親愛的弟兄姊妹平安，
「看哪，我要做一件新事；如今要發現，你們豈不知道嗎？我必在曠野開道路，在沙漠開江河。」賽43:19
區裡的聖誕燈飾還沒有收拾好，除夕夜人們放鞭炮煙火留下的垃圾還沒有掃除，新一年就悄然來了。除夕夜雖然沒有像以往那樣多的弟兄姊妹來我家跨年，但是卻邀請了一位前一週主日崇拜後才認識的慕道友來我家。本來是邀請一位姊妹，順便邀請站在旁邊的慕道友。隔一天，姊妹告訴我她其實已經有約了，只不過她忘記了，我便請她確認那位慕道友是否還會來。後來才知道那位慕道友當時不知道是傳道人邀請她的，後來知道了心裡有一點點膽怯，但還是自己一個人來應約了。因為沒有別人的打擾，加上她來自廣東省，我們就很自由的用廣東話交談，可以更暢順的給她傳福音。
十二月中旬參加了克勞一位德國弟兄Jung的安息禮拜，因為有幾年常常在他家作客，很懷念這一家人。剛來德國的第二年春天，就在他家開始了克勞華人學生的查經班。每次查經之後Jung太太就端上一個自己烤的蛋糕給同學享用。而我因為上山交通不便，都在她家住宿一宵。第二天她就預備一桌豐富的早餐，希望叫幾位學生一起來，一面吃早餐一面談話。可惜，很多時候學生都因睡懶覺而不來。說起Jung太太，她在我去克勞以前已經開始關心中國留學生，照顧他們的小孩，開德語查經班等。學生都很喜歡她，像德國媽媽一樣。雖然Jung太太熱心事奉，可惜她身體不好，年輕時就心臟病發作，需要在家休息，只能做一點家務。她生了四個兒子，但是也因心臟病的緣故，三個兒子先後都離開世界，最年輕的14歲，最大的29歲。雖然家裡有這樣的不幸，Jung太太也經常頭痛，卻帶病來服事我們中國學生，實在讓人感動與敬佩。而Jung先生一直默默無聲的在服事Jung太太，照顧家庭。有時候他會去樹林裡摘一些野果，帶回家讓Jung太太做果醬。後來Jung太太多次中風，熬了幾年，終於息了地上的勞苦。前年Jung先生得了癌症，經過一年的治療，也於十二月安息主懷，與Jung太太相隔七年時間。聽說Jung先生雖然病了，還是帶了蛋糕給查經班慶祝聖誕，幾天後他就與大家離別了。Jung先生一生沈默，遺囑上吩咐以簡單的儀式安葬他的遺體。當日我們準時到達墓地的小教堂，裡面已經坐滿了他的好友，我們只有站在近大門處參加他的安息禮。Jung家現在只有一長子，他長大後在別城工作。安息禮那天，有一個家庭，就是早期曾經住在Jung家的專程回來，與朋友回顧Jung家接待之恩。雖然我離開克勞的服事已經快十年，每當回去都很懷念過去的弟兄姊妹，也很懷念Jung家的熱情款待。感謝他們在查經班早期的時候之支持與熱心幫助！
感恩與代禱事項：
- 感謝神讓吉森團契舉辦了聖誕聚會！幾位小朋友演了默劇，學生都投入參與表演，更感謝團契幾個家庭為超過80人準備了豐富的美食！
- 感恩有一對夫婦，太太剛來讀博士後，先生來陪她。他們去年迎新時才來的，很積極參與查經班的活動！其他迎新後的學生沒來了，求主感動他們願意來參加查經班的活動！
- 有一位博士生已經交了論文，今年畢業就會回國。她來查經班有兩年多，她自己也覺得對信仰有比較正面的看法，但是還沒有決定要信主。祈求主讓她在回國之前能有機會明白真理，接受救恩！
- 吉森團契將於一月十八日舉辦春節活動，這次活動與聖誕活動比較接近，弟兄姊妹剛忙完。所以這次比較針對性的邀請弟兄姊妹的朋友來參加，減輕弟兄姊妹的負擔。求主感動要來的朋友得聞福音，並有所回應！
- 感謝神帶領一些年輕家庭來法蘭克福華人教會！因著今年聖誕聚會有成人、青少年與小孩共演一部話劇，吸引了不少的家長來參加聚會。求主帶領未信的家長繼續帶小朋友來參加兒童主日學，他們也願意留下來參加主日崇拜！
願主祝福你們新的一年，多多蒙福，事主得力，新春蒙恩！
主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二零年一月六日
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Dear brothers and sisters,
“Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19
Christmas decorations have not yet been put away in our neighborhood and many garbage has not yet cleaned up off the street after people fired fireworks on New Year’s Eve. Yet, the new year has already arrived quietly. Unlike past years when I invited some brothers and sisters to come to my place for dinner and wait for the count down, I just had one guest to my home this year! I never knew her. Last Sunday after service, a sister asked me if I had any plan on New Year’s Eve. I replied no. She said no too. Then I invited her to come to my place. Since the seeker was standing by her side, I invited her too. I never met her. The sister told me the next day that she could not come for she forgot she already had an invitation by her friend. So I told her to make sure with the seeker if she really wanted to come by herself. The seeker did not know that it was a pastor who invited her. She felt a little bit afraid after she was told that I was a pastor. But she said that she had already accepted my invitation, so she would still come even by herself. Since there was no one else to disturb us, plus the fact that she came from Canton Province, we could use Cantonese to talk and shared the gospel with her!
Last mid-December, I went to Clausthal to attend a German brother’s memorial service. I really missed this family for I used to stay overnight in their house during my ministry years in that place. It was in this Jung’s house when we started the Chinese student bible study group in Clausthal in the Spring of my second year to Germany. After bible study, Mrs. Jung would always bring a home baked cake for us to enjoy. Since transportation to go down the mountain was limited, I always stayed overnight at her house. Mrs. Jung would prepare a table of food for breakfast the nest morning. She would also invite some students to come so that we could have more time to share. But sometimes the students preferred to sleep longer. Talking about Mrs. Jung, before I went there, she was already doing a caring ministry among the early Chinese students, babysitting for their children, opened bible class in German etc. Many students like her just like a German mother. Although Mrs. Jung was eager to serve, her health was not good. Since her young age, she had heart disease and need to rest at home. She could do very light house chore. She bore 4 sons but 3 of them died of heart disease, the youngest being 14 years old and the eldest being 29. Despite the unfortune and her constant headache, she would still serve the Chinese students. It was really touching and she was being admired by most people. As to Mr. Jung, he served Mrs Jung and support the family silently. Sometimes he would brought back berries picked in the wood and Mrs. Jung then made jam with them. After Mrs. Jung had several strokes and suffered for a few years, she went to be with the Lord. Two years ago, Mr Jung had cancer and after one year’s treatment, he went to be with the Lord also, just 7 years apart from Mrs. Jung’s death. I heard that just a few days before Mr. Jung’s departure, he baked a cake for the Bible study group’s Christmas meeting. Mr. Jung has been silent most of the time. He even left a will to have a simple burial service. We arrived just in time but the little chapel was already packed with people. We had to stand at the door throughout the whole service. The Jung family has one eldest son living. He lived in another city since he has grown up. On the day of the memorial service, a Chinese family who had lived in the Jung’s house during the earlier days came for the occasion and told others about the good old days with the Jungs. Although I left the ministry in Clausthal nearly 10 years ago, every time I went back, I still remember some of the brothers and sisters of those days. I also missed the hospitality of the Jung family. I was especially grateful for their loving support and help for the Chinese bible study group in its early stage.
Thanksgiving and prayer items:
- Thank God for the Christmas meeting sponsored by the Giessen Fellowship! Our older children performed a silent scene of the nativity of Jesus Christ. The students were eager to participate in singing two songs. We were grateful for the effort of just a few families in our fellowship to cook for over 80 people.
- We were grateful to see a couple whom we first met in our welcoming new student event, join our bible study group actively. The wife is doing her post-doctorate and the husband came with her. Unfortunately, other new students seldom show up. Pray that God will touch them so that they will come again!
- One PhD student has already submitted her paper. She will be graduating soon and will return to China. She came to our bible study group for over 2 years. She herself felt the change in attitude toward our belief but she has not yet decided to accept Jesus Christ as her Savior. Pray that she will have the opportunity to understand the truth and make the decision before she returns home!
- Giessen Fellowship will hold a Chinese New Year event on Jan. 18th. Since this event is so close to our Christmas meeting when our brothers and sisters had just put a lot of effort to it, they decided to just invite their non-believing friends to come this time. Pray that those who will come will response to the gospel!
- Thank God for bringing some young families to our Frankfurt Chinese Church! Since some of the adults, the youths and the children together performed one skit, they attracted a lot of parents to come to our Christmas meeting. Pray that the non-believing parents will continue to bring their children to our Children Sunday School and they will attend our Sunday service!
May God bless this new year, bless you and give you strength to serve our Lord!
Happy Chinese New Year!
Serving Him,
Karen Tang
