祈求和感謝
2004 年 11 月

宣教士的生命見證
江錦培牧師  總幹事

我剛在香港參加完每年一度的中信宣教士退修會，有機會聽到許多宣教士同工的分享，從他們的實際經驗中獲益良多。好希望與你們分享所得，一同了解宣教士的生命。

開放的生命
「在工場上是沒有私隱可言的。人們毋須預約，就可以隨時找我。他們會直入我的家門，打開雪櫃，看看裡面有甚麼可吃；打開衣櫃，看看我有甚麼衣服。」
「但開放的不只這些。他們亦可以看見我們的生命，我們的日常生活幾乎已成為街頭巷尾的話題。」

認同的生命
「週日崇拜時，我們不會盛裝出席；不然那些放工後直接來教會的人，就會介意自己身穿汗衫和泥巴巴的粗布褲。我們要穿得簡單一點，可以增加與他們的認同感。」
「我們曾嘗試引入新科技，如電腦、中文打字等，但他們不大習慣。他們較喜歡把週日崇拜程序寫在黑板上，我亦沒有堅持。」

期望的生命
「我與他們生活在一起，他們就期望我會吃下任何放在餐桌上的食物。雖然有些食物並不符合健康原則，我都會即管吃，然後求主保守健康。要是拒絕的話，他們會認為我不夠尊重。」
「差會和教會亦期望我有收穫、有成績，例如，工場上有多少人信主得救？每年有多少人受洗？」

孤獨的生命
「生病是我最感孤獨的時候。我無法打電話尋求幫助。吐得一身一地，都要靠自己清理。」
「我跪在聖餐桌前哭了，那塊桌布滿了我的淚水。」
「出工場時，我以為自己擁有獨身的恩賜。後來發覺並不是這樣，我禱告求神賜我伴侶。神尚未應允禱告……而我已經過了……歲了。」

聽罷這些由心底發出的分享，令我更欣賞在宣教工場上事奉的人。摯愛的宣教士同工們，我愛您們，我願意不斷支持您們，為您們切切禱告。

The Life of a CCM Missionary
Rev. Edwin Kong  Executive Director

I've just finished attending our annual CCM missionary retreat in Hong Kong. I had the opportunity to participate in many of the sharing sessions and to learn from the real experiences of our fellow co-workers. Come and sit in with me as I reflect on what I heard.

A Life of Transparency
"No, there is not much privacy in the field. People come and go without making appointments. They walk right into my home and peek into my refrigerator to see what I have to eat. They open my closet and look at my clothes.
"But transparency is more than that. They also see how we live our lives. Our daily living is a topic of conversation in town."

A Life of Identification
"We do not dress up for Sunday church; otherwise, those who come to church straight from work would feel unfit in their sweaty shirts and dirty trousers. We dress casually to identify with them."
"We tried to introduce technology-computers, word processing, etc-but they felt very uncomfortable. They preferred to use the chalkboard to write out the Sunday program. I didn't insist."

A Life of Expectation
"Since I lived amongst them, they expect me to eat whatever they put on the table. Even though I may consider something to be very unhealthy for me, I eat it and pray for the grace of God to keep me. Otherwise, if I refuse, it will be regarded as disrespect."
"I am expected by those back home to produce results. How many have I saved? How many are baptized each year on the field?"

A Life of Loneliness
"I was most lonely when I was sick. I could not call anyone. I threw up and I had to clean it up myself."
"I cried in front of the communion table. The tablecloth was completely wet with my tears."
"I thought I had the gift of singleness when I went out into the field. Now I realize that that was not so and I've been praying for a life partner. But God has not yet answered my prayers ... and I am passed ... years."

Such heartfelt sharing made me all the more appreciative of our missionaries in the mission fields. My fellow missionaries, I love you and will faithfully support and pray for you.