This new
edition includes a forward by J. Bruce Martin, President of The Reformation
Translation Fellowship. It contains a very helpful history of RTF in China and
a wonderful summary of the Gospel being spread while Christians were under
great persecution by the Chinese and Japanese. I found it a great reminder for
the need of the church in America to remain constant in prayer for these
brothers and sisters in Christ.
Although
this book is an autobiography, it clearly shows some character development. The
book starts with Li’s childhood and stories of her understandably childish
behavior. It includes her struggle with alcohol, her struggles with her
circumstances and her spiritual growth, her long service as director of an
orphanage and ends with her gutsy, but spiritually mature encounters with
officials in trying to leave China for America to be with her son in her old
age.
Li serves
as a wonderful example for us in how to struggle with God in prayer. One
example of this is her grief at the death of her mother. On pages 68 and 69 she
describes her prayer life during this time as one of complaining. Yet God, by
his Spirit and by Li’s great familiarity with scripture, reminds her of God’s
listening ear and his love, mercy and wisdom. She then sings from Psalm 37. What a wonderful pattern for us to follow:
scripture memory, prayer and psalm singing.
I loved
the short chapters in the book. It allowed me to focus on a single
theme/incident and to ponder them between readings. Her confidence in God and
persistence under difficulty encouraged me in my own difficulties at the time I
was reading the book.
Chapter 31
includes a story about the difficulty of Chinese to give up idols. It contains
an extended dialogue that serves to model an apologetic against idol worship.
Chapter 35
on the children of Daigang includes stories of guidance received as a result of
prayer and the role of earnest, constant prayer in missions work.
Chapter 36
includes a story of how Li’s strong but polite stand against worshiping idols
and other Gods brought her respect from some of the Japanese officials.
I am so
glad I had the chance to reread this book again after 38 years. What a
wonderful testimony to the faithfulness of God, and of Christians under
persecution. I will be praising God more often for his faithfulness to them and
praying more earnestly for Christians now under persecution.
