I will never forget my parent’s exhortation as I left for Beijing: “Your parents and siblings will sometimes leave; only Jesus does not leave. . . . Regardless of where you end up, never forget Jesus. He is our family’s savior.” Even though by then my heart was already far from God, my parents’ words gave [me] a thread of comfort.
I was once lost but was bought by God at great price. I had been a confused Christian for many years, and there was no change in my life until God opened my spiritual eyes and made me see.
A Tsinghua University graduate in automotive engineering felt lost in every area of his life until he was found by God on a snow-bound mountain in Qinghai Province.
The next year went as hoped. I entered Peking University, and my father’s dreams were fulfilled. But the excitement was short-lived. Very quickly, my heart was restless again: What should my next step be? Take classes, join student organizations, make friends. . . My heart felt hollow.
In the world’s eyes, I seemed successful. I had graduated from a famous university and stayed to teach there. . . . I wasn’t “left-over” in the marriage market and got married at the age of 26. If this was what a successful life looked like, then I’d rather give it all up, in exchange for the treasure I got after the age of 30—my Lord Jesus Christ.
Through a period of increased study and consideration, and through joining fellowships and studying the Bible, I came to conclude that “the world was created” was the most reasonable answer to be found. I could no longer deny God’s existence.
I was born into a Christian family, but that did not mean that I naturally believed in God.
John Zhou, who migrated to New Zealand over twenty-five years ago, tells us how his faith in Christ became truly personal and intimate. As a result, he has decided to live the second half of his life differently.
My relationship with Peking University began with my parents. . . . I was born at the university’s school hospital and grew up attending the university’s affiliated preschool, elementary school, and high school. Then in 1992, I received a recommendation to attend Peking University and later became a student of chemistry at the school.
Alone, wretched, and bewildered, I was unaware that God was softening my hard heart in this time of darkness, and he was quietly opening a door to eternal happiness.
During my sophomore year of college, I once again encountered the gospel.
Five migrant women who moved to Beijing from 1989 to 2010 at different ages describe their experiences. Each one discusses her values, challenges, hardships, and successes following the move into the city, as well as her faith and plans for the future.