“Let me tell you the story of the big rock,” enthusiastically said one of the hospital administrators during our welcome dinner. “Not again,” I thought to myself, “I have heard it many times already!” He continued, unaware of my silent protest. “It was in 1998 when the roads were not as good as they are now. I went to Chengdu to pick up the medical team. A big rock rolled down the hill and completely blocked the road. We had to wait for someone to come and put explosives into the rock and blow it apart before our vans could continue our journey.” He went on to count the people on that first team: Stephen, Po Kee, Richard, Carter, Peter, Derek and Matthew. He hardly had any occasion to use English in his daily life, yet he had committed these 7 unfamiliar English names to memory. Those 7 gentlemen must have left an indelible impression on his mind.

“Christians are different!” our driver declared. He went on to back his statement up with evidence. “I have picked up and sent off every single medical team since 1998; and I have watched you. You guys don’t wear flashy clothes and with the exception of one lady doctor, none of you wear any gold or silver jewelry. Moreover, when you ride on my van, you always leave it as clean as when you board it. You don’t spit, litter, smoke or swear, and you’re always polite. You guys are different!”

What astute observation! I didn’t even notice the absence of jewelry on my team mates! We sometimes feel hindered that we cannot share openly. Yet opportunities to witness abound, often in the smallest of details! Our actions and reactions in various circumstances have become a ‘tract’ for others to read. Through the last eight years, little by little, one team after another, one story at a time, seed was being sown and fruit is coming forth.

At our team’s debriefing meeting, one of the team members raised the question of whether it was worthwhile to expend so much energy and resources in one rural hospital, when the measurable effect was so limited. It is a good question and not an easy one to answer. As we strategized and theorized, these and other stories kept popping up in my mind. Long after the medications we brought have passed their expiry date, and long after the medical knowledge we taught has become outdated, these stories will continue to be told and retold. Perhaps it is not so much what we teach or do or donate that matters, but our presence, as representatives of Christ, as salt and light that does. We are so privileged to be invited to witness His hand at work.

‘For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.’
(Isaiah 61:11)

We arrived at the Chongqing Technology and Business University on a cool autumn day. A role play on the first day challenged all the students into thinking: Lily, a young university graduate, lied in her resume about her past experiences in order to get a good job. She was hired immediately. However, later on, her supervisor found out that she was actually fired from her previous job and many of the facts in the resume were lies. The role play was stopped there. The students were asked to vote for their actions: to fire or to forgive her. All the students immediately said that she should be fired. “Why?” I asked. The answer was unanimous. She had done some unforgivable mistakes. “Unforgivable mistake? What kind? Have you ever lied in your job?” I asked again. The audience seemed to be stunned. They did not know how to reply. However, to them, to forgive seemed to be totally beyond the principle of the business world. After all, she deserved such punishment. For the following days, we were still discussing about the role play. Some students started to doubt their decisions. Should we give her a second chance if she regretted and said sorry? How about us? We all made mistakes before? What happens if nobody forgives us? Later on, I challenged my class to think of another question, “what do you, Lily and Christmas have in common?” They were even more shocked about my question. I told them the greatest gift of Christmas is that we are forgiven despite the fact that we all did something wrong before.

Looking back on all the wonderful experiences, I felt so welcomed into this beautiful country. All the food they served on the table was delicious. I felt being part of the Chinese culture in a very short time. A few weeks ago, I could not even imagine using my own business skills to serve the Lord in China. Now, I see how powerful and important to train up a new generation with not only business skills but ethics. How I wish I can go back and teach those students again!

Carmen Yan

During my first venture into China as an English teacher this past summer, I discovered what it means to show love and receive it from a people of whose true culture and language I know relatively little (being a CBC). We only taught for two weeks, but God’s pre-arrangements were evident as we met person after person whose hearts were wide open to us and what we had to teach them. As a result, I have learned just as much from them as vice versa, if not more.

An encounter that sticks in my mind was with a teenage student in the small discussion group I was leading. Halfway into the first week, Tom asked when we were going to teach them the song “The True Meaning of Love” – a song we weren’t even planning to introduce until the end of the week! As it turned out, he had walked past another discussion group just as they were looking at PowerPoint slides with those song lyrics on them. He explained that he recognized it because his dad, a doctor, had learned that same song from a MSI medical team some time ago and had sung it at home. Wow!

A week later, Tom invited our whole team to join him, his friend Kelvin, and his parents to a home-cooked meal. Yum…how could we resist? During this visit, both Kelvin and Tom were eager to share about their lives as students in China and about the Chinese educational system. Even though I’d heard stories before, it still stunned me that these very students faced the daily reality of LONG school days and harshly competitive grading scales. And to think we complain about rubrics and 3:30 pm ending times! I was impressed at their high levels of work ethic and ability to persevere, but also saddened with the knowledge that most of them had little choice but to “stick with it.” Sensing Tom’s stress about his upcoming nation-wide examination, our conversation turned to such topics as self-worth, true success, and the meaning of life (i.e. striving to become #1 shouldn’t be the primary focus of your life). We had some good discussion, eye-opening for both parties, and then we shared a tasty meal. Before we left, Tom’s mother shared with us a favorite song of hers: “I Have A China Heart.” It’s a beautiful song and I could really sense the love she harbored for her country as she sang.

Such experiences were like God’s fingerprints all throughout our trip. What a way to learn about and to serve your native land! Even after I returned to Canada, my Father showed me that our absence would not mean the end of His work. Waiting in my e-mail inbox was a message from Tom: … I’m so happy that I could spend the wonderful time with you. Because of your correct views of life, I will feel happier in the rest of my life. As you can see, a person who doesn’t have a correct view of life is like having no soul.
May His love continue to spread unabated throughout this thirsty land!

Eva J. Chung

On our first day at the Public Health School at Luzhou, we were overwhelmed by the number of students in the classroom! They were jammed packed sitting at desks and in chairs arranged in rows. We were surprised that the students’ ages covered a very wide range from thirteen to over thirty years old! Their backgrounds and educational levels were also varied. This included high-school students, graduate students, English teachers, and workers in the school. The evening classes were attended by doctors, graduate students, and also high school students.

After the first session, we prayed to God for wisdom of how to plan our lessons and how to reach out to the students. And He had a plan for us. We felt that He told us to share His love with them. We realized this especially after Erica’s story told by Ma Min, made a huge impact on the students. Erica came to join us at the beginning of the trip despite her dad having gone into a deep coma. Because of her dad’s deep faith, he told her to go. She unselfishly came because she loved her dad and God.

Many times when we were challenged both physically and emotionally, God always answered us and showed us the way. In one session, we were going to teach on the topic “Sports.” Our plans had been to have the students play basket ball and soccer outside! The days before that had been extremely hot, above 40’s C everyday! The air was so stifling and sticky that it would be basically impossible to stay outside for a long period of time. Again, the Lord watched over us. It rained and poured the night before and the temperature dropped to the 30’s! The event went by smoothly and everyone had a great time.

Our session on Christmas also shared the good news of love. Many of the students had not heard the story and some of them were very receptive. They enjoyed the unit by acting out the story and talking about it. They were deeply touched by the MSI theme song which they learned to sing. Then we wrapped up the two weeks in a unit on Weddings, which was the climax to the lesson on the love of God and of two human beings.
Although our time in Luzhou was very short, we all felt that we had reached out to the students and had shown them what love is all about. The students were very happy to have had a chance to meet and communicate with English speaking people from abroad. They appreciated the non-traditional teaching methods and strategies which helped bring out their creativity by their participation in the activities. They told us on the last day that they had learned what true love is. They also felt that love is patient, kind and envies no one; love is not boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish; love does not gloat over men’s sins, but delights in the truth…and love will never come to an end . They also marveled at the joy of our teaching team members in rendering our services to them in such a hot and difficult situation.

Throughout this trip, I have personally learned a lot about China, and her people. I have come to empathize with them and to love them even more. I hope that we have left an impact of love with them. I have also grown spiritually and felt that God had a plan for each one of us and was with us at all times. We have been touched and humbled by the lessons we learned from the people we met.

Within 24 hours of arriving at Chongqing, an accident happened. Josh and Ron decided to have a basketball game with our escort, Blair, and his friends. Chin and I were visiting MSI colleagues at their apartment meeting with about 15 students for English corner.

By 9:30 pm, the phone rang at Johnny’s place. The students and us were just starting to have an intense conversation about purpose and meaning of life. I heard my name, wondering who was this person on the other end. I picked up the phone. It was Bob, the assisting director of Foreign Affairs. “Josh slipped and fell at the basketball field. I think he hurts himself very badly. I am going to take him to the hospital.” said Bob. “What?” I replied. I heard some gasps from my unwanted audience behind me. Chin and I walked out immediately thanking our hosts and taking our impolite exit.

Within minutes, we were on our way to the hospital. Josh was in agony with his right elbow resting on his right leg. “Josh, can I check your shoulder?” I asked, thinking that my past medical training may help a bit. He replied bluntly, “No. It hurts too much.” Immediately, I guessed that he has dislocated his shoulder, but the fear that he may fracture some bones worried me. So, we prayed quietly in the vehicle, not wanting to offend any of our escorts.

We finally arrived. Chin and Blair were trying to contact the insurance company by phone in the hospital. None of the phone can make a long distance call. They left immediately to find another phone as the medical insurance policy stated that he needed to report before claiming any medical expanses.

Finally, the doctor arrived. I used my broken and Cantonese-contaminated Mandarin to explain to them that he needed an X-ray right away. After the X-ray was taken, Josh was then wheeled back to the emergency room, as they were debating whether to admit him to the surgery ward or not. Finally, the nurse motioned us to go. With 4 men, we wheeled him up to the surgery ward. The diagnosis was dislocation, as expected. “We might need to put him under general anesthetic, as he is a big man.” I tried to interpret for Josh. Immediately, Josh said, “my aunt could not wake up from general anesthetic; we have a genetic disposition in our family called ‘malignant hyperthermia’. If I am going to be put under general, I need a special kind.” I tried my very best to convey the message to the doctor, they looked at me puzzled. I had no way to translate “malignant hypothermia” to the doctor and therefore asked if they had a bilingual dictionary. But the answer was no. So, we prayed and waited. The doctor called the anesthetic department. “Well, we had a Canadian who dislocated his shoulder, can we put him under general?” he asked. “Well, when did you last eat?” “We just finished our meal about 2 hours ago,” I said. The school had kindly invited us to this wonderful dinner that we all filled up to the brim.

“No way, we need to wait for 6 to 8 hours before we can put him under general,” said the doctor. The translation and conversation bounced back and forth. Finally, the doctor said, let’s try local anesthetic and see. “We might not be able to complete the reduction,” the doctor said. Josh nodded. We all went out and gave them some privacy. A few more interns arrived. Altogether there were 5 men. I could not see from standing outside. We could only pray. Within minutes, we heard this groaning scream coming out from the room. I pushed the door opened slightly and asked, “Is it done?” One of the interns rushed out to get some more supplies, stating, “No.”

We waited more. Another scream!! I pushed the door opened again and heard the doctors discussing in Mandarin, “we can’t do it, he is too tense. He needs to relax.” I yelled in English immediately, “Josh, you need to relax. We are praying for you. Just trust the Lord. Let the doctors do whatever they want. Just relax!” Then, I closed the door again. Chin, Ron and I were praying. Our escorts were pacing up and down, not knowing what else they can do. Blair was so guilt stricken that he squatted on the floor and covered his face. Ron went over and rubbed his back and assured him, “it was not your fault.” I echoed, “It was only an accident.”

Within minutes, the door was pushed open. I saw the grin on the face of the doctors. They said, “It is done.” “Praise the Lord,” I shouted. Then, the doctor indicated that Josh needed to keep his shoulder in a flexed position for the coming 3 weeks. They then used a strip of cloth to wrap around his chest and his arm hoping to immobilize the newly relocated joint. But within a few minutes, those strips of clothes fell off. I looked at Josh’s miserable state, feeling so sorry and yet praising God for His healing hand.

Looking around, Josh finally stood up and thanked everybody. We thanked everybody and dragged our over-exhausted bodies back to our apartment. I could not sleep but thank the Lord for his answer to our prayers. I could see the seed of God’s love and presence was planted Blair’s heart.

During the short stay in Heqing, one woman came in desperately asking us to help her. She had had a complete tear of her anal sphincter during the delivery of her baby 8 years ago at home since she had not had enough money to deliver in a hospital. This tear had never been repaired and it had caused bowel incontinence. No one knows how she has managed to live with such a terrible problem for the past 8 years. When she heard the specialist team was coming to visit, she borrowed about $1000 RMB and came to the hospital for help. She told us that she only had $1000, nothing more. The other 2 gynecologists on the team and I examined her carefully and felt that this might be a very complicated procedure that we wouldn’t even take lightly to do in Canada. Although I knew in my mind every single step of how to perform this surgery, I had never actually performed this type of surgery in Canada. We encouraged her to go to Kunming to seek medical help. She refused since she would not be able to pay $8000, the probable cost in Kunming. We then told her to give us until the next day to think about it.
That night, we talked and debated about whether or not to do it. What if there were complications? What if we botched the procedure and she ended up suffering more? What if people complained afterwards and refused to have any foreign visiting doctors come any more? Many more what ifs came to our minds. Deep in my heart, I felt that God was calling me to take this step in faith.
The steps of the surgical procedure kept playing inside my head. I knew what to do and wanted to do it, but why didn’t the other two gynecologists agree? However, we finally decided to tell the lady the bad news the next day that we were not going to operate on her.
That night, I told the department head our decision so she could tell the patient the next day. To my surprise, the department head said that the lady had already admitted herself to the hospital, waiting for the surgery to be performed. I suddenly realized that God was indeed telling me something. We needed to step out in faith and help this lady. God would not abandon us. Amazingly, the surgery went exceptionally well. Within an hour, everything was repaired and it looked beautiful. It was as if God had guided my hands through the entire operation. Although we planned to take at least 2 or 3 hours, God surprised us by his amazing provision so that one hour was more than enough. We even had time left that morning to do some sightseeing. When we visited her on the ward that afternoon, both her and her sister had tears in their eyes. They were so grateful.
This incident taught me a big lesson. I realized that things are usually not under our control and decisions are not made in the usual way. We need to have faith in our great and amazing God. We need to put our pride aside. We need to come alongside him to see what he is doing and join him, allowing his power to work through us.

My memory of Heqing
Stephen Cheng

My story with Heqing started when the local officials initiated a request for MSI professionals to teach mental issues to the Bai minority group in this region. MSI assembled a team led by a clinical psychologist from Los Angeles, a psychiatrist from Hong Kong, a social worker from Singapore and myself, a nursing manager from Canada. We had about 3 months to design a 5-day teaching program to 3 different groups of audiences. Over countless emails and conference calls we finally sketched the outlines of the program that included topics such as high school exam stress, mental illness, suicide prevention, role of the family and other forms of effective mental health intervention.
Lijiang greeted us with its gentle and refreshing mountain air. On the way to the town of Heqing there were endless patches of yellow and green plants. Scattered farmhouses accentuated the simplicity and antiquity of this picturesque environment.
We woke up to a crisp cool morning in this town that is 7000 feet above sea level. The sun seemed to be brighter. Most of the flowers had bloomed in March. Seventeen degree Celsius in the afternoon was just right for our first town tour. In this town of 260,000 people, there is a sense of unhurriedness. The stores opened until 10 pm and there is no line-up anywhere. The main forms of transportation were the 3 wheelers that can take up to 4 passengers. The sky was blue and the air smelt clean. Our host served us with home made German breads and coffee. I had my first sticky rice chocolate ice cream!
On the 3rd day we had bread and water for breakfast and headed to the high school for our first day of teaching. After a simple ceremony of speeches by government officials, our team leader started her part of the program. I followed with an hour-long presentation of high school exam stress in front of 850 students. My 3 months training in Mandarin proved useful. We did a similar presentation at another high school to a slightly smaller number of students in the afternoon. The officials treated us to delightful dinners when we finished teaching. I never saw so much fresh vegetables. They were nicely presented with thoughtful color combination. Who can resist fresh broad beans, finely sliced green peppers, tender looking mushrooms and of course the deep-fried goat cheese. We were often offered 35% local wine. I still can’t tell a superior wine from an inferior one.
As soon as the dinner was over our team regrouped and shared thoughts and feelings. We had to prepare for the lesson plans and handout for the following day. By the time we were finished it was about 9.30 – 10 pm. Though we were tired we humbled ourselves and sought strength and wisdom from God for the tasks that was ahead of us. Through songs, bible verse and prayer our hearts were renewed and knitted together.
For the next 2 days we taught clinical intervention to 75 medical staff in a new hospital. We spent the last 2 days with 70 teachers in a school. The feedback from the medical staff and teachers were very positive. The official report considered our effort exemplary.
Since coming back I have been asked more than once whether I would ever go back to Heqing? My answer is I don’t know. What I know is that in Heqing I had a taste of sharing the lives with nameless servants laboring quietly in the presence of God. I learned a little about prayer and the deep bond of Christian friendship. It was in Heqing that I came to understand the quality of gentleness, hardworking and the eagerness to learn amongst the Bai minorities of China. Although I still don’t belong to Heqing, I am no longer completely foreign to Heqing. A young student handed me a note at the end of the first teaching session. It read, “Uncle, I congratulate you on a job well done, I was encouraged not only by what the team taught but also the spirit of love you brought from overseas.” When I think of Heqing, I feel peace and joy amidst familiar comfort of a home.

结束了随同加拿大国际专业服务机构在中国的短期事工，人完完全全地回到了加拿大，可是，心却不能完全的回来，是什么让自己的思绪常常在不知不觉中跑回那个遥远的即陌生又熟悉的地方呢？

是家乡的亲人、朋友加重了自己的思乡情节？也不是，其实，这次能够有机会顺路看望他们，是缓解了这份思乡情。曾经在中国生活32年，一直以为自己即了解中国农村的贫穷、又见过经济改革后的富足。古蔺之行，却看到许多自己所不曾知道的。记忆中，那雾蒙蒙的四川；那绿色的山；那些新结识的面孔，笑的、不笑的；那浓重的川音；那深灰色历经沧桑的砖瓦房；那些穿在人们身上满是灰尘与汉渍的衣服；那些质朴的脸庞和神情；那些拖着沉重手推车的车夫；那些早上5：30就不得不起来做工的孩子，还有她 (他) 们那渴望被关爱的眼神；那因瘫痪坐在轮椅上的煤矿工；那自幼患有白内障而又无钱医治的13岁女孩，以及那笼罩在她幼小心灵中即将失明然后失学的阴影；那失去拇指的男孩儿；那笑呵呵并总是满不在乎的救护车司机和他充满伤痛的人生故事…是什么牵动我的心？是他(她)们生活上的贫穷，是物质上的缺乏，经济上的紧迫? 我看到人们心中的无奈，我看到他们的挣扎，我看到他们

起早贪黑工作，我听到他们诉说的不是心中如何地盼望，而是那些盼望与想如何一次又一次地被摧毁。一个人的心到底能承受多少次打击、能经历多少的苦难？一双眼睛哭累了，就不会再有眼泪；一颗心哭累了，就不会再有盼望…

我的心却怎能不为同胞的无望无助而哭泣？！我的神啊，你将我带到那个地方，你让我的眼去看，你让我的耳去听，你让我的心去感受，你让我的灵去接触。

主啊，为何你将那些与我素不相识的人放到我的心思意念中？
你是要我明白他们是你所牵挂的？
你是要我明白你也是这样牵挂我们的？

Be Still My Soul,

My short term MSI medical service trip is over. I have physically returned to Canada, but my heart has not completely returned. What is it that brings my thoughts subconsciously back to that far away land every now and then?
Is it that the trip has intensified my home-sickness? Not likely either. In fact, since I had a chance to visit my family and friends after the trip, I feel less home sick than before. I lived in China for 32 years, and I thought I understood the poverty of rural China, as well as the wealth created by economic reforms. The trip to Gulin has opened my eyes to what I have never known. My memories are filled with the misty sky of Sichuan, the green mountains, the gray brick houses that have witnessed so much history, the smiling and serious faces, the heavy Sichuanese accent, the dusty and stained clothes, the innocent faces with sincere looks, men pulling heavy carts loaded with cargo, children who have to wake up at 5:30am to work, their eyes betraying their yearning for love, the paralyzed wheelchair-bound miner, the 13-year-old girl with congenital cataract, who fears the prospect of not being able to go to school, the boy who lost his thumb, the ambulance driver with a tragic life story, coping by laughing everything off. What is it that tugs at my heart? Is it their poverty, their material want? Yes, but that’s not all.

Through that poverty, I see the emptiness in their hearts. Through their daily toil and struggles, I hear not how and what they have hoped for, but how their hopes and dreams have been dashed time and time again. How much hurt can a person weather? How much trauma can a heart withstand?!

Oh, my Lord, it is you brought me to that far away land. You allow my eyes to see,