12. Return To China In Obedience

When my three-month visa in Hong Kong had almost expired, many bodies in Christ hoped that I could stay longer.  One sister Xu said:  “Everyday I used to first pray for my oldest son who has mental illness.  Now my first word of prayer is:  “O Lord, make Ms. Xu stay here.’”  Sister Ren said, “At first I prayed that if it was God’s will, let Ms. Xu stay.  Now that the time is approaching, I pray directly to God, ‘Let her stay, let her stay!’”  By  my own will, I wanted to stay in Hong Kong, or at least to go to other places from there.  I was so afraid to return to Mainland China again and be closed behind the iron curtain.  However, God’s mind differs from that of men.  He closed all possible ways for me to stay or to go to other countries from Hong Kong.  In addition, he used Isaiah, chapter 51, to expel all my fear.  He called me to pay attention to him and not to fear man.  He promised that I would be glad and joyful, and that sorrow and sighing would flee away.

In obedience, I decided to return to Mainland China.  Immediately God’s grace fell upon me.  Brothers and sisters in Christ gave me such a rich gift; and my half-brother asked our youngest half-brother in Taiwan to invite me there.  This paved a way for me to apply to go abroad again.  Also Mrs. Zhau and her husband planned to visit relatives in Mainland China at the same time so they zealously accompanied me from Hong Kong to Guangzhou.  They took great care of me all the way until I was picked up by Sister Zhang and my cousin at the station.

Pretty soon I went back to Shanghai by myself.  From there I went to Suzhou to submit my application to go to Taiwan.  At the police station where my household registration was, the cadres were surprised to see that I returned on time from Hong Kong.  They carefully investigated the invitation from Taiwan.  They said,  “Let us consider this, then we will give you an answer.”  It was the power of the Lord in reversing the trend.  Those who used to have relatives in Taiwan had been criticized as counter-revolutionists.  Now those who had relatives abroad, including Taiwan, received special favor.  Joyfully I returned to Guangzhou and joined Sister Zhang in preaching and witnessing from south to north according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It was just as the names bestowed to us by the Lord - respond to the Lord’s kindness in one heart.[i]