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The Story of May Li
May Li was a seven year old girl who lived in China. Both her parents were Christians, but May Li didn't know anything about Jesus. Her parents wanted to tell her, but they were too afraid.
In China it is against the law to teach children about Jesus, and anyone suspected of doing so, risks being arrested and put in prison. However, every day in school, May Li was taught that God did not exist and that to be a Christian was stupid and dangerous.
One day, Johnny, a Christian from Hong Kong, made a secret visit to May Li's parents. He had brought them some Bibles to give to their Christian friends. In China, the sale of Bibles is controlled by the government, so there is a great shortage of them.
Johnny had also brought a special book to show May Li's father. When Johnny pulled it out of his bag, May Li was watching from behind the kitchen door. It was a beautiful, brightly coloured, children's story Bible. Such books are illegal in China, and, when discovered by the police, are immediately destroyed.
May Li thought the Bible looked so exciting, full of pictures and stories. She wanted it for herself. But she didn't say anything when Johnny stuffed it back down into the bottom of his bag.
That evening, the family and Johnny shared a meal together. After dinner, May Li went to bed, without complaint, and the adults talked late into the night.
When Johnny was ready to leave, he looked into his bag to check that he had not forgotten anything. The children's Bible was gone! The adults looked everywhere in the room for it, before they thought about May Li. They now knew why she gone to bed without complaining.
When they went to May Li's room, they found her reading the children's Bible out loud to herself. May Li's dad was cross and told her to give Johnny his book back. But May Li said, "No! This is mine now!"
Johnny explained that it would be too dangerous for May Li to keep the book. Her family would get into trouble if the police found out that she had it. Sadly, May Li gave Johnny the Bible back.
She turned to her parents. "If I can't have the book," she said, "please tell me more about this person called Jesus".
"Alright," said her father, "I think you are old enough now. But you must never speak about Jesus to anyone else. He is our secret."
