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Up
The Yangtze River
Greetings
in Jesus' Name! When I
was in China this last time I decided to climb aboard a Chinese
ship heading up the Yangtze River. I wanted to see The Three Gorges
and the huge dam that is under construction. The Chinese call this
river Chang Jiang. Literally it means "long river". Chang Jiang is the
third longest river in the world. The Nile in Africa (4,180 miles), and
the Amazon in South America (3,912 miles) are the two longer rivers. The Yangtze
river runs from its source on the roof of the world in Tibet to the East
China Sea at Shanghai, some 3,600 miles. My trip was only about 2,500 -
3,000 miles in length, but I experienced enough of the Yangtze river to
be satisfied by the time we reached Chongqing. An added bonus was to see
the largest hydroelectric dam in the world under construction. The Three
Gorges Dam is almost one mile long and 575 feet high. When it is completed
the reservoir will be about 350 miles long--about the size of Lake Superior.
In the spring of 2003 the waters of the Yangtze will begin to back up behind
the enormous dam and about 1,100 of the cities and towns I saw will be
submerged. So this
was a last-chance opportunity to see some of China's oldest homes and buildings,
lived in for centuries. Some of the homes had already been completely dismantled
by the owners. The Chinese government ordered every home owner along
the Yangtze River to totally destroy every building that the rising waters
will submerge. This will allow the large ships to navigate on the river
after the dam is completed and the 350-400 mile long reservoir is filled.
I saw city after city totally devasted. It looked very much as though each
city had been bombed. Some of the home owners were still in the process
of destroying their homes. Because
our ship stopped in 31 cities along the way I was able to go ashore in
some ports to witness this very sad process first-hand. Those of you who
have traveled to Third World countries know how some images are "burned" into
your memory. I will never forget seeing a man who had personally torn
the roof off of his home and knocked the walls down. Now he was attempting
to break up the foundation with a sledge hammer. The temperature was between
100 and 110 degrees, and the sun was blazing down upon him. I watched in
amazement and sadness as he hit a huge piece of concrete over and over,
but it would not break into pieces, no matter how many times he assailed
it. His family looked on sadly nearby with expressions of total hopelessness.
The Chinese
government promised to move every home owner and pay him for his property. But
one man I spoke with said that all he got was $3.00. By the time the "relocation
money" filters down through the corruption of the officials, little of
it is left over to give to the people who are actually being forced to
move. Some of these families have lived in the same house and location
for centuries. One cannot imagine how they must feel to be uprooted so
callously and told that they have to leave the area where their ancestors
have resided for such a long time. Many of the people (between 3 million
and 30 million -- no one really knows the number) will be forced to move
to large city complexes such as Chongqing, which is now the world's most
populous city. Approximately 350 million people live in the Yangtze River
Basin, which is 70 more million people than live in the United States. Along the
way I took 250 digital pictures of people, nature, The Three Gorges, and
what will soon be the world's largest hydroelectric dam. I was also able
to pass out gospel tracts to people in remote places who might otherwise
never have received a scrap of gospel literature. Many
scientists believe that this dam will create one of the worst ecological
disasters in the history of the human race.
One hundred fifty five billion cubic feet of waste water, which currently
reaches the sea, will concentrate behind the dam. Mixed in with the waste
water will be arsenic, mercury, lead, and cyanide. The Three Gorges dam
will flood 137 major cities, 1300 factories, 1,100 villages ("villages" in
China typically have a population near the one million mark), 4,000 hospitals,
40,000 gravesites, and at least 178 rubbish dumps containing 2.8 million
tons 0f garbage, and 123 sources of radio-active debris, and cesspits
filled with 30 years of waste. The upside of the dam is that it will
be capable of producing electricity on a scale unprecedented in China,
and possibly improve the life-style and economic condition for millions
of Chinese people.
For the
past 36 years I have traveled extensively in Third-World countries doing
mission work. So I feel that I have seen a lot of suffering and heartache.
But nothing prepared me for what I saw as our ship cruised up the Long
River, passing more than 1,000 cities and villages. I'm sure that it will
take months, if not years, for the shock to wear off. Even now, a month
after the Yangtze River journey, I find myself weeping for these Chinese
people. Let me
attempt to describe to you what it was like being the only English speaking
person on a Chinese ship for seven days and seven nights: First of
all, I thought the entire trip was going to last for five days. After I
was aboard I learned that the journey would take seven days. The whole
week of travel only cost $125.00 (compared to the five-star tourist ship
which costs $125.00 per day). But I soon discovered why the cost was so
low. The first night a huge rat jumped on me in the black of the night.
I cannot begin to tell you how scared I was. After that I slept with the
ceiling light on every night. Even then I could see the beady eyes of the
rats under a low shelf in my cramped quarters. Every once in a while, one
of them would dart out into my room and grab a piece of cracker crumb and
scurry back under the shelf. Somehow I slept deeply each night. One of
the men I had given a tract to turned out to be a plain-clothes policeman.
He showed up at my room the following day in uniform, and I thought he
was going to reprimand me for passing out gospel tracts on the ship. Instead
he informed me that he thought I was a "good man", so he was going to help
me. He had learned that there were robbers on the ship who were planning
to kill me, rob me, and throw my body into the river. But he indicated
that he would be watching out for my safety. I don't know if finding out
about the robbers made me feel better or worse. I was glad to know that
God had touched the policeman's heart to give me extra protection. Then there
was the matter of food: I had assumed from my years in the merchant marines
that the ship food would be excellent. Was I ever in for a surprise. Even
most of the Chinese who were aboard were not eating it. I tried a couple
bowls of rice, but I was only able to take a few bites from each one when
I found dirt and other things that made me lose my appetite. By God's
grace I had brought along some crackers from the U.S., and someone had
given me a package of cookies. I lived on that and water for the whole
seven days, except when we docked at two ports where I could buy some boiled
eggs and chicken. The temperature
in the Yangtze River basin soared to 110 degrees some days. Fortunately,
there was a small ship store where I was able to purchase "bottled water".
One never knew if the water had been dipped from the river or whether it
was actually pure. But either way, God was merciful to me and I stayed
healthy the entire time. One day, however, when I went to the little store
there was no drinking water available. This scared me a little because
with those high temperatures a person needs a lot of liquids.
During
those seven days I had a lot of time to think, pray and read my Bible,
because I could not carry on a conversation with anyone. A young boy of
about 10 years of age boarded the ship with his parents, and he could speak
a few words of English. When he got off the boat a little 8 year old girl
came aboard with her grandparents. She also spoke a little English. This
enabled me to make my wishes known and to learn a little bit about where
we were and the names of some of the cities. So this is the way the Lord
took care of me during this trip up the river. In retrospect, I
don't think that I would ever do this to myself again; but since
I survived the whole thing I look back upon it as one of the greatest
experiences of my life. I don't know if I will ever travel up the Amazon
river or the Nile river, but it is quite satisfying to have gone up the
third longest river in the world all the way from Shanghai to Chongqing.
I hope some lives were blessed or changed in the process. I know that
I offered many, many heart-felt prayers as I passed the hundreds of Chinese
cities and villages. I interceded for fishermen, farmers, sailors, merchants,
and dock workers all along the way. I especially prayed to God for the
unfortunate wretches who destroyed their homes and had to move far away
before the waters of the Yangtze river rose 600 feet and covered everything.
I am very thankful that I was able to see the places that will never
be seen again after the Three Gorges Dam is completed and the reservoir
is filled. I found
a Chinese hotel in Chongqing for $36.00 a night. No. It did not compare
to some of the fine hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, and the U.S. But after
seven days on the ship it was paradise to me. And I thanked God from
the bottom of my heart. Our next
trip to China is coming up fast: September 27-October 7. Pray with us that
all the Bibles will get in safely and be used mightily by the Lord. We
will also be passing out thousands of tracts from World Missionary Press
-- How To Know God. This powerful booklet gives a very clear explanation
of how to know Jesus and grow in the Christian life. I hope
that this latest update of our missionary work is of interest to you. You
are always welcome to copy any of our letters to pass out to your friends
or church. May the Lord richly bless you for sharing so generously with
Full Life Crusade. Thank you so much for entrusting us with this gift. In His
Service, Wesley
Smith wesed@hotmail.com
but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds;” 2 Corinthians 10:4 Dear Partner, Greetings in Jesus' Name! It seems like such a short
time ago that there was so much ado about Y2K. Now it is a year later
already, and like so many things of this fleeting life the whole idea of a
major crisis has seemingly floated into the mist of the past. A New Year is upon us! The
Christmas rush is over until another year. How blessed I was when a United
Methodist church asked me to come in and teach the real Christmas story – the
one that has nothing to do with shopping malls, frantic shopping, and jammed
parking lots. I took my time and taught from the book of Ruth, Isaiah,
Micah, Matthew, and Luke. I love the Christmas story so much. As a believer,
I am sure that you do, too. Many of the folks were so pleased to hear Truth
that they had never been taught before. We are entering the 36th
year of our ministry with Full Life Crusade in the year 2001. Wow! What a
journey it has been. There have been great trials and there have been
fantastic miracles with the presence of God. There have been many times of
sitting still with the Bible open on my lap, and there have been great
adventures as the Holy Spirit has taken me all over the world: 53 trips to
China; 36 trips to the Philippine Islands; 40 trips to Haiti; and many other
missionary journeys to 45 nations of the world. We count it a great privilege
to preach the gospel. It is not a burden to us. It is a joy to us. Yes. Our
bodies get tired at times, but our spirits are always waiting for the next
adventure, whether it is in Nepal, India, Russia, Israel, Central America, or
China. Jesus is on the move all over the world, and there are millions of
people who hungrily await a missionary to come with the Good News of God
becoming man, dying on the cross, raising from the dead, and soon to return.
“Tell me the old, old story”, one songwriter penned. We can tell it because
it never grows old. It is always fresh and alive. The longer I am in gospel
work the more I am aware that the real work must be done in the spirit
realm before we see anything accomplished that is eternal. That is why I
have used the verse above as our theme verse for this first month of 2001. We
are in a war, but we do not use conventional weapons. Our weapons are not
carnal. But that does not mean that they are useless or have less power
than a machine gun. The weapons that God has given His people are very
powerful—if we use them. Prayer, fasting, Bible study,
and standing on God's Word above everything else are just a few of the
weapons He has given us. When something won't budge and we know that it needs
to be moved, then we employ the “bigger guns” to get the job done. And He
always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus. We never lose. We literally
cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God. We bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ. We have a readiness to revenge all disobedience. We do not look on
the outward appearance but we peer into the supernatural world by the gifts
He has given us. We discern and then act. And God always works with us. These are exciting days. They
are challenging days. In America there seems to be a spirit or principality
that would hold people in bondage. It refuses to let go. This spirit puts
good people to sleep. It causes individuals to spend time soaking up our
culture to excess. And then the excuse is given that there is no time to
study the Bible and pray any more. What a lie. Do not buy into this deception
this year. Come alive in Christ. Get down on your knees and pray. Experience
some fasting. Go into the war mode. Be aggressive. Take the Kingdom. Don't
back down. Loved ones need to be saved, but first we Christians need to get
serious—deadly serious. I am so challenged each time
I take a missionary trip. I meet with believers who are dead serious about
taking on the spiritual powers and driving them out. They settle for nothing
less. They insist that God's Kingdom come. They insist that His will be
done on earth as it is in heaven. And the results are amazing—the dead
raised, demons cast out, the sick healed, and countless thousands coming to
Christ. It is still true that
approximately 25,000 people are coming to know Jesus each day in China.
How can this be happening when in America churches are continuing to
permanently close their doors in every major city across the land? The answer
is simple—we are allowing it to happen. We have not taken a stand. I think of Pastor Allen Yuan
and Samuel Lamb as living examples of leaders who have refused to back down. Sixty
Red Guards came to Samuel's house late one night and marched him down to
Public Security Headquarters. There he stood all night with the cold wind
blowing down his back from an open window. They cajoled him. Mocked him.
Threatened him with more years of imprisonment (both of these friends of mine
have spent more than 20 years in prison). Took everything from his home and
threw it away—yes, all the Bibles, all the teaching tapes, all the money. Before they sent him home
they promised him another term in prison. “Stop having gospel meetings in
your home or we will put you in jail until you die!” He quietly responded, “I
am ready for the third time.” Today both men (and thousands
of others like them) have several hundred seekers coming to their homes to
hear the gospel preached. They refuse to back down to the threats of men
with weapons and to men who know how to torture the human body. So why should we back down
here in America? We still have the freedom to hold services in our homes, in
our churches, even on street corners. Let's use this freedom to proclaim the
message of Christ. Let us not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the
power of God unto salvation. Let us determine in our hearts that this year we
will move forward. That nothing will stop us. We will use the weapons that He
has freely given to us. They are no good to us if we do not use them. Let
us pick them up and put them to use and watch God's power move before us.
I know a small church that
was told to close their doors on Sunday evening because there was no interest
any more in having Sunday evening services. About 12 members of that
congregation said they would not cancel the Sunday evening service—no matter
what! The preacher quit coming, but they are still there every Sunday
night singing, praising, praying, fellowshipping, and studying God's Word. And if they won't let you do
it in the church building, then do it in your home. Gather a few believers
together. Sing. Pray. Preach. Study. Fellowship. For Jesus said, “If just two
or three of you get together in my Name I will be there.” You don't have
to be a “professional” in order to lead a meeting. God will help you. He will
guide you. And as you pray He will supply the power! This year let's believe that
God's power will flow through us. Let's take a stand for what is right—and
never back down. Let's use the spiritual weapons that He has entrusted to
us and attack Satan's strongholds in our communities. We will see a
difference. We will make a difference. And when the end finally comes He will
say to us: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of
your Lord.” My prayer for you this year
is that you will live and walk in victory. Thank you so much for your
continued financial help to Full Life Crusade. May He richly bless you for
helping us to spread the gospel. In His Service, Wesley Smith ______________________________________________________________________________ “Going into all the world,
aiding indigenous churches in reaching their lands with the gospel of Jesus
Christ” Vol.2 Haiti
Trip News
No, things in Haiti aren't
perfect. Elections have been postponed, again. Crime has risen drastically –
especially murder. HIV is ever a threat. When we arrived, rain hadn't fallen for
nearly three months. In spite of the ever-present problems, Haiti again
proved to be a land rich in wonders and powerful moves of the Spirit of God. FLC took eight people from
New York, Indiana, and Michigan to the poorest country in the western hemisphere
to witness the poverty, the needs, the culture, the people, and above all,
the faith of believers who see more hardship in a week than most of us endure
in a lifetime. Allow me to illustrate: Lucienne Ambroise's is a tiny
lady with a soft voice and cheerful smile. Her husband abandoned her leaving
her to feed and raise five children alone. The oldest is 11 and the youngest
only 3. She lives in a humble,
two-room home with no doors and a tiny covered porch. She sleeps in the
dining/kitchen/storage/bedroom (the other room is where the five children
sleep). The home has no electricity or running water. Yet in spite of these
hardships, she shines with the love of Jesus and takes careful notice of each
and everything God does for her. When her youngest son was
only six months old, he became deathly ill. One night at about midnight, he
died. The family tried to console her and confirmed that the baby was dead.
She began to pray Hanna's prayer and cried out to the Lord. “If You will give
me back my son,” she prayed, “I will dedicate his life to You.” For two hours
she labored in prayer over the tiny, limp body. At 2 AM her prayers were
answered. The little boy coughed and came to life! She changed his name to
“Laza” which, as you might have guessed, means “Lazarus.” He is now very
happy and healthy. Sound incredible? Impossible?
Maybe here, but not in Haiti Mdme. Ambroise's troubles
were not over, however. This time it was she who was ill. On Sunday, our team walked
the short distance to her house. We found her lying on her bed, emaciated,
and able to speak only in a faint voice. She told me she hadn't been eating,
because there wasn't enough food for herself and the children, so she had
been feeding the five little ones. I have no idea how long she had gone
without food. She wouldn't say. I explained to the team her
situation. Everyone was moved with compassion. We then gathered around her,
anointed her head with oil and prayed for her healing. Afterward, we sat down
and took up a collection for her to start a “ti commerce” (little business).
As I handed her the money, and explained its purpose, she mustered all her
strength and lifted her hands to the heavens and praised Jesus! As I looked
around at the team members, I found few dry eyes. Three days later, we returned
to find her dressed, on her feet and getting better. God had healed her and
given her hope. All of our wealth, our
technology, our convenient lifestyles – all the “stuff” is not what sustains
us. God is the only real need we have. He sustains us. In Haiti, it's easier
to see that, but here in our country, we often have too many distractions.
Herein lies one of the main reasons we take North Americans to countries like
Haiti . . . to help us realize and understand our deepest and truest need. When
we see God's power, mercy and grace first-hand like we saw in Mdme. Ambroise,
the message is clear. Our team was wonderful.
Every; person was eager to participate in even the smallest detail. No one
complained about food, heat, conditions, lack of water, etc. Every person
gave their all in every situation, and many people were blessed by their
efforts.
I met with the committee that
was formed to govern the affairs of the church which FLC has been affiliated
with for over 30 years. This committee consists of five elected members and
the head pastor. In the past, meetings between
myself and the committee focussed on needs and wants the church expected me
to fill with funds from the US. This time, however, they proudly reported the
most successful convention (March 11-13) in many years. Many young people
came to the Lord, and were baptized. Hundreds of mountain people who came
were fed, decorations were bought, sleeping mats were rented from a local
mission, and local musicians were hired - all with the tithe and in-house
funds! They were so excited and proud.
The needs aren't gone. We
left over $2000 US there in the form of gifts and small business loans. We were
able to pay four month's salaries for 25 pastors, and loan a pastor enough to
fix a small rental house which will house four families. I am once again grateful to a
wonderful team for their flexibility, interest, acceptance, and love for the people
and nation I hold so dear. Needs Many people ask us what our
specific financial and other needs are. Here are some areas where we would
appreciate your prayers and consideration. Sister Church Program We have eight churches we
help support in Haiti- one main church with seven remote, satellite churches
in the mountains. We are looking for seven churches to “adopt” a mountain
church (they vary in size from 30-100 people). Each church building doubles
as a school for the children of the members. The purpose is to encourage
and offer hope to these precious people through small business loans and
occasional financial gifts. We will also take a group from your church to
visit them! Please pray about your church
becoming a “sister church” to one of these remote outstations churches in
Haiti. Motorcycles for Pastor Pastor Joseph Jean is the
head pastor of the eight churches. He travels to the remote churches to
visit, preach, and perform administrative tasks. The closest church is three
hours on foot. The farthest is 9 hours on foot. He often has to leave at 3:00
am to reach the church at a reasonable time, have a meeting, and return home
before midnight. We would like to purchase a good motorcycle in Haiti (to
avoid tariffs, etc.) for Pastor Joseph. We need about $2500 to do this. Angelo St. Fleur I'll let Angelo tell you in
his own words. “My name is AngeloSt. Fleur,
and I was born in Haiti January 26, 1974. In 1986, I accepted Christ as my
Lord and Savior as my Catholic mother diligently prepared for my first
communion. I resolved to never worship idols, for they have eyes and legs,
but cannot see or walk. Because of my new faith in
Jesus, and not in the Catholic Church, my mother beat me twice a day for two
months straight. A kindly woman took me into her home and cared for me as her
own son. I became involved in her
church and learned music and became the head master of the choir in the
church. I find the Word of God
fascination! The Bible is daily bread for my soul. I believe the Lord has
gifted me to preach His Word, and not only in my native language. I speak
four languages fluently and am working on a fifth. My main goal in life is to
preach the gospel that many others may be saved! Secondly, I would like to
come to the US to study agriculture, that I may return and use my new-found
skills to earn money for my personal expenses and help others who have
nothing.” We are trying to raise
$10,000 to bring him to the states for one year of school. From there, he can
apply for aid at the school of his choice should he decide to obtain a degree
here in the US. Small Business Loans FLC has begin providing micro
loans of $100 - $300 US to poor people who could not other wise obtain enough
money to start a small business to provide for their families. These “loans” are
interest-free and the accounts are handled by the committee of the churches.
FLC is not a bank, nor do we intend to become one. The purpose of loaning,
rather than just giving is two-fold: Firstly, the committee
decides on the terms for repayment, and the repaid funds will then be used to
start another small business. Hence the cycle of aid continues rather than
dead-ending with one person. Secondly, the self-respect
that is built by repaying a debt is extremely important in Haitian culture. You, too, can help someone to
start a small business by sending an amount you feel led to contribute. We
will find someone who can start a business with your gift. China Don't forget our upcoming
trips to China! Each fall and spring we lead teams to the People's Republic
of China. China is a life-changer, too, and you won't want to miss out on the
opportunity to take much needed “bread” to a spiritually starving nation. Special Thanks! To all those who support us
we say thank you. We could not do this work were it not for your diligence
and generosity. Please continue to keep us in
your prayers! God bless you! Bryan Bartow We always appreciate feedback
about our newsletters and about our website. Tell us how we can improve and communicate
better what God has called us to do. June/July
2001 " . . . he took
the kingdom when he was about 62 years old!" (Daniel 5:31) Contact
Us! Full
Life Crusade 1-574-267-7546 |
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“The weapons of our warfare are not
carnal,
