D o YOU KNOW w hat squ a tte rs are? These are people who simply move in and settle down. A year ago, when I was in Hong Kong, I was fascinated by people who lived as squatters on top of the high build ings. The scene was very grim. Build ings which look lovely from the ground can in actuality be decrepit and ugly from the top. This “Crown Colony” is on the mainland of China where it physical ly Connects with the Communists. Be cause of conditions,, there are refu gees continually moving out of Red China into Hong Kong. The British government doesn't encourage th is but does accept those who flee from the Communists. They have really done amazing things for these help less and hopeless people. They flood into squatter camps for there is no place else to go. Generally speaking, the people are clean and tidy. The hill sides, and every available portion of land, is filled with them. They will get some sticks, cardboard boxes, whatever they can salvage to protect themselves from the elements and try the best they can to get along. Even tually they may be able to move into an “H” block building. It’s very prim itive by American standards, for the rooms are about 10 x 12 feet with no bath facilities at all. Five adults and several children will live in this room. The cooking and bath facilities are in the center of the building and things must be shared. They are just glad to have a place to be. It is sad to see these people who have so little when you think that we at our very worst are so much better off. There isn’t even a small comparison available. My heart went out to these brave people who were content to be “squatters on the roofs”
of apartment and store buildings. Since they didn’t interfere in the slightest with the people who lived below them, they were allowed to use this precious space for a little shelter. The squatters had to carry their water from the street below. This was a hardship. The open pipe might be a mile or so away. I wonder if we could live in conditions like that? These Chinese people are heroes just to go on living in the face of such difficult circumstances. When I was there a hurricane struck. As the w a rn ing sounded, everybody had to get off of the streets. The squatters on the roofs took down their little houses, rolled up their few belongings and scurried away to the basement in which to huddle for safety. When the tempest was past they would go back up and build their huts all over again. It’s a sad and tragic story. As I travel around the world, I find many Christians who are squat ters, too. Can you imagine squatters in the kingdom of God? Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). We come to the cross, receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour. Our sins are forgiven, and we are safe in His kingdom. According to the Bible, however, God has far more for us in salvation than just the ini tial stages with our sins forgiven. Romans 5 shows us that there is “much more.” (See especially verse 10 .) Too many Christians today are content to be Christian “squatters.” They have never gone on to enjoy the good things God has for them in this world. There is the exhilarating joy of knowing that Jesus Christ is 5
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