The True Dao
Zisong is a Chinese student involved with Bridges at UC Irvine. I (Zack) met him at our Vision conference and had the honor of filming the story of how he went from a lost student to a passionate laborer for Christ. There are quotes from the video below, and you can watch the whole thing below:
“I grew up atheist. I don’t know anyone who actually believe any kind of God. Within communism taking over China, all the religion is considered superstition. People worship science, money, or themselves.
“I grew up never thinking about this until age 19. My mom at that time got chronic cancer. I began to think, what is life really about? Is there even meaning behind this?
“In college, we have a professor there studying Daoism, and he seems to be convinced about that. And I really dig into that. There’s some part really make sense, but as a whole, it’s very blurred picture. It’s bringing me a new picture of human being and this whole world. It’s not substance alone, it’s not material alone. There’s something beyond that. But I never got to the point to confirm there’s God.
“The first time I came to America, and there’s a lot of culture shock. I was like, ‘Why have I come here?’ That time I met Bridges staff and she said many thing about Bridges, I only remember two words, ‘free food.’ I found these people so nice to me. They so love me, so care about me. And they invited me to Bible study and I was like, ‘no, I’m not going to do that.’
“Spiritually, I was never satisfied. I got lost. I just got more anxious. And when I go to [Bridges], they really listen to you and physically care about you. I feel peace among them. I was always pushed to be number one. But here a bunch of people, they don’t care which number you are.
“That impressed me. I was like, this is not just a religion. These people have something they deeply believe. Something deep inside as a power to support them to do this. That’s something I never found in this world.
“I began to read Bible by myself. That’s very hard. I don’t even know which book should I begin with. But fortunately I registered for Vision Conference. And then they bring me to the gospel of John. I was a very naughty sheep, and I was lost. I never knew I have a shepherd. And that moment, the love of Christ made sense to me.
“The moment I follow Lord I got a conviction: I have to share this to my countrymen. The Lord brought me through a lot of training. Bridges staff helped me go through evangelism. I got an invitation to teach in a seminary for the rural area of China. Missionaries who go to China, usually they go to urban area. The rural area is poor, it’s harder, transportation is not good, but the majority of church is there and they need the same God, same teaching as we do. They don’t know English, but I know. So I’m translating all the things I have learned.”
Reaching Beyond China
Zisong’s story has so encouraged us, because he perfectly embodies our vision of lost international students being transformed into laborers for Christ. I talked to him recently and he said he recently led a Middle-Eastern student to Christ and baptized him. This student works as an Uber driver and now shares the gospel with his passengers, most of them American, and all of them stunned!
Steps of Faith
Miah did an evangelism training with two of her peers from school (pictured in the header) These middle school gals were unable to attend the training that Naomi conducted. We are so proud of Miah as she has stepped out in faith this year, sharing the gospel with her peers. Then for the first time, she taught others how to do the same!
FAMILY UPDATE
This summer, Annalei and Miah will be attending a national theater conference.
Zack will attend a Christian Fiction Writer’s conference to pitch his novel to a literary agent for publication.
PRAISE REPORTS
God brought Zisong from Atheist to seminary teacher.
Zisong led a Middle-Eastern friend to Christ, who is sharing Jesus with others.
Miah did her first evangelism training with friends!
PRAYER REQUESTS
God would protect Zisong’s virtual training of rural pastors in China and protect the churches led by these pastors.
The Lord would continue to use the Middle-Eastern friend to boldly proclaim the gospel.
God would open doors for Annalei, Miah and their peers from school to share their faith.