yell threats. Old Wang felt fear sweep over him. Suddenly Liang stepped to the front and spoke up:

“I am the widow of the man you killed less than three weeks ago. My husband is not dead, however, because God had given him eternal life. Now he is living in paradise with our God. My husband came here to tell you how you could have that same eternal life. If he were here, he would forgive you for what you did. I forgive you as well. I can forgive you because God has forgiven me. If you would like to hear more about this God, then meet us under the big tree outside of town this evening.”[2]

The crowd grew suddenly quiet and gradually broke up. That day Old Wang instructed Liang as to what she should say. Most of the village gathered under the big tree to listen to her. After one-and-a-half weeks a large number of the villagers decided to follow Christ. Old Wang stayed behind to baptize them and to teach them how to serve God while Cai Wen accompanied Liang back home. Two months later Old Wang returned home with three men from the new Li church. During the Sunday worship they brought their greetings and expressed their appreciation. Then one of the men said:

“I am the man who murdered Little Wang. The Lord has graciously forgiven me, and I ask for your forgiveness as well. I, and our entire church, owe an eternal debt of gratitude to Little Wang and Liang for bringing us the message of life. We want to give this love offering to help support Liang and we wish to pledge monthly support of 50 Yuan. This is the least we can do to show our appreciation.”[3]

Four months later news came that the Li church had planted another fellowship in a nearby village. When he heard this news Old Wang silently mused over the truth of the hymn that Liang had recently written:

It is through difficulty and suffering that we must follow.

Our Lord has prepared the way, and it leads to glory.

He is glorified in our obedience, so take courage.

He will be glorified in all the earth, and we will be glorified in Him.

1. Taken from a confidential report from a Christian worker on Hainan Island, quoted in “Hainan Island: Part 2 – The House Church Revival,” Asia Harvest (No.76, November 2004).
2. Asia Harvest, “Hainan Island: Part 2.”
3. Asia Harvest, “Hainan Island: Part 2.”