Wu Baoying (1895–1928)

Wu Baoying was a Chinese Christian physician remembered for humble competence and fearless compassion. By his early thirties he had already gained the trust of many families in southern Guangxi through medical skill joined to a steady, prayerful manner. He served alongside the China Inland Mission, embracing a demanding life of long hours, limited supplies, and frequent travel. His work was not merely professional; it was a lived conviction that mercy toward the suffering is a fitting response to the mercy God has shown in Christ.

Qinzhou City and the Hospital Work

Qinzhou City, a coastal hub in Guangxi, felt the strain of banditry and instability during the late 1920s. In that unsettled setting, Wu helped establish and strengthen a local hospital, offering treatment to the poor and vulnerable who often had nowhere else to turn. Accounts of his ministry highlight patience with the fearful, gentleness with the dying, and an unwavering refusal to treat people as burdens. His medical service became a quiet testimony that love is more than words—especially when danger presses close.

The Attack of May 6, 1928

On May 6, 1928, a bandit army swept into Qinzhou City. Violence spread quickly, and the very streets where Wu had sought to relieve pain became a scene of terror. During the turmoil, a soldier struck him down, splitting his skull. When his body was found the next morning in a pool of blood, witnesses remembered the final words attributed to him: “The Lord is with us.” In sudden death, his confession did not romanticize suffering; it declared a Presence greater than fear.

Witness, Courage, and Hope

Wu’s last testimony aligns with the enduring promises of Scripture: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4). His life also reflects the call, “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Remembered rightly, Wu Baoying stands as a model of steadfast faith, public-hearted service, and courageous love—pointing beyond himself to Christ, who does not abandon His people.