親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：
「使他們知道：惟獨你—名為耶和華的—是全地以上的至高者！」詩篇83:18
這次回美工作匯報，由於新冠病毒大流行的影響，有些聚會仍在zoom上舉行，加上我未能開車到較遠的地方，以致我沒有機會實體見到南灣的弟兄姊妹，很抱歉。不過，很感恩仍能見到某些弟兄姊妹，也認識了一些新的弟兄姊妹和牧者，彼此分享神奇妙的作為。謝謝你們的款待，特別感謝那些來接送我去參加聚會的弟兄姊妹！
本來計劃去加拿大參加一位百歲姊妹的慶生活動，可是到步就測出得了新冠病毒，需要隔離。感恩，之後還是有機會去探訪她（加拿大人），送她一個紅包時，她也知道並用中文說：「利是」。老姊妹很感動，看到這麼多以前她們夫妻接待的留學生，經過幾十年之後回去與她一同慶祝百歲生日，一個很大的驚喜！
一位準備九月份要結婚的姊妹，她的媽媽突然於五月回到天父的懷裡。為了支持姊妹，改了機票回去德國，第二天就參加她的婚禮。感恩她的父親與姐弟，並很多好朋友都飛過來參加和幫忙，讓婚禮順利舉行，使她丈夫的未信父母和參與者都很感動。
代替我帶領老人讀經班的姊妹很高興我回來，她就可以卸下重任，把讀經班交回給我負責，她就不用每天通知失憶的姊妹上線了。剛回來時，住的地方網絡很差，經常斷線，原本請了一名弟兄來幫忙檢查，他仍未來看，網絡卻已恢復正常了。之後，一位老弟兄也無法上網參加讀經。回國的老弟兄也不知道什麼原因上不了zoom，雖然他很想跟我們一起讀經。
去年迎新的預科生都已經離開吉森，往別的城市上大學去，剩下唯一一名在工作的女生，經過一年斷斷續續的福音課程，她終於在離開吉森的前兩週作了一個決志禱告。我們很開心的把這粒福音果子送給漢堡教會。之後我們又要重新開始，今年兩次迎新活動接觸了三名男同學和三名女同學（都是初信姊妹的室友）。由於我們的學生團契暫時沒有學生，所以未必能吸引他們來聚會，上週連一個都沒有出現。
最近吉森團契的一些家庭都遭遇一些難處。一位姊妹在騎車時撞到石頭，送去醫院檢查，感恩沒有骨折，但是有些腦震盪，需要躺下休息。由於夫妻二人經營一間快餐店，弟兄便要一人照顧店裡的工作，並妻子和女兒的起居飲食。另一位單親媽媽有一子一女，姊妹身體虛弱，經常生病。兒子剛上大學，但承受不了壓力，需要住院做心理治療。有兩個家庭添了孫兒，有時候需要去兒女家看顧孫兒，其中一家即將回國三個多月。加上負責團契的姊妹剛懷孕幾個月，身體比較疲倦。因此，團契缺少了幾位原來服事的同工。
但感謝主，帶領一家庭來到吉森聚會，他們有三個孩子，最大的女兒看到我們帶領慕道友做決志禱告，她媽媽說她也可以做這禱告。於是，兩週前也和她講福音，帶她信主（可惜，上週他們正要出門來團契的時候，就在家門口被人撞壞了他們的車）。
同時，另一家剛搬到吉森的家庭，他們也開始帶家裡三個年齡更小的孩子來參加聚會；另外一位單親姊妹也開始帶她的孩子來聚會。去年剛結婚的姊妹兩個月前也誕下一寶寶。團契一下子就多了很多孩子，兒童事工也缺乏人手。
感恩與代禱事項：
- 感恩工作匯報期間在眾教會的分享、與弟兄姊妹相聚，並認識了新肢體！
- 感恩感染新冠病毒之後，仍可見到百歲老姊妹，並回德國參加姊妹的婚禮！
- 感恩在工作匯報與度假期間，有老姊妹維持zoom上的讀經班繼續進行！求主保守弟兄姊妹的網絡能正常運作，可以繼續參與讀經！
- 感謝主感動在吉森工作的女生，在她轉換工作地方前，能接受主的救恩！感謝主也讓十二歲的女孩因明白救恩，接受基督為她的救主！求主保守她們的信仰，繼續在神的家裡成長！
- 求主使因腦震盪而頭暈的姊妹能早日康復，弟兄有體力經營快餐店與照顧家庭！
- 求主賜單親媽媽有健壯的身體，使她有精力照顧有情緒病的兒子。求主醫治兒子，讓他有動力與勇氣繼續學習！
- 求主保守懷孕的姊妹，讓她懷孕期一切順利，身體與胎兒都健康。
- 感謝主保守，發生車禍的一家五口平安無事！求主憐憫，使他們的車子能早日補修穩妥。
- 感謝主帶領一些家庭來吉森團契！求主加添更多同工，在團契、學生和兒童事工上都能參與事奉！求主感動新生繼續來參加聚會，並認識真神！
- 最近比較多的弟兄姊妹患感冒，求主憐憫與醫治！
感謝主讓我們在這戰亂的世界中，仍有一些平安的角落可以繼續服事主！
感謝您們的支持與代禱！
主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二三年十一月九日
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Dear brothers and sisters,
“That they may know that You alone, whose name is the Lord, Are the Most High over all the earth.” Psalms 83:18
I am sorry that I did not have a chance to meet the brothers and sisters in the South Bay area during my furlough this summer. This was mainly due to the fact that I was unable to drive that far and some meetings were held on zoom. However, I am thankful that I was able to meet brothers and sisters physically and meet some new brothers and sisters and pastors, and share with each other God’s marvelous works. Thank you for your hospitality, and especially thank to the brothers and sisters who came to drive me to the meetings!
I had planned to go to a 100-year-old sister’s celebration, but when I arrived in Canada, I was tested with Covid-19 and had to be quarantined. After that, I was thankful that I still had the chance to visit the elderly sister (a Canadian). When I gave her a red pocket, she knew it was a “goodwill” money by saying it in Chinese. She was touched to see that so many students from other countries whom she and her husband had hosted in the past had come back to celebrate her 100th birthday with her after several decades, which was a great surprise to her!
A sister who was planning to get married in September had her mom suddenly return to Heavenly Father’s arms in May. In order to support the sister, I changed my plane ticket to go back earlier in order to attend her wedding the next day. We are thankful that her father, siblings, and many good friends flew in to attend and help, making her wedding very touching for her husband’s unbelieving parents and others!
The sister who took my place in leading the Bible reading for the elderly was very happy to have me back, so she could take off the heavy responsibility and hand the group back to me. So, she did not have to notify the amnesiac sister to come online every day. When I first came back, the network was very bad and was often disconnected for a month. Later, I asked a brother to take a look at it. But, although he didn’t come to take a look at it, the network was back to normal again. Later, an old brother was also unable to go online to participate in the Bible reading. Another old brother who went back to China also could not go on zoom for some reason, although he wanted to read the Bible with us.
All of the matriculants from last year’s orientation have left Giessen to go to college in other cities. The only working woman left, after a year of intermittent evangelism classes, finally accepted Christ’s salvation two weeks before she left Giessen. We were happy to give this gospel fruit to the Hamburg church. We started all over again, reaching out to three male and three female students (all roommates of the newly converted sister) at our two orientations this year. Since we have no students in our student fellowship, we may not be able to attract them. Not even one showed up last week.
Recently, some of the families in the Giessen Fellowship have been experiencing some difficulties. A sister hit a rock while riding her bike and was sent to the hospital for examination and was thankful that there were no broken bones. But she had a concussion and needed to lie down and rest. Since the couple opens a fast-food restaurant, the brother has to take care of the work in the restaurant as well as his wife and daughter. Another single mother has a son and a daughter. The sister is weak and often sick. Her son, who just started college, can’t handle the stress and needs to be hospitalized for psychotherapy. Two families have become grandparents and sometimes need to go to their children’s homes to care for their grandchildren. One of the two families is about to go back to China for more than three months. The sister in charge of the Fellowship has just been pregnant for a few months and is quite tired. As a result, the fellowship is lacking a few co-workers from the original team.
But we thank the Lord for bringing a family to Giessen with three children. When the oldest daughter saw us lead the seeker prayed the decision prayer, her mom said she could do it too. So, two weeks ago, we talked to her about the gospel and brought her to faith in Christ. (Unfortunately, last week they were on their way out of the house to come to the fellowship when their car was hit by someone and damaged.)
As this couple became involved in the fellowship, at the same time another family who just moved to Giessen, the sister also started bringing her three younger children to the fellowship. Another single sister started bringing her little one to the meetings. A sister who just got married last year gave birth to a baby two months ago. Suddenly, there are many more children in the fellowship and the children’s ministry is short of staff.
Thanksgiving and Prayer Items:
- I am thankful for the sharing in the churches, the meeting up with brothers and sisters, and the acquaintance of new members during my furlough!
- I am grateful for seeing the 100-year-old sister after I got the Covid-19 and for going back to Germany to attend the sister’s wedding!
- I am thankful for the old sister who kept the bible reading on zoom going during the time of my furlough and vacation! Pray that the Lord will keep our brothers and sisters’ network up and running and that they will be able to continue to participate in the Bible reading!
- Thanks to the Lord for touching the woman working in Giessen to accept the Lord’s salvation before she changed her place of work! Thank the Lord for the 12-year-old girl who accepted Christ as her Saviour because of her understanding of salvation! Pray that the Lord will keep their faith and continue to grow in God’s family!
- Pray that our sister, who is dizzy due to a concussion, will recover soon, and that her husband will have the strength to run the restaurant and take care of his family!
- Pray that the Lord would strengthen the single mom’s body so that she would have the energy to take care of her emotionally ill son. Pray for the Lord’s healing for the son so that he will have the motivation and courage to continue his studies!
- Pray for the Lord’s protection over a pregnant sister that her pregnancy will go smoothly and that her body and baby will be healthy.
- Thank the Lord for keeping the family of five who were hit by a car safe and sound! Pray for the Lord’s mercy that their car will be repaired soon!
- Thank the Lord for the families He has brought to the Giessen Fellowship! Pray for more co-workers to serve in the fellowship, student and children’s ministries! Pray that new students will be moved to continue to come to the meetings and know the true God!
- Pray for the Lord’s mercy and healing as more brothers and sisters are suffering from colds recently!
Thank the Lord for allowing us, including you, to have some safe corners to continue serving the Lord in this war-torn world!
Thank you for your support and prayers!
Serving Him,
Karen Tang
