From Court Wood - China Report - In Jesus' Name Ministry

"After all, though you should have ten thousand teachers (guides to direct you) in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers....So I urge and implore you, be imitators of me." The Apostle Paul - 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 Amplified Bible

Perhaps the most pressing reason I wanted to return to China was to see once again an extraordinary father in Jesus Christ, before he went home to the Lord. (He is now 91 years old) Although I am unworthy to speak of myself as a son of this dear saint, he is truly a father to many. I cannot reveal his name for his protection. The help that some of you have faithfully sent for the persecuted church in China has been directed to this "father" who has thereby strengthened many "sons" in the house churches of China. He has been a teacher, elder, evangelist, encourager, pastor, and most important a "father in Jesus Christ."

He spent 24 years in prison in terrible conditions which most of his fellow Christian prisoners did not survive. He was tortured for many of those years. He did not deny the Lord. In this photo above he is describing how his wrists were so tightly handcuffed for months that the steel pressed through the flesh to the bone. Then, over several months, the flesh grew around the handcuffs. Because of the pain and torture he became so despondent that he attempted suicide by unscrewing the single light bulb in his cell and putting his fingers into the socket. The electric current must have diverted to the steel handcuffs, and he survived, and repented of his temporary doubt in the Lord's faithfulness during this extreme trial. The Lord strengthened him, and spoke to him three times saying "my grace is sufficient for you." Finally when his jailers removed the handcuffs his flesh had so swollen and overgrown the cufts it had to be cut away to remove the handcuffs.

After 24 years of imprisonment the authorities released him and declared "he had committed no crimes." From the time of his release he has been strengthening the house churches and leaders in China.

A few years ago, my friend Harry Oldenburger and I were blessed to visit this dear saints home for lunch, fellowship, and singing at the piano with his wife playing. It was a memorable afternoon. On this recent visit last month, after having dinner at a restaurant, along with the team members, I asked if I could come the next afternoon to our brothers apartment to be with him and his wife, and bring a violin, and we could worship the Lord together. He and his wife happily agreed, and this led to one of the most meaningful and memorable days and evenings of my Christian life.

I had not brought my violin with me to China. So the next morning, with the help of a dear friend, I took a cab to a district in the city with many violin makers. The Lord immediately led me to a small shop with two gracious ladies who helped me chose a beautiful sounding violin at a very reasonable price. This violin was a vial of perfume with which to anoint a dear father in Jesus Christ.

I then took a taxi to the apartment of this dear saint and his wife. I arrived in early afternoon and we had a wonderful time of music, fellowship and prayer. When I asked if I could take them to lunch, they responded that they had just eaten before I arrived but asked if I could return that evening for dinner. This was an extraordinary honor! When I returned by taxi in the evening I was greeted by another couple who had been invited to join us. These were long friends of these dear saints, and courageous Christians in their own right. What a wonderful night of fellowship we had. We sang together as our dear brother's wife played the piano and I played the violin, and we had a most wonderful meal with the best wonton in China. The invited guest was a university professor who teaches English, Western Culture, and Christianity. His is the most popular class in the University with a waiting list to attend. He has 60 students each semester. With his own money he purchases each student a parallel Bible in both English and in Mandarin (The official language of China.) Then he shows videos about the life of Jesus Christ (including "The Passion") and many other videos about the Bible and Western (Christian) culture. Please pray for this dear saint and his wife. He is courageously conveying the love of Jesus Christ to the hearts and souls of China's future leaders. I cannot show their faces or give their names.

Will you join with me in helping our dear family in Jesus Christ as they are bringing to the nation of China the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. 100% of any gift you send designated for China will be forwarded to our family in Jesus Christ in China. Your gift is "the proof of our love," and "love with actions and in truth rather than with words and tongue." You will be "laying up treasure in Heaven, not on earth where theives break through and steal and moth and rust consume."

"Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (and father, and son, and daughter) Mark 3:35

Gratefully your servants in Jesus Christ, Court and Sandy Wood