Here it's not unusual for youngsters to discuss religion at school. It's almost strange not to have religion here. Obviously she has been talking to friends at school about what she learns in her studies.
One of her friends who is a Christian has many questions and would like to study with us too.
After speaking to this girl on the phone I realise that Chinese is her best language, so I arrange a missionary sister in the Chinese cong to come with me, my study accompanies us as well seeing this is the first time we will meet and the young girl it turns out was quite nervous to be talking to "white guys".
On the day it turns out that another missionary sister from another Chinese cong is with her as well, so all 5 of us are sitting around the coffee table for the girls first study...mostly in Chinese but partly in English too. She chooses the chapter on "where are the dead", which is a very popular topic with the Chinese community, and proceeds to tell us how she believes in heaven and hell and that the priest has told her to she prays for her grandfather who has passed away, so that he can go to heaven...
It's not til paragraph 5 that the scriptures come out...
“Eccl. 9:5 For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all”
After a few leading questions, emphasising the meaning...You could see the penny drop...her face was stunned and then confused "why did the teacher at church not teach me this then?"
She truly believes that the bible is the word of God, and reading it from her own bible astounded her.
This opened up a million new questions...what about ghosts...what about people who say they are talking to the dead...?
We also looked at what happened to Adam when he died..."so we just go back to the dirt lah" was her response. It was in the bible so it must be true...
She said she felt "disappointed" maybe half that she'd been lied to and that she wont be in heaven with her grandpa....(did i mention half the study was in chinese so most of the study I guessed what they were saying by the hand gestures....G for gestures sisters!)
We were then able to give her a glimpse of the hope in the bible tho, so it ended on a good note.
Afterwards my study said how she was so happy to experience her first study that was not her own, she'd often though about preaching herself one day and was amazed how energised she felt!
The next few days at school her friend told her how much she enjoyed the study and is looking forward to her next one.
Unfortunately I probably won't be going very often but it was nice to be a part of the planting :) and to see someone accept the truth so readily was really memorable!
