Profile: Tony Lambert This Yi pastor went to Sichuan Theological Seminary in 1989. After graduating, he took on the job of pastoring the entire Huili County and is still the only official TSPM church pastor in Huili. He told me that today in the mountain’s region there are about 10,000 Protestant Christians (mainly Yi) scattered across several hundred square kilometres. There are now eight officially registered churches and meetingpoints, most of them very financially stretched and most damaged by the earthquake. However, very quickly 1.5 million RMB was raised by the Sichuan Provincial TSPM, Christian Council and overseas churches. Within a year, all eight churches had been rebuilt. The church built here amidst the mountains is most attractive with its blue tiles shining in the sun. It can seat 200 people. All the other churches are similar. It goes without saying there are meetings every day. At dusk the loudspeakers broadcast the sound of hymns praising God and people flock from all quarters to the church. The church has become the centre for the entire community. What I observed that is different from other mountain villages, is that people do not need to keep guard-dogs and they do not drink alcohol. In their own words, this comes from their faith. Pastor Bai notified all eight churches about the training class. The furthest had to walk for 10 hours! As this was ‘the first training class in the history of the Huili church, where a pastor has come from the
Director of Research for OMF’s China Ministries.
Minority Groups in China : 56 officially recognised
Christians among Minorities: 42 groups are less than 2% Christian
provincial capital’ everyone’s enthusiasm was high! Pastor Bai told me: ‘As we are at the southernmost tip of Sichuan, “the heavens are high and the Emperor is far away”, so some heresies are flourishing here and threatening the growth of the church. So I hope we can have more training classes in future.’ I said goodbye to Huili on the final afternoon and flew back to Chengdu. As I gazed down at the mountain peaks, I remembered the Christians’ hospitality and the clean mountain air. I remembered what one of the leaders had said from the pulpit: ‘We are so happy you have come!’ This was the heart-cry of those brothers and sisters and for me it was a great challenge.
‘The heavens are high and the Emperor is far away’
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