Li Shi

I actually pray before I write these words because if this simply turns into ‘The Andrew Blog’ then I have completely missed the point and purpose of what I’m doing.

My prayer:

That Lord, you do a work in the lives of those reading. 

That more men and women would take grasp of what You have for them and put it into action. 

That You would give more clear revelation to those still in question about their life. 

That Your Spirit would allow us to know the good and honorable decisions we have to make about current situations. 

This is what I pray for all you guys this month.

Here is a story about a man who might change your life. His name is Li Shi. 

Li Shi remembers being abandoned. 

Li Shi was born with Cerebral Palsy.  When he was a small child, Li Shi remembers his dad taking on a second job in rural china to pay for the extra costs associated with Li Shi’s condition.

Because he was working nearly every waking hour, Li Shi’s dad fell ill and eventually passed away.  He remembers shortly after his father’s death, his mom took him on the train to a nearby city.  When they got off the train, his mom sat him down in the station and told him to wait for her. 

Four hours passed and Li Shi knew she wasn’t coming back.  Li Shi was now a very young child with CP, in a new city – all alone.  He was abandoned.

He can walk, but it’s slow and tedious. He can talk, but it’s difficult to understand.  He can think – better than me. Li Shi spent the next year surviving on the street with a group of other street kids.  He would do whatever he needed to get money to eat, until the police eventually picked him up and brought him to our partner, ICC.  For about 15 years, Li Shi was under the care of ICC, and the staff worked with him, fed him, took care of him.

When he became a young adult, Li Shi got his first job selling newspaper on the street corner. A few years later Li Shi started leading a bible study group of other disabled believers.  He now preaches for several groups and has since started to work for ICC - giving back to those who are in a situation like his own. 

Li Shi dreams that one day he will own his own home.

After hearing his story, we invited Li Shi to dinner. I had the privilege of sitting down right across from him. He is only 24 now, and we had a mini eating competition. We both ate like champs.

I asked Li Shi, “How did you become a Christian?” (In China you can’t evangelize to anyone under 18 so I wondered how he knew about Jesus without being told the whole story (they do sing Christian songs and read bible stories).

He spoke and the translator said on Li Shi’s behalf.

“Because Jesus called me.”

I thought about it for a second – my mind was trying to process a rebuttal to his response that seemed too simple.  I couldn’t really think of anything else to say… so we just ate more meat off a stick together.

Working through a conversation was tough.  The translator couldn’t understand some of his words, so Li Shi would take out his phone and slowly type what he was trying to say.  He started sharing with all of us just how much he loves God.  He would start, “You know Matthew 7?” and then recite the whole chapter.  He would then take key verse from the chapter and relate it to another part of scripture and then recite another entire chapter.  All the pastors were blown away at the dedication of Li Shi to the word of God. 

They asked him what could they pray for him.

“I would really like attend seminary, but no schools will accept me.”

With no formal training, no money and very apparent disabilities, several different schools have turned down Li Shi.

I highly doubt this will hold him back.  With a track record of overcoming obstacles like Li Shi has – I have no doubt that he can become the voice of disabled people and Christians alike in the entire country of China.