I met Brother Ma Zhengxiu during a visit to Shuguang Church in Baoji, China's northern Shaanxi Province in the evening before the traditional Spring Festival in 2020.
Sister Chen who was with him at the time said that Brother Ma is an artist with a high level of calligraphy and also a teacher in the church's calligraphy fellowship. In addition to reading the Bible constantly, he also fully plays his advantage, copying the words of the Bible on rice paper every day in lower case. As long as the brothers and sisters need, the generous man gives away the calligraphy works for free.
When we entered his house, we saw a copy of the "Apostles' Creed" on the front wall of the house, which was very eye-catching. Sister Chen also said that in the summer of 2018, Ma suddenly felt a terrible pain in his legs. He was diagnosed by a Xi'an hospital with osteoarthritis. Because he was unable to move freely, he left the church calligraphy group he loves and recuperated at home for a long time. Ma had us take seats and then he staggered out from the back room with one of his recent works of transcribing the Bible for us to enjoy.
He said that his disease has been diagnosed by many physicians as incurable. The only way for him to live happily is by reading and copying the Bible. At the end of the visit, Brother Ma gave us a new copy.
I also met Sister Shao Qingrong during the visit to Shuguang Church before the Spring Festival in 2020. In the evening, we came to a high-rise residential building on Daqing Road and met her in her house. She looked energetic although she was 86. There was only she and her daughter-in-law at home. They were as close as mother and daughter.
She read the scriptures in 1 Corinthians 5:8, 6:12, 7:24, recited 2:2, 3:16, 4:20, and even also the contents of the Old and New Testament. Sister Shao told us that she has never been to school and is illiterate. After believing in the Lord, by reading and memorizing the Bible, she is no longer illiterate, and she can read the Bible through once or twice a year.
She has been reading and reciting the Bible since she became a Christian. Her eldest daughter (a member of the visiting group) said that her mom was better than her, a high school student, in reading and reciting the Bible.
(The article is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Yuehan Jiang
