Testimonies

I never thought I would teach in China.  When I returned to school in 2009 to become a teacher I knew I wanted to teach ESL and at some point teach overseas for 1 or 2 years, but that all depended on our Fathers will. (Click here to read my full testimony)

I saw old (Forbidden City and Great Wall). I saw new (fast trains and elegant hotels). I saw hopelessness (slums and orphanages). I saw great hope (the spark of the Gospel in the lives of foreigners and in the hearts of the house church).

I saw life being lived by ordinary people who were just like me. I looked into their eyes and I saw the hunger for better. A better life for their families. A better future for their children. I saw a team of individuals, mostly unknown to each other, fuse together into a team to show the students and staff that love, agape love is real and that it comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ. I saw students that felt the love of Christ from each teacher. I saw school staff that were inspired by Americans, foreigners to them at first but altogether friends at last. I saw gentle Chinese people, so enamored by these Americans that they would ask us to let them take pictures. Pictures and memories that they will tell to their grandchildren . And all I can say is ‘Wow’! I saw God move in the heart of a businessman, who started the week an atheist, but by weeks end was proclaiming how God was moving. I saw a young man, teenager, with tears streaming down his face, saying “Bill, I believe”. I saw a house church in worship and singing and praising the Lord in words I didn’t understand but with a melody I knew by heart. I saw God in China and all I can say is “Wow”!

My prayer prior to leaving for China was that God would be orchestrating stepping stones in our students lives for our team to step on and reflect His grace, love, peace and mercy. As I began to hear and see the heart of my students I saw how evident my prayer was in their lives. I could clearly see the hopelessness and lack of love in their eyes. On our last day a student said to me and my partner “I see peace in you. A peace I do not have.” Through that I was able to share exactly where my peace comes from, Jesus Christ.

The opportunity I had to serve in China with BFHCM was remarkable, I I see Gods hand so clearly in BFHCM. I encourage all my brothers and sisters to be obedient and serve in China.

I saw God’s hands with us during the whole camp.  When one of our team members lost her purse right after she arrived Beijing airport, it was found in a unbelievable way. Through that, the lady who found it heard the gospel with the Savior’s Name, Jesus Christ. I saw HIS mighty hands; When on the first teaching day, a big teaching issue  happened and challenged the whole camp, came from the Lord wonderful wisdom to rearrange the teaching teams, which saved the whole camp from closing and danger. I saw HIS saving hands; During the camp, almost everyone received the breaking and rebuilding work from the Lord while God was working through us, non-perfect servants as a blessing to the others. I saw HIS constructing hands….Yes, I saw the righteousness of God and power of love, patience, obedience among team members in control during the whole camp, from classroom to the restaurants, from morning till night, from the train to the Great Wall….I saw the team was finally built into One; I saw 5 students, one by one, bowed down before the Lord and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, joy filled their faces and hearts; I saw the wonderful sweet fellowship among our team with the local Christians around tables, talking, praying, singing, sharing, enjoying the presence of the Lord; I saw tears in bro.David’s eyes when we said goodbye to him at the train station; I heard him say that the 2nd team was much different with the first one, and I told him the reason that he felt that way was because of the big difference that happened in his life; And at last, I heard all the team members say,” for the Lord’s sake, we will be soon back”.

This February, I had the privilege of being a part of the Bridge for Hope Winter Camp. To my surprise, the majority of the students who enrolled, not only attend the school where I teach, but were my students!

Being a part of this camp allowed me to interact with them in ways not possible at the school.  Since the classes at the camp were small, I was able to learn their names.  The classes in my school are so big, that unless they tell me their name 100 times, or tell me their English name (if they have one), I will probably never learn them by name.  I also teach an entire grade of over 1,000 students each week.  Now because I know who they are, I can address them on campus or in class when I see them.  Some of them are even making appointments to talk with me during their free time, which did not happen before the camp, and some say hello more often or wave at me. One of the students recently told me that his mother invited me to their house for an afternoon at the end of the month,  I did not go to their house during the camp.

In addition to learning their names, we spent time going places for lunch and for afternoon activities.  In the evenings, the students invited us into their houses for dinner.  The camp also allowed my students to see me differently. They saw me more as a person, instead of as a teacher. I cannot say what I enjoyed most about the camp, it was all so wonderful.  I enjoyed working and getting to know the team, I enjoyed teaching the material, the activities, going to the student’s houses, getting to know my students better. How did God use me during the camp?  I don’t  know.  Maybe I will learn about that as time goes on here at the school, maybe I will never know. While I cannot openly preach on campus, I have found creative ways to get the message across. I know of one who has become a family member, and I believe there are others who want to learn more, but may   be afraid to speak up. There is much darkness here, and much opposition.  I can sense in class when I say something they don’t like, or say too much. There are some here who already believe, but most don’t. The students here are wonderful and much more respectful.  I hope you will consider participating in a camp, or perhaps coming here to teach.

I have been on several missions trips in the past and have enjoyed them all. One was a trip to China, but the trip and purpose was much different than this one. I really did not know what to expect, but believed that God had something very special in store for us and I was absolutely correct. We had a team that barely knew each other before leaving, but built a strong and I believe lasting bond during the trip. The young men and women that we worked with in the class rooms stole our hearts. On the last day of the camp there were many tears shed, some by me! I cannot describe the feeling of joy as we watched Pastor Abraham lead a young man and woman to the Lord at a house church meeting. It was the same feeling we had when a student from last year’s camp made a point to come and visit to let us know she is now a follower of Christ, brought out of the kingdom of darkness and into His marvelous Kingdom of Light. I also really enjoyed the trip to The Great Wall, but the people of China are the driving force of my desire to return. Every teacher expressed a strong interest in returning. Lord willing, I look forward to watching God move in China again in 2017!

Oh, Lord my God…when I in awesome wonder!!  We serve an awesome God.  I thank you Lord for the opportunity you gave me to share your love with others who are searching for something.  And not knowing what they are searching or looking for.  But it’s not a What… it’s a Who — You are all anyone needs.  Bro. David, I thank you for allowing us to work along side of you at the school.  Lord, I ask that you continue to help us as your messengers (mission workers) to carry your word  wherever your Holy Spirit leads us to share.  God Blesses us everyday and don’t let us lose sight of the many blessings we have.

It’s a great blessing for me to take part in the second winter camp in Shi Jiazhuang. Being a teacher in China I have much burden for lost souls of teenagers, who are being influenced by dark culture greatly, cheated by Satan, being poor in spirit, not knowing the truth of the world. And I’ve been praying for school students often.

During this winter camp I saw God send HIS laborers to come to China to spread the gospel seeds, 4 male, 5 female, aging from 20s to 60s, including an American teacher working in China, overcoming all kinds of difficulties at home, with moving testimonies of raising money. 10 people make up one big family to show unconditional love from God to the kids here, both teachers and kids in the ECE school are affected by our love, joy, prayers. With the teaching material Understanding True Love kids learn more about true love, and they said what the book taught is very  useful to their life, which they couldn’t learn from school education. At the end of the mission 4 souls are saved, receiving Jesus as their Savior, I was moved to tears seeing the kids kneeling down to admit they are sinners, praise the Lord, we saw gospel fruits. To my great joy, the kids now go to the church often and love reading Bible. God bless the kids.

Brenda, Bambi and I visited 4 families, we prayed before meals as well as leaving the family, blessing the family members. Some families heard of God, some not, but seeing the testimonies, the Lord’s name is made known at their home and around them.

We visited an orphanage in the suburb, the orphans there are mostly seriously disabled, luckily they have a God’s home, nuns taking care of them. The orphanage is a light there. God bless the Home. How thankful we should be to our God being healthy people!

During the mission the leader of BFH (Bridge for Hope) Abraham adopted Sam as his daughter, only with God’s love can this thing happen. What a blessing.

From this mission I feel a loving and joyful life will light many souls in the dark, I also feel God is sending warriors to fight a spiritual battle in places all over the world, God has opened many doors, God has HIS time, nothing is difficult for HIM.

Arise, shine

For your light has come!

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,

And deep darkness the people;

This mission is fruitful, God bless BFH, bless kids and families in China, bless the laborers and their families.

The moment I heard about the mission trip to China I was sold. GOD commanded us all to go forth to all nations to spread His word. The day I first met brother Abraham I knew he was on fire for GOD and that he has a calling on his life to not only serve GOD but also has a great passion for the people of China. I learned so much not only about how to serve GOD and to serve others but also learned so much about myself. My fellow teammates on the mission team are amazing people I love them all and brother David and his team were also, so amazing. They welcomed us with open arms and helped us so much. I really enjoyed this mission trip and hope to be going back winter of 2017.  The students are like family now GOD moved so much and added to my family by many. GOD bless all of you and hope to see more on the next mission trip.