Has former Tiananmen student leader Chai Ling (柴玲) exchanged one ideology for another?
"I stumbled on this idea that if only I could become a very successful entrepreneur, like Bill Gates, I could make lots money and set up a giant foundation, then I could once for all overcome and free China," Chai Ling said. Despite her fruitful actions, she began to lose hope, feeling too weak to accomplish her goal of bringing freedom to China.In November 2009, Chai Ling attended a hearing in the U.S. Capitol on the effects of China's One Child Policy. On hearing the personal story of one woman's brutal forced abortion, Chai Ling was finally convicted that only God could stop such brutality. Through the encouragement and prayers of several mentors and friends, Chai Ling became a Christian on December 4, 2009.
Chai Ling's goal of freedom and hope for the Chinese people has not changed since her days as a student. But her perspective and focus is fresh and renewed. She now has hope for bringing God's love and freedom to the people of China, as well as raising awareness of and fighting against the One Child Policy. At her baptism on Easter, April 4, Chai Ling presented her testimony. Her story is a rousing testament to the transformational power of the Gospel, and the hope of Christ in a broken and sinful world.
Many notable participants of the 1989 Tiananmen protests have become Christians, including Liu Xiaobo (now in jail), Zhang Boli (now a pastor), Yuan Zhiming (now a popular evangelist), Xiong Yan (now a US Army chaplain), and Bob Fu (founder of ChinaAid)
Chai Ling's personal account of how she came to accept the Christian faith follows after the jump:
