親愛的代禱夥伴:
感謝主,我們十月份返台灣探親時,有機會去探望在台灣養病的朱媽媽。朱媽媽和朱爸爸幾年前在德班信主,之後一直熱心向朋友傳福音,並開放家庭做查經聚會。每次聚會他們都預備茶點水果招待大家,可以看見他們愛主及願意服事人的心志。朱媽媽因為乳腺癌擴散至淋巴,已經動了手術移除癌細胞,但是仍需要做化療確定根除癌細胞。那天探訪她時,她雖然已做過兩次化療,但飲食和身體一切都正常,更一直不斷地感謝神的保守和恩待。她還展示了最近上油畫課的作品。感謝主保守她的身心靈,賜她一顆喜樂的心,因為她有神、是她的依靠!耶和華本為善,在患難的日子為人的保障,並且認得那些投靠他的人。(鴻一7)
我們也見到朱媽媽的小兒子,他十月初在台中聚會的教會受浸歸主。我們認識他多年,知道他一直在人際關係上不和諧,給人的感覺是他不知道自己的人生方向。信仰上他一直在繞圓圈,說很相信神,但卻不願全心投靠相信主。我們查經小組常會為他禱告,因為父母為他很擔憂。這次見到他時,使我們大為吃驚,他變得有自信和主動,談吐應對變得謙和有禮,從前比真是判若二人,他真是一個新造的人!他的改變提醒我們不要放棄身邊任何一個人,福音本是神的大能,要救一切相信的人。(羅一16)
趙姐妹在中國出生,從小生長在一個不快樂的家庭。由於父母異離,隨着父親與繼母生活,得不到完整的愛,人際關係上有很強的自我保護意識,很在意別人對她的評價,不喜歡接近人,積壓不少負面情緒;性格很彆扭,很不快樂,人生又很迷茫。趙姐妹大概在九歲時第一次聽過上帝,卻沒有人再多給她解釋。但在她的心中,已經知道有上帝。十七歲那年,她的家庭發生重大變故,她便試著向上帝禱告祈求神引領她,讓她可以勇敢地面對困境。就這樣,她天天向神禱告,就找到了依靠;神挪移了她的懼怕,讓她感到十分踏實,事情後來就結束了。她學習到神是她最穩妥的依靠,她的信仰就如此開始。不久之後,神為她安排一個離開中國到南非生活的機會。她來到南非,進了教會,聽到了福音。她回想起小時候,曾落在井中,後來奇妙的自己爬了出來,那都不是偶然,乃是上帝一直以來的看顧。現在她找到了神,也找到自己,在神的愛裡,她可以放下自我保護意識,面對真我,照著本像來到神的面前,被神更新,要以真我生活。感謝主,趙姐妹在下個主日受洗。真的!人子來,為要尋找、拯救失喪的人。(路十九10)我們每一個都是被主尋找回來的,你願意被主所用去尋找失喪的人嗎?
最近南非經濟面臨多項考驗,包括國營電力公司債台高築、供電不穩,政府改革不力等困境,使經濟成長失去動力,債信展望遭穆迪降至負向,今明年經濟增長遭世界銀行調降,近期製造業活動低迷,深陷數十年來最長的衰退周期。請您為南非政府禱告,求主幫助他們秉公行義、不放縱貪腐、嚴格執法。聖經提醒我們:「公義使邦國高舉;罪惡是人民的羞辱。」(箴十四34)
請你為這些事項代禱:
- 請為德班教會的朱媽媽第四次化療後的恢復代禱,求主保守她的身體。
- 請繼續為我們在開普敦北區的查經小組運作代禱。也為在南區的查經小組事工代禱,小組查經能建立起大家良好的關係。
- 請為德班教會查經小組尋得一個適當聚會地點代禱。
- 請為德班教會聖誕節兒童表演排練和各項準備工作代禱。
- 請為趙姐妹真道的學習,靈命的成長代禱。
- 請為我們外出各地作事工時,行車和出入的平安代禱。
您的同工
克達、雅麗
二零一九年十一月
下載 PDF 格式 (中文)
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Dear Prayer Partners,
Praise the Lord! While we were visiting our family in Taiwan during October, we had the opportunity to go to Tai Chung to see Sister Chu. She and her husband accepted Christ a few years ago in Durban. They have a great burden for the salvation of their friends and keep on bringing them to church. They also open their home for Bible study meetings. Every time, they will prepare lots of refreshments for everyone. We are greatly encouraged by their love for Christ and their serving hearts. Half a year ago, Sister Chu was diagnosed with breast cancer, and it had spread to her lymph. The operation went well, but she needed to continue with chemotherapy. When we saw her, she just finished her second treatment. The side effects were minimal, and she did not have to make much adjustments. She was very thankful for the Lord’s grace and protection. She even started to attend painting classes and show us her recent works. Our Lord indeed upholds her spirit, body and soul. She has joy because her God is her fortress! “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)
We also met Sister Chu’s son. He was just baptized two weeks before at their church in Tai Chung. We knew him for many years, and he had interpersonal relationship problems and had no direction in life. He used to claim that he believed in God but was not willing to trust Him with all his heart. Our Bible study group had been praying for him regularly because his parents were concerned and worried about him. This time we were amazed to see how much he had changed. He became very friendly and full of confidence. He was so approachable and sincere. He is now a total different person – a new creation in Christ! This reminds us never to give up on anyone. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes! (Rom. 1:16)
Sister Zhao’s parents were divorced when she was a toddler. She grew up with her father’s new family and experienced an unhappy childhood without normal parental love. She became very cautious with people and was very self-conscious to other’s comments about her. As a result, she tried to avoid people contacts but felt rejected at the same time. She was very unhappy and was confused about the meaning of life. She heard about God when she was about nine years old. Even though no one really explained that further to her, she believed there is a God. Her family faced a great mishap when she was 17. She began to pray to God for direction and courage. God removed her fear and gave her peace until the ordeal was over. Soon after that, she had a chance to leave China and came to South Africa. She started to attend church, understood the gospel and accepted Christ. In hindsight, she remembered, when she was very young, how she fell into a well and miraculously climbed out of it. She truly believes that was no coincident but God’s protection even before she knew Him. Now she found God, and she found herself in God! In God’s love, she can come to Him as she is and be renewed. She learns to put down her guard to face herself and others with her true self. We praise the Lord; she will be baptized next Sunday. How true! “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10) Every one of us was lost but was found by the Lord. Are you willing to answer the call to seek and save the lost?
The economy of South Africa is facing many challenges lately. The electric company is in humongous financial trouble. With its mismanagement and greater frequency of load shedding as well as the ineffective government reforms, South Africa’s economic outlook is gloomy. In addition to S&P Global Ratings’ ranking of South Africa’s debt at junk, it also joined Moody’s Investors Service to downgrade its outlook for the country to “negative.” On top of this, the World Bank lowered its economic growth forecast for South Africa from 2019 to 2021. We can easily tell from the difficulties the manufacturing sector is currently experiencing; it is deep in the longest recession circle of recent decades. Please pray for the South African government. May the Lord help them to do justice, fight corruption and enforce the law. The Bible warns us: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” (Prov. 14:34)
Prayer Requests:
- Please continue to pray for God’s grace for Sister Chu’s upcoming fourth treatment.
- Please pray for the new Bible study meeting in northern Cape Town as well as the current one in southern Cape Town. May these meetings help us build good fellowships among us.
- Please pray for a new Bible study location in Durban.
- Please pray for all the preparations for our Christmas meeting.
- Please pray for Sister Zhao’s spiritual growth.
- Please continue to pray for our safety as we travel to different cities and towns.
In His service,
Ko-Ta & Christina