{"id":177,"date":"2016-05-13T21:08:54","date_gmt":"2016-05-14T03:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/?page_id=177"},"modified":"2024-10-03T19:03:27","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T01:03:27","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_slider _builder_version=”3.0.105″ parallax=”on” parallax_method=”on” custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”|||” custom_padding_phone=”|||” auto=”on” auto_speed=”4800″ box_shadow_style=”preset6″ box_shadow_blur=”10px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” remove_inner_shadow=”off” hide_content_on_mobile=”off” hide_cta_on_mobile=”off” show_inner_shadow=”on” button_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ global_module=”530″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover=”0″ button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][et_pb_slide heading=”About Evergreen” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”on” admin_title=”Full Width Slider” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”||||” body_font=”||||” background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/About-header.jpg” background_position=”top_left” button_on_hover=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”1_4,3_4″][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”About Us Menu” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_text_color=”#31803f” text_line_height=”2.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_module=”121″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Locations<\/a><\/strong>
History & Purpose<\/a><\/strong>
Core Values<\/a><\/strong>
Leadership<\/a>
Founders<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Page Body Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

History<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

When eighteen-year-old Peter Torjesen heard the call to China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, “And my life.” \u00a0A few years later he went to China with his bride, Valborg, and began working in a country about to be sucked into a maelstrom of war and revolution.\u00a0 Peter, whose Chinese name was Ye Yongqing, meaning \u201cLeaf Evergreen,\u201d and his wife opened their home and church premises in Hequ, Shanxi, to shelter up to 1,000 refugees during World War II.\u00a0 Prior to this they had planted churches and done medical and development work in the north-western corner of Shanxi Province for nearly 20 years.\u00a0 In 1939, Norwegian missionary, Peter Torjesen, was killed by a Japanese bombing raid while serving China in Shanxi Province.<\/p>\n

In 1988, local officials from Shanxi Province informed the Torjesen family that Peter Torjesen\u2019s name was on the country roll of the people\u2019s martyrs, and they wanted to erect a monument on the 50th anniversary of his death.\u00a0 Three generations of Torjesens attended the 1990 unveiling of the marble monument, upon which the story of Peter\u2019s life and work was engraved in gold characters.<\/p>\n

On that occasion, a request was made to Peter\u2019s grandson, Finn, who had facility in the Chinese language and extensive international experience, to return to Shanxi in the spirit of Peter Torjesen, continuing his work in helping the region deal with its social and economic needs.\u00a0 The Torjesen family accepted the invitation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In September 1993, Finn and his wife, Sandy, and their 6-year old twins left their work in Indonesia to begin long-term residency and work in China with two other couples.\u00a0 This start-up team established their homes in Taiyuan, Shanxi, and began investigating the most appropriate ways to serve the local people. Evergreen was then incorporated in California as Evergreen Family Friendship Service, a not-for-profit public benefit corporation.<\/p>\n

\"Torjesens\"In the 23 years Finn and Sandy were a part of the work of Evergreen, Finn was the director and international “face” of Evergreen, educating organizations and individuals around the world about Evergreen’s work in China, as well as serving as an advisor regarding successfully working in China’s cultural milieu. Sandy worked in a number of capacities. They both were largely influential in establishing Evergreen as it is today.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Our Purpose<\/h3>\n

Our purpose is to partner with Shanxi and other Chinese provinces in developing public benefit services, continuing the good works of Peter Torjesen, acknowledging God\u2019s gracious calling on our lives and reflecting the credibility of Christ.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”on|on|on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#012c56″ custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” disabled=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”1_3,2_3″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/book.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”EG Book Image” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”left” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” animation=”left” sticky=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” align_phone=”center”] 
\n[\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Book Title” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”dark” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Get the book!<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

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Read the Evergreen story and\u00a0be inspired!<\/h3>\n

We Signed Away Our Lives<\/strong>
\n\u201cWhether by life or by death, Christ must be magnified.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe Signed Away Our Lives\u201d is a daughter’s engaging account of Peter Torjesen, a man who did not hesitate to lay everything on the line for the sake of the gospel. This expanded 10th Anniversary Edition includes events that led to the formation of present-day Shanxi Evergreen Service, Peter’s namesake organization. Shanxi Evergreen Service has actively served the people of China since 1993.<\/p>\n

Click here to order your copy<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0We Signed Away Our Lives<\/strong>, or\u00a0contact our North American Office<\/a>. Price is US $18.00 (US $20.00 in Canada\/AU). Ask about quantity discounts.
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LocationsHistory & PurposeCore ValuesLeadershipFounders History When eighteen-year-old Peter Torjesen heard the call to China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, “And my life.” \u00a0A few years later he went to China with his bride, Valborg, and began working in a country about to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/177"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26883,"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/177\/revisions\/26883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evergreenchina.net\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}