This article was originally posted on Asiastories.com and has been reposted with permission.
By Susie Rain
Posted Sep 05, 2011
The Chinese noodle shop didn’t look like much, just some tables and chairs, but it was clean and cheap. The family who owned it offered a bowl of noodles for less than $1.
The restaurant quickly became a lunchtime favorite of Ashley and Mandi. It was just outside their apartment building and their five new friends always took time to help them practice their Mandarin.
The Americans teased back-and-forth with the family as they ate. At some point during the meal, however, their hearts always ached for this family. Signs all around them were a constant reminder of the differences in faith between them and their friends.
“We were confronted with lostness every single day. That bothered me,” Ashley said about their six-months working in China. “In America, there are lost people but it’s not in your face. These people were visible to us and they are our friends.”
Ironically, just before moving to China their home church began praying for East Asia. Little did Ashley and Mandi know God had plans for them to become friends with the exact people prayed for by their church family. They moved to China to work with English-speaking university students. However, they saw this family more than anyone because of the proximity to their apartment. They hung out at the noodle shop with their guitars and shared American chocolate from home.
After months of building a relationship, Ashley and Mandi decided it was finally time to share their faith beyond the simple sentence, “I am a Christian.” They memorized and practiced the Gospel presentation in Mandarin over and over, praying for God’s guidance.
Sliding into the initial conversation about Jesus was easy. It was Easter and the family often talked about “American culture” with the young women. As they explained the meaning behind Easter, their friends looked at them with disdain.
“When we said that Jesus is God’s Son, they laughed at us,” Ashley said. “They heard a little more, then they got up and left!
“I was really surprised that they just walked away,” Ashley continued. “We tried to give them a Bible, but they wouldn’t accept it.”
The Hands On workers took the rejection in stride but it was obvious there was a strain in the relationship. Ashley said they felt compelled to rebuild the friendship, noting that Jesus was rejected. The thought of their friends not joining them in heaven caused them to press forward, even though it was hard.
They continued to eat at the noodle shop, practicing their Mandarin. They brought gifts of appreciation. They also continued praying for their friends. Eventually, the friendship was restored at an even stronger level. At every opportunity they managed to share parts of their personal testimonies, until one day, the family accepted a Bible as a gift.
“We ask you to pray for them. Out of everyone we’ve shared with, our hearts have been stirred the most for this family. We love them and are deeply burdened for them,” Ashley said. “There are days it is hard to keep walking from them to our apartment when I know they are not destined for heaven.
“Through our experience, an unreached people group became real people to us — people we want to see become believers,” Ashley added. “This experience changed me so much. It’s not always an easy task to share the Gospel. When we are rejected, we see Christ’s great sacrifice more clearly.”
Prayer Requests:
- Pray that more and more followers of Jesus will give six months or longer to live in China among Chinese Muslims and proclaim the gospel boldly without fear of rejection.
- Pray that Chinese Muslims who receive Bibles will read them and that the Holy Spirit will open their eyes to the Truth.