This book is the story of a religious person who claims to have had a number of religious experiences. Liu Zhenying, aka Brother Yun, aka the 'Heavenly Man', is currently in exile with his family from communist China, the land of his birth. He was born in 1958 in China's Nanyang County, the southern part of Henan Province, in a small village of mud-hut peasant farmers. This book, not for the squeamish, is the harrowing and inspiring story of his life as a persecuted house church leader until his escape to political asylum in Germany. Being a Christian was still a very dangerous position in China, as the official 'Three-self Patriotic church' (which he denounces) is with what is more than fairness can be called 'running dog, paper tiger'. Although Brother Yun's village contained only 600 people, his influence touched many thousands as Henan is China's most populous province and contains 100 million people.
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The claims of miracles, visions, premonitory dreams, and impossible escapes from prison are too numerous to list. In 1974 his father lay in the last stages of cancer when one night his desperate mother 'heard a voice' which converted her immediately. His father miraculously recovered and the family was converted. Yun became a preacher and married. He was then constantly being arrested and hunted by the Secret Police. He became expert at escaping from prison, and in resisting every form of torture they put him to. Eventually he was incarcerated in the maximum security prison in Zhengzhou. Although he broke both legs evading arrest, not only are his legs not treated, but they torture his broken legs to cripple him.
One day another brother prophesies that he will walk out of there soon, or die. The next day he does--his broken legs are instantaneously healed as he gets up, but he does not realize this at the time. Many guards look at him as he walks out, but see through him and he passes through all the iron gates. He is the only person to ever escape that prison. This is one of the hardest of the miracles to believe. His wife and children (who escaped via Burma), also tell part of their story, as they interweave their experiences with his.
The review of this Book prepared by Michael JR Jose
