親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：
「人遭難，我豈不為他哭泣呢？人窮乏，我豈不為他憂愁呢？」（伯三十25）
六月參加一位姊妹的婚禮，她媽媽第一次看到我，充滿感激之情。被她提醒，原來已經是四年前的事。當時她從台灣打電話給我，請求教會接待她的女兒，因為她女兒被前任女婿趕走。她女兒就在我家住了半年，期間辦完離婚手續，繼續學習德語，考進大學才搬離我家。之後，她又交了一位男友，雖然都是德國人，但這是一位基督徒，結交幾年，終於結婚。感謝主保守這位姊妹與媽媽從一個嚴重的打擊走出來，賜姊妹一位愛她的丈夫。
上週日被邀請去哥廷根講道，當晚住在一位姊妹家。時間飛逝，數算一下，認識她已經十六年了。回想當年，她打電話來求住宿，因為要從她的城市過來考試。之後考試通過，但入學通知已經晚了，找不到住處，又接待她在我不到十五平方米的房間住了一個月，每晚把床墊拿下來，早晨把它放在我的床墊上。因著接待她，也把福音傳給她，成為我在德國第一顆結的福音果子。很感恩看到姊妹從剛被錄取進入大學至畢業、結婚到成為四個孩子的媽媽，更感恩的是她的信心堅定，一直都有參與團契的服事，不單是在中國人的團契，更在外國人當中服事。她嫁給一位在德國工作的荷蘭弟兄，他們雖然有四個孩子包括一對雙胞胎，在教養孩子之餘還開放家庭給華人團契的姊妹們和一個英語的查經班。感謝主給他們有這樣的精力！
相映之下，另外一位姊妹卻因為照顧家庭和三個孩子的緣故面對很大的壓力，加上大孩子對她叛逆，她快要崩潰了。兩個家庭差別這麼大的原因，主要是前者夫妻同心，一起承擔家庭責任；後者因為丈夫不但不會幫忙，還成為妻子的負擔。雖然丈夫已經意識到妻子的壓力，但是還有很多學習的空間。
一個多月前收到一封電郵，有一位姊妹來信告訴我，她丈夫因為在上班的路上突然暈倒，未能及時搶救，大腦缺氧，差不多成為植物人一樣。原來事發於今年的二月，可是她都沒有找過我。幾年前她先生找到工作，搬來這裡，去過教會幾次就沒有見到他們。他們去了一個國際教會崇拜。她也有三個年幼的孩子。她先生去了康復中心之後，每次去探望來回就要四個小時（坐公交車），長久的奔波也讓她疲憊。感恩的是信仰還是給她很大的力量，儘管丈夫沒有什麼反應，她每次都去讀聖經和屬靈書籍給他聽。她的教會也幫忙照顧她的孩子，直到她的父母來幫忙。她的母親已獲批准延簽多住半年。前幾天，她丈夫已經被送去看護的老人院，離她家只有一個小時的路程。
感恩與代禱事項：
- 感謝主讓兩位回國多年的姊妹願意等候 神，最終今年五月都嫁給主内弟兄了！
- 感謝主的愛護，讓母女經過打擊之後嚐到主恩的滋味，女兒終於嫁給德國弟兄，學業快完成！
- 感謝主感動哥廷根的姊妹，願意服事她身邊的姊妹們！
- 求 主賜下智慧給有叛逆孩子的母親們，讓她們知道如何處理親子關係！
- 求 主憐憫丈夫成為植物人的姊妹，讓她往返探病的時候都有體力！姊妹也希望找到一份工作來維持一家的生活，求 主預備工作的機會！
- 感恩參加教會的生活營，與弟兄姊妹有美好的時光！
- 感恩參加教牧同工宣教士的退修會，與中、德的同工們一起相聚，分享事奉的難處，彼此禱告扶持！
感謝主恩常偕！感謝你們的代禱支持！
主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零一七年七月七日
請支持鄧秀珍宣教士之宣教經費，支票抬頭China Evangelistic Mission列明「鄧秀珍宣教士支持」郵寄China Evangelistic Mission, 2400 Old Crow Canyon Road, Ste A6, San Ramon CA94583
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Dear brothers and sisters,
“Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?” Job 30:25
I met a mother of a sister during her wedding in June. She was grateful to see me. She reminded me of her request four years ago. One day, she called me from Taiwan to ask if someone from church could help receive her daughter. Her daughter was being kicked out by her German ex-husband. So, I let her stay in my home for half a year. During that period, she finished her divorce process and her German language study, passed the entrance examination into university and moved out. Later, she met her boy-friend who is also a German. The difference is that this one is a Christian. After dating for several years, she is married. Thank God for protecting this sister and her mother from a big blow and coming out of it! Thank God for the man who loves this sister!
I was invited to preach in Gottingen fellowship last Sunday. I stayed overnight at a sister’s house. Time flies. I got to know her for 16 years already. I still remembered that she called one day to ask for an accommodation because she needed to come to write an examination. After she passed her examination and got her admittance letter to university, it was already late to find a place to live. I received her to stay in my less than 15 m2 one-room apartment.
Every night, we took an extra mattress off my bed and she slept on it. Every morning, we stacked the mattress on my bed again. Because we lived together, she became the first gospel fruit in Germany after evangelizing to her. I was grateful to see her being admitted to university, graduated, married and is now a mother of four. Her faith is stable and has served not only in the Chinese fellowship but also in international bible study group. She married a Dutch working in Germany. Although they have four children including a twin, they still have time to open their house for sisters gathering and an English bible study group. Praise God for their energy!
In contrast, another sister is having a lot of pressure taking care of a family with 3 children. She is really helpless facing her rebellious daughter. There is such a big difference between the two families mainly because in the former the couple takes up the responsibilities together while in the latter, the husband not only is not helping much after work but becomes an extra burden for the wife. Now even though this husband realizes the pressure of his wife, there is much learning for him.
About one month ago, I received an email from a sister who told me about an incidence. Her husband suddenly fainted while on his way to work. Since there was no immediate resuscitation, his brain lacked of oxygen and became almost in a vegetative state. This happened in February but she didn’t contact me. Her husband found a job here several years ago and moved to Frankfurt area. They came to our church for a few times and never saw them again. They went to worship in an international church. She has 3 children. Perhaps after her husband was transferred to a rehabilitation center, she was wearied. She had to take 4 hours both ways in order to visit her husband taking the public transportation. It was grateful that her reliance on God gave her much strength to endure such difficult situation. Even though her husband had no reaction, she still read him the bible and spiritual books in every visit. Her church helped in taking care of her children until her parent came. Thank God that her mother got another 6 months extension to stay and help her. A few days ago, he was transferred to a nursing home which is now only an hour distance from home.
Thanksgiving and prayer items:
- Thank God for two sisters who returned to China several years ago and was willing to wait upon God for their life long partners. They were both married to brothers in Christ this May!
- Thank God for protecting the mother and daughter after a big blow! Thank God that the daughter married to a German brother and will finish her study soon!
- Thank God for the sister in Goettingen, who is willing to serve the sisters there!
- Pray that God will give wisdom to those mothers who have rebellious teenagers!
- Pray that God will have mercy on the sister whose husband is in a vegetative state! Pray that God will give her strength and let her find a job to sustain the family.
- Thank God for having a good time with brothers and sisters in our family camp!
- Thank God for a great fellowship time sharing difficulties in ministries and spent some time praying together with Chinese and German pastors and missionaries in our pastoral annual retreat!
Thank God for His grace! Thank you for your prayer support!
Serving Him,
Karen Tang
Email address: [email protected]
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Check title: China Evangelistic Mission, please state “for missionary Karen Tang”.
Send to : China Evangelistic Mission, 2400 Old Crow Canyon Road, Ste A6,
San Ramon CA 94583
