Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1998)
CHINA from page 1 Trembly said one of the most mem orable experiences of her trip was din ing with agroup of elderly Chinese peo pte, all of whom had served at least 15 years in prison. Two were ministers who had served 22 and 24 years in prison under die religious persecution of Mao Zedongh Cultural Revolution. The group also met a woman named Mable, a religious leader in China. Mable’s grandfather was executed because of his religious beliefs in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion against for eign influence in China. Mable said she was whipped during the Cultural Revolution, but claimed she didn't feel the lashes. She later attributed this to the prayers of Christians around the world In both cases, Trembly said, she was inspired by the faith of Chinese Christians. “They have a lot greater awareness of how every day is a gift to them, because in a blink of an eye everything could be taken away. When you talk to a Christian in China, you know you’ve talked to a Christian-itb realty apparent and just shines through than,” she said At a crossroads In Beijing, Trembly and her group visited Tiananmen Square. Although a contingent of Peopled Liberation Army soldiers stood guard, the situation was calm along the vast square that is over looked by a gigantic image of Mao. But a closer look revealed the con crete tiles splattered with bullet pock marks, a grim reminder of the brutal 1989 government crackdown on pro democracy students who had gathered to demonstrate in the square. The director of China Harvest, who asked that his name not be used in this article because of the sensitivity of the organization’s work, said the square is symbolic of die younger generation in China. After their hopes for political \ reform were crushed he said many <" became disillusioned with politics and took refage in spirituality. “There is a great generation gap in China,” foe director said.‘The younger generation did not know the Cultural Revolution, but they were impacted by the‘spiritual vacuum’in the wake of foe Cultural Revolution.” Since Tiananmen, he said, “for foe fust time in China’s long history, large numbers of students are coming to Christianity.” Despite the conflict between the government and religious devotees, their is a trend in China toward greater religious freedom since foe mid-1970s when Deng Xiaoping became premier, said Andrew Wedeman, a UNL political science professor. In the late ’70s there were foree jeg istered churches in China; now there are more than 11,000, he said. At that time, offenses such as distributing Bibles could earn the violator a stiff sentence in I-< a labor camp, he said, whereas punish ments today aren’t as severe. Full of faith Trembly called her two-week trip to China, which ended in early June, “the experience of a lifetime.” In China, she noted, baptism means a formal commitment to go to the death for one’s faith. In America, she said, Christians rarely have to contemplate that level of commitment She said she hoped to learn from this commitment and expand her faith. She is interested in a career teaching English as a second language in China, and is exploring options in that field. “I realty fell in love with the people; they’re so hospitable and kind,” she said “In terms of my faith, it really caused me to examine a lot in my day to-day commitment” * Anymore authentic andyou couldn't drink the water. Bonitas as Big at Yoor Head! 13* tr till bsn dose COMEDY IN LINCOLN JUST COT FUNNIER! The Dr. Demento Radio Show C. Wayne Owens Plus from Kansas City John “The Johnny Man” moans M- :M' l), >! ' '2. : u j* [' ' FRIDAY HAPPY HO 4-5 — ^ I 4 fev' 4 Parking Problems? Need a Place to Park? Park by iy Day h $2.00 Don't Fight for Parking Enter at 8th & S Streets, 1 block west of Memorial Stadium National Garages, Gold's Galleria, Suite 120 • 474-2274 Join HuskerFury, THE Husker student support group on campus. Come get an application at the Athletic Marketing Office, 117 South Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0153 OR call 472-0775 OR e-mail huskerfury@huskers.unt.edu. HuskerFury is open to every full-time student, except student-athletes. I-------—r: ‘-'i Smile. You get 5 free online hours with these Navir plans*: ^ - " t * -* gs*" i ja* ^ i . , -i'l' 5® | Low Usage Plan: 15 hours Additional minutes are $.02. for $6.50 a month. Marih.in ii«.. m,.. an h«,,ro 03,1 University Telecommunica 40 h tions at 472-5151 (students) for $10.00 a month. 0r ^.3^ (facu^ Qf staff)' High Usage Plan: 250 hours Or, stop by 211 Nebraska Hall, for $19.50 a month. And whichever you choose, mm m well give you 5 free hours of n|AB£|l£s Internet access every month. Aliant Communications. ■MONO IT EASIER TO COMMUNICATE. Visit our web site: www.aliant.com • You mun b« i UWL rtuCK. HoWy °f **1 mantwr lo »aMy toe tt«t pkn». Ikttcip. »o*wirc ttivafadk m Window, md rtaortmti ytraons