Hung Wan

     In early 1918, when the World War was at its height, even in the interior of far away China a little news of that great conflict sifted in and became the talk of the villagers as they sat sipping tea in the evening twilight.

     Back in the mountains of Central Shantung a young man heard of this war.   He also heard that there were agents in Taian City, some twenty miles away, recruiting young men to go and help in this far away war.  He heard that they would provide transportation, food and pay in money that far surpassed anything he could earn in his own country.   So it was that Chao Tien Hsuan walked to Taian City and joined up.

     In the next few weeks young Mr Chao, along with many others, traveled to Shanghai, and from there sailed on a ship by way of Hongkong, Singapore, across the Indian Ocean and around Africa to arrive at LeHavre, France, where they worked long hours every day unloading mountains of arms and supplies for two million American doughboys that arrived there that year.

     November came and the end of the war.   Chao Tien Hsuan had often made short trips into the French country side, and now he even traveled to Paris.   Everything was so interesting to him.   Like China, he noticed, they also had shrines or little temples to their gods along the roadsides, but he saw that their gods were all pitiful creatures, in the shape of a thin and sorrowful man nailed to a wooden figure with the form of the Chinese character for 10. (+)

     Not long after the armistice was signed these thousands of Chinese workers were sent home to their families.   A great ship carried them across the Atlantic Ocean to New York, where they were placed on a train.   A week later they were in San Francisco, or Old Gold Mountain, as the Chinese called it.   From San Francisco a ship carried them across the broad Pacific Ocean to Shanghai, where they separated to go to their various homes.

     Back in Shantung Chao Tien Hsuan returned again to his home village in the mountains.   He was now a man of importance with money, and he was able to build himself a house, to marry and to raise children.   But he never forgot his experiences, and he often wondered about the god that hung on a wooden 10 character.   What kind of a god was he anyway?

     Almost twenty years had gone by, and Mr. Chao was now a middle aged man.   Every five days it was his custom to go to the market in the town of Whuang Ch'uan about five miles away, which was the nearest market to his village.   One day when he arrived in Whuang Ch'uan he found something added to the boisterous market of hundreds of stalls lining the main street from one side of town to the other.   There was a great, round, pointed tent set up at the edge of town.

     In this tent was a foreigner, Pastor Luan, they called him, who, together with several Chinese helpers, was conducting services through the day and into the night.   Of course Mr. Chao was very interested.   Hadn't he traveled to foreign lands and met many foreigners! "Foreign Devils", they were called, but he was not afraid of them.   Most of all he was interested because he had heard them telling about a man who died by being nailed to a "ten character rack".   His name was Jesus, and He was the Son of the one true God, creator of heaven and earth.

     He had come into this world and been born a man, grown up and become a great teacher and miracle worker, always doing nothing but good to others.   Cruel men took Him and nailed Him to a cross, to which He went willingly, for His purpose, in coming into the world, was to die as a sacrifice for man's sins.

     Mr. Chao heard how Jesus was raised alive from the grave the third day and returned to heaven, from which He will return in the future.   He heard them say that through simple faith in Christ anyone might be saved from eternal hell, receive eternal life and have a beautiful home in heaven.

     Chao Tien Hsuan remembered the shrines he had seen many years ago in France, and now he realized he was learning what they were about.   But these people had no images.   They only had their Holy Book from which they taught.   He bought a portion of these Holy Writings, a nice little book called, "John's Happy Sound," which was very cheap only two big coppers.

     The tent remained in Whuang Ch'uan for a week, and every night Mr. Chao was there for services, though it was a long walk from home in the dark.   He only listened and learned, like the rest, but did not speak to the foreigner.   At the end of the week the tent was folded up, and all the workers went back to Taian.   Paster Luan was much discouraged, for there were no results there.

     Winter came on.   An enemy army came down the railroad through Taian from the North, and towns were burned and destroyed along the way, while large towns were occupied with troops.   But in the little mountain village, where Mr. Chao lived, the war did not touch except for refugees, who fled to their area from the city.   But Mr Chao read his little book.   It was a wonderful story to him, and there in his home he decided to trust in this wonderful Jesus, who loved him so much.   He wanted to hear more of that good teaching and also to have his relatives and friends hear it.   He spoke to others in the village, for almost all the village people were related to him.

     Spring came and some men from the village were going to Taian City, so Mr. Chao asked them to seek out Pastor Luan and invite him to come and teach in their village.   These men found that Pastor Luan and family had fled the war to a far away town on the sea, but two Chinese pastors, Pastor Chang and Pastor Liu said that they would be glad to come and teach them.

     Preparations were made for the coming of the two pastors.   A whole house was emptied to be used for the services and for the use of these men.   For two whole weeks they preached, and never did they see the like of people turning to the Lord.  First Mr. Chao was happy to profess his faith in Christ Jesus, then more and more came forward to pray or to witness to their faith in Christ.   Everyone was filled with joy such as they had never known before, and before long most of the village were Christians.

     A mountain stream flowed past this village, and here as it made a large bend there was a wide, deep pool that had given its name to the village.   "Hung Wan" or Great Bend, this pool was called and so was the village.

     At the end of this meeting by Pastors Chang and Liu there was a great baptismal service at the Hung Wan as one after another the new believers were led out into the water and buried with Christ in baptism, thus showing their faith in His death, burial and resurrection for them.   Among the happiest of them was Mr. Chao, who in his heart, it seemed, had sought Christ all these many years, and now had found Him together with so many of his family.  A church was established there, and soon several of the members were in Bible school studying to become preachers of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ, and Chao Tien Hsuan was one of them.

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     Friends, Sister Carla Jones has put a lot of work into this site, please take a little time and take a look at it.   There is a whole section about Crystal Springs Camp and that is the place to get camp updates now.

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     February 18, 2010 at 7PM there will be a Gospel Sing with "THE NELONS" at First Missionary Baptist Church of St. Helens, OR.  This will be a great opportunity to enjoy the music of this very professional Gospel singing group.  I hope you will be able to take the time to join them.   You can check them out at the link below.

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This Just In From Victory Baptist Church

     Graduated to Glory Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 9:10 pm.   His legacy is the many Churches, missionaries, and others he has helped during his 60 years of preaching the Gospel.   He pastored 5 churches, founded 3 churches and began Word for the World Baptist Ministries 30 years ago in January 1980.   Only eternity will reveal the impact that his life and preaching have had for the cause of Christ.   He will be greatly missed by his dear wife Miss Ellie, family members, and countless pastors, evangelists, and missionaries around the world.   The funeral arrangements are as follows:

Tuesday, February 9th 2 – 4 & 6 – 9 pm
viewing and visitation at the:
Heritage Funeral Home
Battlefield Parkway,
Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.

Wednesday, February 10th 11 – 1 pm
viewing and visitation at the:
Heritage Funeral Home
Battlefield Parkway,
Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.

2 pm - Funeral service at the:
Liberty Baptist Church
65 Liberty Drive,
Chickamauga, Georgia.

You can see his obituary and view pictures at the funeral home’s website:   www.heritagefh.com.   Thank you for your prayers, cards, and kind words of sympathy and comfort.   The family of Bro. Homer Smith bro.rudy@wftwbm.org

From Missionary To Canada, Gordan Wiegold

I will be flying to Fort Smith on February 24.   I will be spending a couple of days in Edmonton to meet with the lawyers that are handling the paperwork for registering the Mission, the process of which has already begun.

We are so glad that it is being done by professionals that know what they are doing.   The small part that the Mission and I have already played in the process, has been mind boggling, but we know that it is a necessity that cannot be avoided.

I will also be utilizing the opportunity in Edmonton to purchase suitable clothing.   Having experienced the temperatures of minus 48 degrees Celsius(with a wind chill of -54), you cannot survive without the appropriate apparel.   There are no compromises at those extremes.

The brethren in Fort Smith have expressed their excitement that I will finally be there to carry out the work that the Lord has called us to, and I have to admit that, I too, feel that excitement, along with the understanding reality of the daunting tasks that lay ahead.

I must again thank those that continue to support and pray for us, and thank you for your patience and encouragement.

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
Psalms 27:14.

This verse of scripture is certainly hard to apply, especially when I keep telling the Lord that I don't have time to wait, but we cannot believe that God is Sovereign, and not believe that He is in control.

We have also been 'winterizing' our truck, and would like to thank Pastor Dwight Brooks, and Ella Grove Baptist Church, of Glennville, Georgia, for the generous offering for the purchase of a 'Camper Shell' for the truck, so that we won't be hauling around tons of snow in the back.

Please continue to pray for us.

In His Service

Elder Gordon Wiegold

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