親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：

        「惡人獻祭，為耶和華所憎惡；正直人祈禱，為他所喜悅。」（箴言十五8）

        上週日剛換了夏令時間，又有幾天陽光普照，感覺春天已到，其實氣溫還是比較低，有些地方昨天還在下雪。有姐妹的孩子在幼兒園染上感冒，回家再傳染給其他家人，她們持續發燒了好幾天，比新冠肺炎還嚴重。雖然大部份人都已經不太注意疫情的走向，但是自從三月一日至昨天，我手機上的「新冠肺炎警告」應用程式一直都顯示紅色，表示我有三次機會接觸了陽性人士，每次警告都要十天才能轉綠色。這個月的警告，比我過去三年收到的還多。因此，我才發現新冠肺炎病毒好像還沒有完全離開我們。不過，感謝神，我身體沒有症狀，如常的出入。

        三月份出外的活動比較多，在餐館吃飯的次數也增加了。其中有一位快八十歲的老姐妹已經幾個月沒見面，因為她去年跌倒兩次，兒女就不再讓她在餐館幫忙了。我和姐妹前去探訪她，沒想到當日她女兒感冒，後來傳染給她了，結果她無法參加她幾十年好朋友的生日會。感恩我們沒有被感染，所以參加了那位94歲姐妹的生日午餐。無獨有偶，照顧她的兒子卻因為之前處理地下室浸水情況而著涼了，感恩他媽媽沒被感染。

        三月第二週去漢諾威教會服事，很久都沒有坐火車去，豈料當天的班次取消了，還好有另一班，但它是較早開出的。若不是我早點去火車站，可能就會錯過這班車，到教會就可能遲到。回家那天，漢諾威全市的公交車也罷工，還好我住在郊外，沒有受影響。有一位老姐妹知道我將有幾個月不在德國，她看完病後還是堅持要來見我，我們就在火車站吃點東西，而火車站已經恢復了人來人往，而後來收到的新冠肺炎病毒警告，就是在當天發生的。

        三月第三週有劉民和牧師來佈道，吉森團契負責的弟兄一家帶了兩位慕道友來參加，他們難得來法蘭克福一次，聚會後便一起到餐館吃飯，和慕道友有些交談。

        上主日，由於我們租借的德國教會需要用作法蘭克福選舉市長的場地，我們便不能使用。同工詢問了好些地方都不能借用，最後一位姐妹把她的餐館借給教會使用。主日崇拜之後，大部份弟兄姐妹也就留下來一起用餐，聯絡感情。

        今年的全德基督徒復活節營會恢復實體，但是青年旅館的床位減少了很多，有些弟兄姐妹要住在營地外面的旅館。我也樂意讓一個床位出來，這是我來德國參加營會以來第一次回家過夜，也是第一次沒有服事的崗位。感謝神的帶領，近幾年多了好幾對宣教士夫婦來德國服事，大家都有機會承擔營會的服事。

感恩與代禱事項：

1. 感謝主的保守，雖然流感與新冠肺炎病毒還在肆虐，但我在眾多的活動中沒被感染！之前的咳嗽也不知不覺停下來了，感謝主恩！
2. 感謝主保守94歲的老姐妹，不被病毒感染！姐妹經常在家跌倒，求主保守她能夠平衡！感恩兒子每週送母親到教會參加主日崇拜！
3. 今年復活節營會是疫情後第一次實體聚會，青年旅館有些變動，會有一些政府租用的床位給外面的人。求主保守講員以及所有參加的人，身體健康，在靈裡得到飽足！
4. 復活節後吉森團契將會開始福音課程，求主帶領在線上聚會的弟兄姐妹來參加實體聚會，以致大家一起參與愛宴，服事慕道友！求主感動受邀請的人來參加！
5. 我將於五月中旬至八月中旬回美國工作匯報。求主帶領期間的腳步，與眾教會和弟兄姐妹有美好的分享，述說神奇妙的作為！

        祝你們復活節快樂蒙恩！

主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二三年三月二十八日

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Dear brothers and sisters,

        “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.” Proverbs 15:8

        The daylight saving time was just changed last Sunday, and there were a few sunny days. It feels like spring has arrived. In fact, the temperature is still relatively low, and some places even snowed yesterday. Because a sister’s child came home with a flu from the kindergarten and then infected other family members, I learned that this year’s flu is very severe. They had fever that lasted for several days, which was worse than the Covid-19. Although most people have paid little attention to the trend of the pandemic, since March 1st to yesterday, the Corona-warning app on my mobile phone has always been red, which means that I have had three chances to come into contact with positive Covid people passing by me. Each warning takes ten days to turn green. This month has more warnings than I have received in the past three years. Therefore, I found that it seems that the corona virus has not completely left us. However, thank God, my body has no symptoms, and I go in and out as usual.

        I went out for more activities in March, and the number of times I ate in restaurants also increased. Among them, an old sister who is almost 80-year-old whom we had not seen for several months. Because she fell down twice last year, her children no longer let her help in the restaurant. So, a sister and I went to visit her. Unexpectedly, her daughter caught a cold that day and later infected her. As a result, she was unable to attend the birthday of her good friend for decades. We were grateful that we were not infected, so we attended the birthday lunch of the 94-year-old sister. Coincidentally, her son who took care of her caught a cold because of the flooding in the basement. Thankfully, his mother was not infected.

        I went to serve in the Chinese church in Hannover in the second week of March. I didn’t take the train for a long time. My train was canceled that day. Fortunately, there was another train to make up for it, but it arrived earlier. If I hadn’t gone to the train station early, I might have missed the train, and I might have been late for church. On the day I returned home, the public transportation in Hannover also went on strike. Fortunately, I stayed in the suburbs and I was not affected. An old sister knew that I would not be in Germany for a few months, she still insisted on coming to see me after seeing her doctor. We ate something at the train station, and the train station was full of people. So, the Corona warning I received later happened on that day.

        In the third week of March, Rev. Liu Min He came to evangelize in our church. The brother in charge of the Giessen Fellowship brought his family and two seekers to participate. They seldom came to Frankfurt. Therefore, we went for dinner after the meeting.

        Last Sunday, because the German church we leased was used as the venue for the second round of the Frankfurt mayoral election, we could not use it. The co-workers inquired about many places that could not be borrowed. Finally, a sister who owns a restaurant lets us use the place for Sunday worship. After the service, most of the brothers and sisters also stayed to eat together and had some fellowship time.

        This year’s All-German Christian Easter Camp will be reinstated, but the number of beds in the youth hostel has been reduced a lot. Some brothers and sisters must live in hotels outside the camp site. I am also willing to let a bed come out. This will be the first time I will stay home for the nights ever since I participated all the camps in the past. This will also be the first time that I have no serving position. Thanks to God’s guidance, several couples of missionaries have come to serve in Germany in recent years, and some could serve in the camp.

 Prayer items and thanksgiving:

1. Thank the Lord for his protection! Although the flu and the corona virus are still raging, I have not been infected in many activities! The previous cough also stopped unconsciously, thank to our Lord!
2. Thank the Lord for protecting the 94-year-old sister from being infected by the virus! The sister also often falls at home; may the Lord keep her from falling! Thanks to the Lord that her son brings her to church to attend Sunday worship every week!
3. This year’s Easter camp is the first physical gathering after the pandemic. There are some changes in the youth hostel. There will be some beds rented by the government for outsiders. May the Lord keep the speaker and all the attendees in good health and spiritually satisfied!
4. After Easter, the Giessen Fellowship will start a gospel course. May the Lord lead the brothers and sisters who gather online to participate in physical gatherings, so that everyone can participate in the love banquet and serve the coming seekers! May the Lord move those who see the invitation to participate!
5. I will return to the United States for furlough from mid-May to mid-August. May the Lord lead every step during this period, and that we will have a wonderful time of sharing God’s miraculous deeds with all the churches and brothers and sisters.

        Happy Easter and may God bless you!
        See you soon!

Serving Him,
Karen Tang

親愛的弟兄姊妹平安：

        「耶和華－你的救贖主，以色列的聖者如此說：我是耶和華－你的　神，教訓你，使你得益處，引導你所當行的路。」(賽四十八17）

        感謝神帶領我們又走進新的一年，求主引導我們所當行的路！

        在吉森團契舉辦的聖誕聚會與春節包餃子活動裡，都看到神是我們隨時的幫助。聖誕節聚會的報名人數大約七十人，一半都是慕道友；後來因為生病等原因退出，剩下大約五十人。我們服事的同工也因生病或臨時有事不能參與，最後只有一對夫妻來籌備活動，所以他們壓力很大。到聚會前一週，本來說不能參與的同工因取消原來的計劃，又可以歸隊事奉了。所以，當天來的慕道友不但有機會聽到福音，而且那些不會做飯的學生，能吃上中國菜，都很開心。因此，他們也很願意在除夕夜再來包餃子。平時在父母家不用洗碗的，都來幫忙洗一大堆的盤子。當天來了一位印尼華僑，由於學習生活苦悶，她覺得孤單，想要接觸一些華人。別城的姐妹介紹了我們的活動，我們的姐妹聯絡她，邀請她來；她答應了，並說會帶兩位朋友來。由於她們當天有課，我們快吃完的時候，她們才到。由於我們不知情，只預備了豬肉餡來包餃子；帶來的兩位同學，餃子沒得吃，但是還是願意留下來，跟我們的同工一起用餃子皮做麵條，還留心聽一位老弟兄的信仰分享。老弟兄原本是來包餃子的，後來他沒包，原來神讓他去傳福音。

        我剛去吉森團契的時候，有一位姐妹因為離婚的緣故也搬來吉森。她帶著兩個幼小的兒子與女兒開始新生活，但是由於前夫的粗暴，留下很多陰影，特別影響兒子的情緒。感謝主，姐妹生活雖然艱難，但仍堅持帶孩子去教會。因為我們吉森團契沒有青少年班，而且他們的母語是德語，他們就去了德國教會。上週他們兩兄妹在德國教會接受洗禮，這是媽媽最大的欣慰。

        昨天有機會第一次去Kassel團契分享神的話語，聚會結束時，與一位中年男士握手，但是感覺不到弟兄姐妹那份熱情。後來分組討論時我們又在一起，才知道他是慕道友。由於過去一年生活在惶恐當中，整個人都走下坡。他要搬家，在網上售賣家裡的東西，教會的姐妹想買他的一件物品，聊起來之後，姐妹熱情地邀請他去教會。他感激這姐妹的丈夫給他一些智慧的話語，來到教會，感覺心裡平穩一點。神就是那麼奇妙，把這位慕道友帶到團契中。

感恩與代禱事項：

1. 感謝神作我們隨時的幫助，當我們辦活動不夠人手的時候，祂就把同工召回來服事！感謝神，讓我們在疫情過後舉辦了實體的聖誕聚會，有機會與慕道友有更多的交流和認識！
2. 春節過後，幾名預科學生放假出外遊玩。求主帶領，讓他們回來之後，我們可以開始一些福音課程！
3. 感謝主帶領三位印尼學生來到我們中間！求主藉著老弟兄的分享，讓他們有更多的思考！求主賜下智慧作跟進工作，也讓吉森團契有更多的同工來關心這些留學生！
4. 感謝主帶領那位單親媽媽經歷了艱難的日子，看到孩子在主裡面成長，並接受洗禮！求主記念兒子剛上大學，保守他在別城的生活與學習，繼續在團契裡成長！
5. 求主引導在Kassel團契的慕道友，使他早日得著主的救恩，脫離惶恐的生活，享受真正的平安！

        春節剛過，祝願您們新年蒙福！新春快樂！
        主恩滿溢！

主的使女
鄧秀珍
二零二三年一月三十一日

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Dear brothers and sisters,

        “This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:17

        Thank God for leading us into a new year, and may the Lord guide us in the way we should go!

        In the Christmas and Chinese New Year dumpling-making events organized by the Giessen Fellowship, we saw that God is our help at the time of our need. About 70 people signed up for the Christmas gathering, half of whom were non-believers. Later, due to illness and other reasons, some people withdrew, leaving about 50 people. In addition, our co-workers were also sick or unable to participate. In the end, there was only one couple left to prepare for the event, and they were very stressful. One week before the meeting, the co-workers who were originally unable to participate were able to return to the team to serve because they canceled their original plan. Therefore, the seekers who came that day not only had the opportunity to hear the gospel, but also those students who could not cook were very happy to be able to eat Chinese food. As a result, they were also very willing to come to make dumplings on New Year’s Eve, and they also participated in it. Those students who don’t have to wash dishes at their parents’ house, also came to help wash a lot of dishes. On the same day, an overseas Chinese from Indonesia came. She felt lonely due to the pressure of studying and wanted to contact some Chinese. A sister from another city introduced our event to her. Our sister contacted her and invited her to come. She agreed and said that she would also bring two friends. Because she was going to class that day, they didn’t arrive until we were almost finished eating. Because we didn’t know it, only pork stuffing was prepared to make the dumplings. Dumplings turned out not good meal for them. Even so, they were still willing to stay and eat plain noodles made out of the dumpling dough with our co-workers. They listened carefully to an old brother’s sharing. The old brother said he was going to make the dumplings with us, but later he didn’t make them. It turned out that God asked him to preach the gospel instead.

        When I first went to Giessen fellowship, a sister also moved to Giessen because of her divorce. She started a new life with her two young son and daughter. But due to the brutality of her ex-husband, he left a lot of shadows, which especially affected her son’s emotions. Thank the Lord, although the life of the sister is difficult, she insists on taking her children to church. Because our Giessen Fellowship does not have a youth class, and their mother tongue is German, they go to a German church. Last week, the two siblings were baptized in that church. Their baptism was their mother’s greatest joy.

        Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to the Kassel fellowship for the first time to share God’s words. At the end of the meeting, I shook hands with a middle-aged man, but I couldn’t feel the enthusiasm of brothers and sisters in Christ. Later, when we were together again during the small group discussion, I found out that he was a seeker. Because of living in fear for the past year, his whole person has gone downhill. It turned out that he wanted to move and sell his stuff online. A sister in that fellowship wanted to buy one of his items. After chatting, the sister warmly invited him to the church. He thanked the sister’s husband for giving him some words of wisdom. When he came to church, he felt a little calmer in his heart. God is so miraculous in bringing this man to Him.

Prayer items and thanksgiving:

1. Thank God for being our help at the time of our need! When we were short of manpower when we organized the events, He called the co-workers back to serve the seekers who came to participate! Thank God for allowing us to hold a physical Christmas gathering after the pandemic, and we had the opportunity to have more exchanges and understanding with the seekers!
2. After the Chinese New Year, those pre-university students also went out for vacation. Pray that after they come back, we can start some gospel lessons!
3. Thank the Lord for bringing three Indonesian Chinese students to our midst! May the Lord let the them think more through the old brother’s sharing! May the Lord give us wisdom to do follow-up work, and pray that we have more co-workers in the Giessen Fellowship to care for these international students!
4. Thank the Lord for leading the single mother through difficult times, seeing her children grow in the Lord, and being baptized! May the Lord remember his son as he has just entered college and study in another city! Pray that he will continue to grow in the fellowship!
5. May the Lord guide the seeker in the Kassel fellowship, so that he can find the Lord’s salvation as soon as possible, escape from his fearful life, and enjoy real peace!

        Although Chinese New Year has just passed, I still wish you a blessed New Year!
        Happy Chinese New Year!
        Much blessings!

Serving Him,
Karen Tang