Eric's Beijing Diary

Had lunch with Rose and Titus today. I wanted to share with them my thoughts about the mission I am contemplating to Afghanistan. But while I am concerned about the two million children in Afghanistan who have no education, I am also concerned about the situation in China that makes it difficult for Chinese young people to get involved in mission activities. In America, there are many non-profit mission agencies that facilitated the involvement of young people in addressing both spiritual and practical needs in some part or other of the world. In China, organizations like this just don't exist. There are some non-profits. But relatively few, and none that I know of that are set up to help church groups to get involved in international missions.

I had thought about the possibility of visiting some family churches in the countryside to get a feel for what interest there might be on the part of young people in family churches. But Rose and Titus told me I was not likely to find young people with the kinds of skills I am looking for in the countryside. I guess they are probably right. After some thought about it, I may not need to go to the countryside anyway. Everybody talks about how the countryside is littered with family churches, but I have heard estimates that there may be as many as 3000 family churches right here in Beijing.