Midwest USA – 1989
About two years ago, my friend and I were going door to door to share the gospel with my neighbors. One lady from China named Nancy invited us to come in. She was formerly a radiologist in China but had moved to the Midwest recently with her husband for his new job in research. She said she was very lonely and was so happy to have some friendly visitors. We spoke slowly so she could understand our English better, and I told her how much I had enjoyed visiting China in 1986. We also shared the good news about Jesus Christ; how He died for our sins on the cross, was buried, rose again, and lives today. We shared how He wanted her to receive Him as her Savior. We asked if she had ever heard this before? She said she had as a girl when she attended a school run by missionaries. After the communist takeover, the government closed the school and forced the missionaries to leave. We invited her to Bible class and she eagerly attended.
After about 6 months of faithfully hearing the Bible taught, Nancy received Christ as her Savior. She was so happy and began to grow in her walk with the Lord. We all prayed for her husband, DQ, to also receive Christ as Savior. One Saturday evening, I invited them to my home to dinner to get to know them better along with a couple other people from church. We had a pleasant time together and the others left first. As Nancy and DQ got ready to leave, I said how thankful I was that God loved us so much. DQ blurted out in anger, “How can God love us? I saw hundreds of people starve to death in China during the famines!” I softly replied the important thing was that he had the opportunity to receive Christ now and that God wanted all men to be saved, but He wouldn’t force Himself on anyone. Nancy stood there silently with a pained expression on her face. I bid them both goodnight. All I could sadly think about was Psalm 14:1.
“The fool has said in his heart, There is no God (NKJV).
About a year later, DQ burned his legs during an accidental fire at work, and they became badly infected. He did not have a primary care doctor, so he continued to return to the emergency room for treatment. Nancy called me and asked if I had any suggestions? I called Dr. Pete, my friend who was a Christian surgeon, and he asked DQ to meet him at the ER where he was on staff. After examining DQ, Dr. Pete admitted him so he could receive intravenous antibiotics. While DQ was an inpatient, one of the elders from church visited him daily, read scripture, and prayed with him. Nancy told us DQ was deeply touched by the kindnesses of Dr. Pete and the elder, even though he was a total stranger to them and an atheist.
In January, Nancy told me DQ was being transferred by his employer to Miami, Florida. I was heartbroken as she seemed to be growing so much in her faith and he seemed so much more open to the gospel. But we prayed for them to attend a good Bible teaching church.
In March, Nancy called me and said how much they enjoyed attending the Chinese Baptist Church. She said DQ had something to tell me and she handed him the phone. “Miss Pam, I heard the gospel in Chinese at the church from the Chinese pastor. Now I understand what you were trying to tell me. I received Jesus Christ as my Savior! I am so thankful that my sins are forgiven and that I have a home in heaven and that I will be with Jesus forever. I am so sorry I yelled at you when you tried to tell me about God.”
I replied through my tears of joy, “DQ, I am thrilled that you are now a Christian and my brother in Christ. Let’s pray together right now and thank God.” We had a precious time in prayer together on the phone, thanking God for His wonderful grace and mercy to us.
Miami, Florida – March 1990
The Lord opened the door for me to visit my parents, who now live in Florida, as well as Nancy and DQ and attend church with them at the Chinese Baptist Church. For my sake, they took me to the English service rather than the Mandarin one so I could understand the service. We entered the large bright sanctuary and were greeted by friendly Chinese believers. The service began and after the opening hymn, the pastor asked for visitors to be introduced. DQ motioned for me to stand up among the hundreds of Chinese brethren. He began, “This is Miss Pam who first gave me the gospel of Jesus Christ when I was an atheist. I hated the gospel back then and yelled at her. But she did not give up on me and now she is my sister in Christ.” My tears rolled down my cheeks as I marveled at the wonderful work of grace God had done in DQ’s heart as well as my own.
“But God commends His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:8-9 NKJV).
The next year, DQ and Nancy moved back to China. For a number of years, I received a card from them every Christmas. One year, DQ shared with me how his elderly mother also received Christ. I don’t know exactly when DQ and Nancy went to be with the Lord, but it will be wonderful to be reunited with them in heaven above someday and worship the Lord together.
Pamela's Nursing Reflections 