(Larry Harrington and his wife Patsy attend Linn Memorial United Methodist Church in Fayette, MO. Continuing to live out his faith and share the love of Christ, he can often be found volunteering at the local food pantry.)
In June 1990, sixteen people took a Lottie Moon Mission tour to China. Fern Harrington Miles, my aunt, was co-leader of the tour along with two translator guides furnished by a Chinese Government agency. We toured several places where Lottie Moon worked and visited 2 or 3 approved Protestant Churches. When the Communists took over China in 1947 or 1948 many christians were punished by beatings, job loss, or imprisonment. Some were sent to work camps, and some were killed. Many churches were closed.
We were allowed to visit a Protestant church that was closed various times and were able to interview Pastor Shi. Pastor Shi had been arrested during the Cultural Revolution that lasted approximately 15 years. Thousands of students, teachers, Christians, professionals such as lawyers and doctors and property owners were arrested. Some were jailed, sent to work camps, tortured, brain washed and many died. Pastor Shi was sent to a farm work camp to be forced to renounce his faith in God. Pastor Shi did not renounce his faith. After many months (maybe years), Pastor Shi was allowed to return to his former church.
Pastor Shi prayed that some people would attend a worship service the first Sunday after his release. About 3:00 a.m the police woke Pastor Shi and told him that there were many people gathered in the street wanting to have church service. He was told to send them home. Pastor Shi addressed the crowd and told them to disburse and come back later in the morning. Early in the morning, the crowd came back and Pastor Shi persuaded police to let him have a service at about 5:00am. Two or three large services were held that day. The people loved God and loved Pastor Shi and risked arrest and harassment to attend Church.
When we interviewed Pastor Shi he radiated the power of God. Even when he was speaking in Chinese to a group of English speakers, he clearly communicated God's love and power. Our group felt like we were with a modern day St. Paul or St. Peter. The group including me felt the tremendous love and power of the Holy Spirit in Pastor Shi.
Our guides who were not Christians said the government had felt the power and love that radiated from within the pastor. After a wonderful visit with Pastor Shi, we were escorted to our bus where there was a loud argument occurring between the driver and the police. Pastor walked up to the police and rather quickly the police left. During our mission tour we saw the love and power of God demonstrated by Pastor Shi and several other Christians who had lost freedom, jobs, and friends but still loved God and continued to worship Him.
