Soyung was a little Chinese boy, and he was a leper. Sitting outside his house and hiding behind the big water buffalo, he shivered. But it was not the cold that made him shiver, for it was a hot night. Soyung shivered from fear.
A neighbor had just called at the house and shouted to his mother, “Get him out of here. We don’t wish you anything bad, but if he stays, we will all get the disease. So do something.”
“Do?—What am I to do?” replied his mother, crying.
“Do what his father did!” shouted the angry neighbor. “It may be a terrible thing for you to do, but it will be the best thing for the village. Take my advice do it, or else—” and with this threat he walked quickly away.
Soyung’s father had been a leper, too. He had gone away one night on a little boat on the river, and never returned. White foreigners had found him, and after a time he had died among them and their strange gods. To Soyung’s mother this had been a terrible thing.
The night passed. In the morning Soyung heard his mother pounding rice. Soon the morning meal was ready, and the other children were fed and sent with the water buffalo to work in the fields. Soyung went to play with his yellow chicken which he loved dearly.
He still felt afraid, however, but when his mother came out dressed in her skirt instead of her rough farm clothes, he felt better. Perhaps they were going away somewhere together. He felt he would not be alone. Inside something cried, “Oh, Mother, don’t leave me alone!”
His mother gave him a little bag of rice to carry and together they both set off through the village down to the river. Behind them the little yellow chicken came flying along, and began pecking at Song’s feet. He picked his little pet up in his arms, and was surprised that his mother did not chase the chicken back home.
Soon they reached the river where all the little boats were bobbing up and down in the fast flowing stream. His mother untied one boat and putting one foot in the boat, she called to Soyung, “Come, son!”
He stepped into the boat, afraid to turn around, but he knew his mother still had one foot in the boat.
“She will get into the boat with me,” thought Soyung. Then in a second that feeling was gone. His mother’s foot pushed the boat out into the swift current, and he was alone! All he could do was sit in the boat holding his little chicken, and let the tears roll down his face. Nothing else could he do but sit there and cry.
Several days later Soyung was found miles down the river by American missionaries. He was cold, wet, hungry and shivering with fear. He was afraid of these white people, and when they wanted to give him medicine for his disease, he thought it was poison. But their love and kindness overcame his fear, good food and care worked wonders, and Soyung began to get some better.
God was watching over that little life. The Good Shepherd sought the little lonely wandering lamb. “And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” (Luke 15:5,65And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (Luke 15:5‑6).)
For the rest of his life Soyung lived at the mission hospital, working in his little garden. He learned that leprosy is but a type of a far worse disease which he—and all the children of men have—that is, SIN. Only God can cure the dread disease—sin. There is but one remedy and that is the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Jesus died, and “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).)
Soyung became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. His sins had been washed away in His precious blood, and he lived to serve Him faithfully.
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ML-05/13/1979