2. Return In Obedience

When I arrived in Hong Kong, I desired to stay there so that I could set out from there to work for the Lord. His thoughts were not my thoughts. He stopped me from following my way. What was more worthwhile than to give thanks was that I could testify for the Lord at many places in Hong Kong. I was also able to restore my elder brother's whole family by leading them confess and repent so that my elder brother was healed by the Lord and recovered from his third stroke. As a result of this his entire family was zealous in helping me to come out of Mainland China. (Since he is a half brother, we were almost unknown to each other before.)  Later, due to my elder brother's referral, I was able to get in touch with my younger brother in Taiwan. He was born by a fourth mother and we did not even know each other. Later he invited me to come to Taiwan in a letter just before I left Hong Kong. It was in such an amazing way that God was preparing me to go abroad. When I obeyed God to return, He blessed me so greatly that I brought back so many gifts, that I could give gifts to my Bodies in Christ as well as my relatives.

As soon as I returned to Mainland China, by trusting in the Lord, I went boldly to apply to visit relatives in Taiwan. Since it was in the beginning of 1985, the authorities investigated the invitation letter addressed to me carefully. They told me that in order to be responsible for me, they needed to study it to be able to give me a response. I put this thing completely in the Lord's hand and let them study it! As for me, I still studied the Bible and prayed everyday and followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit to pay the debt of the gospel and testify for the Lord everywhere.

After some time, I received a letter from my niece in America. In the letter she told me that she had gotten married and had moved to New York, and she was concerned about my application to go to Taiwan. After she knew my situation, she wrote to me again and suggested that it would be better for me to apply to go to visit her first; then I could try to go to Taiwan from America. I brought this letter to apply to go abroad, but I was not completely sure it would be approved. My heart was so agitated that I was even over suspicious and over worried sometimes. This time the Lord gave me another test of love. There was a sister in the Lord who used to be very close to me, but her attitude had gradually changed to a point of enmity. That day the words she spoke to me was like a scorpion had just pricked my heart. I was in such agony that I could not sleep at all during the night. What could I do? The command of the Lord asks us to love the enemy. I kept asking the Lord to bless her and pleaded for her. Then I fell asleep. In my dream, I yelled: "Go to Sujou!" It was the location of the Public Security Office where I submitted my application to go to America. My household was registered in Soujou. As I woke up, I knew in my heart that it must have been because my application was approved that I needed to go to Sujou. Pretty soon I received the notice. It was on Christmas Day of 1986 that I got my passport. The Lord had given me the most precious Christmas gift.

Due to my service to the Lord in China, I did not go to the American Consulate for a visa until 1989. I remembered on that day there were many people pouring into Consulate. I looked at those who were waiting with me. Some of them were so nervous that they got cold-feet, their faces changed, and their lips turned purple. Some of those who were rejected left with tears all over their faces. It was my first time to be in the Consulate, but since I sought only the will of God, my heart could rest. When it was my turn to have an interview with the consular, he asked me whom was I going to visit. I replied: "My niece." He said: "You are approved." That day the Consulate only issued visa for four persons, and I was one of them. When I was in the Labor Farm, someone told me: "Unless the sun rises from the West, you could never go abroad." Indeed, I was not able to do it, but God could! God said: "I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations" (Isaiah 66:19). May the Lord bless me forever with a heart of knowing His grace and being grateful: and may He lead my feet in walking on the way of righteousness. I also pray that the people of the whole world will walk together on the way of righteousness. Because "The path of the righteousness is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day" (Proverbs 4:18).