In the first week, I went to Chengdu to visit one of my best friends. Chengdu is a historical city in the south west of China and it is famous for its lifestyle of leisure. People there are hard working when they have to work, but they enjoy life extremely well after working hours. One favourite past time is spending time in the tea house, where they can watch Sichuan Drama and play Ma Jiang, with their friends.
This friend Bill, was living in Chengdu and I ensured that every time I went back to China I would visit him. Moreover I am always warmly welcome. Chengdu is 400km away from Chongqing, the high speed train service takes 2 hours.
When I arrived Chengdu, there was something happening at the Chengdu station platform. The train stopped at Chengdu station, and passengers started to alight from the train. I was one of the first few people to get off the train, and suddenly I heard people screaming and child crying from behind.
I turned around and saw quite a few passengers had gathered around Carriage 12. And then two young men jumped onto the rail between the train and platform. After a short while, one of the young men lifted a child, (looked like a 2 year old), over his head. The other passengers on the platform quickly got the child and put him into a safe place.
Passengers started to move away towards the exit of the railway station. I didn't know what had exactly happened as I was a little bit too far away from Carriage 12, but I heard people talking about it. The little child was with his mother, as they both didn't notice the gap between train and platform, the child fell into the "rail well". Seeing it, the mother cried out for help, for if the train moved the child would be in grave danger.
Just at that time, two young men jumped into the "rail well" and saved the child. The two young men did not know either the mother or the child; they just offered to help as the child was in danger and must have been terrified as was the mother.
Astonished
When I saw Bill, who came to pick me up, I told him all about it. Bill was astonished by those two brave and selfish less young men as they might also had got hurt if the train had moved.
Both Bill and I agreed that the Chinese are very brave and willing to help each other when in need. But in these recent 30 years, China has experienced huge economic growth, and people became focused on material wealth much more than spiritual ones.
We often hear negative news about China's society, but the people there are peace-loving and warm-hearted, they need some spiritual guidance from the Lord Jesus and who will tell them unless they hear a preacher (Romans 10).
When in Chongqing, I couldn't find that many peaceful faces as the difference in spiritual wealth is very significant. I didn't go to any church during the 3 weeks I was in China, but I put time aside each day to be with God in prayer.
I felt weak in my spirit as how I wish one day, the Good News of Jesus Christ would spread throughout the whole of China, and fill the people's heart with a full measure of the Lord's spiritual gifts. That day, China will be totally changed.
Oscar Duan is from China, he has an accountancy degree from University of Hertfordshire (UH) International campus in Malaysia, and has undertaken further accountancy studies in Australia for accreditation here. He is married to Heyley.
Oscar Duan's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/oscar-duan.html