Peoples of China

The Church in Yunnan Province


A small church of twenty-plus members in Yunnan province collected ¥246.50 RMB (about $36 USD) during a recent Sunday offering as their relief fund for one of our national partners who has a ministry team in the recent earthquake epicenter in Yushu, Qinghai province. While this may not sound like much, let me tell you more about this faithful little church.

This small church is located in a mountainous area, which itself is in great poverty and in dire need of help.The only crop that grows locally is potatoes. Most families live off two meals of potatoes each day. The average annual income per household is ¥200 RMB, less than $30 USD. This means that this small church of twentyor so members has offered up more than a whole year of one household income in this one Sunday service alone to help people in need thousands of miles away, people whom they have never met.

This is a church filled with joyful givers despite their own poverty. They are living examples of 2 Corinthians 8:1–5, where their “…extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity”! This is a church whose members give what they have as the widow’s mite, each person coming forward with small bills of ½ RMB and 1 RMB (7 cents and 14 cents USD). Nevertheless, their offering is valued as kingdom treasure in Jesus’ eyes, which God will take and multiply a hundredfold. God certainly honors such kinds of faith in action. We are praying that China becomes more missional and giving, just like this little Yunnan church. May God bless you with a giving heart as well!

This article is an excerpt from “The Church in Yunnan Province” by Ge Jun in Christ-Centered Generosity, R. Scott Rodin, editor, Kingdom Life Publishing, 2015. Used with permission.

Image credit: Mingjia Zhou via Flickr.
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