Gong Tong was only a little boy. His family lived in a rural village far from the big capital city where people had the freedom to choose their religion. But in the distant village where Gong Tong lived, the people believed the only true worship was spirit worship.  If even one person chose a different religion, the spirits would be angry with everyone. So, they lived in fear of the spirits and their anger. 

One day, a stranger came to Gong Tong’s village. From this stranger, Gong Tong’s family learned about Jesus. The more they learned, the more they wanted to know. Slowly their love and trust in Jesus grew stronger while their fear of the spirits grew weaker. One day, they asked Jesus to be their friend forever.  Their fear of the spirits was gone!

It didn’t take long for the people in Gong Tong’s village to learn that his family had become Seventh-day Adventist Christians. The villagers were very frightened. They didn’t understand. How could Gong Tong’s family be so careless? Why would they leave the old ways? Why would they make the spirits angry with everyone in the village? The villagers’ fear turned into anger. When the family would not give up Jesus, the villagers burned down their house. Everything was destroyed, even the family’s important documents. The family had to leave their village and begin a new life far away.

Many years went by. Gong Tong grew up, went to college, moved to the capital city and got a job working for our language school. Here, he enrolled in one of our evening classes. 

One day, as Gong Tong was working, he brought a list of student names to my office. As I glanced down through the list, I saw his name: “Gong Tong.” It was so short. Most students have a long legal name on our student list, followed by a short nick name. I was curious. “Is Gong Tong your legal name or your nick name,” I asked. 

“No,” Gong Tong replied. “It’s my uncle’s name.” Then he told me the above story. Among the documents that were lost to fire were his primary school records. Without those records and without a birth certificate, he was no longer allowed to go to school. The village chief refused to replace any of the documents. Then his uncle said, “I’m finished with school. You can have my name.” It was a complete transformation. His old name was gone. From then on, he would be known as Gong Tong.

Sitting in my office that day, I was awed and humbled by Gong Tong’s story. It reminded me of how much Tai Kadai people often have to give up when they choose Jesus. It also reminded me of God’s promise to those who experience salvation: “You shall be called by a new name.” Isaiah 62:2 NKJV. 

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