The Village of God

In Guizhou Province, four hours from the capital city, Guiyang (the sun does not often shine there, so the name "Gui" means 'precious' and "yang" means 'sun, or sunshine,' meaning that "sunshine is precious") a group of Amity teachers as part of their winter conference, set out to visit a village at the top of a mountain. We walked along a footpath, muddy from a recent rain, up and up, through the fields amidst the strange mountains that dot the landscape.

When we got to the top of the stone steps leading to this remote village, a group of villagers sang to us, welcoming us to their home. They were dressed in the traditional festival costume of the Miao ethnic minority they represented.

We walked through the village, among stone and mud brick homes with thatched roofs decorated with icicles.

When we got into the center of the village, we discovered a church building. The name of the church is Gospel Church. We were invited in and given the front section of the church; the villagers sat behind us.

Once we were seated, the choir filed in and took their place on the low platform. The Chinese characters on the back wall are the first words to John 3:16, "For God so loved the world." They sang several hymns, in Chinese and in the Miao language. As a final number, they sang the "Hallelujah Chorus," as beautifully as I have ever heard it sung.

After the choir finished singing, we learned that there had been a Christian congregation in that village since 1903, for more than 100 years! Most of the villagers are Christian, and they say they are known as the "Village of God."