and questioning by the brutal guards, occasional quiet moments did come. And
when they did, his mind soared on wings
of Scripture he had learned. Memories of
church-centered events came tumbling
back, complete with the warmth, the joy,
the rightness of it all. Loving relationships
still warmed him. Beyond the eight bars,
a sparrow chirped or a star shone, and
through them, God spoke.
“There were still times when Harry felt
as if his life was dribbling away, day by precious day. He still mourned that he would
never receive training for the ministry he
hungered to fulfill. But with these thoughts
came Job’s declaration: ‘Though he slay
me, yet will I trust in him’ (Job 13:15).”
his most productive years in prison. But
what we would call wasted was really a
tracing of the evidences of God’s love.
Your perspective on what really matters
will be altered permanently.”
Here is part of his story: “With scarred
arms, damaged kidneys, and an aching
spine, Harry lay on his back in the tiny
space allotted him in cell 23 and counted
yet again the eight steel bars that held him
prisoner. His battered body and the turmoil
of unanswered questions seemed all of a
piece. But out beyond the bars in the blue
velvet sky shone a star. Harry gazed at the
pinpoint of light and found himself remembering a conversation between Jesus and
his disciple Peter. He’d read it countless
times, this story of Jesus’ third encounter
with a few of his disciples after his resurrection (John 21).
“Jesus and Peter conversed about
his future, and Peter, so utterly human,
pointed his finger at John and said, ‘What
about him, Lord? What’s going to happen
to him?’
“Jesus’ reply to his pupil repeated itself
over and over in Harry’s brain: ‘What is
that to thee? Follow thou me.’
“Don’t worry about seminary.
Trust me with your abused body,
your breaking heart. You follow me;
I am your Lord ... and I am here
with you.
“The pinprick of starlight
seemed to flood the cell. Great
peace enveloped Harry and protected body, mind, and soul. His
questions turned to affirmations.
“Lord, as long as it is for your
honor and glory, it is all right
with me. I trust you, Jesus, …
whether by life or by death … it
will be all right.
“From that time on, cell 23
could not hold him. Even during the weeks of struggles
Editor’s note: Harry Lee spent 7 years in prison and
another 4 on a prison labor farm. After 11 years of
imprisonment, he was fully exonerated at the age
of 54. Despite many job offers in China, Harry finally realized his dream of attending and graduating from seminary in the U.S. He then dedicated his
life to serving the Lord with OMS, with Nadia, his
new wife (a true love story!), by his side until he
died in 1996.
If you would like to
read Harry’s story in
full, you can order
From the Claws of
the Dragon, by Carroll
Ferguson Hunt (now
Rader), from Amazon
or by calling Barb at
OMS HQ, 317.888.3333,
ext. 313.
photo page 10: Harry Lee, in
Shanghai, early 1990s
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