Migrant workers in China face many life challenges and pressures. They often have to leave behind elderly parents and young children in the villages in search for work in the cities.
Xiao Li, a Christian migrant worker said, “In order to make a living, I left my home town and found a job in another place. Who can understand this tough life that I have? After a day’s hard work, I am so tired. I like to take out this booklet The Lord Protects You to read as I find reading makes me feel better and it is actually beneficial to me.”
Xiao was talking about the pocket-sized booklet entitled The Lord Protects You, containing selected Bible verses taken mainly from Psalms, Luke, Mark, 2 Corinthians, and Jeremiah. It was specially designed for the purpose of comforting and encouraging those who are ill by pointing people towards Jesus Christ.
This booklet was published and distributed by Jiangsu Christian Council/Three-Self Patriotic Movement and supported by the United Bible Societies. Copies were sent to churches in the Jiangsu province. These churches had in turn given them out through their members. A few migrant workers who had received and read the booklet shared how their lives were touched as God’s Word spoke personally to them in various situations.
Understood God’s Plans
Liang Dan, a Christian migrant worker, was injured in an industrial accident. He shared how the Bible verses in the booklet helped him to understand God’s plan in his life. Instead of becoming angry, he is now a thankful man. “When I was injured at work some time ago, I was angry that it happened because all along I enjoyed a very smooth life journey. However, after reading the booklet The Lord Protects You, I realized that God allows us to go through trials in our lives so that we can know that He is our mighty God. We must fix our eyes on our God and experience His abundance.”
Reaching Seekers
A factory worker Lan Jun shared this: “I had a colleague who is a Christian. We used to laugh at him and he will just give us a smile in return. One day, I saw a little booklet The Lord Protects You lying on his table. I picked it up and read it. After reading the booklet, I started to understand that Jesus protects us. And Christianity would not lead us astray. When we were young, we were taught that all religions are evil. We are deeply influenced by this kind of teaching and we therefore rejected all the religions. I used to look down on all Christians because I did not know much about their religion. Now I know I am wrong. I want to find out more about Christianity.”
Xiao Ye received this booklet The Lord Protects You from another worker. “Although I am a young person, I have seen lots of suffering around me. I have come to the conclusion that human comfort is of no use. A fellow worker gave me this booklet. I read and got to know that there is a higher being protecting us. In the past, I used to think that there must be some kind of superpower in the universe, but I did not know who this God (superpower) is. Now I know that He is Jesus. I believe in Jesus now!” said Xiao.
God Made Known
Although the The Lord Protects You was initially designed to comfort the sick, God has made Himself known to these workers individually in His own special way. God’s Word is powerful. People are getting to know Him.
Written by Ms. Pamela Choo and Ms. YEO Tan Tan
Chinese Testimonies translated by Ms. Tracy Wang
for United Bible Societies, China Partnership
