We often write about the missionaries from China who go into the 10/40 window to share the gospel in closed nations. But who are they and what brought them to this point? To get to know some of them better, we asked them to share their stories with us.
Lois has a privilege which few Chinese have. She was not only born to Christian parents, even her grandparents were believers. Her parents were also pastors of a church, which they combined with running a farm, as so many Chinese pastors do. After many years of doing a double job, the church was able to buy a big house, where they could meet downstairs and the pastor’s family could live upstairs. From that time onwards, the ministry was fulltime.
Lois lived in the church and was constantly involved in everything that was going on. She felt connected and happy as she went through her teens and finished high school. When the time came to study, she had a daring plan. Why not try to study abroad? She had a cultural interest in South Korea, and with the help of some family members it seemed doable to pay for her first year of language study. After that, she could work alongside her college studies and pay her own way.
She was remarkably successful in learning the language and started her college degree in education. For four years she went to school in the mornings, did her homework in the afternoons, and then worked from 5-10 PM in restaurants to pay for her college fees. When she graduated, a door opened for her to go to seminary and do a degree in theology. She jumped at the chance and completed both degrees.
By now, getting a job was not hard, and she found a place to stay. She had what many Chinese can only dream of. A house and a job abroad and a good education under her belt. She also had a loving and supportive church community in South Korea. But she felt the call of God on her. When her pastor asked her to return to China, she left her new life behind and returned home, waiting on what God had for her.
Through an uncle, she was introduced to a mission training school. She would join a mission team in a minority area and have lessons on Zoom. After several months, there would be a month of full-time classes with other missionary trainees in a secret location, followed by a survival training in the mountains for several weeks.
Lois loved working in the minority area. Because her team was Han Chinese, they stood out and were closely watched. They had to do their evangelistic work very carefully, often while travelling through remote mountains, so they could meet people and leave before they attracted attention. Then they would return to the same places several weeks later, trying to meet the same people again.
It was a very formative time for her. She rejoiced to see the minority churches healthy and growing, but was also touched by their deep material poverty. She learned some of the tribal language and encouraged the small fellowships which they were able to visit on their journeys.
The training meanwhile, ended badly. Nothing happened while they were all on Zoom, but when they met in person for an intensive month of training, the police raided their location. All trainees were detained and interrogated for many hours. Their activities were put to an end.
But because Lois felt called to continue working as a missionary, she was given the opportunity to study in a training school in South Asia. There she was trained in church planting among Muslim communities. Now she is in the final stage of training, and learning English. She is praying she will soon be able to go into a closed nation.
Lois has already leaned to trust in God while living abroad alone, studying in a different language, ministering under persecution, and facing physical hardships. We are excited to see how God will use her in the future!
