Reflections from my China trip Part 1: People need the Lord

I flew back from Guizhou/ Kunming, China last Thursday morning.

Well, this isn’t the 1st time I’ve been to China. Actually, it is the 3rd. Counting the number of places in China that I have visited, it would be 9.

However, this time, at Guizhou, it was a totally different. Previously, all the other places were rather urbanised. Guizhou, on the other hand, was a hilly, uneven rural land.

However, I had to say that the land was beautiful, scenic and peaceful. The pace of life was very relaxing and enjoyable, unlike urban areas that we live in.

Being a Geography person, this tour couldn’t be more suitable for me. I finally got to see with my eyes the very things my teachers taught me: things like karst landforms, floodplains, hills, waterfalls. It was a very enriching experience.

Apart from all the waterfalls and beautiful scenery, the people there really made an impact on me. As I noticed the lifestyle of the rural people, I couldn’t help but realise that my perspective was enclosed and incredibly narrow.

I found these kids by the lakeside, standing around, observing tourists as they came to take a boat ride in the lake. It was probable that they are the children of fishermen and boatmen. Due to their young age, their parents would leave them at the shore while they go out to work.

These kids can’t afford to go to school and they do not have any productive thing to do. All they could do is to sit at the lakeshore from morning to evening till their parents return from the work. It is difficult not to feel sorry for them, seeing the lost looks on their faces.

I took this picture on the way up climbing up one of the hills. This little girl truly melted my heart. As we were journeying up the hill, she was relentlessly trailing our tour group from behind, asking us to buy joss-sticks from her at 1RMB. Although our tour group ignored her initially, she continued in determination, following us up the hill. Finally, she got her wish, as one of the group members succumbed to her pleads and bought her joss-sticks. I truly admired her courage and determination, despite her young age!

Observing all the tough life of the rural people , inevitably, there would be much compassion for them.

These people are so poor that they have to exhaust all means to earn enough for mere survival while here am I with my basic needs totally met, an opportunity to be educated and a very comfortable life. Truly, I have been very fortunate. I shouldn’t be taking all the little things that I have for granted.

But then, these people are so carefree, without the troubles and toils of stressful urban life. I toyed with the idea of being those kids at the lakeshore. Truly, their pace of life is one which every city-dweller would crave for.

I began to realise that life wasn’t really that unfair. Although we city-dwellers do have much possessions, we live a stressful life. While these rural people have very little, their life is carefree.

I do think that the only one thing that men really needs, city and rural people alike, is the Lord. I couldn’t guarantee that the rural people have material possessions they could be satisfied. Of if we have a stress-free life, we would be satisfied. It is the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Bread of life, all men needs.

John 6:35 - “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Only Jesus satisfies the emptiness in our hearts!

I couldn’t help but recall a song my choir sang during an evangelical rally:People Need the Lord