When talking of the marvelous strategies and events that has led at least 360,000 people on Hainan Island to Christ in recent years, it is sometimes easy to forget the tremendous cost and commitment that believers made. The Gospel did not always spread easily. Often it came at great personal cost to faithful believers. Some on Hainan Island have paid for their faith with the ultimate cost – their own lives.
The following story from Hainan is one testimony of a faithful martyr.
In 1994 a small group of men traveled 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 area, but in this new place things did not go as planned.
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 coworker 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 five hundred 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.
After Old Wang and Cai returned home and had seen a doctor they began to arrange with the other church members to help Liang with the farm and arrange for some help in providing some meat and eggs. The following Sunday the church determined to send Old Wang and Cai Wen back to the same 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 requested to accompany Old Wang and Cai Wen on their return trip. The Christians worshipped for hours that day, praying fervently for the trip and 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.
When the trio arrived in the Li village it was evening. They slept beside a pig pen outside the village. Whether due to discomfort or busy minds, none of them slept well that night. The next morning they went to the market. Quite 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.” The crowd grew suddenly quiet and gradually broke up.
That day Old Wang instructed Liang as to what she should say that night. Most of the village gathered under the big tree to listen to her.
After a week and a half, a large number of the villagers decided to follow this God. 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 two leaders and a young man from the new Li church. During the Sunday worship the two Li leaders brought their greetings and expressed their appreciation. Then the young man stood up to speak. “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.” Four months later word came from the Li church that they had planted another Li fellowship, two mountains away in the same county. 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.”