Published 29/December 2025 – Edited 21/April/2026

Many years ago, I came across a feature story on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in a foreign newspaper. It was not something I was deeply engaged with at the time, yet it quietly stayed with me and became, over the years, a point of reflection – not so much on the project itself, but on the deeper questions of connectivity, movement and meaning. From draft to draft, update upon update. I couldn’t share my thoughts in peace. Then, suddenly, an invitation to a family trip to China in December last year. We also had three birthdays falling in the same month. With concerns about travelling in winter and securing last-minute seats during the school holiday season, it felt uncertain. Yet it became clear that the journey would go ahead. – even though the two available seats were not together, and check-in was hours before departure. As my husband travels in a wheelchair, we prayed for mercy and provision. God was faithful.

Seven of us from three different countries arrived in Shanghai around the same time. Airport transfers and hotel check-ins were smooth, almost seamless. Yet immediately, we realised we had mistakenly taken one piece of luggage that did not belong to us, an unpardonable oversight. We quickly prepared the necessary reports, and the matter was resolved. By the time we returned from dinner, everything had already been corrected. I gave thanks to the Lord, Jesus, for all things. Then came the rapid train journeys between Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. During the peak season, it seemed impossible to secure tickets for all segments, for all of us together. Yet with God, nothing is impossible – though it meant paying a little more.

Many years ago, my husband and I travelled by high-speed rail between Beijing and Xi’an. Even then, the experience felt modern and refined. This time, the trains were even more impressive – fast, clean, punctual, and wheelchair accessible. The stations felt like airports, with extremely comfortable, spacious waiting lounges and an orderly flow. My husband and I visited Nanjing and Hangzhou twenty years ago. This return visit left me speechless. The transformation in infrastructure, lifestyle, and atmosphere was profound. It merits its own reflection. Parting from loved ones after the family reunion was deeply emotional. I entrusted everything to the Almighty, knowing that every meeting and separation was held in His hands and times. The climax of the trip came before I had a prayer of relinquishment. At immigration, I became anxious when I could not see a clear wheelchair lane. Yet unexpectedly, the wheelchair attendant wheeled us to the ‘Belt and Road Lane.’ In that moment, I was in tears, and I saw the light.

Upon returning, my husband’s doctor review found nothing alarming -by God’s all-sufficient grace. We returned to our daily routine and my BSF class, where I shared part of my journey. I was humbled to learn that many Chinese construction workers earn their living away from home across Central Asian countries and through BRI-related projects. For some Christians in China, these corridors (belts) are spoken of as a journey from 西安 (Xi’an) to 锡安 (Xi’an) – a quiet echo of sound carrying deeper meaning.

Being Chinese myself, I began to reflect: if the ancient Chinese Silk Road traced the imagination of nations, perhaps today’s Belt and Road Initiative reflects something of that same human longing for connection and exchange. Perhaps these new roads echo the balance of Yin/Yang – the meeting of the past and present, movement and stillness. Yet I sense something greater: the hand of God, the Lord of the ‘Time and Space,’ gently leading us from ‘Glory to Glory.’