First I am remembering 33 years ago today, when my first niece arrived, the precious only girl in the family for the next 16 years. Kristy's life was unusually traumatic, and I am sorry that for years I was hindered from visiting her. The last time I arrived in the States, she exulted, "Now nothing can keep us from seeing each other!" A couple of months later I made the trip to Denver to see her.....in her coffin. A four-wheel accident in her driveway had orphaned her little Elly, (who is Kristy all over again.) Right there is a daily prayer burden.
Yesterday we arose early and traveled across the river to a BIG meeting that was just thrilling to see. From eight in the morning till nine at night we were seated in in the Church of God Tubusha meeting house, except for ten minute meals! And how efficiently they worked it out to be able to feed the approximately 5000 saints there!l Small tables bearing a pan of rice and five dishes, eight bowls and eight pairs of chopsticks were placed as close together as possible and still stand eight people around each table. Wall- to -wall people everywhere! Everyone was so friendly and eager to speak to us. But most wonderful of all was the preaching. The first brother near the close of his message showed lots of missionary's pictures along with a quote from each. Some that I recall are David Brainered, W. Carey, Amy Carmichael, Mary Slessor, Malla Moe, Gladys Aylward (he dwelt on her story), John G. Paton, Hudson Taylor, and many more, ending with Borden of Yale (deeply moving!) Here I will insert that in the evening one speaker challenged, with tears : "So many missionaries have spilled their blood in China--- do we need more to come spill theirs, or will we ourselves rise to the call to publish the Gospel?"
The preaching of the cross was with power! Seldom have I heard so clear a call to deny self, take up the cross and follow! Numerous passages about the cross were illuminated and portrayed so plainly. Especially notable was the preaching by Bro. Canaan on Christ's call to lose our soul life that we might find it, and the preaching on taking the ku bei (bitter cup) ("can ye drink the cup.... ?") both of which are themes heard too seldom. What most spoke to me in the message on prayer was : "The more Jesus prayed, the more He understood His Father's will." (I felt my prayer focus changing, even as I realized the need to spend more time therein.) Two aspects of the cross dealing with us were expounded upon (and I'm sorry English can't put it as succinctly): Nailed to the cross, and Bearing the cross. Even as the pain of the way of the cross was manifested, this word was stressed: "The Way of the Cross = The Way of LOVE." The vast crowd sang "The cross is not greater than His grace....." Frank was struck with the quote about the lost axe head :"Alas for it was borrowed!" being applied to "borrowed" messages which when preached, only land one in the water in a fix! As we listened to the truth, I seemed to see Jesus feeding the five thousand......
In the afternoon a group of 55 arrived back from a mission to the Sichuan earthquake area, and benches were somehow squeezed in to accomodate them at the front. In the evening four of them spoke, including a young millionaire who issued the challenge I mentioned above, and who showed many pictures from the trip. After a full day of enrichment, we got home to bed by eleven, very grateful for such a treat, and ready for more tests!
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