GUANGXI, China - At 98 years old, Shi Yuying’s hands are weathered, her back slightly bent, but her eyes shine brightly with faith. For over three decades, she has walked with Jesus through hardship, loneliness, and physical exhaustion. It was only last year when she received a new Bible that changed her life in ways she never expected - her first large-print Bible.
“I used to have a Bible,” Shi said with a smile, “but the print was too small. I could barely see the words.” Despite failing eyesight and limited education, she held on to her faith, praying, listening, and learning whenever she could. Then, in July 2024, with the support of her local church in rural Liuzhou, the Guangxi Christian Council and the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (CC&TSPM) and United Bible Societies (UBS), Shi finally received a personal copy of a large-print Bible she could read on her own.
“I thank God!” she said. “Back then, I never thought anyone would give me a new Bible. I was so grateful and happy.”
From Folk Beliefs to Faith
Shi grew up following local folk beliefs, burning incense to ancestors, making paper sacrifices, and praying to local deities for protection. “That was all I knew,” she recalled. “Life was hard, and we did whatever we could to survive and stay safe.” During the Cultural Revolution, she lived with the 270th Geological Team in Guangxi. Conditions were harsh. Residents had to build their own homes by carrying bricks and laying each wall with their bare hands.
“There was no rest,” Shi remembered. “We worked because if we didn’t, we would have nothing to eat.” Yet, the hardest part wasn’t the physical labour. “The hardest part was not knowing Jesus,” she shared.
Her life began to change in her late sixties when someone shared the Gospel with her. That simple act of personal evangelism opened a new chapter in Shi’s life. “I heard the Gospel and believed,” she said. It was the beginning of a deep, transformative journey.
Faith That Grows
Shi’s faith grew even though she was uneducated at first. “After I believed in Jesus, I slowly learned to recognise many words,” she shared. She began praying regularly and absorbing God’s Word through the teaching of her local church. Over time, driven by her desire to know God deeper, she could recognise more and more Chinese characters.
“To me, the Bible is the bread of life,” Shi said. “Without it, I would starve.” For Shi, reading the Bible isn’t just a religious act, it is spiritual nourishment, a source of strength in old age, and her daily guide. “Having this Bible now,” she said, holding her large-print copy gently, “is like having a weapon in my hands. Whenever I am weak, God’s Word gives me strength.”
“Having this Bible now is like having a weapon in my hands... Whenever I am weak, God’s Word gives me strength.”
A Changed Heart and Witness
Shi’s transformation is a great testimony of the life-changing power of the gospel. “In the past, I believed in repaying evil with evil,” she admitted. “But the Bible teaches me to be more forgiving and patient.” God’s Word has shaped her attitude, calmed her temper, and taught her to act with reverence and caution. “Without God's Word, one lives without restraint,” she said. “With it, I act with care in everything I do.”
Today, Shi feels more connected to God than ever before. “With this Bible, I can read God’s Word more often, pray more, and draw closer to Him,” she said. “In everything I do, God’s Word reminds me not to follow my own will, but to follow His.”
Walking in the Light
When asked what her life would be like without the Bible, Shi replied simply, “It would feel like walking in darkness with no direction. But with the Bible, I have found my way.”
After nearly a century of life through poverty, backbreaking labour, and cultural upheaval, Shi has found peace, joy, and direction in God’s Word. Her large-print Bible is more than a religious book. It is a precious gift that gives her eyes light, her heart hope, and her soul strength.
Photos: UBS China Partnership
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