“I work 2 days then rest 4 days. I have a lot of spare time. I learned to drive car recently. I am also learning playing the cucurbit flute (played by minority people in Yunnan province). Tonight I will go to Hong Kong with my friends for tour. Could you recommend a church for me in Hong Kong to visit?”
Carrying baby in my arm, thinking of my huge workload and I had to work day and night after going back office, talking with this lady around 40 at lunch in a sunny day at a very relaxed teahouse in my hometown Chenzhou (a south city in Hunan province), it was like I were facing a nearly retired old person. Her life styles, in my thoughts only old people could have the right to enjoy.
She was a beautiful lady, longhair under her waist, dressed in a dark purple maxi skit; a pink flower long scarf winded around her neck and casually went down. She worked for the government in police system. I got to know her when I applied for my passport. She was one of the officials there dealing with the application procedures. She noticed that I worked in a church then she showed great interest in my faith. She began to ask about church activities and started to make friends with me. She told me when she was in university, she used to go to church in Christmas season. This summer she moved to a new unit within the police system. I had her give me a favor when I went to apply for my son's visa to Hong Kong this Friday afternoon. The officials there were “having Political Study”, which meant no application could be taken until next Monday. After giving her a call, my son's application got through that afternoon. For this reason I treated her in the teahouse. She recalled many of her memories of how she brought up her son with a lot of moved moments and events. “Once my son was seriously ill and the doctor suspected that he got blood cancer. My son was always healthy and it's first time he's sent to hospital. Blood cancer? I couldn't believe.” The next day, his son was quite ok and the first diagnose proved to be wrong.
Friendship with her helped me change my perspective of government officials. They are changing, from the image of far, cold and serious to the image of close, warm and dear. Their spirit is freer. It seems the Communist Party just like air in her life, existing but can’t be seen. She boldly seeks to her own faith, and she chose Christianity.
Some Chinese people like this friend of mine, have lived a relaxed and high quality life. They work and have time enjoying family, music, nature, etc. But they are rare. I hope these people will find more meaning in serving other people in stead of living in their own circles only.
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