This is my story - 73 - Hong Kong/Taiwan

73 – Our visit to China with the International Secretary

In May 1989 the International Secretary Commissioner Robert Bath and Mrs. Bath visited Hong Kong to conduct meetings following which Mrs. Major Karen Lam and I joined them on this their first visit to China. Mrs. Major Lam was our interpreter.

The plane touched down at Beijing Airport, and after the usual custom and immigration formalities, we walked through the gate and there to greet us were a group of former Salvation Army officers and their families. Their faces were beaming with smiles when they saw us in our uniform. “Huang Yin” (welcome in Chinese) and shouts of hallelujahs burst forth from the group. Cameras began to click for such an historic occasion, the visit from the International Secretary from International Headquarters and team had to be recorded and kept for posterity. Major Yin Hung-shun their leader introduced us to the rest of the welcoming group! They still addressed each other by their ranks – Lieutenants, Captains, Majors and the obsolete rank of Adjutant!

The sun beat down upon us mercilessly and we were glad to get into the van waiting for us. These dear folk, a number from nearby towns had been waiting at the airport for hours, were glad to join the group making our way to the hotel. Motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians competed for space in the busy streets. The tourist guide wanted to know who we were and we took the opportunity to tell them about The Salvation Army. 

We arrived at our Hotel, checked in and before long were sitting down with the folk at the lounge. They all wanted to know what was going on in the Army world. Commissioner Bath responded to their welcome and brought greetings from General Eva Burrows. He assured them that International Headquarters and the international Army had not forgotten our Chinese comrades. It was great time of sharing fellowship and news. These dear folk had gone through trials and tribulations and had proved the grace of God sufficient. Tears of joy flowed freely as they recalled their experiences and their joy in seeing us.

Beijing was in a festive mood. Crowds lined the streets waiting for the procession making the celebration of the 70^th anniversary Youth Festival.

But there were those who were in no mood to rejoice and chose to congregate at the famous Tiananmen Square with placards and banners calling for democracy. China with its six thousand year history was at that time undergoing great changes. China was going through a crisis and was the object of international spotlight.

Our visit was from 5^th to 8^th May and in less than two weeks on 20^th May, martial law was declared! The tragic episode - Tiananmen massacre was on 4^th June 1989 a dismal page in Chinese history.

The vehicle taking us inched its way through the crowded streets packed with people. The atmosphere was tense. Everywhere police were out in full force controlling the crowds and directing traffic, but the mere mention of the name Deng Pu-feng, (son of Premier Deng Xiau-ping) whom we were to visit was sufficient to get us through even the streets that were out of bound to other traffic! I believe the Lord miraculously opened the way for us.

Prior to leaving Hong Kong we had done our homework. Contact had been made with Mr. Deng  Pu-feng the Director of China’s Disabled Persons’ Federation. In 1984, he had made a visit to our Salvation Army Home for the handicapped at Lai King, Hong Kong!

The leadership in Hong Kong and the National Council of Churches in Hong of which the Army was a member had kept contact with the Chinese authorities.

During the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiau-ping and his family were targeted by Mao Zedong. Deng Xiau-ping was branded as a ‘capitalist’ and on one occasion was forced to kneel to the ground with his arm stretched out behind him and over his head. His family watched as the Red Guards forced him to confess to capitalist ways of thinking.

Mao’s Red Guards imprisoned Deng Pu-feng. He was tortured and thrown out of the window of the three storeyed building at Beijing University in 1968. He was rushed to hospital but was denied admission because he was the son of a ‘capitalist.’ By the time he reached another clinic he was paralysed. His back was broken and he remained a paraplegic for the rest of his life.

After a tense journey, we finally arrived at our destination – the office of Mr. Deng Pu-feng. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and Mr. Deng Pu-feng himself. Between sips of Chinese tea conversation flowed freely. Commissioner Bath brought greetings from our General and then congratulated Mr. Deng for the charitable work he was doing for his people.

Mr. Deng Pu-feng told us about his plans for the future for the handicapped. He thanked us for the warm reception he had received when he visited the Salvation Army in Hong Kong. He seemed to have considerable knowledge of the Army for he had travelled widely. We thanked him for giving us time in busy schedule. We assured him of our support.

I believe that brief visit helped to build bridges and prepared the way for more involvement of the Army in China. In 1996 The Salvation Army established an office in Kunming (Yunnan) to oversee its growing portfolio of projects in south west China. In 2001 a second office was established in Beijing to cover north China. This oversees ongoing community development programmes in Inner Mongolia and forestry projects in Hebei, Hubei and Anhui.

We believe God raised up The Salvation Army and it is important that we seek His will and work according to His will and timing. Jesus was very conscious of timing and lived His life with an acute awareness of God’s timing for His life. I believe that visit was timely. Whether the Army will be able to work in the same way as we do elsewhere is a matter for God to decide.