IN New Zealand where I was born, I there lived a Chinese family who owned large vegetable gardens. In those days Chinese immigrants could only stay two years, after which they must return to their native land. So it was that every two years this Chinese family, with the necessary sanctions of the government, brought in men from China to labor in their gardens. With this low salaried help they prospered.
One day a Chinese man and his wife with their little son, Ah Sing, arrived. The father and mother were put to work at once in the gardens, but Ah Sing was sent to a day school nearby. He was a bright little fellow and learned quickly.
Ah Sing had a buddy, a Christian, who attended the Sunday school, so one day he invited Ah Sing to go with him. Ah Sing was very curious and wanted to know what a Sunday school was. So his friend explained that “It’s a place where we and all the boys and girls, read the Word of God, and where we are taught about Jesus, who was not only God’s Son, but the One God had sent into this world to be the Saviour of sinners.”
He also told Ah Sing that he had already accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and that he knew that he was saved from coming judgment. Then he quoted that wonderful verse: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
Ah Sing was deeply moved in his heart, to think that God would love him so. The time came when he accepted Christ as his own Saviour, just as his buddy had done.
Ah Sing was a good student, and finished grade school with honors. Then his father told him, “Now that you have finished school, you will have to go to work with me in the garden.” And so he did, until one day the school principal called on his parents and requested them to allow their boy to go on to high school. He said he was the best student they had ever had in that school.
The parents gave their approval so Ah Sing went to high school. He graduated in three years instead of the usual four, besides winning a scholarship to go on to college. There he studied engineering and to the delight of his professors he again graduated in three years instead of four. He won two other scholarships, which gave him the privilege of attending Oxford University. There he graduated in science one year sooner than the other young men of his class.
Ah Sing was a brilliant student, but he was not one to attribute his success to his natural abilities. He did not forget what the Lord had done for him, in dying for his sins on the cross, and he sought to please and to serve Him in his young life. So it was that the Lord was with him.
During the time he was at Oxford, others observed that he went away every weekend to a certain section of the slums of London. It was here he gathered a group of young men together and taught them the Word of God. This work went on for some time and there was much blessing, as souls heard from his lips the wonderful story of God’s love.
Then Ah Sing was called back to his old school in New Zealand to take a professorship in engineering, which he accepted. To his great surprise he was given a civic reception because of his brilliance as a student. He attended, but it was with reluctance because his dear old father and mother were not present. In accordance with his desire, his parents were brought and were introduced to all the professors and to the officials, including the Governor-general himself.
The poor old Chinese couple felt very much out of place because they could speak but little English, and they were rather poorly dressed. But the Governor-general, after conferring further honors upon Ah Sing, called his parents into his presence, and talked with them about their brilliant son. As the Governor-general spoke words of praise for Ah Sing, the poor mother replied: “Me boy, funny boy. ‘e no want money, no big name. ‘e no want nothin’ in this world. Me boy, funny boy, but ‘e believe in Jesus. Is that good?”
Much affected, the Governor-general replied, “Yes, that is very good.”
The last news I had of this brilliant young fellow, dear Ah Sing, was that he was serving Christ as a missionary in the interior of Brazil. There he was telling the poor savage Indians the same sweet and precious story of the love of the Saviour, who came into this world to save sinners and to take them to heaven to be with Him when He comes again.
“What things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” Phil. 3: 7.
ML-02/07/1971