I was on a ministry trip to China in May when the massive earthquake struck Sichuan province. The destruction was horrific. Over 70,000 people were killed, and millions of homes were badly damaged or destroyed.

Since then, our teams have been busy working in more than a dozen towns and villages in the Sichuan province, providing tens of thousands of people with drinking water, emergency shelter, blankets, and other essentials. In a number of these locations, the schools had collapsed, robbing hundreds of families of their only children. Our ministry of compassion is offering comfort and hope to people whose grief is overwhelming.

Many churches and Christians in Sichuan province were devastated by the earthquake. Sichuan is a relatively poor province and Christians there don’t have a lot of resources, but they are sharing what they have with those in need. Through the generosity of God’s people, I was able to present Chinese church leaders with a financial gift to help them start rebuilding.

During my visit to China, I met with church leaders from all across this vast land. Many of the pastors are younger men, very evangelistic, and very passionate about the Gospel. I am encouraged by the incredible growth of the Christian faith in China and also hopeful for the direction the government is taking in the area of religious freedom. However, we must keep praying for the people of China, that God will continue to open doors and touch lives there.

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