親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：

        「神啊，自我年幼時，你就教訓我；直到如今，我傳揚你奇妙的作為。」詩七十一17

        很感恩，最近參加了一對華人宣教士在德國教會的差遣禮。感謝神的恩典，感動一些年輕的華人弟兄姊妹，回應神的呼召出來事奉神，當中有好幾位已經在德國的神學院接受裝備。以上提到的弟兄，從青少年時代隨家人移民來德國，在他快要完成他的博士學位之前，蒙召作全時間事奉，報讀了在吉森的神學院。在神學學士班的時候，他完成了專業博士論文，又完成了碩士班。結業後，與一位台灣姊妹結婚，加入了德國的海外基督使團（OMF）。在神學院學習期間，他在這德國教會事奉。教會破例接受他們成為他們的本地宣教士，他們每年也會去台灣事奉，弟兄也在神學院教授。由於他們的德語很好，在德、中文化的教會中成為橋樑。

        感謝神，雖然吉森不算是大城市，但有一所研讀聖經的神學院，也有一所規模比較大的德國教會，他們的資源祝福了我們吉森團契的弟兄姊妹。去年又有一位年輕華人弟兄就讀吉森的神學院，他也來參與團契活動，並參與一點事奉。大部份的弟兄姊妹會參加這德國教會的主日崇拜。由於教會也有辦學校，所以團契裡部份弟兄姊妹的孩子都在那所基督教學校讀書，因而參加教會的青少年團契。團契幾位青少年也在這間教會受洗。多年前，有一位德國神學生看了吉森團契的代禱事項，知道需要主日學老師，他便來幫助這一批小孩，教授他們主日學。當他畢業後，他加入了一間華人教會服事，成為我們第二代的好同工。

        當以上那一批小孩長大之後，只剩下一位幼年男孩，父母帶他來團契，因為沒有同伴，他都不想來教會了。父母堅持了一段日子，神又感動了兩家人來參加團契，他們各家有三個小孩，團契時小孩一下子活躍起來。最近兩年，又增添了兩個寶寶，現在有兩位姊妹正在懷孕中。感恩，團契的小孩增加，但是缺乏同工來帶領，求主幫助！

感恩與代禱事項：

1. 感謝神，感動年輕弟兄姊妹接受神學裝備出來事奉神！求主使用這對宣教士，在中、德教會建立美好的橋樑，彼此合作遵行大使命！
2. 求主使用吉森神學院，造就神的僕人！求主幫助正在求學的華人弟兄，因為德語仍然是他的外語！昨天聽他說，有一位埃塞俄比亞的學妹，她10歲來德國的時候是難民身份，現在23歲的她也開始在讀神學。感謝神，帶領不同民族在這神學院接受裝備！
3. 感謝吉森的德國教會，幫助團契的青少年在主裡面成長！求主祝福這家熱心傳福音的教會！
4. 感謝神帶領更多的小朋友來到團契！求主差派工人來牧養這些小羊！
5. 由於去年沒有新生留下來，學生小組需要暫停。團契將會在十一月份辦兩次迎新活動，求主感動新學生來參加，並留下來認識我們的信仰！
6. 感謝神的保守，被火燒了房子的姊妹終於可以回到自己原來的住處，暖氣也修理好！感恩她90歲的先生還是每週開車送她來參加團契活動！求主保守他們的健康！

        感謝神有你們一直的陪伴與支持，願主也祝福您和您一家！
        預祝感恩節快樂！

主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二四年十一月四日

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Dear brothers and sisters,

        “O God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.” Psalm 71:17

        I am thankful that I recently participated a sending ceremony of a pair of Chinese missionaries in a German church. Thanks to God’s grace, some young Chinese brothers and sisters responded to God’s call to serve Him in recent years. Several of them have already been equipped in German seminaries. The brother mentioned above, who immigrated to Germany from China with his family when he was a teenager. He was moved to serve God full time before he finished his doctorate degree and enrolled in the theological seminary in Giessen. During his Bachelor program in the seminary, he completed his professional doctoral dissertation, and then completed his Master’s program. After graduation, he married a Taiwanese sister and joined the Overseas Missionaries Fellowship(OMF) in Germany. While studying at the seminary, he served in this German church. The church made an exception and accepted them as their local missionaries. They also go to Taiwan to serve every year, and the brother also teaches in a seminary. Because they speak German very well, they serve as bridges between churches with German and Chinese cultures.

        Thank God that in Giessen, not a big city, there is a seminary that studies the Bible and a relatively large German church. Their resources bring blessings to our brothers and sisters in the Giessen Fellowship. Last year, another young Chinese brother attended the seminary in Giessen. He also came to participate in fellowship activities and did some ministry. Most of the brothers and sisters in our Giessen Fellowship attend the Sunday services of this German church. The church also runs a school, so some brothers and sisters in the fellowship have children who study in that Christian school and therefore participate in the church’s youth fellowship. Several young people in the fellowship were also baptized in this church. Many years ago, a German theological student saw the prayer request of the Giessen Fellowship who asked for a Sunday school teacher. He came to help this group of children teaching them Sunday school. After he graduated, he joined the service of a Chinese church and became a good co-worker of our second generation.

        After the above group of children grew up, there was only one young boy left. His parents brought him to fellowship, but because he had no companions, he no longer wanted to come to church. The parents persisted for a while, and God moved two families to come to the fellowship. Each family had three children, and the children in the fellowship suddenly became active. Two more babies have been added to the fellowship in the past two years, and two sisters are currently pregnant. Thank God for the increase in the number of children in the fellowship, but we lack co-workers to lead them. Pray that God will help us!

Thanksgiving and Prayer Items:

1. Thank God for inspiring young brothers and sisters to receive theological equipment and serve God! Pray that the Lord will use this pair of missionaries to build a good bridge between the Chinese and German churches so as to cooperate with each other to fulfill the Great Commission!
2. Pray to the Lord to use Giessen Theological Seminary to cultivate God’s servants! Pray to the Lord to help the Chinese brother who is still studying in the seminary, because German is still his foreign language! Yesterday I heard from him that there is an Ethiopian girl who came to Germany as a refugee when she was ten years old. Now she is studying theology at the age of 23. Thank God for leading different ethnic groups to receive equipment in this seminary!
3. Thank God for the German church in Giessen for helping the youth in the fellowship grow in the Lord! May the Lord bless this church that is passionate about evangelism!
4. Thank God for bringing more children to the fellowship! Pray to the Lord to send workers to shepherd these lambs!
5. Since there are no new student left from last year, the student group is suspended. The fellowship will hold two orientation activities in November. May the Lord move new students to attend and stay to learn about our faith!
6. Thanks to God’s protection, the sister whose house was damaged by fire can finally return to her original residence, and the heating has been repaired! We are grateful that her 90-year-old husband still drives her to attend fellowship activities every week! May the Lord keep them healthy!

        Thank God for your constant companionship and support, and may the Lord bless you and your family as well!
        Happy Thanksgiving in advance!

Serving Him,
Karen Tang

親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：

        「凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。生有時，死有時。」傳三1-2上

        還記得來法蘭克福第二年，第一次為一位姊妹主持安息禮拜，因為當時教會還沒有牧師。那姊妹才四十出頭，得病而離世，留下兩個幼少的兒女。事隔十多年，上次教會辦的燒烤戶外敬拜，還看到她的女兒。

        上個月也為一位年過七十的姊妹主持安息禮拜。這位姊妹在得了癌症的時候，還未信主，後來經過朋友介紹認識了一名基督徒。這名基督徒每天下班都去醫院為她禱告，並邀請另一姊妹向這位病人傳福音，她就決志信主了。可惜的是，她病好後，卻沒有機會去當地的查經班，因為她是說廣東話的；而且沒有上過學，所以不能自己讀聖經。在疫情期間，我們探訪那位為她禱告的姊妹，姊妹帶我們去找她，並邀請她參加線上的查經班，又邀請她參加線上的讀經班，讓我們慢慢認識她。可惜因為一些誤會，她就停止參加線上聚會；但她告訴我還是會跟著我每天發的信息去聽。

        這姊妹在醫院離世的前一天，我剛好要到醫院探訪一位年輕的姊妹，順便邀請那位為她禱告的姊妹一起去看她。沒想到那天，醫生宣佈她沒剩幾天生命，她的兒子與家人正在病房。了解情況之後，我就為她禱告，祈求天父早點接她回到父神的懷抱裡，免受更多的痛苦，結果第二天，就收到消息她回天家了。

        雖然姊妹決志多年，信仰根基仍不深，但是她卻很清楚自己已經決定跟隨主，不會相信別神，所以她生前曾吩咐過兒子，若是她離開世界，要按基督教的儀式來辦理喪事。由於在醫院第一次認識她兒子，他也聽到我為他媽媽禱告，所以他就找我主持安息禮拜；因為他與家人都沒有信主，他們什麼都不懂，就交給我來處理。

        安息禮拜那天，除了她的家人與親戚朋友之外，還有其他族裔的人，包括姊妹的媳婦是泰國人，媳婦也邀請了她的朋友。他們大部份人都是傾向佛教與迷信的，沒有接觸過基督教的安息禮拜。感謝神，藉著這樣的機會來向他們見證神，讓神的話語來安慰姊妹的親戚朋友！

感恩與代禱事項：

1. 感謝神的定時，讓我去探訪年輕病人的那天，不但見到老姊妹的最後一面，並可以在她兒子面前為她禱告！感謝天父把姊妹平安地接回天家！感謝主，使她在生前對兒子的吩咐，讓他在眾多不信的家人朋友面前舉行一個基督教的安息禮拜！求主藉此機會使他們能看到神的恩典與憐憫，讓他們繼續去認識天父的慈愛，接受主的救恩，將來與老姊妹再見！
2. 感謝天父的帶領，讓參與上週同工訓練營的弟兄姊妹有豐富的屬靈收穫！最近一、兩年都看到有好些弟兄姊妹回應神的呼召。這次看到有弟兄們在尋求讀神學的資源。求神帶領這些弟兄們，讓他們找到合適的神學裝備課程，將來能全職事奉！求神帶領一位剛結婚不久的弟兄，他有感動，但是還需要等待妻子的支持！
3. 因漢諾威教會的牧師要回國工作匯報，我七月與八月都被邀請回去分享神的話。感謝主賜下機會，在服事之餘還可以看到一些以前認識的弟兄姊妹！漢諾威與法蘭克福相距大約350公里，以前坐快速火車只需三個小時之內。自從疫情以後，政府有補貼車票，我便利用此補貼來坐火車，但是規定只能坐慢速火車，並且從我家出發要多次轉換交通工具，加上暑假很多地方修路，人手短缺，有時火車晚點甚至不開，所以去一趟漢諾威要花上七個小時！求主保守下一週的路程，火車班次都順利！
4. 求主憐憫一對年過八十的老夫妻，最近被租客燒了部份房子，被逼搬離那房子，之後又有賊進入被封鎖的房子偷了貴重的東西，求主安慰他們的心！感恩丈夫雖是天主教徒，他盡量每週都接載妻子參加團契聚會（他們住在週邊的城市）！

        神沒有應許我們天色常藍，但是祂的恩典夠用！謝謝您們一直的陪伴與支持，為著有需要的人禱告！

        願主恩與您們同在！

主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二四年八月十五日

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Dear brothers and sisters,

        ‘There is a season for everything, and a season for everything under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a

        In the second year after coming to Frankfurt, I held a funeral service for a sister for the first time because the church did not have a pastor then. The sister was only in her early forties, fell ill and passed away, leaving behind two young children. More than ten years later, I saw her daughter at the last barbecue outdoor worship held by our church.

        Last month, I also conducted a memorial service for a sister who was over seventy years old. It turned out that this sister had not yet believed in the Lord when she got cancer. Later, she met a Christian through a friend. This sister went to the hospital where she was staying after work every day to pray for her. She also invited the sister who led her to believe in the Lord to preach the gospel to the patient and she decided to believe in the Lord. Unfortunately, after she recovered from her illness, she did not have the opportunity to go to the local Bible study fellowship because she spoke Cantonese, and she had not read the Bible much because she had not gone to school. During the pandemic, we visited the sister who prayed for her, who brought us to see her and invited her to participate in an online Bible study class, and then invited her to participate in an online Bible reading class. We gradually got to know her. Unfortunately, due to some misunderstandings, she stopped attending online gatherings. But she told me that she would still listen to the messages I sent every day.

        The day before the sister passed away in the hospital, I happened to be visiting a young sister who was just admitted to the same hospital.  Therefore, I invited the sister who prayed for her to visit her with me. Unexpectedly, that day happened to be the day when the doctor announced that the sister had only a few days to live. Her son and his family were in the ward. After understanding the situation, I prayed for the sister, asking our Heavenly Father to take her back to God’s arms as soon as possible to avoid further pain. As a result, I received the news the next day that the sister had returned to heaven.

        Although the sister had made her decision to accept Christ for many years and had little foundation of her faith, she was very clear that she had decided to follow the Lord, and she would not believe in other gods. Therefore, before she died, she had told her son that if she left the world, she would have her son to conduct her funeral according to Christian rites. Because I met her son for the first time in the hospital, he also heard me praying for his mother, so he asked me to hold the memorial service for her mother. Neither he nor his family believe in the Lord, he didn’t understand anything regarding Christian service, so he asked me to handle it.

        On the day of the memorial service, in addition to her family, relatives and friends, there were also people from other ethnic groups, including the sister’s daughter-in-law, who is Thai, and she also invited her friends. Most of them are inclined toward Buddhism and superstition and have never been exposed to Christian service. Thank God for giving us this opportunity to witness to them and let God’s words comfort the sister’s relatives and friends!

Thanksgiving and Prayer Items:

1. Thank God for his timing! On the day I went to visit the young patient, I not only saw the old sister for the last time, but I was also able to pray for her in front of her son! Thank you, Heavenly Father, for taking my sister back to heaven safely! Thank you, Lord, for allowing her to command her son during her lifetime to hold a Christian memorial service for her in front of many unbelieving family members and friends! Pray that God will take this opportunity to enable them to see God’s grace and mercy, let them continue to know the love of our Heavenly Father, accept the Lord’s salvation, so that they will see the old sister again in the future!
2. Thank our Heavenly Father for His guidance, which enabled the brothers and sisters who participated in last week’s co-worker training camp to gain rich spiritual gains! In the past year or two, we have seen many brothers and sisters respond to God’s calling. This time I saw some brothers looking for resources for studying theology. Pray that God will lead these brothers to find a suitable theological seminary and will serve in full-time ministry after equipping themselves! Pray that God will guide a brother who has just been married. He is moved by God’s calling, but he still needs to wait for his wife’s support!
3. Because the pastor of Hannover church has returned home for furlough, I was invited in July and August to share God’s words. Thank God for giving me the opportunity to meet some brothers and sisters I knew before while serving! Hannover and Frankfurt are about 350 kilometers apart. It used to take only less than three hours by high-speed train. Since the pandemic, the German government has subsidized tickets, and I have used this ticket, but I can only take slow trains. Starting from my home, I have to change transportation multiple times. In addition, there is a lot of road construction during the summertime, and there is a shortage of manpower. Sometimes the train is late or even cancelled. So, a trip to Hannover took seven hours last time! Please pray that the Lord will protect the journey next week and all train rides will go smoothly!
4. Pray to God to have mercy on an old couple who are over eighty years old. Recently, part of the house was burned down by a tenant, and they were forced to move out of the house. Later, thieves entered the blocked house and stole valuable things. Pray that God will comfort their hearts! Thank God that although the husband is a Catholic, he tries his best to drive his wife to fellowship meetings every week (they live in a nearby city)!

        May the Lord’s grace be with you!

Serving Him,
Karen Tang

親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：

        「不可忘記用愛心接待客旅；因為曾有接待客旅的，不知不覺就接待了天使。」希十三2

        疫情後，人們恢復昔日往來探訪及旅遊。由於法蘭克福飛機場是一個國際樞紐，很多客旅，包括弟兄姊妹都會從這裡上、下飛機。有些弟兄姊妹從別城來法蘭克福搭早班機的，都要早一天來法蘭克福找地方過夜。也有一些弟兄姊妹是路過法蘭克福，再往別城去的。因此，從去年年底開始，我家就經常接待這樣的客旅。一月份的代禱信已經提過，沒想到這樣的接待持續不斷。

        三月份接觸了一位16歲剛高中畢業的男生，他的媽媽來德國出差，他也跟著來，自己出去觀光，我的朋友介紹我們認識。當他們來法蘭克福的時候，我邀請他來我家吃飯，我們聊得很投機；雖然他有佛教背景，並受傳統中國文化影響，但也不排斥其他宗教。吃完飯，我帶他去教會參加主日崇拜，可惜他趕著與下班的媽媽匯合，聽完詩歌就要離開。不過，他對我們教會還是留下一個好的印象。

        四月份，一直支持我的教會有姊妹來旅遊，來我家住了幾天，除了讓我們彼此認識更多之外，她更帶給我一個驚喜，她與她團契的弟兄姊妹送我一份禮物，超過我的所求所想，因為正是我合用的。正如經文所說，接待姊妹，不知不覺就好像接待了天使。

        五月接待了一對年老夫妻，他們多年前從德國回香港退休。弟兄今年80歲，與團契的弟兄姊妹給他慶祝生日，他很感動！特別是第一次上飛機時，姊妹在機場幾乎暈倒，被送去醫院。隔了一週，她恢復健康後又可以上機了。

        這幾天有姊妹來開會，順道帶著第一次出國的弟弟（剛退休）來借宿，讓他可以到處觀光。雖然第一次見面，還沒說上幾句話，他就已經好奇地問我為何從美國來到德國。我便把我的蒙召見證告訴他，因為他還不是基督徒，還問了好些有關教會的問題，希望他繼續尋求基督信仰。

        疫情間，認識了一位年輕媽媽，她有一年幼的兒子。由於她的婚姻出現問題，我一直藉電話關心她，因為她住在德國的小村落，很孤單。幾年下來，離婚手續已經辦好，但仍要面對很多問題。有時候，她要來法蘭克福辦事，也會住在我家。以前她都是面帶愁容的，上週她來我家吃飯時，看到她有笑容了。她對另外一位姊妹說，是受到我的感染，可以把一些事情放下，可以笑起來了。她還沒有信耶穌，但是每次為她禱告，她都是願意的。這週她說要來住幾天。

        每天跟我一起讀經的老弟兄姊妹都知道，我要接待弟兄姊妹，她們開玩笑說我家可以當作旅館，只要收一點點的費用，都可以幫補我的宣教經費。我說我不會那樣做，因為這是神賜予我的地方，有機會接待不同的人，包括非基督徒，希望提供給她們住宿之餘，還可以為主作見證，讓她們感受到神的愛與認識神。

感恩與代禱事項：

1. 感謝主賜我地方，可以做接待弟兄姊妹的事工！
2. 感謝主讓我有機會接待弟兄姊妹，讓我可以更多的認識她們，建立更緊密的關係！感謝主差派天使送來禮物，感謝弟兄姊妹的愛心！
3. 感謝主讓我接觸不同年齡階層的非信徒，讓我可以把信仰介紹給他們！求主帶領他們，使他們回到自己的國家，繼續去尋求認識神！
4. 感謝主有機會藉著提供住宿幫助那些有需要的人，特別是在情緒低落的時候，有經濟困難的時候！求主幫助年輕媽媽能靠著真神的力量，解決她的困境。
5. 求主保守那對年老的夫妻，讓他們在德國探訪親友時都平安！求主醫治老弟兄的咳嗽！

        求主眷顧保守你們身體健康，祝福你們手上所做的工！

主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二四年六月六日

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Dear brothers and sisters,

        ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.’ Hebrews 13:2

        After the pandemic, people resumed visiting and traveling as they had in the past. Since the Frankfurt International Airport is an international hub, many travelers, including brothers and sisters, board and disembark their planes here. Some brothers and sisters who came from other cities to Frankfurt to take an early flight had to come to Frankfurt a day earlier to find a place to stay overnight. There are also some brothers and sisters who pass through Frankfurt and go to other cities. Therefore, since the end of last year, I have been receiving such travelers frequently. I mentioned this in my January prayer letter, but I didn’t realize that this kind of hospitality would continue.

        In March, I met a 16-year-old boy who had just graduated from high school. His mom came to Germany on a business trip, and he went out sightseeing on his own, and my friend introduced us. When they came to Frankfurt, I invited him to my home for dinner, and we had a great conversation. Although he has a Buddhist background and traditional Chinese culture, he does not reject other religions. After lunch, I took him to our church Sunday service, but unfortunately he was in a hurry to meet his mom from work and had to leave after listening to the worship songs. However, he still left a good impression of our church.

        In April, a sister whose church has been supporting me, came to visit me from US. She stayed at my home for a few days. We had a chance to get to know each other better. She surprised me with a gift from her and the brothers and sisters in her fellowship, which was more than I could ask for because it was exactly what I needed. As the scripture says, to receive a sister without realizing it is like receiving an angel.

        In May, I received an elderly couple who went back to Hong Kong to retire from Germany many years ago. The brother was 80 years old and was touched by the birthday celebration he had with our fellowship brothers and sisters! He was especially touched when his wife almost fainted at the airport on her schedule flight and was taken to the hospital. After a week, she recovered and was able to get on the plane again.

        In the past few days, a sister came for a meeting and brought her brother (who just retired), who was going abroad for the first time, to stay with me so that he could go sightseeing. Although we met for the first time, he didn’t say much, but he was already curious and asked me why I had come to Germany from the USA. I told him my testimony of my calling. Since he was not yet a Christian, he asked me a few questions about the church. Pray that he would continue to seek the Christian faith.

        During the pandemic, I got to know a young mother with a toddler. Because of her marital problems, I kept her company by phone because she lived in a small village in Germany and was very lonely. After a few years, the divorce was finalized, but she still had to face many problems. Sometimes she would come to Frankfurt for business and stay at my home. She used to have a sad face, but last week she came to my place to let me do some work for her. At dinner, I saw that she was smiling. She told another sister that she was infected by me, and that she was able to let go of some things and could smile again. She is an idolater and has not yet believed in Jesus, but every time I pray for her, she is willing to do so. This week she said she wanted to come and stay for a few days.

        The older brothers and sisters who are in my Bible reading group know that I have been hosting some brothers and sisters. They joked that my place could be used as a hotel, and that it could help cover my expenses by charging a small fee. I said I wouldn’t do that because this is a place that God has given me to host different people, including non-Christians, and I hope that while providing them with lodging, I can also be a witness for the Lord, so that they can feel God’s love and know Him.

Thanksgiving and Prayer Items:

1. Thank our Lord for giving me a place to host brothers and sisters!
2. Thank our Lord for giving me the opportunity to receive brothers and sisters so that I can get to know them better and build closer relationships! Thank our Lord for sending angels to send me gifts! Thank God for the love of our brothers and sisters!
3. Thank our Lord for allowing me to reach out to non-believers of different age groups so that I can introduce my faith to them! Pray that the Lord would lead them to continue to seek to know God when they return to their own countries!
4. Thank our Lord for the opportunity to help those in need by providing accommodation, especially in times of depression and financial hardship! Pray that the young mom would be able to resolve her situation by relying on the power of the true God rather than idolatry!
5. Pray for the Lord’s protection over the elderly couple as they visit friends and relatives in Germany! Pray for the Lord’s healing of the old brother’s cough!

        Pray for our Lord’s blessing to keep you in good health and bless the works of your hands!

Serving Him,

Karen Tang

親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：

        「他們年老的時候仍要結果子，要滿了汁漿而常發青，好顯明耶和華是正直的，他是我的磐石，在他毫無不義。」詩篇九十二14-15

        感謝耶和華看顧祂的義人！昨天教會為全教會最老的姊妹慶祝95歲生日。最近幾年，她摔了無數次，包括在疫情中斷了骨頭，要做手術，無人可以探病；直到去年年底摔了一跤，斷了六根肋骨。雖然這樣，神仍保守她不需用拐杖，只要有人扶著，她還是可以走路。因為疫情的緣故，與人失去交流，所以溝通上面已有些混亂。儘管如此，她兒子還是每週都載媽媽來主日崇拜，雖然他聽不懂中文。老姊妹也樂意來聚會，以笑容迎接與她打招呼的弟兄姊妹，連小朋友也去與她打招呼。

        一月份去探訪這位老姊妹的好朋友，她們是早年來德國時認識的。她也接近80歲，但是身體很好，手雖然發顫，仍然可以為一家幾口人做飯，甚至去買菜。疫情期間，幫她買了一部iPad，教她上zoom，她也曾經參加過廣東話查經班。後來，她搬去與兒子住，在餐館幫忙，暈倒了之後，就不敢再幫忙了。去年她家的房子，經過疫情幾年終於重建好；她終於有個屬於自己的房子，生活也穩定了，我便邀請她上來讀經班。教她如何上zoom之後，剛開始幾天她都忘記怎樣上，她自己就亂按（最近去看她的iPad，連希伯來文都給她按出來了！），最後她也能上來，或是她家人幫她。經過一週之後，她已經很熟練地上來與我們一起讀經。感謝主，剛開始邀請她的時候，她說早上要去外面散步、買菜等。現在她天天來聽神的話！

        上次代禱信提及一名無國籍女士，她已經在二月初離開世界，離我最後探訪她才差幾天。三週之後，我再次去探訪的時候，就被通知她不在了。感謝神的憐憫，讓她在世最後幾個月可以不用過流離失所的生活，有好的醫療人員照顧。臨終關懷的人告訴我，她是很平安地離開的，並且他們在她病房找到唯一一張卡片，是我送給她的經文卡片之一。經文是約翰壹書一5節「神就是光，在祂毫無黑暗。」但願她得到這真光！

        吉森團契的姊妹因為胎盤位置不正，醫生又怕她隨時大量出血，剖腹產之前兩星期便要她住院觀察。感謝神的保守，她的女兒終於出生了，而且母女都平安。在院期間，姊妹的同房病友是一位伊斯蘭教徒，她也在讀可蘭經和禱告，但是她都住到抓狂了，讓醫生護士都來安撫她。姊妹也為她禱告，讓她可以有好的睡眠。相反地，姊妹有比較平安的心態，依靠神，還有能力為她的室友禱告。我們還開玩笑說，她在醫院的兩個星期就是她的退修會。

感恩與代禱事項：

1. 感謝神保守95歲的老姊妹，讓她樂意來教會敬拜神，讓她的生命成為眾人的榜樣！
2. 感謝神帶領年近80歲的老姊妹，讓她懂得上網來與我們一起讀聖經！求主保守她的身體，前幾週被感染得了感冒，咳嗽很厲害。現在偶有幾聲咳！
3. 感謝主憐憫那位無國籍的女士，讓她在世最後的階段有個安身之處！
4. 感謝主保守懷孕的姊妹，平安把女兒生產下來！感謝主讓她在病友面前做美好見證！
5. 本週四至下週一將會是一年一度的全德造就營。本次是歷屆參加人數最低，可能很多人復活節假期回家探親，又可能因為物價上漲。求主保守營會，讓赴會的弟兄姊妹都有屬靈的收穫！

        求主也保守你們度過一個有意義的復活節！

主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二四年三月二十五日

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Dear brothers and sisters,

        “They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” Psalms 92:14-15

        Thank the LORD for looking after His righteous people! Last Sunday, our church celebrated the 95th birthday of the oldest sister in the church. In the last few years, she has had numerous falls, including a broken bone during the pandemic, which required surgery and no one was allowed to visit her, and a fall at the end of last year, which broke six ribs. In spite of this, God still preserved her, and she still doesn’t need crutches, and she can still walk as long as she has someone to help her. Because of the pandemic, she has lost communication with people, so her communication is a bit confused. Despite this, her son still drives his mom to Sunday services every week, even though he doesn’t understand Chinese. She herself is happy to come and greet others with a smile, and even the children go to say hello to her.

        In January, we visited a good friend of this old sister, whom they met when they came to Germany in the early years. She is also close to 80 years old, but she is in good health. Although her hands are trembling, she can still cook for her family and even go grocery shopping by bus. During the pandemic, we bought her an iPad and taught her how to use zoom, so that she could also attend our Cantonese Bible study. Later, she moved in with her son and helped out at his restaurant. After she fainted, she didn’t dare to help out anymore. Last year, her house was finally rebuilt after several years, which started just before the pandemic. She finally had her own house and her life was stabilized, so I invited her to come to the Bible reading. After teaching her how to go on zoom, she forgot how to go on zoom for the first few days, and she just pressed the buttons randomly (I recently went to check her iPad, and she even pressed the Hebrew text out!). Eventually she was able to get on, or her family helped her. After a week, she is now very good at coming up and reading with us. Thank God, when we first invited her, she said she wanted to go for a walk in the morning, go grocery shopping, etc. Now she comes every day to listen to God’s word.

        My last prayer letter mentioned a stateless woman who left the world in early February, just a few days before my last visit. When I visited her again three weeks later, I was informed that she was no longer with us. I thank God for His mercy that she was able to live her last few months without having to live in exile, and that she was taken care of by good medical staff. The hospice staff told me that she passed away peacefully, and they found the only card in her hospital room, which was one of the scripture cards I gave her. The scripture was 1 John 1:5: “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness.” May she receive this true light!

        A sister from the Giessen Fellowship had to be hospitalized for two weeks before her caesarean section because her placenta was not in the right place and the doctors were afraid that she might bleed heavily at any time. Thanks to God’s protection, her daughter was finally born and both mother and daughter were safe. During the hospitalization period, her roommate, a Muslim, was also reading the Koran and praying, but she was so frantic that the doctors and nurses came to calm her down. Our sister also prayed for her so that she could have a good night’s sleep. In contrast, our sister had more peace of mind, relied on God, and was able to pray for her roommate. We joked that the two weeks she was in the hospital were her retreat.

Thanksgiving and Prayer Items:

1. Thank God for keeping our 95-year-old sister so that she is willing to come to church to worship God, and that her life has become an example to others!
2. Thank God for leading our 80-year-old sister to go online and read the Bible with us! Pray for her health. A few weeks ago, she caught a cold and had a bad cough. She is coughing occasionally!
3. Thank the Lord for His mercy on that stateless woman and for giving her a place to stay in her last days on earth!
4. Thank you for keeping the pregnant sister until she gave birth to her daughter! Thank the Lord for the wonderful witness she gave before the pagan!
5. This Thursday through next Monday will be the annual Easter Camp. This is the lowest turnout ever, probably due to the fact that many people went home for the Easter vacation, and also due to the rising prices of goods. Pray that the Lord will keep the camp and make it spiritually fruitful for all the brothers and sisters attending!

        Pray that you too will have a meaningful Easter!

Serving Him,
Karen Tang

親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：

        「惟喜愛耶和華的律法，晝夜思想，這人便為有福！」詩篇一2

        一月二日讀經班以詩篇開始今年的讀經，我們一班老弟兄姊妹跟著讀經計劃，自2021年疫情開始，轉眼已經讀了三年。今年又應姊妹們的要求，加上了唱詩的環節，正好有很多詩歌都以詩篇為主題，我們除了讀經，也學習唱新歌讚美神！

        去年十二月份比較多的接待的工作，有弟兄姊妹途經我家借宿一晚，再往別的城市走；有姊妹從別城來法蘭克福乘坐飛機回國探親，也要借宿一宵；有一位姊妹隻身在外，今年整個聖誕假期就在我家度過；還有就是陪伴一位未成年的學生（應他媽媽的要求）住一晚酒店，第二天帶他去機場飛回家。

        另外也接待一名非信徒，她要買車，因為她住在南部比較偏僻的地方，看了一部二手車，車行的位置離我家大約半個小時車程。她要求我陪她去看車、試車。當她買下車子，又要載她去車行取車，再陪她開車回家，因為她才拿到德國的駕駛執照；第二天，我一個人坐四個小時的公共交通工具回家。

        十二月也接受了一個外來的請求，就是一位比我還小好幾歲無當地居留權的女性華人，她被送進醫院。由於她不懂英語、德語，醫院無法與她溝通，請了一位中文翻譯。就是這位翻譯請我前往醫院去探訪她。後來醫院把她轉送到一間機構，因為他們將旅館改為難民營，旅館有一間房間可以收容她。因著跟著她跑不同地方，所以就成為了她的翻譯，幫收留她的機構負責人和工作人員、社會福利部門的工作人員、醫生、救護人員作翻譯。由於這位女士身患末期癌症，旅館不是她長期居住的地方，因為沒有醫護人員照顧她，而且她有很多東西都不能吃，也不能走動，到底她有沒有吃東西也不清楚。每次我去探訪她，都會帶一些湯給她喝，這也成為她所叫的「耶穌湯」，因為我有為她禱告，請求耶穌拯救她、幫助她。神果然藉著一間慈善機構裡幾位熱心的醫生，幾經努力之後，終於幫她找到一個臨終關懷的病房，她就可以長久住在那裡，而且得到很好的關懷照顧。在那裡有一位西藏女士，懂一點中文，她也負責管飯食，說可以煮一些適合那女士口味的食物給她吃。

        由於吉森團契今年不夠人手舉辦大型的聖誕活動，我們就邀請新來的同學與我們過節，只有一名女生來參加，另外兩名男生本來答應要來，最後還是被他們的同學叫走了。這名女生剛來讀博士學位，有很多的焦慮，壓力很大，假期之後也沒有見她來團契了。

感恩與代禱事項：

1. 感恩老弟兄姊妹們每早都願意一起來聆聽神的話語！感恩上週探訪了一位已經很久沒有與我們見面的老姊妹，邀請她參與讀經，這週開始她也上來了！
2. 感謝主，有機會服事弟兄姊妹與非信徒在家中作客！感恩可以陪伴單身姊妹度過她的假期，讓她不致覺得孤單！
3. 感恩可以服事那位有需要的非信徒，求神讓她看到神的愛，藉著幫助她，使她能夠來認識神！
4. 感謝主，憐憫那位得了末期癌症的女士，讓她可以得到一個安息的地方，得到好的照顧！求主幫助她，讓她有清醒的頭腦，在聽到福音的時候願意接受主的救恩！
5. 求主保守小朋友，在這寒冷的天氣下免受感染，及不會和家人交差感染。
6. 求主保守懷胎的姊妹，使她與胎兒都健康，按期（預產期是三月）把嬰孩順利產下來！
7. 求主幫助那位讀博士的女生，讓她適應當地的學習，願意來團契與弟兄姊妹交流，減輕壓力！

        願主帶領我們進入新的一年，讓我們緊緊的跟隨主！
        預祝你們新春蒙福！

主的使女

鄧秀珍
二零二四年一月十九日

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Dear brothers and sisters,

        “But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His Law he meditates day and night!” Psalms 1:2

        On January 2nd, our Bible reading class started our Bible reading this year with Psalms. Our senior brothers and sisters have been following the Bible reading plan for three years since 2021 during the pandemic. At the request of our sisters, this year we also added a hymn-singing session, which coincided with the fact that many of the hymns were based on the theme of the Psalms, so in addition to reading the Bible, we also learned to sing new songs to praise God!

        Last December, I had several receptions. A couple passed by my house and stayed overnight before heading to other city; a sister came from other city to Frankfurt to take a flight back to visit her relatives in China, and she also had to stay overnight; one sister was out of town, and she stayed at my home for the whole Christmas vacation this year; and I also accompanied a teenage student to stay in a hotel for one night (at the request of his mother), and then I took him to the airport to fly home the next day.

        I also hosted a non-believer who wanted to buy a car because she lives in a relatively remote place in the south. She looked at a used car and the car dealership was about half an hour’s drive from my home. She asked me to accompany her to see the car and test drive it. After she bought the car, I had to take her to the car dealership to pick it up, and then drive with her back to her home because she had just obtained her German driver’s license. The next day I had to take four hours of public transportation to get home.

        In December, I also accepted a request from a stranger. A stateless Chinese lady who was several years younger than me, was admitted to a hospital. Since she did not speak English or German, the hospital was unable to communicate with her, so they hired a Chinese interpreter. It was this interpreter who asked me to visit her in the hospital. The hospital later transferred her to an organization which had converted a hotel into a refugee camp and there was a room in the hotel that could accommodate her. As I followed her around, I became her interpreter, translating for the person in charge and staff of the organization that took her in, the staff of the social welfare department, the doctors, and the ambulance staff. Since this woman is suffering from terminal cancer, a hotel is not a place for her to live for a long time because there are no medical staffs to take care of her.  She cannot eat a lot of things, and she cannot move around so it is not clear whether she has eaten anything or not. Every time I visited her, I would bring her some soup, which she called “Jesus Soup”, because I prayed for her and asked Jesus to save her and help her. God did find her a hospice ward through a few dedicated doctors of a charity organization, and after much effort, she was able to stay there for a long time and receive good care. There was a Tibetan lady there who could understand a little Chinese and was also responsible for taking care of the meals. She said she could cook some food suitable for Chinese appetites.

        Since the Giessen Fellowship did not have the manpower to hold a large-scale Christmas event this year, we invited the new students to join us for the holiday. Only one girl came to join us, while the other two boys were called by their classmates after they had promised to come. This girl had just come to study for her doctorate degree, and she had a lot of anxiety and stress, and we didn’t see her come to the fellowship after the holiday.

Thanksgiving and Prayer Items:

1. I am thankful for the senior brothers and sisters who are willing to come together every morning to listen to God’s word! I am grateful that last week I visited an old sister who we have not seen for a long time and invited her to participate in our Bible reading. She has also joined us starting this week!
2. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to serve brothers and sisters and unbelievers as guests in my home! I am grateful that I could accompany the single sister on her vacation so that she would not feel lonely!
3. Thank God also that I could minister to that unbeliever in need by helping her so that she may come to know God one day!
4. Thank the Lord for having mercy on the lady suffering from terminal cancer, allowing her to have a resting place and receive good care! Pray that she will have a clear mind and be willing to accept the Lord’s salvation when she hears the Gospel.
5. Pray that the Lord will protect the children from getting infected often in this cold weather and then spreading it to the whole family!
6. Pray that the Lord will protect the pregnant sister so that both she and the fetus will be healthy and the baby will be delivered smoothly at maturity (expected date of delivery is March)!
7. Pray that the girl who is studying for her doctorate degree will adapt to her studies and be willing to come to the fellowship to communicate with brothers and sisters to relieve her stress!

        May the Lord lead us into the new year and let us follow Him closely!
        I wish you all a blessed Chinese New Year in advance!

Serving Him,

Karen Tang