Christmas with Terri and her Son

Lisa and I met in Tianjin China shortly after we both arrived there in 1990. She was teaching English and I was studying Chinese.  Both of us felt God’s call to share the love of Jesus with Chinese students who had few opportunities to hear of God and His love.  Here are a couple of fun pictures of us around the time that we began dating in 1991. 

Terri’s Story:

Lisa and I were married and returned to China with our master’s degrees to teach and minister to university students in 1994.  During our first year of teaching, there was a student named Terri who got our attention.  She was a party member who was the monitor of her class.  Lisa was somewhat intimidated by Terri and wondered if she might be looking for an opportunity to tell the administration that we were Christians who had been talking to some of her classmates about God.  During the next couple of years, several of Terri’s roommates had placed their faith in Christ and yet Tracy seemed to show no interest. 

Finally, one day in the spring of 1998, during Terri’s last semester, she approached me in the office and asked me if I was a Christian.  I was a little nervous and I asked her why she was asking.  She said that she was interested in knowing more about God and that she had been reading a Bible given her 2 years earlier during a summer exchange program.  I sensed a sincere interest and invited her over to our apartment where Lisa shared the gospel in detail with her and answered many of her questions.  Shortly thereafter, Terri placed her faith in Christ.

Since placing her faith in Christ Terri has continued to grow in her faith. She is an encouragement to other believers and is a light in the darkness around her.  She is married now and has a 5 year old son.  

2012 Christmas with Terri:

We have continued to stay in touch with Terri and many of her classmates that we met in the mid-90s.  We have a unique opportunity this Christmas to reconnect with Terri who is in the U.S. this year doing research.  She and her son will be joining my family in Kansas City for Christmas.  We are so looking forward to having Terri and her son join our family in celebrating the birth of Jesus.  Immanuel!

                      Lisa with  friends                                               Dale at Nankai in 1991

(Lisa with some friends traveling 3 days by train to Xinjiang in 1991)

                          作者: Dale弟兄,青少年教师 溪水旁华人教会