The inking continued. Priam Sanchat* is 43 now and his body is a tapestry. The tattoos are infected, festering and give a chronic case of itching. He hasn’t showered in ages. His skin is blackened. Flies feed on his open wounds.
Sanchat squats in the dirt — hungry and thirsting for something more than just the water Chris Kirkendoll hands him. The Southern Cross volunteer from First Baptist Church, Thomasville, Ga., recognizes the man’s real need, peace, and prays with him. The rough looking character tells Kirkendoll that he hasn’t lived a good life; that he’s done a lot of bad things.
“Ask Jesus for forgiveness and he will love you and help you in all that you do,” Kirkendoll tells the man. “God is your father; He is my father.
By now, the dragon has come to life and danced its way down hundreds of streets in hundreds of cities.
Dragons are spiritual symbols of power, immortality, happiness and fertility. They are thought to bring good luck. Many Christians in Asia associate dragons with the devil.
Believers pray that the Chinese who received Bibles this Chinese New Year in Southeast Asia will learn how to simulate Jesus’ movements and will accept the new life He offers.
Pray for the thousands of Chinese who now have a personal copy of the Bible. Instead of looking at dragons as symbols of immortality, pray Chinese would look to Christ for eternal life.
Join us in prayer. Click on “read more” and leave your prayer in the comments section.
His ears flicking back and forth, the dragon’s face stops only inches away from the prostitute holding money. She waves the bill back-and-forth, the dragon’s head bobbing along, never losing sight of the green bill. The dancer inside the dragon darts a hand through the mouth, snatching the bill. The prostitute laughs heartily, and reaches for a drink as the dragon moves on. Gongs and drums pound, clashing with the club’s techno beats, as the colorful dragon goes from table to table, receiving monetary gifts from patrons and prostitutes alike, an offering for a good new year.
Only five minutes from the strip clubs partying it up for Chinese New Year, a different, more peaceful, way of celebrating gathers a crowd of its own. The clear tones of two trumpets, played by Southern Cross volunteers from Taiwan, resonate from the Southern Cross Project Bible distribution point, causing many tourists to stop and listen.
Cardboard boxes sit half-opened in the back of the truck. An elementary aged Chinese boy sneaks away from his grandparents in the long line of tourists to take a peak.
The sign leaning against the boxes states the books inside are free. He glances around to see if anyone will help him. The volunteers, however, scurry around setting up their distribution spot for the night. No one sees the little boy, so he reaches his pudgy arms into the box and grabs a Bible and red packet of literature.
The satisfied smile on his round face is quickly wiped away when his grandfather grabs him by the arm and demands that he give it back. The boy refuses to let go of the Bible, engaging in a tug-of-war. Through clenched teeth, he tells the older man that the book is his now because it’s free.
“No one gets anything for free,” the older Chinese man says sharply, wrestling the Bible and packet from the hands of the young boy. “People don’t do things for free. They expect something in return.”
Pray alongside a Chinese pastor on vacation. He offers a prayer over the work of Southern Cross and their efforts to distribute Bibles to Chinese tourists.
“Dear Lord,
Thank you because these people are here passing out Chinese tracts and Bibles. Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless these as part of our Christian family. Lord, protect them and bless them. I pray you would lead many come to them, and that many would trust you as Savior. We thank You. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.”
Pray that during the Chinese New Year’s weekend many will obtain Bibles and hear God’s name. Pray for hearts to open and receive His message.
A lone boy sat by himself and stared off into the distance. All around him children ran, screaming and playing. He felt lost and lonely. A woman sat next to him, conveying love through a hug, never saying a word …
… The former Buddhist monk stood among thousands of tourists, yet he felt lost and lonely. A woman sought him out, handing the young man a Bible. Sensing that he was searching for the meaning of life, she suggested he read that book to find the answers …
A mother’s love can break through language and culture barriers. There’s just something about a mother’s touch and listening ear that makes a boy feel special.
Tennessee volunteer Tiffany Inglewood* used her experience as a mother to touch the lives of two Southeast Asian boys. God knew a 24-year-old tour guide and a newly abandoned 14-year-old needed a “Mom” this week.
Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, as it’s known in China, is the most important holiday for the Chinese.
It marks the beginning of a New Year and falls on a different day every year based on the lunar and solar calendar. Each year has a corresponding animal based on a 12-year cycle known as the Chinese Zodiac. 2011 is the year of the rabbit.
A Chinese man got out of taxi right next to where some of the Southern Cross team was distributing. The taxi driver apparently told the visitor it was a famous place in this Asian city. As the man exited the taxi, he looked up at the stones and said, “He brought me here to this bunch of stones?”
Our team chatted with him and told the man, “Actually you came here to meet us so we could share a Bible with you.”
Passion for bubbles and fun runs deep, as this Southeast Asian boy shows while running and waving the fly-swatter he is using as a bubble-wand during a visit a volunteer team from Tennessee made to the children's home where he lives. More Photos View more Southern Cross photos on Flickr.
Bible Calculator
The availability of Bibles in China has improved recently, however, it is still hard to obtain one in the country. Voices of the Martyrs estimates there’s only one Bible for every 222 people.
How many Bibles would China allow in your hometown?
You can be involved in getting Bibles to China without even traveling to Asia. Each packet of Bibles costs about $3.45. The packets include a Bible, the Jesus Film, various tracts and Christian DVDs. Your giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Cooperative Program helps to support workers to coordinate this project. Funding for Bibles and distribution materials comes from other sources.
He got his first tattoo at age 12.
By now, the dragon has come to life and danced its way down hundreds of streets in hundreds of cities.
