‘WE SHALL GATHER AT THE RIVER’: TRANSCRIPT
01.00.04—01.00.08 A film by Yan Yuping and Patrick Brown
01.00.12—01.00.21 We Shall Gather at the River
01.00.38—01.00.42 The Nu River in China’s Yunnan Province
is home to the Lisu People
01.00.45—01.00.49 Overlooking a bend in the river, the village of
Zhuowang is getting ready for Christmas
01.00.55—01.00.59 My name is Ha San Yi.
01.00.59—01.01.03 I used to drink, smoke, and
believe in mountain spirits
01.01.04—01.01.07 That’s how I was
before I became a Christian
01.01.17—01.01.21 Now I’m the leader of the village church
01.01.24—01.01.28 As Christians
we want to be good.
01.01.29—01.01.33 We should not rob, steal or do bad things
01.01.34—01.01.38 We want to be truly good
01.01.44—01.01.48 On Sundays we don’t go out to enjoy ourselves
01.01.49—01.01.51 We go to church to worship God.
01.01.57—01.02.00 This church is too small,
01.02.01—01.02.04 The windows aren’t big enough.
01.02.04—01.02.08 It’s hard to hold services
It’s too crowded
01.02.09—01.02.12 The children are restless
01.02.13—01.02.18 We have to make do here
while we build our new church.
01.02.58—01.03.03 When we sing hymns and read the bible
We feel happy and peaceful
01.03.03—01.03.05 We are full of joy
01.03.06—01.03.09 Singing makes us forget all our troubles
01.03.10—01.03.13 It makes us feel so happy
01.03.23—01.03.27 We have many hands.
I’m sure we can finish the new church
01.03.27—01.03.30 It doesn’t matter how long it takes
01.03.31—01.03.34 If we can’t finish in one year
we’ll do it in two
01.03.51—01.03.55 Nothing can stop us
I’m determined to finish the new church.
01.04.00—01.04.03 We’ve built the basic shell
but that’s all
01.04.04—01.04.06 We had to stop work
01.04.10—01.04.16 We have no windows
no doors or anything else.
01.04.17—01.04.23 The new Church is the most
important thing I’ve done
01.04.24—01.04.28 It’s the biggest thing
since I became leader ten years ago
01.04.30—01.04.33 We started building two years ago
01.04.33—01.04.38 We had to stop because
we didn’t have enough money
01.04.39—01.04.49 We still can’t afford windows, doors
and other things we need
01.04.49—01.04.52 We can’t hold services here
until we have them
01.05.01—01.05.07 In my prayers every morning and every night
I ask God to help us finish the church
01.05.12—01.05.17 Local congregations take turns to host
the annual Christmas gathering
01.05.19—01.05.23 Zhuowang villagers practice
for the festivities
01.05.31—01.05.34 The dance movements are symbolic
01.05.34—01.05.40 Pointing upwards for instance
refers to God
01.06.03—01.06.04 Singing and dancing both need practice
01.06.07—01.06.11 Our hymns are in four part harmony
01.06.12—01.06.15 They sound bad if the parts are not in tune
01.07.15—01.07.19 This year we’re spending Christmas
with the congregation in Ziba
01.07.25—01.07.32 Ziba is the last village
on the mountain road.
01.07.32—01.07.37 We can drive up there by truck
01.08.12—01.08.18 Christmas Easter and Thanksgiving
are our three big holidays
01.08.19—01.08.22 All church members take part.
01.08.22—01.08.25 Sometimes county officials
also attend
01.08.26—01.08.33 If the officials don’t come
the gathering goes ahead anyway
01.08.34—01.08.37 All the Christians in our area attend
01.08.51—01.08.55 People who have money bring cash
for the celebration.
01.08.59—01.09.04 Those who don’t have money, bring rice or meat.
01.09.07—01.09.10 Once a year we kill a pig
01.09.11—01.09.18 That’s the meat we eat at Christmas
01.09.26—01.09.32 The meaning of Christmas is that
Jesus was born for us
01.09.33—01.09.36 Jesus was born for us
on December 25th
01.09.37—01.09.43 Jesus came into the world to save us
01.09.41—01.09.45 Fu Gan Bo
Zhuowang villager
01.09.44—01.09.48 He is the son of God, the creator of everything
01.09.49—01.09.54 He loves us and redeems our sins
01.09.54—01.09.58 He died for our sins and rose from the dead
01.09.59—01.10.03 Whoever believes in him
will join him in heaven.
01.10.03—01.10.06 I am very sure of that.
01.10.08—01.10.11 I have believed in Jesus
for 24 years
01.10.09—01.10.14 Bo Yi Shan
Zhuowang Villager
01.10.12—01.10.16 Even when life is hard
God helps me not to be too sad
01.10.17—01.10.20 My husband and my son both died
01.10.20—01.10.23 That was the most difficult time
of my life
01.10.24—01.10.28 When Jesus comes again
we will be reunited in heaven
01.10.29—01.10.32 I’m very happy
01.10.33—01.10.38 Didn’t God create the moon and stars above?
01.10.35—01.10.40 Yang He Wei
Circuit Preacher
01.10.38—01.10.42 We should worship him
01.10.43—01.10.49 He is the ultimate power
01.10.50—01.10.53 He is the source of everything.
01.10.54—01.10.58 He created human beings.
01.10.59—01.11.04 He also created the spirits we used to believe in
01.11.05—01.11.08 We were wrong to worship them
instead of believing in Jesus
01.11.15—01.11.18 Ziba Church
Christmas Eve
01.11.24—01.11.26 We have two ways of praising God
01.11.27—01.11.29 One is preaching the gospel
01.11.29—01.11.31 The other is song and dance
01.11.50—01.11.54 We celebrate Christmas for four days
01.11.55—01.12.05 Throughout the day and into the night
we sing, dance, and praise God
01.12.33—01.12.36 Our written language
was not created by Lisu people.
01.12.37—01.12.41 Missionaries gave is the alphabet
01.12.42—01.12.44 We had no writing before they came
01.12.45—01.12.48 They also taught us the hymns
01.12.49—01.12.52 We gradually learned to sing them
01.13.03—01.13.07 The congregations from different villages
take turns to perform.
01.13.08—01.13.13 Each sings one or two songs
01.13.13—01.13.17 Then they hand over to
the next congregation.
01.13.22—01.13.25 There’s no competition.
01.13.26—01.13.30 Whether people sing well or not
they are all singing to praise God
01.14.38—01.14.42 Christmas Day
01.15.06—01.15.10 This is a time when friends and relatives
can get together
01.15.11—01.15.15 People who live up in the mountains
and those from down in the valley catch up
01.15.16—01.15.18 How are you doing?
How’s life?
01.15.19—01.15.23 Are you making money?
How much are you giving to the church?
01.15.27—01.15.29 If the missionaries had not come to us
we would not be Christians.
01.15.30—01.15.35 We couldn’t sing hymns in Lisu
We wouldn’t be able to read
01.15.50—01.15.56 Before we converted to Christianity
we used to drink, gamble and visit prostitutes
01.16.03—01.16.03 After the missionaries came we knew God
and our lives became better
01.16.03—01.16.08 Our living standard is higher
01.16.09—01.16.12 The missionaries have a special
place in our hearts.
01.16.48—01.16.58 The prophets of the Old Testament
foretold the coming of the Messiah
01.16.59—01.17.04 In the New Testament the prophesy
is fulfilled with the birth of Jesus
01.18.11—01.18.17 Year by year God helps us
to pass our days in peace
01.18.17—01.18.21 Today in Ziba we praise you Lord
and thank you for your gifts
01.18.21—01.18.25 We have heard the word of God
and received food for our souls
01.18.56—01.19.00 Our Christmas celebration is over
01.19.01—01.19.05 Our church in Zhuowang is still not finished
I hope we can finish it in time for Easter
01.19.06—01.19.12 We want to invite everyone to come at Easter
to praise God in our new Church.
01.19
01.30.34—01.30.37 They hold services in their homes
01.30.38—01.30.41 Look, it’s collapsed
01.30.41—01.30.43 The foundation wasn’t strong enough
01.30.44—01.30.47 They saw that we’ve built our church well
01.30.47—01.30.52 They called me for help
with ideas on how to rebuild
01.30.57—01.31.00 The church collapsed this year
01.31.00—01.31.07 We have no money and not enough people
There’s no way we can rebuild
01.31.00—01.31.05 Xia Zhong Yi
Luogi Church Leader
01.31.17—01.31.23 In Zhuowang it’s time
to install the glass
in the church windows
01.31.34—01.31.37 His name is Liu Chengyun
He’s the glass dealer from Fugong
01.31.37—01.31.42 He’s not a Christian
but he has a good heart
01.32.06—01.32.10 We church people don’t know how
to measure and cut glass
01.32.11—01.32.16 If you measure or cut badly
it doesn’t fit
01.32.17—01.32.23 We asked Liu Chengyun
to come to help
01.32.30—01.32.35 It worked out well
He measured and cut all the glass
01.32.38—01.32.40 This is the third church we’ve built
01.32.42—01.32.49 The first was a mud and straw hut
01.32.50—01.32.56 The second was made of stone
but it was not very well built
.
01.32.57—01.33.04 Back then, the older generation didn’t have
the money and skills to build well
01.33.20—01.33.24 I can understand why they’re doing this
but I wouldn’t do it
01.33.25—01.33.27 We don’t have the same beliefs
01.33.27—01.33.31 Belief is the foundation of spiritual life.
01.33.27—01.33.31 Liu Cheng Yun
Glass Dealer
01.33.32—01.33.35 Christians believe what they are doing
for their faith is worth doing
01.33.36—01.33.39 We understand but we’re not religious
We wouldn’t do this
01.33.43—01.33.46 The old church had too few windows
and they were too small
01.33.47—01.33.49 The church was too low
01.33.50—01.33.53 In hot weather, it was unbearable
01.33.53—01.33.57 Children couldn’t stand it
They would run outside
01.34.01—01.34.06 Babies were always crying
01.34.07—01.34.10 It was quite unbearrable
01.34.11—01.34.17 I decided to make the new church higher
with more windows and better ventilation
01.34.21—01.34.216 I work on the church every day
01.34.27—01.34.34 I’m very happy when I work there
01.34.29—01.34.33 Fu Ma Ji
Zhuowang Villager
01.34.34—01.34.38 I’m very healthy
I never get sick
01.34.40—01.34.46 When Jesus comes back for us
life will be even better
01.34.54—01.34.57 I’m so happy tonight!
01.34.58—01.35.02 I’ll sleep really well
Maybe until noon tomorrow!
01.35.06—01.35.13 Now we can celebrate Easter
in the church in April
01.35.14—01.35.23 I’m so glad we have finished the church
in time for Easter services
01.35.35—01.35.39 Easter is a busy season
in the church and in the fields
01.36.11—01.36.16 This time of year is quite busy
01.36.17—01.36.21 In early April we grow rice sprouts
and dig potatoes
01.36.21—01.36.28 We also prepare the rice paddies
and irrigate them
01.36.30—01.36.34 There’s a lot going on
01.36.49—01.36.51 I’m the churchwarden
01.36.51—01.36.59 I keep order in the church
I make sure children don’t disturb the services
01.36.55—01.36.59 Wang Bi Shan
Churchwarden
01.37.00—01.37.03 I tell them not to make noise
while we are praying to God
01.37.03—01.37.06 My job is keeping order
01.37.06—01.37.09 Our elder brother has bigger responsibilities
01.37.10—01.37.15 As church leader
he looks after us
01.37.16—01.37.19 He’s very capable and we all trust him
01.37.20—01.37.25 We take care of each other
01.37.38—01.37.46 I didn’t work at the church today
01.37.41—01.37.45 Fu Ma Ji
Zhuowang Villager
01.37.48—01.37.52 I went to the market with my daughter-in-law
01.37.53—01.37.57 We bought two bags of fertilizer
01.37.58—01.37.04 We sold two pigs for 75 yuan each
01.38.06—01.38.09 Market Day
01.38.14—01.38.20 The market in Gudeng is quite big
01.38.20—01.38.24 I go there two or three times a month
01.38.25—01.38.31 That’s where we buy farm tools such as
knives and carrying baskets for the corn harvest
01.38.44—01.38.56 As I go round the market I see groups
of people with bottles in their hands, drinking
01.39.04—01.39.08 The tobacco they smoke is very coarse and strong
01.39.0—01.39.12 It makes your head spin
01.39.13—01.39.17 Their liquor is also very strong
01.39.17—01.39.23 They’re not interested in beer
Their hard liquor is 60% alcohol.
01.39.29—01.39.34 Some people get so drunk
they pass out by the roadside
01.39.34—01.39.42 Others manage to stagger home
01.39.42—01.39.47 I often think they should become Christians
01.39.47—01.39.51 If they were Christians
they wouldn’t drink like this
01.39.52—01.39.59 They would go home happily from the market
bringing good things for their families
01.40.06—01.40.10 Jiang San Yi is my little brother
01.40.10—01.40.12 He became a Christian when he was 25
01.40.13—01.40.15 Before that he used to drink and gamble
01.40.17—01.40.23 I got this scar from falling down
when I was drunk
01.40.18—01.40.22 Jiang San Yi
Ha San Yi’s brother
01.40.25—01.40.28 When I was younger I had no religious feelings
01.40.28—01.40.34 I slowly came to believe in God
01.40.34—01.40.41 I started going to church for fun
01.40.41—01.40.43 I went to hang out with other people
01.40.44—01.40.49 Later I understood there is a God, a Father
01.40.49—01.40.51 I’m glad I became a believer
01.40.53—01.40.57 My family has lived here
for three generations
01.40.59—01.41.03 When I was growing up
we had no exposure to Christianity
01.41.04—01.41.11 Since1980 there has been more religious freedom
in this country. Christianity came back
01.41.12—01.41.18 Now I am old I cannot do much work for God
I wish I could do more
01.41.14—01.41.18 Li Ma Fu
Ha San Yi’s Mother
01.41.19—01.41.23 When I was ill I went to church to pray
01.41.23—01.41.27 The lump in my body went away
after I prayed
01.41.28—01.41.31 Now I can eat properly
01.41.39—01.41.43 Peasants have to be self-reliant
01.41.44—01.41.47 We can’t afford to go to hospitals for injections
01.41.48—01.41.52 We use our own treatments
to make ourselves feel better
01.41.53—01.41.56 If it’s serious
we go to hospital
01.42.06—01.42.10 Ah Wen is not a Christian but he is a good man
He smokes but he doesn’t drink
01.42.11—01.42.15 Where he lives there are no Christians
That area is mostly Buddhist
01.42.16—01.42.17 People do not help one another
01.42.18—01.42.25 I try to help people
but nobody helps me
01.42.19—01.42.23 Ah Wen
Ha San Yi’s Brother-in-Law
01.42.25—01.42.29 I help others anyway because
I understand basic Christian values
01.42.31—01.42.36 Some of my Buddhist neighbours
are only interested in money
01.42.37—01.42.40 Here people help you
for nothing
01.42.41—01.42.44 I heard that when Buddhists pray
they are praying for money
01.42.45—01.42.49 Right! They even talk
about money in their sleep
01.42.50—01.42.53 Christians don’t want money for helping
01.42.53—01.42.58 They help build the church, and share food freely
01.42.59—01.43.01 Christians are good to each other
01.43.05—01.43.12 The last foreign missionaries
left China in 1951
Local preachers continue
the effort to win converts
01.43.17—01.43.25 God says that whoever understands his word
must pass it on to others
01.43.26—01.43.37 On Judgement Day how will you answer God
if you did not pass on his word?
01.43.31—01.43.35 Yang He Wei