Letters from missionaries home [Follow-up report on campus ministry in Dedong]

Letters from home 1

May 15, 2007

Peace, dear brothers and sisters:

Last night I started to enter the campus, preach the gospel in the student dormitories, and edify new believers. Several children who made decisions under Pastor Chen’s leadership candidly shared their inner struggles and feelings. Thank God, the Holy Spirit guided me to answer and analyze them one by one without any preparation. Some had tears in their eyes, knowing full well that the Lord’s love had entered their hearts.

In the days to come, I will visit in groups during the week to understand their needs. Please pray for me urgently. One person’s power is really small, but through your intercession, I believe that what God will accomplish is beyond what you ask for and imagine!

It has been a week since I arrived in the small town of Ilmenau. Since walking to and from church and school takes a lot of time and energy, Pastor Chen suggested that I buy a bicycle. If it’s too late to visit, it’s safer to ride back, not to mention I’m coming back in October.

▲From the beginning of the climbing visit to the end of the letter writing in the attic, young missionary Gao Rushan is busy with the Lord every day, full of joy.

It's amazing. At the fellowship last Saturday, a male classmate told me that he didn't use his bicycle anymore and could give it to me. The same thing happens when buying a printer. Because I often have to prepare teaching materials or poems, photocopying them outside is expensive and inconvenient. When I asked where to buy them, the student immediately told me that she had two printers that I could use.

Elder Xu from Salt Lake City saw this and jokingly said, "It's not fair! God seems to love you more and has prepared everything for you!" Although it was a joke, it really warmed my heart. , because I know how many brothers and sisters in my spiritual home in New York are waiting and praying for me. Although I am alone here, I feel that you are fighting this battle with me.

Before coming here, many brothers and sisters told me that if I need anything, I will notify you immediately and they will send it to me immediately. Your love must have been seen by God, and He personally prepared everything I need, allowing me to more truly experience Matthew 5:13: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” It’s given to you.” How faithful is the God in whom we rely! Not one of God’s promises has failed!

During the fellowship this Saturday, a sister Li Juan came from another city to help me. Sister Li is studying for a doctorate in Germany and has excellent academic performance. She is here to share with the children the secrets of reading, how to integrate into German society and find a job, bring in faith, and introduce the beauty of God's presence to her classmates.

Please pray for this gathering, hoping that the Holy Spirit will personally lead and move the students to come, and that through Sister Li’s sharing, students will understand how important it is to let God control our future lives! Pray that God will stop Satan’s attacks. The closer to the meeting time, the easier it is for many students to change their minds at the last minute. Please pray for God’s precious blood to cover us and personally plug the gaps for us, so that the gospel can be smoothly spread into the hearts of students without losing any of them!

Yours sincerely, Rushan    

Letters from home 2

June 2, 2007

Dear pastors, brothers and sisters, I greet you all again in the Lord:

Thank the Lord, during the fellowship time last Saturday, because the Chinese Alumni Association held a football match, several staff members from the Chinese Alumni Association came. Some of them went to the gospel camp first, and there were still 18 people in the gathering. The video of Yuan Zhiming's "The Gospel" was played at the party. The classmates liked it very much. After watching the first episode, they couldn't wait to borrow the sequel from me. These students were very sensible and always took the initiative to clean up the kitchen and venue at the end of the meeting, so that I could immediately take the four-hour train to the gospel camp in Nuremberg.

During the four days and three nights of the gospel camp, all the students were greatly inspired and raised their hands to make a decision. There is a male classmate who is a bit cynical. Every time I share my faith with others in the student dormitory, he always smokes a cigarette and looks like it has nothing to do with him. Unexpectedly, two days before going to the gospel camp, he actually asked if registration could be accepted again. He wanted to participate.

At the gospel camp, watch him listen attentively, study the Bible diligently, and respond to God’s call. I am truly amazed that God’s work always exceeds human plans. On the way back and in the following days, other classmates felt his change, and he also began to quit smoking. I truly saw the Holy Spirit Himself selecting and moving His children to return to Him.

At the gospel camp, I saw students from various fellowships in Denan and Dedong. On the one hand, many co-workers and I were excited about so many ripe crops, but on the other hand, we were saddened by the lack of workers. I also lament that many large churches use rules of thumb and market surveys as standards to send church missionaries to big cities, but they don’t know where the depth of the water God said is? Brothers and sisters, please pray urgently for the needs of the workers here. It makes me sad to think that there are still many university towns without missionaries and children who are not being shepherded.

After returning from the gospel camp, I still went to campus every day to get to know friends who had not yet believed in the Lord through the introductions of my classmates. I am so grateful to the Lord that every day I am filled with anticipation for God’s wonderful works. My body has felt a little tired these past two days, but my mood is joyful and content, but I feel like I don’t have enough time. In today’s Saturday fellowship, arrangements have been made to train the students who have believed in the Lord to sing hymns and prepare for the love feast, so that I can concentrate on leading the Bible study without having to worry about the preparations for dinner. There were twenty-eight people in the meeting today, and the whole meeting went smoothly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If students have questions during Bible study, I can answer them completely.

I began to lead them in a study of the Gospel of Luke. I hope that through these Bible studies, students will know how to think about God’s words, and thus help them think carefully about and understand God’s will during their personal spiritual practice. Please pray for the coming days. In addition to the fixed Wednesday group, I will also add a baptism class, and try to help the male students establish a group to support each other and pray for each other before leaving.

In the past two weeks, I have seen the lives of many students gradually changing, and I can’t help but praise God in my heart. Not only that, other students who had not yet believed in the Lord were also surprised by their transformation! During several group meetings, I kept reminding them that if they want to lead the students around them to believe in the Lord, the best way is not to talk about big principles, but to testify to life and show love. Thank the Lord, in order not to shame their heavenly Father, they all examined themselves before the Lord, worked hard to change their old bad habits, and worked harder to study. Watching them draw strength from God every day and feel God's grace every day, I am often inspired by them. Please also continue to pray for these students. This is not only the backing of my service, but also the strength of these children’s faith.

▲Every morning at 8:30, we kneel here in front of God together, ask God for heavenly love (Liebe, which is the German word for "love") for the day's service, and then set off to the harvest field - the campus!

June 1st to 10th is the International Student Week of this university. Many students from mainland China came to observe. I met four of them in two days. I also took the opportunity to share the Christian faith with them. Thank God, three of them participated today. We have joined the fellowship and hope to sow the seeds of the gospel in their hearts before they return to China!

I am really indebted, and there are many things I want to share with you, but it is often late at night when I return to my room, so I can only give a brief report. I hope to return to New York and tell you more in detail. Whenever I think of your prayers for me and the fact that I came here with everyone’s love, I feel so grateful. Once again, I sincerely say thank you to everyone!

Yours sincerely, Rushan

Letters from home 3

June 12, 2007

Dear pastors, teachers, wives and brothers and sisters, peace:

Time flies so fast, and I can count on my fingers that this missionary trip to East Germany is almost over. In ten days, I can return to New York to meet everyone. Now, I feel very complicated. On the one hand, I want to go home, but on the other hand, I can't bear to leave my children here. In the past few days, several children often count the remaining days in front of me and shout, "Sister Gao, you are leaving soon, what should I do?"

To be honest, I don’t even dare to respond or think about it. However, when I told them that after I left, they must continue to meet in small groups to support each other in their faith life. One child vowed: "Sister, don't worry, we will definitely love the Lord well, work hard to live for the Lord, and will never leave Him in our lives!" Hearing him say this, I felt so relieved, and of course, even more so in my heart. Reluctant to leave.

Last Saturday (6/9) we invited Elder Ding Tonggan and his wife who are preaching in another town to come here to lead the children in Bible study and have a barbecue together after the meeting. Thirty-five people came to the party that day. After the Bible study, Elder Ding had to take a four-hour train back to the fellowship he led to serve, so we started an hour earlier. Thank God, every child was on time. Some of them came early in the morning to help marinate the meat. They all also listened attentively during the Bible study, which really impressed Elder Ding and his wife. Several classmates told me that they hope to be baptized after I return in October, because they still need some time to communicate with their parents and ask God to remove their obstacles to baptism and increase their faith.

Next Sunday (6/17), five of our classmates will be baptized, and we will give all praise and glory to the Father who loves us! After reading the testimonies of the students, I felt even more that every child was chosen and cared for by God Himself. Although they still felt hesitant and fearful about being baptized a few days ago, God Himself showed them that Heavenly Father loved them and was patiently waiting for them to change their minds through many cares in their lives. God’s carefully crafted plan for His children is clearly revealed in each student’s testimony. Thank you all for your continuous prayers for them, allowing them to return to God's home in such a short period of time. I believe God will also greatly bless you for your efforts in prayer.

I would like to express my immense gratitude to God for giving me the privilege to see the transformation of every child’s life with my own eyes. Now, I can take them to visit and bear witness. Almost all the students we visited were surprised and aware of their transformation. However, they also knew that such transformation was not achieved by themselves, but by the Holy Spirit accomplishing wonderful things in them. These children who believe in the Lord have been able to serve together with me and are faithful in the things entrusted to them. Not only that, but they also always care about my needs and say hello morning and night, which makes me feel more and more like I am not taking care of them, but they are taking care of me.

Last week, I heard a female classmate share that a male classmate knew that I often took the girls to share and visit, and they were very jealous, saying that it was unfair that Sister Gao was taken over by you girls. I feel funny in my heart, and I also feel that these big boys who are over 170cm tall are really cute...

However, I always want to listen to their voices. I quickly went to care about their basketball and football games. He even picked up a badminton racket that he hadn't wielded for a long time and taught them how to play badminton. On the badminton court, some male classmates who had never been to the fellowship begged me with almost adoring eyes: "Sister Gao, next time you come back, you can start teaching us how to play badminton, okay?" I immediately agreed: "No problem, The condition is that you have to come to fellowship every Saturday!" And they did come! I really thank God for giving me every opportunity to lead people to God. When I came here, many of my past experiences came in handy at the right time. It was really the guidance of the Holy Spirit that made everything go smoothly. I also deeply appreciate the ease and peace that relying on God in everything brings.

I really have a lot of feelings to share with you. I will return to the United States soon, and I will report to you in person. Please continue to pray for us in the remaining time, hoping that you will not slack off before leaving, persist until the end, and do your best to fulfill the entrustment God has given us. Please cheer for me. From now on, it is the final sprint.

May the Lord’s grace be with you always
Yours sincerely, Rushan