Preacher Zhou Enying, a member of the Chinese "Back to Jerusalem Evangelistic Band", died at the age of 105 on March 6, 2018.
According to an article written by Rev. Kou Jianguo, vice-president of the Gansu CC, she was born in Henan in March 1914, then abandoned by her biological parents. An American professor came to China in 1909 to preach the gospel. The 36-year-old woman adopted her. So Zhou grew up in the church and became a Christian at 16.
In 1939 she studied in a Bible school founded by the Methodist church in Kaifeng, Henan. Later she visited the church in the United States and an American university president exceptionally recruited her into a program at the university. During her study period in the US, she was hardworking, warm-hearted, and active in extracurricular activities. Four years later she graduated with honors.
She returned to Baoji, Shaanxi, in May 1944, and helped her adoptive mother take care of orphans. Over the next four years, she worked in a local school for poor children and later served in churches in Henan and Chongqing. In 1950 Zhou became a teacher at Northwest Spiritual Training Institute and three years later she began voluntary evangelism.
In 1959 she was arrested on false charges of "historical counter-revolution and spying for the US". After a ten-year sentence, she was acquitted and taught English in a school for employees of a reform-through-labor farm.
The 65-year-old preacher rejoined the ministry of Lanzhou Shanzishi Church when it was reopened in 1979. After 1980, she worked as an English teacher for 13 years and preached to people who loved English at the same time. In 1993 Zhou quit her teaching job at Lanzhou University and worked full-time in the church. She successively served as a member of the standing committee of the Gansu CC&TSPM and the main leader of the Lanzhou CC&TSPM.
She never married and adopted three orphans.
- Translated by Karen Luo
