There is a sister who was born in the depths of Luliang Mountain. Her hometown church is located in a small village in Yonghe County, Shanxi Province, which is more than 30 kilometers away from the county seat. However, several people believed in Jesus, and her mother also became a Christian when she was a child. There was no church in the village at that time. When someone was in trouble or turned ill, these believers would sing hymns together (all spiritual songs) and pray for healing from the disease.
Later, a brother from the county seat rode a tricycle to the village to collect scraps and do small business. He was very happy to see those who believed in Jesus and would come on time every Sunday (now he has settled in Linfen, Shanxi Province, and drives a taxi, often serving in the church).
Her mother gathered several believers into her home to study the Bible. People were very eager to read God's words and learn new hymns. The church was then formed in her home.
Over thirty years ago, there were only a dozen families in the village with a few cultural and recreational activities, so the church became very attractive, especially when they sang poems. The unique local folk songs, accompanied with their own original lyrics, as well as the self-made programs at Christmas, were well received by the villagers, which also spread the gospel in a subtle way.
In addition, the church also provided free meals at every gathering with braised dishes and steamed buns. In particular, the church’s love was very touching. There was to be no swearing or any impolite spoken language, in order for everyone to feel great love and respect. Many villagers were Christians. Even some people from the surrounding villages came for the gathering on Sunday, making the room and the courtyard crowded with people.
In this way, her mother set up a church in her own home. She also made donations and purchased goods. Under the guidance of the county church, several sisters established a management team. They read the Bible, prayed together, and encouraged each other in their studies. They also visited sick and poor members with presents such as eggs and snacks, making them feel warm, and cared for orphans and widows, helping them to do the housework and farm work.
When it snowed, the believers also actively cleared the snow. The sisters-in-law started to along with each other, and the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law got better. Village cadres praised them, "Christians are really good!"
There are up to over 20 believers in the village, but most of them were not baptized due to the long distance. Moreover, the resources for learning God's word were very limited, and almost no one could preach. They would just sing hymns at church, read a paragraph of the Bible, and then pray.
Later, various cults invaded. Some attracted the villagers with small favors, inviting the villagers to follow them instead. They bought gifts and helped with housework and farm work, so some villagers joined them. However, the county publicized and cracked down on cults, and even arrested some. Then the villagers became aware that they were all cults such as the Almighty God and Mentuhui or "Association of Disciples" that claimed prayers after weighing two liang of grains to increase more food). Some villagers quit from them and returned to the church.
But the sister's family stuck to the church. Later, she moved to Linfen while her mother still served in her hometown church. At a family gathering, she took the elders of Linfen to preach sermons there. The elders were longed for by the believers very much and they baptized seven people at a time. Participants was filled with heartfelt joy.
Later, her father had grown old, and her mother was taken to Linfen. When leaving, her mother solemnly handed over the keys and books to other believers and could bear to part. Her mother often wept and prayed, until she was called to heaven.
However, the situation of the village church went from bad to worse. The few early sister believers were still united to manage the church in an orderly manner. Later, the middle-aged members went out to work, leaving only a few elderly and frail believers. They handed over their financial contributions to a sister, who entrusted another person. As a result, the accounts were in a mess.
Speaking of the present situation of the village church, the sisters were full of sadness and often prayed for their hometown church. However, she believed that since God started the hometown church, He will never abandon it.
(The author is a special contributor to the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
一位姐妹自幼生在吕梁山深处，她所在的家乡教会地处山西省永和县的一个小乡村，距离县城有三十多华里，山大沟深，交通不便。然而在她小时候就有几个人信耶稣，母亲也信了主，当时村里也没有教会，只是谁家有事了或者有人病了，几个人就一起唱唱诗歌（都是些灵歌），做个祷告，求疾病得到医治。
后来有位县城的弟兄骑着三轮车走村串户收破烂、做小买卖。到村里来了，见到信耶稣的，就非常高兴。以后每到星期天，这个弟兄都按时来（现在这个弟兄已定居临汾，开出租车生意，非常爱神，常在教会做服侍）。
母亲把几个信主的叫到家里来，一起聚会学习圣经，大家心里非常渴慕，能读到神的话，学到新的赞美诗歌，大家心里非常喜乐。教会就在她家里建了起来。
三四十年前，村里原本只有十几家人，又缺乏文化娱乐活动，所以教会很吸引人，特别是唱诗非常令人感兴趣，当地特有的民间小调配上自编的歌词，圣诞节还自编自演一些节目，风趣幽默深受村民欢迎，在潜移默化中传扬了福音。
此外，每次聚会，教会还免费提供饭食烩菜馒头，特别是教会的爱心令人感动，没有村里特有的脏话、“带把”的口头语，男女老幼感受到充满爱心的尊重。村里有不少人信了主 ，礼拜天连周边村也有人赶来。主日炕上院里都坐满了人。
就这样母亲在自家建起了教会，也有了奉献，购置了物品，在县教会的指导下村里几个姊妹成立了管理小组。他们一起读经祷告，相互勉励学习，经常爱心探访生病贫穷的弟兄姊妹，几颗鸡蛋、一包点心，却使人非常温暖，关爱孤儿寡母，帮助收拾家务做农活。
下雪时，信主的人还积极主动打扫路上的积雪，以前不说话的妯娌和好了，婆媳相处也融洽了。村干部都赞叹说：“人家信耶稣的人就是好！”
村里信主的人最多时有20多个，但由于路途遥远，大多没有受洗。而且对于真道学习的资源十分有限，几乎没有人会讲道，只是礼拜时唱唱诗歌，读一段圣经，然后再祷告。
后来，各种邪教也陆续侵入，有的到家里拉人，方法就是各种小恩小惠，先去传教，让不要去教会了，跟他们去信，又是买礼物，又是帮助干家务做农活，于是一些人就跟着去了。后来县里宣传打击邪教，一些人被抓了，才知道所信的都是东方闪电、二两粮等各种邪教，一些后来就不信了，一些人仍回到教会。
但村里的教会一直坚守着，后来她远嫁临汾，母亲一直在家乡教会服侍。一次家里聚会，她带着临汾的长老去讲了道，大家非常渴慕，一次就给7个人施了洗，大家心里洋溢着发自内心的喜乐。
后来父亲年纪大了，母亲被接到临汾，临走时母亲郑重地把钥匙和账本交代给其他信徒，依依不舍地离开，常常流泪哭泣地代祷，直到蒙召归天。
但后来村里教会的状况每况愈下，原先几个姊妹还很同心，管理的很有秩序。后来听说中年弟兄姊妹出去打工走了，只留了几个年老体弱的弟兄姊妹。他们把奉献财务转交给一个姊妹，这个姊妹另托付了一个人，结果账目是一塌糊涂，不知所终。
说起村里教会的现状，姊妹心里满是忧伤，经常为家乡教会流泪祈祷。不过她相信，神既然起初兴起了家乡教会，就绝不丢弃，因为神的爱不离不弃。
注：本文作者为福音时报特约撰稿人。
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/57650
偏远山区也有神的爱——一位姊妹眼中的山村小教会
There is a sister who was born in the depths of Luliang Mountain. Her hometown church is located in a small village in Yonghe County, Shanxi Province, which is more than 30 kilometers away from the county seat. However, several people believed in Jesus, and her mother also became a Christian when she was a child. There was no church in the village at that time. When someone was in trouble or turned ill, these believers would sing hymns together (all spiritual songs) and pray for healing from the disease.
Later, a brother from the county seat rode a tricycle to the village to collect scraps and do small business. He was very happy to see those who believed in Jesus and would come on time every Sunday (now he has settled in Linfen, Shanxi Province, and drives a taxi, often serving in the church).
Her mother gathered several believers into her home to study the Bible. People were very eager to read God's words and learn new hymns. The church was then formed in her home.
Over thirty years ago, there were only a dozen families in the village with a few cultural and recreational activities, so the church became very attractive, especially when they sang poems. The unique local folk songs, accompanied with their own original lyrics, as well as the self-made programs at Christmas, were well received by the villagers, which also spread the gospel in a subtle way.
In addition, the church also provided free meals at every gathering with braised dishes and steamed buns. In particular, the church’s love was very touching. There was to be no swearing or any impolite spoken language, in order for everyone to feel great love and respect. Many villagers were Christians. Even some people from the surrounding villages came for the gathering on Sunday, making the room and the courtyard crowded with people.
In this way, her mother set up a church in her own home. She also made donations and purchased goods. Under the guidance of the county church, several sisters established a management team. They read the Bible, prayed together, and encouraged each other in their studies. They also visited sick and poor members with presents such as eggs and snacks, making them feel warm, and cared for orphans and widows, helping them to do the housework and farm work.
When it snowed, the believers also actively cleared the snow. The sisters-in-law started to along with each other, and the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law got better. Village cadres praised them, "Christians are really good!"
There are up to over 20 believers in the village, but most of them were not baptized due to the long distance. Moreover, the resources for learning God's word were very limited, and almost no one could preach. They would just sing hymns at church, read a paragraph of the Bible, and then pray.
Later, various cults invaded. Some attracted the villagers with small favors, inviting the villagers to follow them instead. They bought gifts and helped with housework and farm work, so some villagers joined them. However, the county publicized and cracked down on cults, and even arrested some. Then the villagers became aware that they were all cults such as the Almighty God and Mentuhui or "Association of Disciples" that claimed prayers after weighing two liang of grains to increase more food). Some villagers quit from them and returned to the church.
But the sister's family stuck to the church. Later, she moved to Linfen while her mother still served in her hometown church. At a family gathering, she took the elders of Linfen to preach sermons there. The elders were longed for by the believers very much and they baptized seven people at a time. Participants was filled with heartfelt joy.
Later, her father had grown old, and her mother was taken to Linfen. When leaving, her mother solemnly handed over the keys and books to other believers and could bear to part. Her mother often wept and prayed, until she was called to heaven.
However, the situation of the village church went from bad to worse. The few early sister believers were still united to manage the church in an orderly manner. Later, the middle-aged members went out to work, leaving only a few elderly and frail believers. They handed over their financial contributions to a sister, who entrusted another person. As a result, the accounts were in a mess.
Speaking of the present situation of the village church, the sisters were full of sadness and often prayed for their hometown church. However, she believed that since God started the hometown church, He will never abandon it.
(The author is a special contributor to the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
A Small Mountain Village Church in the Eyes of a Sister
