Taiwan

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At that time, the Japanese occupied Taiwan and Christian worship was forbidden. It is said that they forbad Christians to view pictures of Christ and demanded that they swear loyalty to the Japanese emperor; and when the Japanese found Chi-wang preaching the gospel, she was punished. Nevertheless, she continued to share the good news of Christ.

Often other Christians would carry this small woman in a sack slung over a shoulder so she would escape detection, perhaps being mistaken by the Japanese police as a bag of sweet potatoes. At other times fellow Christians would travel by train and lock her in the lavatory so she would not be discovered.

In one of the villages, there was a cave with two entrances where Chi-wang preached. The churchgoers would post guards at both entrances, and if a signal were given that the Japanese police were coming, they would leave through the other entrance. Through the courageous mission of this woman, the Taroko tribe came to know the love of Jesus Christ.

Years later the Taroko Presbytery built a church at the site of this cave. One of the M.Div. students at Taiwan Theological College and Seminary in Taipei is a member of this Taroko tribe, and Chi-wang is one of his ancestors. This young man’s father, mother, and sister are all pastors. After preaching at his mother’s church, he accompanied mission worker John McCall to the cave. John writes, “As we stood there, I shared with him that I hoped he would have the same passion for sharing the good news with his people as had his ancestor, Chi-wang. We prayed together in that quiet cave, giving thanks for those who had gone before us, and asking for grace and strength to continue the work that Chi-wang had begun.”