Finding God

First thing she said was in answer to my pigeon-Mandarin question.

We were among a gathering of medical staff at a Chinese government hospital.

Lunch-time in a dull gray government-appointed canteen. Stomach-of-duck and jelly fish were served.

From a group of twenty-some participants, the young lady plucked out a seat next to mine.

I asked what she did for the hospital.

"I'm a G.I. doctor," she said.

"Oh, that's impressive," I said. She looks, I'm thinking, maybe in her mid-twenties...

"I'm in my forties."

We smiled. Beijing water is spiked with something...

"Have you been to America?"

"I studied in Mississippi. Do you know where Mississippi is?"

"Sure," I said.  Deep south. In the Bible Belt...

"It's in the Bible Belt."

I nodded.  No words for this...

"I went for five months.  Now I'm Christian."

"Hao de. Me too."

The good doctor was all smiles and appeared quite happy, joyful.

"I'm baptized. In Mississippi."

I'm peddling software... In China...

Having an Exodus moment...

Hearing holy words this Lent from a communist government's gastrointestinal Christian physician baptized in Mississippi...

Thinking of Moses' words as he noticed the burning bush,

"I must go over to look at this remarkable sight,"

Finding God and miracles in the billions in Beijing this week.


--tim