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Escape from Rebels
In 1947, rebel activity was raging in central China. However, a group of missionaries were planning to establish an Assemblies of God church in Hankow, a large city in China known for its heavy industry.
While searching for a suitable location for their services, they rented a summer cottage on Chi Kong Mountain. This was some distance from Hankow, but they thought it would be a quiet place where they and a Chinese co-worker could continue with the translation of a Chinese hymnal. Several missionary families joined together there for a time of fellowship and waiting in prayer.
Less than a month had passed when the missionaries received a communication from the consulate. They were warned that they should leave the mountain at once because the railroad between Chi Kong and Hankow was in danger of being shut down by rebels. If this should happen, the missionaries would be unable to return to Kankow. There was also the possibility of being captured by the rebels who were known to be hiding in the mountains.
There was little time to make preparations for their departure. The railroad station was located at the foot of Chi Kong Mountain. The day after receiving the message, the missionaries descended the steep mountain path, with several children and a sick baby among their group. As they climbed down the mountain, they prayed for their safety and kept watch for the rebels.
As the missionaries safely reached the bottom of the mountain, they made their way to the train station. But there was no train. They waited all day for the train. Had the railroad line already been shut down? Had the train been intercepted by the rebels? The missionaries did not know.
Toward evening a train of boxcars finally arrived. They all climbed aboard without luggage and started the journey toward Hankow. It was midnight when they finally reached that city. Although they had been surrounded by danger, they arrived safely.
About two years later, after all missionaries were evacuated from China, this group of missionaries was back in America. While they were visiting their home church in Minneapolis, a lady of the church approached them.
"Tell me," she said, "about the time when you were chased by rebels in China. I saw you in a dream. A large party of you were coming down a mountain. The rebels were close behind." This lady had spent much of that night in earnest prayer for the safety of these missionaries.
When she told the missionaries the date of her dream, they found that it had been at the very time of their hurried departure from Chi Kong Mountain. At the time the missionaries knew they were in danger, but they had not realized just how narrowly they had escaped. The missionaries never saw the group of rebels close behind them in the mountains, yet God had revealed it to this lady in a dream so she would pray for the missionaries. Surely the protection of those missionaries and their children had been in answer to this woman's fervent prayer.
Praying for our missionaries is so important. We never know what kind of danger they may be in. So be sure to spend time praying for them everyday.
Information for this story came from Moving Mountains and is used with permission from Assemblies of God World Missions.
©2002 The General Council of the Assemblies of God. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce and adapt lesson components for exclusive use in the local church. Any other use requires written permission.
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