Passing on the faith
Da Wei* is a youth worker. But he’s not like any other youth worker. Because of China’s strict laws against sharing the Gospel with minors, he’s had to flee, four times, to keep his youth group safe.
The Birth of Voyagers
One day, Da Wei asked: “God, is there anything that I can do to help pass down Christian values to the next generation?” From that encounter, a vision was planted in Da Wei’s heart, and Voyagers*, a Christian school for marginalised children, was born. Many of them come from poor single-parent households. Some have been labelled “rebellious” and rejected by mainstream schools. And still others are disliked by their own parents.
Voyagers is unlike any other youth group. It’s not just a Christian school, but a community, a family. It’s a safe space to heal, grow and make disciples of Christ.
Raised in a non-Christian rural village, Da Wei accepted Christ in secondary school after hearing the Gospel from a friend’s family. A fervent learner, he studied theology and, in his twenties, stepped into next-generation ministry. In 2010, he led a team of nine evangelists to university campuses in southwestern China to teach cross-cultural evangelism.
First Encounter with Persecution
But with youth ministry in China comes great persecution. His first crackdown came when police raided a youth camp he organised for 100 students; he was detained for 17 days and fined harshly, a stark reminder of the legal risks of ministering to teens.
Undeterred, Da Wei pressed on in his mission and founded Voyagers. But again, persecution followed him… And the road has been difficult.
Unrelenting Resistance
The school has faced repeated police raids, surveillance, interrogation, confiscations and forced relocation. On Christmas Day 2016, a group of about 100 government officials from seven departments got out of 16 vehicles and surrounded the school. “That time,” says Da Wei, “there were five coworkers, including myself, who were taken away with handcuffs and leg shackles to a professional interrogation room of the police station. The next day, around 1 am, we were released.”
It was the first of four forced moves that left the team in a state of despair and nearly broke Da Wei’s resolve…
He cried out: “Lord, I want to give up now. It’s not that I don’t want to continue. We just can’t find any places for us to stay!”
In prayer, he received comfort and strength from God, given to him through Isaiah 41:10:
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
And so, he waited for God’s help.
The Turning Point
One day, Da Wei “bumped” into an Open Doors partner who connected him to people who share the same vision and mission. The Voyagers finally found a safe place to stay, and they would no longer struggle alone. This new partnership provided prayer, persecution-preparedness training, recovery aid and practical support for school venues and youth activities. The ministry is now thriving, and workers have grown in confidence even with potential future challenges.
Da Wei expressed deep gratitude to Open Doors: “Your prayers and support are like an angel’s embrace, a beam of light in the darkness.” His students, now 50 strong, have grown in Christ and are being sent abroad and across China as missionaries.
A Broader Reality
Da Wei’s story is not unique. Many next-generation workers in China (and in many other countries on the World Watch List) face raids, surveillance and legal barriers. They must adopt covert strategies to continue their ministry while protecting their communities. Ma Tian*, an Open Doors’ partner, compares Da Wei to resilient wild grass that survives the pelting rain and continues to grow. He encourages those on the frontline with Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not grow weary while doing good.”
Love In Action
Da Wei urges supporters to continue praying and providing practical support so that Chinese youth workers can continue nurturing the next generation in faith. His determination to choose faith over fear serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience (and support) required to share the Gospel in hostile environments.
You can support the most persecuted so they can continue shining the light of Jesus for the next generation and beyond.
*Names changed for security reasons.
*Funds will be used to strengthen persecuted Christians where urgent help is needed.