人生多苦難 耶穌是答案
朱李秋嫻
沙加緬度分會主任
六月尾我們自創世方舟之旅回來後，中心每個同工及協工，便積極籌備今年9月24日的七週年感恩晚宴。直至感恩晚宴圓滿結束，我們看到神豐滿的恩典。
在參加晚會的二百七十人中，最少四分之一以上，是未曾接觸過教會及福音的。「角聲」創辦人勞伯祥牧師，分享了《耶穌基督福音的五大驚喜！》。其中最寶貴的就是神的愛，並將獨生子賜給世人，叫人不致滅亡，反得到永生。
無數觸動心靈的事件：
每個星期五及星期六早上，都有一大群朋友來中心打乒乓球，在半小時的下午茶後，一位球技精湛的女士很感慨地跟我說：「我在這裡打球很快樂，但回到家裡便很憂愁。因為我女兒有很嚴重的精神問題，不知如何應付？」我在閒談中帶出福音，但她心裡仍有猶豫，求主憐憫她一家。
另一位患有癌症第三期的女士，在講座之後不願離開，向我請教為甚麼她那麼愁苦，對丈夫怨恨，如何是好？我說：「答案就是信耶穌。」
還有一位在越南社區中的「撈家」，他的妻子是我們熱心的協工，從他大力反對，到如今常常來中心接妻子回家，是何等大的改變！
福音是何等寶貴！人出生之後，在茫茫大海中，多少人失去了愛？在似是而非，魔鬼掌管的社會裡，人失去了盼望，流離失所，以毒品麻醉自己，這就是美國流浪者和現今社會的最大問題。凡此種種，這些都是常來中心，對耶穌好奇而愁苦的群衆。
昔日主耶穌看見人們被疾病、饑餓、貧困所纏擾，就憐憫他們、醫治他們，餵飽聽道的五千人。「角聲」的同工及協工就是效法耶穌，並回應神的呼召，擔負這個神聖的使命。
去年開始，我有機會探訪其他教會，並了解不同教會的需要。勞牧師常提醒我們，「角聲」是隱形的線，要把眾教會――這一顆顆美麗的明珠串連起來，共同為主發出榮耀的光輝。「角聲」是福音戰場上的開路先鋒，也是基督徒精兵的訓練營。
我們願主的國降臨，願祂的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。因為國度、權柄、榮耀全是祂的，直到永永遠遠！
Since returning from our self-created “Noah’s Ark Journey” at the end of this June, every co-worker and volunteer at the center has been actively preparing for the 7th-anniversary thanksgiving dinner, to be held on September 24th. Throughout the whole time till the thanksgiving dinner concluded successfully, we have witnessed God’s abundant grace.
Among the 270 people who attended the event, over a quarter of them had never been exposed to a church or the gospel. Pastor John Lo, the founder of CCHC, shared a message titled “The Five Surprises of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!” The most precious surprise is God’s love and how He gave His only begotten Son to the world so that people might not perish but have eternal life.
In the ministry, I have witnessed numerous soul-touching incidents. For example, every Friday and Saturday morning, a large group of friends came to the center to play table tennis. After a half-hour of afternoon tea, a lady with excellent table tennis skills said to me, quite moved, “I’m happy playing here, but when I go back home, I’m full of worries. My daughter has serious mental issues, and I don’t know how to cope.” In our conversation, I shared the gospel with her, but she still had reservations. I prayed for the Lord’s mercy upon her and her family.
Another lady who is in the third stage of cancer didn’t want to leave after a workshop. She sought advice on why she was so troubled and resentful towards her husband. She asked what she could do. I said, “The answer is to believe in Jesus.”
There’s also a man in the Vietnamese community known as a gang guy, whose wife has been one of our enthusiastic volunteers. At the beginning, he strongly opposed her involvement in the center, but now he often comes to the center to pick her up. What a transformation!
The gospel is so precious! After people are born, in the vast sea of life, how many lose love? In an ambiguous society, seemingly controlled by the devil, people lose hope, become displaced, and numb themselves with drugs. This is the biggest issue for homeless people in America and today’s society. These are the people, who regularly come to the center, heavily burdened but curious about Jesus.
In the past, when Jesus saw people afflicted by illness, hunger, and poverty, He had compassion on them, healed them, and fed the crowd of five thousand who came to listen to His teachings. The co-workers and volunteers of CCHC follow the example of Jesus and respond to God’s calling to carry out this divine mission.
Starting last year, I had the opportunity to visit other churches and understand their needs. Pastor Lo often reminds us that CCHC is an invisible thread, connecting multiple churches – these beautiful pearls, to collectively shine the glorious light for the Lord. CCHC is a pioneer on the battlefield of the gospel and a training camp for Christian soldiers.
