Secret Sundays

by AMY DAVIS
TENNESSEE BIBLE COLLEGE

COOKEVILLE — A peculiar group gathers in a small room on a university campus in Wuhan, China. The moment at hand, they close all windows and doors, checking for any sign of government authorities. All points secured, they proceed.

Out come their Bibles and hymn books. . . and so begins Sunday morning worship in China.

"In Wuhan, you need to be careful," said 25-year-old Midea Liao. "Sometimes, we don't tell our classmates we're Christians."

Midea Liao studies her Bible at Tennessee Bible College.

Until earlier this year, such was the weekly scenario for Midea and friend Helen Wang, 24. As members of the church of Christ, they risked breaking the law by their affiliation with a religious group not approved by their Communist government.

But circumstances shifted dramatically for the two young women this past January, when a door opened for them to venture across the globe for a minuscule destination in rural Cookeville, Tenn. — from the busy streets of China to the peaceful countryside of Tennessee Bible College. Their desire to learn more about the Bible had taken them to a place where they are free to worship openly, with no interference from the government, and their full focus of study can be matters of faith.

"While I was working in China, I had no time to study my Bible," said Midea, who was employed as a home textiles export merchandiser in Shanghai (a city which she says is more open to Christianity than Wuhan, due to the cultural diversity). "I only worshipped on Sunday. That's not enough to know more about God's word."

Midea Liao, left, and Helen Wang, both of Wuhan, China, have come to Cookeville to major in religious education at Tennessee Bible College. Back home, the young women and their small congregation of the church of Christ must meet in secret because of Communist government restrictions on religion. In Cookeville, however, they experience freedom to worship openly.

Midea, an English major, graduated in 2005 from South-Central University for Nationalities in China. She also earned a minor in accounting from Zhangnan University of Law and Economics. Helen, a 2004 business English graduate of Wuhan Institute College, had a job in international business in Ezhou City.

Both had sacrificed their careers — and life as they had always known it — to reside four years in a foreign country.

The decision to study abroad also meant the young women would postpone marriage, which had been a concern for their parents, who felt it may be difficult for them to find suitable husbands when they return home at age 28 — well past the traditional marrying age for women in China. But neither feel deprived; both say at this time they are more concerned with "doing the will of God" than settling down with husbands.

"We just obey God's plan for us," Helen said.

Far from home

At Tennessee Bible College, Midea and Helen joined two familiar faces from their home congregation in China — Jamie Kang and Tony Li, who had come to TBC in the fall of 2005. Both young men have since completed studies at TBC, with Tony having earned a bachelor's degree in religious education and Jamie, a two-year preaching diploma.

The girls plan to press forward as well, each of them pursuing a bachelor's degree in religious education — a degree which may be of little value when they return home looking for work. But that prospect hasn't dampened their spirits.

"A job is not everything to me," Midea said. "If you are doing God's will, no matter what you do or where you live it's okay." 

Helen agrees.

"I quit my job in China to come here," she said. "When I graduate in religion, it will be hard to find another job — a good job. My father thinks I will have spent four years here and wasted my time — that it will be of no use for my future."

But she told him not to worry.

"I had a chance to come here, and I thank God. We don't know what will happen tomorrow. We just follow His door. He opened a door for me, and I think this is the best choice. I don't worry too much about tomorrow. No one knows what will happen. Only God knows. And my dad said, 'You are right.'"

It's now been more than 10 months since their arrival to the U.S., and the girls have experienced a way of life much different from that of back home. They have a new church family at Northeast church of Christ, with whom they've shared many new adventures. . . mule-drawn wagon rides, cookouts in the country, river wading at Rock Island and Fall Creek Falls, a trip to Gatlinburg, a cruise on the General Jackson showboat in Nashville, and even a County Commission meeting. They've experienced a new sense of independence as well.

"The law here is different from our country," Helen said. "You have more freedom in religion. You can say what you want. In our country, the government forbids it. You cannot go against our government."

Midea said, "When our congregation meets in Wuhan, we have to shut down our windows."

Helen said, "In China, we have a large population, and the government controls each person. They want to hold everybody in their hand. If you have illegal worship, there are police out to find you."

So how does Christianity spread?

"If people are interested, they may go to the Three Self Church openly," said Helen, speaking of the only government-approved Prostestant denomination in China. Religious beliefs such as Taoism and Buddhism are given some liberty as well.

Religion back home

Although the Three Self Church is prohibited from teaching certain fundamentals of Christianity, it does provide some Bible teaching, which opens the doors of curiosity for those conscientious enough to dig deeper and learn more. Such was the case with Helen, who had from a young age attended the Three Self Church with her family—until she met an American missionary on her university campus.

"When we talked about the Bible, I had a lot of questions at first and was confused," she said. "He talked to me, and after that I had more understanding."

The discussions motivated her to leave the Three Self Church and worship (illegally) with a small congregation of the church of Christ in a private home on her university campus. And even that wasn't enough to satisfy her desire to learn more of the Bible.

"I told my American missionary friend I wanted to study more, and he helped me find a school. That is why I have come here," Helen said.

And Midea, who was greatly influenced by reading a book called "Lady in Waiting" — which focuses on Ruth from the Bible — decided to go along as well to far away Tennessee Bible College.

Family

How do their parents feel about their daughters studying the Bible in a foreign country?

"Actually, my parents don't know I'm studying religious education," Midea said. "They only know I've come to America to study something related to English."

She added, "My mom believes in Taoism. She would reject me if she knew I was a Christian."

Helen, on the other hand, got approval from her mother and grandmother, who are both members of the Three Self church. Her father, however, was apprehensive at first.

"But before I left China, at the airport, he agreed with my choice," Helen said. "He told us we have our faith in the religion, and that is good."

Life in Cookeville

Blue skies, fresh air, flowers. . . not a skyscraper in sight.

Such is the scenery now for Helen and Midea — and they've delighted in their peaceful new surroundings, which are much different from the bustling city streets they shared with more than 8,000,000 back home in Wuhan.

They've enjoyed their studies at Tennessee Bible College as well.

"So far, so good," Midea said.

But with only a handful of classmates at TBC — as compared with the large university populations in China — they've had some adjustments to make.

"But I think if I want to learn about the Bible, not matter what size the college is, it has advantages," Midea said. "The most important thing is growing spiritually with good followers of God."

When they're not in class, the young women spend time with their new church family at Northeast. They go to Bible study and other religious functions as opportunities arise.

"It's exciting," Midea said. "We have more time to worship God, and we have many more sisters and brothers. It's encouraging."

Sunday gatherings are a secret no longer.

Tennessee Bible College offers a bachelor's degree in religious education, master's and doctorate degrees in theology and a two-year preaching diploma. For more information, call (931)526-2616 or visit www.tn-biblecollege.edu.