The struggle for the soul of China

May 18, 2004 | Susan Zahn

[Susan Zahn]

Discussion: Exploring China's One Child Law. Since 1979 it is estimated that over 15 million abortions have taken place in China, many as late as 8 or even 9 months.

Question: Should certain laws be broken when it comes to human life?

[Susan Zahn]

HOME BEYOND THE SUN--is a film that uncovers the struggle for the soul of China as experienced most painfully by her children. Attempting to lower the birthrate to a single child per family, parents long for a son. When a daughter is born, she is often abandoned to orphanages where she is called a “found forsaken.” In this officially atheistic nation, Christians are involved not only in financing the orphanages, but also in the adoption of these little girls into an American home, a “Home Beyond the Sun.”

The film still communicates its purpose in touching our hearts for the orphaned people in our world.

The central character is Jenna Williams (Melissa Ade), a young woman who comes to China to teach English to a school of privileged boys. Herself an abandoned child, Jenna had been adopted by a loving Christian family and raised with love. When her parents died in an automobile accident, her godfather, Pastor Dan Jones (Stan Coles) stepped in to provide love and guidance. He sets her up with the appointment in China even though the government knows Jenna is a “Bible-college student.”

Providentially, Jenna stumbles across the path of a small orphanage where Mei Ming (Mung-Ling Tsui) is in charge. Not recognizing the danger of the Communist government’s disapproval of Christian teaching, Jenna blatantly connects herself with the orphanage and places both Mei Ming and the children in danger.

Befriending eight-year old Chu Lee (Molly Sayers), who is the oldest girl in the orphanage, Jenna and Chu Lee begin a relationship that eventuates in an American adoption with a family Pastor Dan has known for many years. What is not known at first is that this family of four wants to adopt because years ago they had given up a daughter themselves because of a premarital pregnancy and their hearts long to love the daughter they lost.

Showing the interplay of both American and Chinese people is an important message in this film.

This movie challenges the viewer to decide if certain laws are to be broken when it comes to human life.

This film hit a cord with me.

Here is the link to the film site: http://www.homebeyondthesun.com

Here is a link another intersting link on the film http://www.cinemainfocus.com/homebeyondthesun.htm

[rarebird]

Several years ago, one of my aunts did missionary work in China.

The ramifications of the "one-child policy" are now being felt. China's crime rate is rapidly increasing, because of the gender imbalance. Young men are starting to find it difficult to find mates, because of the imbalance.