On February 13, our family paid a visit to my mother-in-law at a small mountain village in Fenxi County in the Luliang Mountains of southern Shanxi, which is about five kilometers away from the county with convenient transportation.
My 80-year-old mother-in-law, who had lost her sight for nearly a decade, believed in the Lord and was baptized in Linfen 20 years ago. Later, I assisted in setting up a meeting point in her home where the village's only five to six believers could read the Bible, pray, study, and share on Sundays. An elderly Christian woman from a neighboring village often attended and led the meetings. Her daughters are all Christians, and the youngest one once studied at Yanjing Theological Seminary and now serves at a church in the city. Several old Christian women who attend the meeting here are all in their 70s or 80s. There is also a 40-year-old disabled Christian man, who has a mentally disabled younger brother, and his parents have passed. Those believers would gather to learn to sing hymns, share, and sometimes listen to recorded sermons. County churches once helped with service arrangements and conducted visitations.
However, the situation has changed in recent years. The old believer from the neighboring village was ill and could not attend gatherings. Several old believers in the village barely attended because they lacked a gathering leader. The major reason is the cultural backwardness in such a remote mountainous area, making it difficult to preach the gospel. Worse, mahjong is popular there as well. There are several mahjong parlors in this small village of more than 100 people. As a result, believers began to stop coming to worship. Even when they came for a while, they quickly left with the excuse of being preoccupied with something else. Rather, they either showed up at the mahjong tables or went drinking.
My mother-in-law prayed frequently in tears, but people's hearts remained hardened. Last year, an older Christian woman passed away, and no one attends gatherings anymore. Despite her eyesight and declining situation at the meeting point, my mother-in-law has a firm belief and bright spiritual eyes, and she frequently praises aloud to the Lord. My father-in-law, who is over 80 years old, suffered from a cerebral infarction several years ago. Despite their challenging circumstances, the elderly couple takes care of each other.
Whenever my mother-in-law preached, the villagers always scoffed, "You believe in God; why does He make you invisible?" She always responds with gratitude, "This is also God's good intention. My spiritual eyes are bright, though my physical ones are invisible." When she couldn't sleep at night, she meditated on God's words, dictating the scriptures on her palm. She listened to the sermon tape dozens of times and even discussed certain biblical explanations with me during my occasional visits. Although my old father-in-law doesn’t understand much or speak much, deep down he knows that communicating with God is wonderful. Even if their children are not around, the two elderly have the Lord by their side, standing firmly in their faith. Despite difficulties in evangelization, they remain hopeful that God will open the path. Regarding the current situation, a pastor in that county said that it has been difficult to manage and look after that meeting place due to COVID-19 in recent years. However, visitation, support, and pastoral care will be available in the future.
I believe the seed of the gospel must sprout and grow as God has sown in this barren land.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times and the author reported in Linfen, Shanxi.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
2月13日，我们一家来到地处晋南吕梁山区汾西县的一个小山村走亲戚。这里离县城约有十多里路，交通便利。
我80岁的岳母，失明十几年。二十年前在临汾信主受洗。后来我帮助在家里开设了聚会点。当时村里有五六个人信主，每逢主日一起读经祷告，学习交通。邻村的一个老姊妹（她的女儿都信主，还有一个小女儿读过燕京神学院，现在城里教会服侍）常来参加并带领聚会。这里几个老姊妹都是七八十岁，一位四十多岁的弟兄是个残疾人，父母已离世，弟弟也是精神残疾。他们在一起就是教唱诗歌，简单分享，有时听讲道录音。县里教会也曾帮助安排礼拜并进行探访。
近年来情况发生了变化，邻村的那位老信徒因患病，不能参加礼拜。村里的几个老信徒因没人组织也不常来了。主要是因为当地地处偏远，文化落后，基督福音在这里也很难传扬。当地还盛行打麻将，百余人的小村，就有好几家麻将场。受其影响，渐渐地信徒们也不来礼拜了，有时来一会，借口有事就走了。不是去了麻将场，就是去了喝酒。
岳母为此多次流泪祷告，但人们还是不来，去年一位老姊妹去世，再没人来了。但是岳母坚定信仰，尽管眼看不见，但她灵眼明亮，常常听她高声赞美。八十多岁的岳父前几年也患上了脑梗，艰难地生活操持家务，两个人互相照料。
每当她传福音时，村民总是讥讽，“你信神，为什么还让你看不见？”她总是感恩说：“这也有神的美意。我的肉眼看不见，灵眼却是光明的。”晚上数不着觉时，她就默想神的话语，在手心默写经文。她把讲道录音听了十几遍，有时我回去还跟我交通一些经文解释。老岳父虽然不太明白，不多说话，他心里明白与神交通是一件美妙的事情。尽管儿女不在身边，两位老人有主相伴，坚守信仰，尽管福传有难度，依然相信神会开道路。对于教会的现状，当地的牧长表示这几年由于疫情，难以顾及，今后也将进行看望扶持牧养。
相信神既然在这贫瘠的土地上播撒了福音的种子，将来也会有发芽生长的一天。
注：本文作者为福音时报特约撰稿人。
新春走基层（4）一个小山村教会的衰落与坚守
On February 13, our family paid a visit to my mother-in-law at a small mountain village in Fenxi County in the Luliang Mountains of southern Shanxi, which is about five kilometers away from the county with convenient transportation.
My 80-year-old mother-in-law, who had lost her sight for nearly a decade, believed in the Lord and was baptized in Linfen 20 years ago. Later, I assisted in setting up a meeting point in her home where the village's only five to six believers could read the Bible, pray, study, and share on Sundays. An elderly Christian woman from a neighboring village often attended and led the meetings. Her daughters are all Christians, and the youngest one once studied at Yanjing Theological Seminary and now serves at a church in the city. Several old Christian women who attend the meeting here are all in their 70s or 80s. There is also a 40-year-old disabled Christian man, who has a mentally disabled younger brother, and his parents have passed. Those believers would gather to learn to sing hymns, share, and sometimes listen to recorded sermons. County churches once helped with service arrangements and conducted visitations.
However, the situation has changed in recent years. The old believer from the neighboring village was ill and could not attend gatherings. Several old believers in the village barely attended because they lacked a gathering leader. The major reason is the cultural backwardness in such a remote mountainous area, making it difficult to preach the gospel. Worse, mahjong is popular there as well. There are several mahjong parlors in this small village of more than 100 people. As a result, believers began to stop coming to worship. Even when they came for a while, they quickly left with the excuse of being preoccupied with something else. Rather, they either showed up at the mahjong tables or went drinking.
My mother-in-law prayed frequently in tears, but people's hearts remained hardened. Last year, an older Christian woman passed away, and no one attends gatherings anymore. Despite her eyesight and declining situation at the meeting point, my mother-in-law has a firm belief and bright spiritual eyes, and she frequently praises aloud to the Lord. My father-in-law, who is over 80 years old, suffered from a cerebral infarction several years ago. Despite their challenging circumstances, the elderly couple takes care of each other.
Whenever my mother-in-law preached, the villagers always scoffed, "You believe in God; why does He make you invisible?" She always responds with gratitude, "This is also God's good intention. My spiritual eyes are bright, though my physical ones are invisible." When she couldn't sleep at night, she meditated on God's words, dictating the scriptures on her palm. She listened to the sermon tape dozens of times and even discussed certain biblical explanations with me during my occasional visits. Although my old father-in-law doesn’t understand much or speak much, deep down he knows that communicating with God is wonderful. Even if their children are not around, the two elderly have the Lord by their side, standing firmly in their faith. Despite difficulties in evangelization, they remain hopeful that God will open the path. Regarding the current situation, a pastor in that county said that it has been difficult to manage and look after that meeting place due to COVID-19 in recent years. However, visitation, support, and pastoral care will be available in the future.
I believe the seed of the gospel must sprout and grow as God has sown in this barren land.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times and the author reported in Linfen, Shanxi.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Gospel Seed Struggles to Grow in Remote Mountains
