legend on wheels

William Yang’s workplace missionary journey

Compiled and written/Selected by Su

▲William Yang has a deep relationship with his son.

"The gospel will not earn interest in my pocket. I am willing to use my speeding wheel to spread the gospel."

Whenever a flight arrives at Los Angeles International Airport, whether it is sightseeing or a business trip to visit friends, various taxis, buses and other pick-up vehicles are already lined up, waiting to quickly take people to where they want to go. Mixed in the mass of traffic, a white Toyota eight-seater van did not look conspicuous, but everyone who rode in it left a deep impression on the owner.

William Yang, an ordinary but extraordinary airport pick-up driver, a middle-aged man who failed in business, broke up his marriage, and was in despair, miraculously stood up again and miraculously bought the property despite being penniless. He entered the airport shuttle industry and passionately shared the joy and sweetness of life’s transformation with others. He said that all of this was “the grace of God”!

Sublimation under the rainbow

William was engaged in construction in Taiwan in his early years, and it was going smoothly. However, in 1980, the construction industry encountered a downturn. He decided to leave Taiwan and went to the United States to visit his younger brother who was studying there, hoping to make a comeback. After immigrating to the United States, he once engaged in international trade, second-hand military supplies, and even the firearms business. He owned three chain stores and was very prosperous. He boasted that "time comes and turns."

A few years later, something unexpected happened, and I once again experienced the "roller coaster" experience, from the peak to the bottom. By 1997, the business failed completely, debts abounded, and the family he formed after coming to the United States also fell apart in the ups and downs. From then on, William lived alone with his young son who was slightly developmentally delayed. For six or seven years, he could not get out of his depression for a long time.

Looking back on those difficult years, William couldn't help but marvel: "I really don't know how those days came to pass. My children never asked me, 'What will we eat today? Where will we sleep at night?'" After I believed in the Lord, I realized that it was God who made me carefree. He seems to have nothing, but he lacks everything, and he raises his children like this."

In the summer of 2003, William stepped into the church again with a warm invitation from a friend, but it became a turning point in his life. William had no impression of what message the pastor preached that day, but he deeply remembered that he shed tears as he thought of the high mountains and low valleys, the ups and downs of the past, in the sound of the hymns. A few weeks later, William was baptized as a Christian, determined to put his feet firmly on the ground and start over. In order to go further and for the sake of his children, William completely gave up the bad habit of smoking and drinking that he had developed in shopping malls for many years.

Shortly after his baptism, God gave William a job that required neither capital nor experience, nor the need to rely on others—tour guide! When I was young, I loved traveling around. All my experience and knowledge have been put to good use now. Once he took a group to the Grand Canyon in Las Vegas and saw more than ten rainbows along the way. He excitedly told the tourists:

"The rainbow is an agreement between God and man, and it is also a reflection of the sublimation of my life - after the storm, there will be sunshine!"

Evangelist on wheels

After working as a tour guide, William had a wish to buy an eight-seater van that could be used to lead group tours and pick up and drop off from the airport. But money was tight at the time, so it was easier said than done. In early 2005, William sent Pastor Liu Fuli to the airport. On the way, he talked about this wish, and the pastor immediately prayed for him. At that time, all he was thinking about was "Where does the money come from?" Unexpectedly, the next day I received a workers' compensation check for a just-concluded case, totaling more than 4,000 US dollars. I immediately used it as a down payment to buy a van from a car dealership. William believed that this was God’s abundant grace prepared to strengthen his faith. From then on, he firmly believed: “As long as you do what is in line with God’s will, everything is possible with God.”

William didn't know at the time that this would open a new page in his life, because having his own car would allow him to decorate the car according to his own preferences. William hung a cross in the car and played hymns along the way. Passengers often asked him: "Are you a Christian?" That's how the conversation started. William candidly shared his life journey on the way, saying how God brought him back to Him after his business failed, and how it completely changed his life. Even when the destination of his frequent customers arrived, he still had a lot of fun talking about it.

In the Los Angeles tourism industry, William is nicknamed "The Belt Man" because he is a single father! My son was still young at that time, and he would get headaches as soon as he left the tour group. If he had to find a nanny to take care of him, all the hard-earned money would go into other people's pockets. Therefore, William asked the Lord to allow him to take his son with him while working, and God listened. As soon as the company started work, the boss's first words were: "William, bring your child, the company will give you and your son a room!" "William, bring your child, and add a ticket to take your son to Universal Studios Disney. "William, bring the child!"... His son is now nineteen years old. As soon as William gets out of the car, his son will say: "Dad, let me help you carry your luggage and earn tips!"

William often asked the pastor: "When will God use me?" The pastor told him: "God has used you for a long time!" At first, William did not think that this was evangelism, but simply felt that he was experiencing God's grace. , should be shared with others. Later, he prepared some Christian publications such as "True Love", "Preaching", "True Meaning of Christianity", gospel tracts, hymns CDs, etc. in the car, and gave them to guests when he got off the bus, so that they could read them on the plane.

When traveling with a tour group, you usually have a few days together. It stands to reason that the tour guide and tourists should eat separately. But tourists often invite William to dinner and learn more about travel information. William is used to publicly "praying for meals", bringing God's love and blessings to the people at the table during his prayer. After he finishes praying, and then they move their chopsticks together, the topic at the dinner table often turns to "faith." At the end of the journey, William will offer to pray and bless his guests. Some people will reject it, while others will happily accept it.

Gradually, as the number of sharing increased, it was inevitable that some people would ask some faith questions that were not easy to answer. William would pray and ask the Lord for wisdom so that he could answer appropriately. Sometimes when encountering a difficult problem, I don’t deliberately try to prevaricate, but instead answer sincerely: “I am talking about my real experience. What I know is limited, but you are welcome to come to the church, and we can ask the pastor to discuss it with you.”

▲The airport pick-up was a dusty journey, but with the Lord’s grace and blessings along the way, William was all smiles.

The fragrance of Christ

Rich social experience shaped William's humorous and talkative personality; his deep experience of faith also cultivated his amiable character, filling his carriage with laughter and exuding the fragrance of Christ.

In 2005, William served as a tour guide for more than 30 teachers from Wuhan, China, traveling from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. As usual, William not only introduced the local customs, local customs and interesting anecdotes about the scenic spots in detail, but also did not forget to share his own life testimony. There was a teacher who took notes diligently along the way and kept asking questions.

More than a month later, William received a letter from Wuhan, and the writer was the teacher. There was a line of heartfelt praise in the letter that William would never forget: "California has gorgeous sunshine and warm Christians!" After that, William continued to correspond with the teacher through letters, phone calls, and even sent the pastor's sermons. He gave him Taoist notes, gave him a Chinese-English Bible, and made a special trip to visit him when he went to China. Finally, William took him to pray for a decision on the phone, and he still keeps in touch with him frequently to this day.

One time, William drove a group of more than 20 children, ranging from seven to twelve years old, to perform in a talent show in Los Angeles. There was a whole day between the end of the performance and the flight out of Los Angeles. William discovered that the organizer had not arranged any activities and had just left the children in the hotel. He asked someone to drive them to the park to play with him, asked the church's pastor and teacher's wife to help buy some food and drinks, and finally sent the children to the airport after they had had enough to eat and play.

Before leaving, the child hugged his legs and cried, asking him to buy a plane ticket and go back with them immediately! The teacher and the children cried together, and finally William agreed to go to China to see them. One day two years later, before dawn, William received an overseas call from his children: "Uncle, remember to come and see us!" "Our family runs a hotel, uncle, you can stay at our house." Hearing this the next day. In his sermon, the pastor advised: "Don't promise anything you can't do." William immediately bought a plane ticket, fulfilled his promise, and went to the mainland to visit the children.

Las Vegas, which is adjacent to Los Angeles, has always been a "must-visit place" for most tourists. It is inevitable that some tourists will privately ask William to arrange to watch stripteases and ask for gambling tips. They call it "understanding American culture" and "small gambling". "It's sentimental." William confessed that this situation often made him embarrassed and helpless. He neither wanted to offend his guests nor violate his beliefs. After several times, William realized that avoidance was not the best policy, and that he would gain respect by refusing calmly. He would say something like this: "I am only responsible for the tour guide, not for introducing romantic places, because I don't want to hurt you and your family. I used to be addicted to it, but now I no longer set foot in it, and I hope you won't step in either. "

Healing of family relationships

William's great transformation made people see a different life, and blessings came to his family. He was once married in Taiwan and had a daughter. He just gave birth to a child this year, and William has become "grandpa". His daughter and ex-wife's readmission of him was his greatest comfort. His daughter's words before leaving: "Dad, you should go preach the gospel to bad people!" also became a burden in William's heart!

After another brief marriage in the United States, William raised his son alone, who was now going to college. Father and son live in the same room and attend the same church. They have no complaints, only gratitude. I often drive to and from school, take group tours, and often cannot accompany my children. The biggest worry in my heart is that my son's development is slightly delayed and his academic performance is not satisfactory. Now he is finally going to college. I hope he can learn a skill and be able to take care of himself and be useful in society in the future. The child also hopes to go on a missionary trip with his father, and William prays to Heavenly Father to allow them to become "father and son soldiers on the road to heaven"!

William's parents who are far away in Taiwan are often on his mind. My mother had been heartbroken in the past and the relationship had been tense. In the past, when I would talk to my mother on the phone, I would often say "no more than three words" and it would be "full of smoke." When I first believed in the Lord, I would not call my mother because I was worried about her, and I would quarrel every time I spoke on the phone. Later, the pastor told William: "Ask the Lord to anoint your mouth." William learned to pray first and then make a phone call, telling his mother: "I miss my mother, so I called!" The two of them could chat happily for a long time. Now my mother answered the phone and said, "Why didn't you call for so long?!"

▲This pair of father and son are on the road to heaven. The father teaches his son the steps of life.

There is a long way to go

Recalling the past, William said: "Men should be blind, women should be deaf and mute, and should not be tempted by the world." Young people were greedy for vanity and glory, which had offended many people, and was the biggest sorrow in William's heart. Time and space cannot be reversed. Thank God for creating a pure heart in him and giving him an upright spirit again. William said, "God will not despise a broken and contrite heart." The pastor even called him a "new creation"! William sincerely hopes that friends around him will learn from him and not make the same mistakes again, so that they can receive God's grace and blessings.

Speaking of this, William expressed his special thanks to Sister Zhao Youli, who urged him to re-enter the church, and Pastor Chen Ennuo, who led him in Sunday services and Bible studies every week, prayed for him all the time, and reminded him of his words and deeds. , Teacher’s wife. There is also the love and care of Pastor Dai Guanghua and his wife. Pastor Dai often takes the time to educate and enrich him, which makes him full of gratitude.

As for his reflection on many years of missionary work in the workplace, William believes: “The most important thing is humility, keeping your head down, your back bent, and your face down. Just as the Bible teaches:“Always let your speech be gentle, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. ” (Colossians 4:6)This requires constant practice. Although sometimes he still speaks rudely, William always advises himself to keep trying.

William believes that to spread the gospel in the workplace, you should take action when you are moved! If you are moved, give a gospel tract to someone. If you are moved, don’t hesitate to pray for someone. Never feel frustrated. Because the gospel work on the wheel is fluid and sowing type."So he who plants is nothing, and he who waters is nothing; but God is the one who gives the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:7)

"You can sleep when you lie down, you can preach when you go out, you can pray when you kneel, and you can preach on the stage" is William's greatest wish. For this reason, he accepted the encouragement of Pastor Liu Fuli and began to take courses at the training center of Zhengdao Evangelical Theological Seminary, hoping to be used more by the Lord in the near future. William said:

"The gospel of God will not earn interest in my pocket. I am willing to use my speeding wheel to spread the gospel."

From frustration to down-to-earth, from rebirth to serving God, William is using his simple life journey to interpret the fragrance and mellowness of the gospel of Christ, composing a "legend on wheels" of a workplace evangelist.

"Workplace missions" is an area that Chinese churches are keenly paying attention to and actively exploring today. How to be a "dual-career missionary" is what many Chinese Christians are thinking about. I hope that William Yang’s journey of “dual career” service can bring you more new inspirations in the workplace.

(Interview team/Li Yunmei, Shao Airu, Jiang Wuyunlan, Wu Xiaoguang, Su Xianxing)

Editor's note: If you want to contact Brother William Yang, please email Laxservice@gmail.com