Carelinks | China
Brother Donald reports the baptism of brother HE; and our new brother wrote an interesting testimony:
“I was born in a Christian family, in the mountains of the Zhejiang rural area, our family comprising my father, mother, sister and me. I grew up with the great support of my parents; my sister and I would often listen to the Bible on our father and mother's knee. My parents guided me to know the existence of God, telling me God loved the world, taught me to pray and to rely on the Lord. I accepted all they taught me, and at times it moved me even to tears. However, not many people in our village believed, most people laughed at my parents' beliefs, my sister and I tried to keep our faith private, because with China's atheistic educational background, people don't believe in the existence of God, they consider such faith to be superstitious, faith is seen as a shameful thing, and so without faith, there is left for the people just the pursuit of money, fame and wealth, status.
When I was 6 years old I began to go to school, elementary school. I had good grades, my parents hoped I could be admitted to the university in the future, they wanted me to get on in life and get out of the mountains. So in 2001, I was sent to a boarding school, only coming home at the weekends. But there, with a new learning environment, campus, teachers and friends, my heart began to gradually change; “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know?”
In high school, I became a materialist, I chose to aim for money, fame and wealth, status. I moved away from God, I couldn't withstand the temptation of material things and entertainment, I began to slip, began skipping classes, having friends who do not love learning, bad friends; my academic performance began falling, often I told my parents at the weekends false results to deceive them. But finally my parents learnt of my bad grades and I was in disgrace. I fell into extremely low self-esteem and self-pity, I lived every day in the melancholy, finally I quit school, the dream of entering university shattered, and I fell very low. But when I was at rock bottom, then God could begin again with me. Truly “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps” Proverbs 16:9. The year before last I experienced the pain of having both my parents die in a car accident. So after a lot of pain, I concluded that maybe God is letting me return to Him as the prodigal son. I now believe that Jesus is the only truth in my life, he is innocent, and the only way to forgiveness because He was of our nature! Thank God that He let me know my own smallness, weakness and sin. He wants to make me to be a child of God, to enjoy true peace and joy, I felt the truth set me free, it let me rediscover myself, I face life no longer confused, for the future road I face full of confidence. Regardless of what happens now in life, our loving heavenly Father will be faithful to His promise to me, and his righteousness and mercy help to build my confidence. I feel humble before the Lord, the leadership of my life is with him, I want only to proclaim him and serve him! I would like to feel as Paul who pressed towards the prize before him (Phil. 3:13-14). I hope I end my race like Paul at the end of his life, with a clear conscience, feeling I have run a good race (2 Tim. 4:7).
Brother Donald, left, with our new Brother HE
