SHANDONG, China – To Cai Juntao, 58, the Bible is better than any medicine.
A fisherman by trade living in the coastal region of Weifang city, Cai personally experienced the healing power of God and the joy that comes from reading His Word. It happened when he suffered a major stroke in the winter of 2021.
Cai’s illness was a bolt from the blue, especially when he has always been fit and healthy. The illness devastated him and his wife. Overcome with sorrow, his wife was in tears every day.
“The doctors said to prepare for the worst. I could be paralysed for the rest of my life. But my elder sister who is a Christian said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ (Matthew 19:26, ESV). Let us lean on the Lord,” Cai recalled.
His elder sister then rallied the whole church to pray for her brother’s recovery and church members took turns to visit and pray for him at the hospital where Cai stayed for two months. The love and care given by these Christians moved Cai and his wife to the core. It was at the hospital that the couple committed their lives to the Lord Jesus.
As soon as he was discharged from the hospital, Cai began going to church for services and fellowship meetings. He was undeterred by the fact that he had to do so on crutches. At these meetings, fellow believers kept encouraging him to stay strong in the faith. Cai could sense the healing power of God working in him.
Within less than a week, his body began to regain strength. Soon he realised that he could throw away his crutches and walk to church by himself! People around him were all amazed at how quickly his recovery took place.
As Cai’s physical body was being healed, the Lord was also building up his spirit man through His Word. “The Bible became my daily companion during the period of my recovery for nearly half a year. Through the Bible, I became aware of the sins in my life. God’s Word brought comfort and encouragement to my heart. It works so much better than any injections and medicine from the hospital!” shared Cai with much gratitude in this voice.
The spring of 2022 marked another milestone in Cai’s spiritual journey. He was baptised and through his church he received his first personal copy of the Bible, donated by the United Bible Societies. Since then, Cai said he has been reading the Bible every day.
His wife is the first to testify to the transforming power of God’s Word in Cai’s life. “For many years, Cai ran several small businesses and tried various jobs. Despite all his efforts, he lost a lot of money which caused much tension in the family. We were constantly hounded by the creditors. He was short-tempered, and with the debts mounting, we argued all day.”
“Thank God for healing him from stroke and saving his life! And praise God that after reading the Bible, we are different, much different. Now, he is a changed man, more patient and even-tempered. Others may not notice it, but I do. Praise God!” shared Mrs Cai who also reads the Bible regularly.
Not only was the Bible better than any medicine, it has also brought Cai and his wife closer together as a couple, giving them hope and meaning in their lives.
What is the Bible to you? Let’s be encouraged to read it regularly like Cai and his wife to discover the answer personally.
Story: Cynthia Oh and Marcus Xiao
Photo: Provided by Cai Juntao
2022©UBS China Partnership