People Stories - Stefan & Carisha

It wasn’t only Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome who got up very early one Sunday morning looking for Jesus.

Easter morning a few weeks ago, a young couple from Tianjin came to Beijing Baptist Church. What a delight to meet Stefan & Carisha from South Africa. As we got to know them more over lunch, among the laughter and tears, they told us their story.

After living together for several years as non-Christians, they broke off their relationship and went their own ways. Eventually, they both came to know the Lord separately around Eastertime 2018 and later realized they really loved each other and wanted to be together. They married in the Lord November 2018 and moved to China a few weeks later.

We met them after they had lived in Tianjin for about four months but had become spiritually dry for lack of Christian teaching and fellowship. Because they so hungered for biblical teaching and hadn’t yet found a church close to them, they searched the internet for a church in Beijing and found Beijing Baptist Church. So on Easter morning, like the women on the very first Resurrection Day, they woke up early “towards dawn of the first day of the week” and left Tianjin (5:30am) to travel via bus, subway, fast train, and another subway to Beijing Baptist Church. They arrived at BBC at 9:30am, in time for some pre-service coffee and fellowship. They soaked in the teaching and fellowship at BBC that Easter Sunday and we have stayed in touch since then.

Like so many people seeking job opportunities in China, they teach English but discovered their recruiting agency and school not as scrupulous as originally presented. Having experienced so many new things in the last year, they are learning how to walk with Christ and apply His Word to their life, work, and marriage.

People Stories - the P family

One day about a year ago as we walked in our nearby fitness park, we stopped into the little flower shop at the end of the park to browse and admire their offerings. While there, we met a mom, dad, and two young children with whom we attempted to practice our Chinese. Among the blank stares of the children, we learned the family actually moved here from Australia so they spoke perfect English even though they have Korean and Chinese backgrounds. In our conversation, we learned that at that time they lived in our same apartment complex in the building across from us. So we gave them our business card, told them to call us if they needed anything, and went on our way. In God’s providence, we met them at the park but never saw them again.

Fast forward to Saturday, May 4 about 9:30pm when Mark received a phone call. “I want to be baptized. I need the Holy Spirit,” pleaded the male voice on the other end of the line. “Who is this?” Mark replied. It turns out God had been working in this Korean dad’s heart and when he found Mark’s business card called him up late that Saturday night.

Thus began several conversations with HW and WH about the meanings of conversion and salvation, Christianity, baptism, and the Holy Spirit. We see God moving in the hearts of this lovely couple. Not only have we have had personal conversations, but they have also come to church with us and plan to join us on our annual church retreat.

Please pray with us that they would believe in the name of God’s Son Jesus Christ for salvation.