Post China Tour

January 1987 – Midwest USA

Since I returned from my nursing tour of China in June, things have been busy. My director of staff development asked me to tell about my experience for the entire hospital. The audiovisual department made title slides and converted my best photos from 35 mm negatives to slides at no charge. Three hundred curious people came to the auditorium to learn about the largest country in the world reopened to tourists less than 10 years ago. I asked the Lord to give me peace as I spoke to my peers. I read that most people fear public speaking more than anything else.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 KJV).

By God’s grace, He gave me a quiet heart and a strong voice. Everyone liked my photos of the hospitals, so different from here. One of the local college instructors attended and asked me afterward if I would present the slides at the nursing school. I readily agreed.

I invited my Chinese teacher, Mr. S., and his wife to come to my home to show them my photos and tell them about my trip. For the first time, they saw other cities in their native land since they have never been permitted to travel outside of Beijing.  Mrs. S taught me how to make dumplings, one of my favorite foods.

My Pastor also asked me to show my slides to several churches and at the children’s Bible Camp where I have been a counselor for the last few years. During these presentations, I emphasized how the Christians in the underground churches often suffer since they are forbidden to meet openly. I asked them to pray for the believers there to be strong in the Lord in the face of persecution.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10 KJV).

Afterward, one of the counselors encouraged me to pray more about teaching at the hospital in Beijing where they offered me a job. I explored it further with my Pastor and a former missionary to China, and both encouraged me to apply. The missionary said Beijing has many foreign Christians and a regular Sunday service in English, so fellowship and prayer partners would not be a problem. I sent the Director of Nursing a letter explaining my interest in the teaching position along with a letter of recommendation from Mr. S. who is returning to his teaching position as an English Professor in Beijing.

After several long months of waiting, I finally received a letter from the Director of Nursing. She said she only meant that if I ever visited again, she would like me to give a lecture on nursing care. They have no money for a foreign nursing instructor. Apparently, things got mixed up in translation. I thank God for making it clear that He wants me to continue living here. How wonderful to trust in Him to open or close doors.

Reflection

Over the years, the Lord gave me many more opportunities to tell the brethren about China so they could more effectively pray. I know of at least two of the children at the Bible camp who later ministered there as adults in various capacities. What a privilege to expose them to another country that had been closed to the gospel for many decades.