Studying Overseas

Posted on 25 January 2012.

Wu Haiying was sent by her parents to a high school in the USA. A foreigner teaching English in China had advised them that American Christian schools are safe and academically strong, so she ended up at a high school that required her to attend church and Bible study on a regular basis.

"At first, she didn't understand ‘why you need to believe in something you can't view or touch,' she said. Gradually, it began to make sense. When the house parents in her dorm showed the 2004 film, ‘The Passion of the Christ,' she wept. Shortly before her 2009 graduation, she was baptized. ‘In China, I don't think there's any chance I would have become a Christian,' said Wu," now a junior at a university in New Orleans. (Bloomberg)

A growing number of non-believing Chinese parents are choosing US Christian high schools for their children because of their "moral values, college placement records, and lower tuition than secular private schools."

US universities and higher-education colleges also attract Chinese students. About 57,000 Chinese undergraduates attended U.S. colleges in 2010-2011, six times as many as in 2005-06. Other countries around the world are also attracting Chinese high school and college students. China's Education Ministry says there are now some 1.27 million students attending foreign universities.

Many Chinese students are exposed to Christianity for the first time while they are studying abroad. China Source reports: "There have been literally hundreds of churches and agencies involved in sharing Christ with Chinese students and scholars in the West. Some have estimated that as many as 10% of students from China have come to Christ while studying overseas. Even children of top leaders have opened their hearts to Christ but take a deliberately low-profile approach in any public confession."

Praise the Lord that so many Chinese young people do have an opportunity to be exposed to the Gospel for the first time while they are studying overseas. Thank Him for all those who have committed their lives to Christ.

Pray for those new believers who have returned to China and face a difficult transition to life in a more restrictive environment. Pray that the Lord would lead them to places where they can continue to receive Biblical teaching and discipleship, as well as have opportunity to be involved in serving Him.

Pray for those Chinese currently based overseas who have still not heard the Gospel. Pray that local believers would reach out to them with God's love and truth. Pray for many more to come to the Lord.

Pray for more overseas Christians to become involved in reaching out to Chinese young people in their own home areas. Ask the Lord if you should play a part in this.