Greetings Fellow Survivors! 25
April 2020
What
a time we all find ourselves in! Not since Noah’s flood has the entire human
race been so impacted by one calamity. Even during previous ‘world wars’ and
‘global outbreaks’ large areas of the world were mercifully untouched then. But
now people in every nation are wearing masks and social distancing. Not sure
how many of our 23 million Beijing neighbors know the promise, but we gladly
received this reminder of God’s mercy and protection that He hung over our city
the other day! Amidst this global grief we thank God that He does not treat us
as our sins deserve.
We
had a couple dozen seekers connect and consider Him as our members now
scattered all around the world shared songs, drawings, dance, poems, and
readings expressing their fears and hopes the night before Easter. Lots of
great gospel discussions and heart-felt honest sharing!
Before
this pandemic our ZGC congregations were comprised of University students from about
100 nations. In mid-January many of them went to their homelands for the month
long Chinese New Year. Then the troubles all started! Many of them are now
unable to return to China. Those many students who stayed here are now on
lock-down. Even though much of Beijing is ‘moving’ – international students
cannot leave their campuses, some still cannot leave their dorms! So all
f
our 25 small groups – with members near and far – meet weekly on line. We also
have prayer Monday thru Friday three times a day – 5 am, 12 noon, and 9 pm –
that allows people all around the world to connect at opportune times. We, like most of the global church, are trying
to make the most of the virtual opportunities we now have.
During the
roughest 60 days of the virus in China our BICF team wrote short articles to
encourage our members. Now they have been translated and are being shared with
the global church on the YouVersion app. (You might even know the guy who
wrote on Day 26!) They are freely delivered daily if you sign-up. Over 5000
people are getting them so far! 4 Languages are on the YouVersion, more are on
www.bicf.org website!
Check
it out and share it with friends, who needs an encouragement today!
Amidst the
uncertainty in our congregation – lots of people ‘stuck’ in places they don’t
want to be for ‘unknown’ lengths of time – we’ll offer this Zoom seminar next
week. If this fits your situation now, feel free to join us!
Church
life goes on in all the BICF. One congregation had a pastoral transition –
perhaps the first ‘virtual, on-line’ installation service in church history!?
Our Mandarin service which packed almost 2000 people in our mother church
auditorium now has 10,000 ‘Zoom in’ for worship from around the world. Our
small Russian language church has ‘alumni’ connecting from Japan, USA, Central
Asia, Czech Republic, and Russia. Our Indonesian, Korean, Japanese, and
Cantonese pastors are ‘stuck’ in their homelands but are still leading their
congregations virtually from afar. Our Korean congregation has 8 members in
Beijing, and 100 in South Korea. They gather nightly – Monday thru Friday – for
prayer over Zoom!
We realize this letter goes out at a very difficult time. We pray
that you are strong in body and spirit, trusting our God who is the same
‘yesterday, today, and forever.’ Everything around us and about us changes, but
He does not! His character is steadfast, and his mercies are new every morning.
Your continued prayers for us are much appreciated, as always. And if you are
in a position to continue financial support, we are very grateful. Yet we
realize many are going through economic challenges. Let us know better how to
lift up your needs to our great and gracious God.
Trusting Him who does all things well, Mark and Dayna Blair
Our
Mission Pioneers -
10123 William Carey Dr - Orlando, FL 32832 USA
Checks to
‘Pioneers’ – with attached note: ‘Mark and Dayna Blair, Beijing.’
(Our
Account # is 110565, Mark and Dayna Blair)
