Chang's heart pounded as the prison boss walked into the office. She stood to her feet.

“Sir, my father was kept in this prison because of his love for Jesus Christ,” she said. “Now he is dead. My family has no money, no place to live and no food. Can you give me a job?”

The prison director frowned. “I have one job, but it pays very little.”

“I will take it!” Chang exclaimed.

The director took Chang outside and showed her the dark doorways where prisoners went in and out to do their work. The doorways led to tunnels deep underground, where the prisoners dug iron.

The director showed Chang a tall pole. “Do you see this red button?” he asked. “Your job is to stand next to this pole all day. When someone tells you to push the button, you must push it right away. This button is the emergency button. When it is pushed a siren sounds, and the men get out of the tunnels as fast as they can.”

“I can do that!” Chang said.

“OK,“ the director said, scowling, “but do not push the button unless you are told.”

Day after day Chang stood next to the pole, waiting for the order to push the red button. After the first week, she was paid a small amount of money. Chang was so happy; now her family could buy food.

One afternoon, as she stood next to the pole, Chang heard someone say, “Push the button!”

Chang spun around, but no one was there.

“Quick!” the voice said. ”Push the button!”

Chang saw no one, and the mines looked fine.

“Chang, push the button NOW!”

This time Chang realized it was the voice of the Lord. She didn't know why He wanted her to push the button, but she knew she must obey. Chang pushed the button.

Brrrrrrrrik! Brrrrrrrrik! The alarm sounded, and 3,000 men rushed out of the mines.

The prison director ran out of his office. “Chang! Why did you push—“

Suddenly, the ground trembled. An earthquake shook the ground for 20 seconds.

BOOM! The tunnels underneath the ground collapsed. Puffs of smoke and dirt flew out of the dark mine doors.

Everyone looked at Chang.

The prison boss looked scared. “Chang, how-how did you know to push the button?”

A prisoner gave Chang a fruit box to stand on. “It is the Lord Jesus Christ who told me to push the red button,” Chang said in her loudest voice. “He told me to do it three times, and finally I obeyed. Jesus Christ is the only way for you to know the true and living God. He loves you. He saved your lives today. Repent and give your lives to Him!”

All 3,000 men, including the prison director, knelt down and prayed to ask Jesus to forgive them and come into their hearts.

This true story was published in the September 2005 newsletter from Asia Harvest with Paul Hattaway.

Hearing God's Voice

Chang's father went to prison in 1952 for talking about God. Chang's father died in prison. Chang showed that she was just as brave as her father when she got a job at that same prison and told the prisoners and the director about Jesus. Today many Chinese Christians are in prison for telling others about Jesus. Pray for their freedom.

Read 1 Samuel 3:1-10. Samuel heard God's call in the middle of the night. He listened and obeyed. How do you listen for God's voice and obey?