Chapter 17: "Enoch's First Year in America"

(This post is dated 1-13-20 for chapter sequence only. Back to Chapter 16)

These chapters capture glimpses of Enoch's first year in America. It is possible that someday the full details of this story will be told:  the details of what happened to his church in China; his father in prison; his family while they lived without him for 2.5 years; and his incredible solo journey to the U.S. Enoch is a very brave young man. He has faced incredibly personal challenges. 

As his "American family" we have wept with him, but for every sad day there have been weeks and weeks of growth and happiness as indicated in these two videos. For more than a year, I was taking pictures and video on my phone--not knowing exactly what I would do with them. Only recently did I learn how to post them on Youtube and hence into these chapters. 

This first clip is of Enoch's 18th Birthday. In Chapter 10, I shared about a day that Enoch considers a miracle: on his 15th birthday his father was granted a phone call from prison. Based on how he was treated in prison, his family is convinced that no one there knew it was Enoch's birthday. I happen to believe that there are "secret Christians" in all sorts of CCP positions in China. I know one of them from my time there. I think Ms. Joy [not her real name] in Chapter 2 and 3 may be one. And maybe...just maybe...someone in that prison was either a Christian or sympathetic to Enoch's father and he did somehow know this man had a reason to want to make this phone call for his son. Either way, I get choked up each time Enoch tells me of that tearful song. 

By contrast, three years later we used some technology to "climb the wall" an expression Chinese folks use when they communicate directly with the outside world via the internet. (Such communication is common worldwide, but not under Enoch's circumstances.) Enjoy this rare moment. Yes, the Christmas tree was up on November 17. Not sure why. The phone held by my daughter is not filming; it is the "window" through which we are sharing this moment with Enoch's parents. We feel their presence and prayers with us constantly.

"Do not lose your brave heart. 

Hold on, Brave heart. Persevere through hard times... 

for great is God's promise to you." 

(paraphrased) Heb. 10:35-36.

There were many such moments from January 2019 to January 2020. Here are just a few.