TWO BY TWO
"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send workers
into His harvest field."  Matthew 9:38

      Reaching Hong Kong by way of Alaska and Taiwan, our team of weary travelers arrived at the first stopping point on our trip into China.

      Riding through the downtown area in a taxi, I was immediately immersed in culture shock.  I could not believe what I was seeing!   There did not appear to be one inch of space that was not occupied by wall to wall people, bicycles, taxis and trolley cars!  I kept shutting my eyes to avoid constant impending crashes by this moving mass of vehicles and people!  I said to Karen, my partner, "Wow! Hong Kong is a wild city!"  I was certainly glad when we finally reached our hotel.

      After resting up from our long flight, we spent some time exploring Hong Kong.  A trip through an open market was fascinating.  At one booth a man was skinning a snake,  That was too gruesome for me to watch!  You could find just about any kind of merchandise, including live fish, chickens, ducks, and lots of fruits and vegetables.  It was like a gigantic flea market you would see in America, but with much more variety.

      The next day our team met with the people who supplied the Bibles.  It was a solemn time of praying over our precious cargo as we wrapped the Bibles in packages of two and three to a pack.  I pictured the Chinese believers rejoicing over each Bible, thanking God for the gift of His Word.

      Each of us was supposed to carry fifty Bibles.  I put as many as I could in my suitcase and the rest in my carry-on bag.  When I put the carry-on bag on my shoulder I couldn't stand up straight.

      I guess I looked rather comical all stooped over, because one of the men said, "Hey, you can't go through customs like that, you have to look natural."  So I had to remove packets of Bibles until my shoulder didn't droop.  Some of the men kindly volunteered to carry the rest of my Bibles.

      After we were all packed, we set out on our mission, two by two.  Our mode of travel varied: some by air, some by train, and some by boat.

      I couldn't help being a little nervous as Karen and I set out for the Hong Kong train station.  As we waited in line to purchase our tickets for our trip to Guangzhou, China, I said to Karen, "I got up this morning with butterflies in my stomach and they are still with me."

      Soon we boarded and found seats among the many somber-faced Chinese people.  After a short delay, the train slowly ambled through the picturesque countryside.  I began taking pictures only to discover that my camera wouldn't work.  I prayed, "Oh Lord, what has happened to my camera?"  Distinctly, I heard the Lord say, "I did not send you here to take pictures.   I sent you here to pray."  I told Karen what God had said to me.  She looked rather puzzled but said, "Don't worry about it.  You can get copies of mine when we get back home."

      Soon we arrived at the Chinese border.  I followed Karen who looked confident, like a typical American tourist.  I was scared and busied myself praying silently in the spirit while smiling bravely.  I reminded God of some of His promises.

      Then the thought struck me, 'what on earth is a sixty-four-year-old grandmother doing smuggling Bibles into China?  What ever possessed me to sign up for this journey across the world?'  "Oh, if only I was back home sitting peacefully on our front porch petting my cat Josie," I mumbled to myself.

      Just then Karen pushed me in front of her, saying, "You go first, Lenore."  Walked slowly toward the x-ray machine.  A girl guard yanked my purse from my shoulder and threw it on the conveyor belt along with my suitcase and carry-on bag which together held twenty-eight Bibles.  I went through without a hitch and proceeded on for about twenty feet.  I glanced around to see if Karen was following me.

      In shock and fear, I groaned, "Oh no! She is going in a different direction with her luggage!"  I knew they would search her luggage and confiscate the Bibles.  I tried to think of the instructions we were given.   The only thought in my head was panic! I prayed, "Oh God, what shall I do now?"

      'Get out of here' was all that came to me.  I remembered the card in my purse with our hotel's name on it.  I was supposed to get a taxi and proceed to the hotel if we got separated.  But I was not about to leave without my partner.  I was carrying Karen's luggage carrier so I stalled by pretending to put it together.  I kept putting it together and taking it apart, and praying.  It was pouring rain and the area was crowded with people.  I felt as though my feet were glued to the train platform.

      Finally I spotted Karen coming toward me.  I said in a hushed tone, "Karen, what happened to you?"  She was white as a sheet and visible shaken.  All she said was, "Let's get out of here fast!"  In the taxi she grabbed my hand.  I could feel her trembling.  I prayed all the way to the hotel for the right words to comfort her.

      After we reached our hotel and registered, we took the elevator up to our room without speaking a word.  Karen walked in and threw herself on one of the beds and cried and cried.  I turned the radio on so we could not be heard, remembering that our rooms might be "bugged".

      I could feel her pain.  I hurt for her.  I said, "Oh Karen, I don't know why you were caught and I wasn't.  We will just have to leave it in God's hands."  Somehow those words didn't seem very comforting.  When Karen had composed herself, she said, "Gregg and Scott and I prayed for a whole year for success in getting our Bibles through.  I don't understand what happened."  I had no answer to give her.

      As for me, I concluded that, though I was fearful, I believed that God was with me whether I succeeded or failed.  For the first time in my life I was beginning to trust God.  We were over the first hurdle of our journey.  I was beginning to lose my fear of traveling to far off places.  Beijing and a trip to the Great Wall of China lay before us.  However, there still remained a few pesky butterflies in my stomach.