On Dec. 24, 2016, an ex-Buddhist, Zhang Xin, the runner-up in the third "Star Boulevard" or Xingguang Dadao, a Chinese state TV talent show, shares her conversion in the Christmas celebration held by Qibao Church of Shanghai.
The appearance of the Christian celebrity is a highlight in the evening party. Once followed Buddhism, she sings several praise songs including You Raise Me Up and Glory. The singer states that her conversion was related to one of her friends, a Christian who invited her to go to church every Sunday afternoon for half a year.
Wondering what supported him to do this, Zhang went to church with him. She was touched by a testimony of a migrant worker who prayed to get a job in Beijing. With tears streaming down her face, the woman praised the Lord that such a little prayer was heard: uneducated and inexperienced, she received many offers but she was so busy with work that there was no spare time for her to go to church. Then she prayed that Jesus could find a way for her to attend services. Feeling peace after the prayer, the believer told her boss that she wanted to join in services and the boss gave the consent to the request.
This moving testimony reminded Zhang that in Tibet, she saw some poor Buddhists who put in one yuan a shallow basket to worship a Buddha got a ninety-cent change. Regarding them too chary, she got the answer that there were so many Buddhas to please that the Buddhists have to save money. On the contrary, many of her rich friends in Beijing invited Buddhas into their homes and burnt incense and paid money to light butter lamps. In her eyes, Buddhas wouldn't go to poor families. However, seeing the woman's conversion for Jesus heard her simple prayer, the ex-Buddhist decided to convert.
Zhang confesses that many of her Buddhist friends wanted to pull her back to Buddhism after her conversion to Christianity while she stayed firm to the new belief. Once she went back to her hometown, she came to know that her uncle's house was used as a Christian gathering place. Zhang wanted to donate 1000 yuan to her poor uncle who's raising a sick son, but she was refused. Her uncle believed that God could provide him everything. What was more, the aunt who used to show distress in her face seemed joyous with bright face and eyes. She saw the true and living God reflected on them and this firmed her Christian faith.
Translated by: Karen Luo
