ear Partner in Ministry:

It was an unforgettable occasion!

Cher and I, along with 15 Compassion Radio travelers, were sitting at several round tables in a Beijing, China, restaurant in the company of some very honored guests:  Two Chinese home-church pastors and their wives.  (Their names are withheld in this article to protect their identity.  We'll call them "Pastor Wu" and "Pastor Yan.")  Let me tell you a bit about them...

These dear people are heroes of the Christian faith in China.  They are the Martin Luther and John Calvin of Chinese Christianity, a nation where the church is growing faster than at any time in the 2000 years since Jesus walked the Earth.

These remarkable men - now in their 80's - were sharing their stories with us... stories of persecution, courage, and triumph during their years of costly service for Jesus Christ.

Our Compassion Radio travelers were transfixed as they listened...

"Pastor Wu", as a young man, had sought for answers to life's questions in Buddhism and Confucianism.  But their answers did not satisfy him.  So he turned to Jesus Christ and gave his life to Him.

All through World War II he courageously defied the prohibitions of China's Japanese occupiers and preached the Gospel as a traveling evangelist.  When the war ended, he continued to preach until the communists, who had taken control of China, arrested and imprisoned him for nearly 22 years in a series of jails and labor camps.

During this 21-plus years of imprisonment, he was tortured repeatedly, including being confined for a 6-month period in a tiny, windowless cell, where he could scarcely move or see in the darkness.

Upon release from prison, "Pastor Wu" resumed his ministry, attracting scores of university students to his 'unregistered' house church.  Even though the communist authorities have continued to harass and periodically place him under house arrest, he continues to preach and brind hundreds of souls into Christ's kingdom.  Just prior to our visit with him, he had conducted a mass baptismal service in a lake near Beijing where more than 300 converts were baptized despite warnings from the police not to do so.

When asked what he and other Chinese Christian want most from Christians in America, "Pastor Wu" replied without hesitation:  "Two things.  Prayer and Bibles!"

"Pastor Yan" has a story no less remarkable.  He had committed his life to Christ at 14 years of age.  He had for years been Director of the Chinese Christian Mission in Shanghai.  But when the communists tried to force him to register his ministry with the government-controlled "Three-Self Church," he refused.

As punishment for his refusal to submit to communist control, "Pastor Yan" was arrested in May 1956 and imprisoned for 23 years.

Torture of "Pastor Yan" began immediately after his arrest.  His wrists were tightly and continuously handcuffed for 133 days, so that the metal cut directly through his skin into the bone.  The scars are still clearly evident on his wrists today.

Prison guards kicked him with their heavy boots, pulled his hair out, beat him and tried to force him to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ.  The torture was so intolerable that attempted suicide by jamming the thumbs of his cuffed hands into a light socket.  But God spared his life.

In a time of contrition following this suicide attempt, "Pastor Yan" heard an audible voice say to him "My grace is sufficient for you."  From that time on, he said, whenever he was beaten he did not feel the pain.

Following his release from prison and two later incarcerations, "Pastor Yan" was invited to move to the United States by numerous American Christian organizations.  But he chose to remain in China.  As he puts it:  "If I go, who will continue the work here?"  Today he quietly trains young pastors and leaders in China's house church movement.

What help does "Pastor Yan" desire from American Christians?  Like "Pastor Wu," he answers, "Prayer and Bibles."

As you can imagine, none of our Compassion Radio travelers could ever be the same after our meeting with the Chinese saints of God.

My Friend, it is Christian heroes like these who are requesting, and who will receive, the Bibles you provide through our "Operation God's Word" Christmas Bibles for China campaign.

• The need is great:  Only 1 our of every 2,000 Christians in China has access to a Bible.
• The result is fantastic:  An average of 5 converts will come to faith in Christ for every Bible you provide.

There is simply no better investment you can make in bringing people to Christ than sending Bibles to China through your year-end giving to "Operation God's Word."

Here's how the project works:

• For every $4.00 you send, we will place a Bible in the hands of a Chinese Christian.
• Your gift of $20.00 will provide 5 Bibles.
• Your gift of $40.00 will provide 10 Bibles.
• Your gift of $100.00 will provide 25 Bibles.
• Your gift of $400.00 will provide 100 Bibles.
• Your gift of $1000.00 will provide 250 Bibles.
• Your gift of $4000.00 will provide 1000 Bibles.

... and so on.  Organizations such as Open Doors and the Bible League estimate that:

• Your $20.00 gift of 5 Bibles will bring 25 converts to Christ.
• Your $200.00 gift of 50 Bibles will bring 250 converts to Christ.
• Your $400.00 gift of 100 Bibles will bring 500 converts to Christ.

And, once again this year an anonymous benefactor has promised to match your gift dollar-for-dollar.  That means that the number of Bibles you provide will be doubled.  But don't let this diminish your gift!  Rather, try to increase your Christmas and year-end gift.

Give a gift this Christmas that will literally last forever!  Follow this link to make your gift online, or to send your gift by mail use the following address:

"Operation God's Word"
Compassion Radio
P.O. Box 2770
Orange, CA  92859-0770

We pray for you a happy and Holy Christmas.

Norm and Cher Nelson.