A Gentle Whisper—A Mighty Movement

Slowly and quietly the little group began to walk toward the border checkpoint, appearing confident but quaking inwardly. They had no travel documents but had been assured they would be met by someone who could escort them safely into the country. The group consisted of a young couple, their two little boys, and the husband’s aunt and uncle. As the family hesitantly approached the border, they saw a sleek black car coming toward them from the opposite side of the checkpoint. The shiny gold plate on the front indicated that it was a government security vehicle. The car gradually came to a stop and the uniformed driver stepped out. As the driver approached the gate, the family noticed the impressive looking insignia that graced the left shoulder of his jacket. The driver received a sharp salute from the border guard which was hastily ignored. He went straight over to the young man of the family on the other side of the gate and curtly asked, “Are you Lu Chee Shi?” The young man replied, “Yes, sir,” with more bravado in his voice than he actually felt at that moment. The intimidating driver directed Lu and the rest of the group to quickly follow him. It was obvious the driver was accustomed to being obeyed without objection. With ease, he marched the little group straight through the border checkpoint without one single request for the inspection of their travel documents. They reached the car and were quickly shuffled inside. For the next two hours, the sleek car moved through the dark countryside weaving in and out of tiny villages. Much to their surprise and relief, they were simply waved through every single checkpoint. During the ride, Lu and his wife Betty, Uncle Dee Fu Nye, and Auntie Ci Chi were finally able to relax. Lu’s young sons Steven and Benjamin had drifted off to sleep, exhausted from all the commotion. In the quiet darkness Lu began to think about the exact person he was going to visit. For his entire life he had heard stories about this great man whom he’d never met. The car came to a stop and Lu was roused from his memories. They had finally reached their destination. Upon arriving at a small house, they thanked their driver who was no longer the stern commanding presence he once appeared to be. The family got out of the car and headed toward the house. Before they even reached the front door, giddy family members burst from within to welcome the weary travelers. It was a sweet reunion for Lu’s aunt and uncle and a proud moment for Lu as he introduced his own family to his long-lost relatives. Most of all, Lu could hardly wait to meet the man he had heard stories about his whole life, his Great-Uncle, “Grandfather” Fu Ah Pae. Lu always imagined his great-uncle as tall, strong, and confident with a commanding presence, but when he opened the door to his uncle’s tiny room, everything was silent. Lying on a low bed next to the window was a shrunken and frail man. Lu cautiously approached the bed, uncertain if he should disturb him. Sensing a presence, his uncle slowly opened his eyes. After a few short seconds, he opened them even wider and exclaimed, “Lu, at last! I have been waiting for you!” Tears began to stream down the old man’s weathered face, and he immediately began to recite Revelation 7:9-11. He passionately declared, “After this, I looked and there before me was a great multitude no one could count from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands, and they cried out in a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” Lu just stared in awe of the man before him. The next several days were spent getting acquainted: laughing, eating, playing, praying, and sharing spiritually. It was a sweet and long-awaited reunion. For Lu, the experience felt even richer. At night, long after everyone else had gone to bed, Lu would hear his uncle call his name. He would quietly slip into Uncle Fu’s room for a late-night prayer time. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, Lu would be awakened from a deep sleep by the sound of Uncle Fu’s wooden cane tapping on his ceiling, which was Lu’s floor. Lu knew he was being summoned and would drag himself out of bed, sleepy, but with anticipation. Great-Uncle Fu foresaw a day when Lu would return to the land of his heritage. He had a vision that Lu would share the good news of Jesus Christ in the remote mountain villages of Southwest China, where the name of God was rarely spoken. Lu’s Great-Uncle was preparing him for that day.