Not every missionary story goes as planned. But God loves bringing beautiful endings to terrible situations.
You may remember our updates about Li Yan, a five year old Wa girl in The Edge region. She was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, an obstruction of blood flow pumping from her heart. When we heard of her need, we stepped in to help save this precious child.
Read the blog here: 5 Year Old Li Yan’s Heart Surgery.
Li Yan underwent heart surgery, and returned with her parents and grandmother to her hometown on the Myanmar border. At first the recovery was slow. This little child was bed ridden, and her parents were scared for her life.
“I have some bad news,” our local missionaries at The Edge center told us. “Li Yan’s family have gone back to the animistic rituals of the Wa people, and are offering sacrifices to the demons.”
We were heart broken. After months of sharing the gospel with this family, the enemy had stepped in with doubt, and lured them back into the demonic practice of animism.
But God is always faithful, even when we fail Him.
However, Li Yan slowly began to improve, and our local missionaries were there to remind her family that her recovery was because of God’s power and love, not because of the animal sacrifices they made.
Soon after, the little girl was scheduled for another check up after getting surgery. But her family was strapped for cash, and were not sure that they could bring Li Yan to the hospital.
You won’t believe what happened next.
The Edge region lies in the middle of the 4,000 kilometer Myanmar border, home to a huge Methamphetamine production area, second only to Afghanistan. It is the northern tip of the Golden Triangle, Southeast Asia’s popular drug smuggling route.
Li Yan’s grandmother did what she could to pay for her granddaughter’s hospital bills. She began selling drugs until she made enough money for the check up.
That is what you call desperation.
After a thorough check up, the doctor said Li Yan was as healthy as could be, and did not need to have any more surgeries. God’s healing hand was upon her, and we believe that God has great plans for her life. The tiny acts of love and kindness that we have showed her will not be forgotten. And although Li Yan’s family lives in a desperate situation, makes terrible decisions, and have turned from God, His hand of love is still upon her and her family.
Isn’t that the case with all of us? With God all things are possible.
Three months ago, Li Yan’s mother got pregnant again, and because of the one child policy, was forced to abort the child in a hole-in-the-wall family planning center. Li Yan’s mother almost died from bleeding after the poor surgery, and again turned to animistic worship to appease the demon gods. The family seems to be unable to escape the tumultuous circumstances surrounding them. God must be trying to get ahold of their hearts.
Please pray for little Li Yan and her family. God loves the Wa ethnic minority. God loves the unreached peoples in The Edge region. He is jealous for them to know Him personally, and we are committed to see that happen.